Over 30% of families in the US grow food either at home or in community gardens, according to the National Gardening Association. Gardening is becoming popular again, and it`s essential to know the theory before digging into the ground — how, when, and what kinds of vegetables to plant in your garden to get a good harvest.
Here at The Elite Indian we share some useful tips on how to arrange vegetables in your garden, so you can enjoy fresh seasonal vegetables at their finest.
Vegetables that grow well together
- Tomatoes and carrots
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According to Louise Riotte and her book Carrots Love Tomatoes, these 2 buddies can make a great duo. Carrots like cooler and moister soil and tomatoes can create a perfect partial shadow and humidity level for them, on the other hand carrot tops will protect tomato plant from pests. Also their root systems don`t bother each other since carrots are a root crop and tomatoes grow above the ground.
- Cabbage and chamomile
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Growing chamomile and cabbage together in the garden is helpful, because the flower attracts insects that are good for brassicas like cabbage.
- Broccoli and onions
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Onion is a great companion plant for broccoli, it can even make the broccoli taste better. It grows well in cooler seasons and doesn`t like hot weather, and the chives will protect it from direct sun and create partial shade.
- Melons or squash and flowering herbs
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Plants that need to be pollinated will make a great combo. By adding flowering herbs with attractive smells like parsley, rosemary, lavender, and dill you invite insects into your garden, which is actually vital for melons and squash.
- Radishes and spinach
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Radishes and spinach are good friends, radishes can draw away pests from spinach. These parasites can attack the radish leaves, but not the root — which is the edible part.
- Beans and squash
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Squash, beans, and corn are known in gardening as the 3 sisters, as indigenous Americans used to grow these vegetables together. Corn stalks can help bean plants grow taller and stronger, and inject nitrogen into the soil, which helps the plants around it grow fuller. Squash grows down on the ground and fights weeds with its large leaves.
- Lettuce and chives or garlic
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Growing plants with contrasting habits together is called “intercropping” and some research claims that it is an effective gardening method. Thus, chives and garlic grow tall and create some nice shade for lettuce in hot weather. They can also be a natural repellent against aphids, a common problem for lettuce.
- Cucumbers and peas
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Growing cucumbers and peas together is totally beneficial, since the root system of peas and developed nitrogen in the soil will help cucumbers grow bigger and healthier.
Vegetables that don`t grow well together
- Tomatoes and potatoes
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Even though their names sound similar, it`s better for these 2 to stay away from each other — they can have the same early and late blights, so a problem for one immediately becomes a problem for the other.
- Corn and tomatoes
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If you think these vegetables can become good friends since they have a common enemy, you`re mistaken. Both corn and tomatoes can have the same fungal infections. If planted too close to each other — parasites could kill 2 birds with one stone.
- Cucumber and sage
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Even though it sounds like a fancy new facial cream name, these 2 guys are not friends in the garden. As a matter of fact, cucumbers don`t like almost any of the aromatic herbs — their scent can affect the cucumber flavor and even end up as a gross aftertaste.
- Radishes and hyssop
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According to Helen Philbrick, radishes are not happy when there`s any hyssop nearby — hyssop might act aggressively and tends to harm radishes. Though hyssop is not a total villain, it can help to get rid of cabbage moths, as it`s a natural insect repellent, and helps grapes grow faster.
- Onions and peas
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You can combine peas and onions while cooking a savory dish, but in the garden you`d better keep them as far away from each other as possible. Onion (and its relatives like shallots and garlic) develops its root system widely, tending to suck out nutrients from the root systems of beans and peas.
What combos do you grow in your garden? We’d be happy to hear from you in the comment section below!
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