Contributed by Jenny Feniak
Wisdom from ancient practices has guided us well for millennia.
Feeding ourselves with the flora of the planet is one such endeavour, and gardening popularity is only growing.
As opposed to monoculture, the planting of a single species applied in most industrial agriculture operations, polyculture involves several species planted in a space mimicking nature’s organic diversity. Permaculture and intercropping are examples of polyculture, and companion planting — pairing two or more mutually beneficial crops together — is a commonsense methodology applied to these systems.
Combining specific crops offers countless boons: increased yields, physical support, weed control, aiding pollination, biochemical benefits, shade regulation, and defence against antagonistic plants and pests. Growing a variety of plants to create a mosaic of textures, colours and smells will often confuse and distract pests rather than offering them an easy, single-crop buffet of their favourite meal.
And some companions can’t be explained at all, like stinging nettle increasing the vigor of almost any vegetable it shares a space with.
The oldest and most famous example of companion planting — the Three Sisters — exemplifies most of these benefits. Since squash was first domesticated in Mesoamerica 10,000 years ago, indigenous cultures from Central America to the Canadian Prairies have used the Three Sisters technique of planting beans and maize or corn with the squash to create a near-perfect three-part botanical harmony. Beans, and legumes of all sorts, fix nitrogen in the soil.
Corn is a big feeder and benefits from these nutrients while providing strong stalks for the beans to climb. These two provide plenty of shade for sensitive squash leaves, which sprawl as ground cover helping retain soil moisture while keeping weeds at bay.
Part of domesticating crops has seen us cubbyhole plants categorically but Mother Nature doesn’t do this. Get some flowers and herbs in the mix as well as they make some of the best garden companions. Along with specific species, don’t forget to keep water and light needs in mind while planning your garden. Initially, this practice can seem like a bit of a challenging puzzle but, through observation and practice, you’ll begin to learn who gets along and the relationships will become a part of your gardening lexicon.
Mother Nature has this dialled down so, make it easy on yourself and follow her lead. We’ve offered some tips below to get you started. Happy planting!
Vegetable companions:
peas and beans are nitrogen fixers and help heavy feeders like potatoes, corn and leafy greens such as chard, lettuce, kale and spinach.
Alliums (onions, shallots, leeks, garlic) repel many pests from rabbits to cabbage worms, maggots and aphids and are narrow enough to fit snugly between brassica plants which suffer from these pests.
Quick-growing root crops like carrots and radish work well with slower growers such as eggplants and peppers which have smaller leaves that won’t shade out the little guys below.
Don’t plant:
cabbage and cauliflower together, despite being from the same family, they don’t like each other.
beets and pole beans stunt each other’s growth.
fennel inhibits the growth of many plants.
Companion Herbs
| Herb(s) | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Basil, rosemary, thyme, sage | Improve the flavour of tomatoes |
| Tansy | Discourages cutworms |
| Mint, catnip, hyssop, rosemary, sage | Deter cabbage moths |
| Thyme | Fends off cabbage worms |
| Lavender | Combats codling moths (enemies of apple trees) |
| Mint | Repels ants |
| Oregano, borage | Attract ladybugs that feed on aphids |
| Borage | Adds trace minerals to soil that help strawberries |
| Dill, basil | Attract beneficial insects |
Strategic herb placement protects crops and attracts beneficial insects.
Companion Flowers
| Flower(s) | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Nasturtiums, cosmos, calendula, corn flowers, poppies, hollyhocks, foxgloves | General garden benefits |
| Marigolds (especially French marigolds) | Get along with all plants; produce a pesticide chemical in roots that lasts for years |
| Zinnias | Attract ladybugs that eat damaging insects |
| Buckwheat (flowering cover crop) | Helps suppress weeds |
| Single-petal blossoms | Preferred by pollinators due to exposed pollen (multi-petal flowers make pollen hard to reach) |
Flowers add beauty while providing pest control and pollinator support.
Mosquito-Repelling Plants
| Plant(s) | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Basil, chives, lavender, marigolds, rosemary, mint | Repel mosquitoes when planted in the garden |
| Ageratum | Secretes cumerin to repel mosquitoes |
| Citronella, lemongrass | Crush and rub on skin as a direct defense |
Natural mosquito control for outdoor living spaces.