Secrets of Companion Planting + Popular Planting Combinations

Most people plant their gardens with little thought as to what plants grow well together. The secret to an amazing garden though? Companion planting!
Companion planting not only takes nutrient uptake into consideration but it also brings into account crop protection pest management and positive hosting aka. increasing the population of beneficial insects that will help manage your harmful pest population.
What is Companion Planting?
Companion planting is the practice of planting two or more plants together for mutual benefit. For example certain plants might be grown together to help each other meet their nutrient requirements growth habits or pestrepelling abilities.

A classic example of companion planting comes from the Three Sisters trio maize climbing beans and winter squash which were often planted together by various indigenous nations across North America.
Benefits of Companion Planting
Aside from making nutrients available to other plants and thus making them taste better companion planting also achieves the following
1. Minimizes Risk
If one crop fails or is affected by harsh weather pests or disease the overall yield of your plot may be increased by limiting the spread. To minimize risk youll want to focus on creating the best natural growth patterns and diversity in your space. Avoid large monocultures for example a giant plot of tomatoes in one section and instead focus on polycultures that mimick the way plants would grow in nature.
2. Crop Protection
Companion planting can offer shelter from harsh weather like lots of wind or too much sun to more delicate plants. Growing delicate plants next to more heartier ones that have the foliage and strength to withstand such conditions will guarantee the growth success of your smaller plants.
3. Trap Cropping
Companion planting also offers the best organic pest management. If one crop is more susceptible to pest infestation try planting beneficial plants next to that crop that the pests

despise. This will assist in protecting the pestvulnerable plants.
4. Positive Hosting
By planting your fruit and veggies next to plants like certain flowers that produce a surplus of nectar and pollen you can increase the population of beneficial insects while helping you manage your harmful pest population.
Companion Planting Chart
Use this companion planting chart as a guide so that you can design your garden in order to have better success!
Amaranth should be planted with corn to shade the soil and retain water. It also helps attract predatory ground beetles.
Asparagus can be planted with basil cilantro dill marigolds nasturtiums oregano parsley peppers sage thyme and tomatoes. Asparagus actually repels nematodes that attack tomato plants and tomatoes repel asparagus beetles.
Apples and Apricots surprisingly love to be planted next to garlic but it makes sense. Garlic helps repel pests like the fruit tree bore aphids and mites. The tree roots also absorb sulfur produced by the garlic making the tree more resistant to fungus mold and black spot. Marigolds are another winner for fruit trees as they help attract pollinators which then pollinate the flowers of the fruit trees. These flowers also help discourage nematodes in the soil which beneficial for fruit trees.
Basil is a great herb to plant next to tomatoes to help improve their flavor. It also helps repel aphids asparagus beetles mites flies mosquitoes and tomato horn worm. For this reason it should also be planted next to asparagus. Basil also works good when planted next to oregano and peppers.
Beans are all nitrogen fixers of the soil so they should be planted next to plants of the Brassica family carrots celery chard corn cucumber eggplant peas potatoes radish and strawberries. Avoid planting near chives garlic leeks and onion they dont like them!. Beets and beans should also be avoided next to one