Planting a vegetable garden is rewarding both for the gardener and for the garden itself.
Growing your own fruits and vegetables means you have control over what you eat, from seed to seed or plant to plant. However, there are many factors to take into account when growing your own vegetable garden.
Some plants are beneficial companions to one another, while others can be enemies. By doing a little research beforehand, you can plan your garden for optimum results.
Cultivating your garden with biodynamic and organic methods is an eco-friendly choice that also helps promote biodiversity and will enhance the soil’s condition. This style of gardening is also known as ‘companion planting’ and is widely used in biodynamic and ecological vegetable gardens.
By planting various crops together, you can create a diverse array of plants for your garden. The secret to a good garden is knowing what plants attract which pests.
For example, the nasturtium attracts lice and is, therefore, a good plant to put next to beans that can be killed by lice. The nasturtium itself will not die from it, but it will ensure that lice prefer to nest on nasturtium instead of on the beans.
In order to provide your vegetable garden with useful animals and insects, it is important to grow clever combinations.
‘Friends and Foes’ in the Vegetable Garden
| Species | Friends | Foes |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | Beans, Sprouts, Caraway, Dill, Horseradish, Kohlrabi, Mint, Spinach, Sweetcorn, Garlic, Cauliflower | Tomato, Sunflower, Raspberry, Pumpkin, Onion, Nasturtium, Cucumber, Celery, Carrot, Peas |
| Strawberry | Spinach, Radish, Parsley, Onion, Lettuce, Tomato, Leek, Thyme, Corn Salad, Garlic | Cucumber, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower |
| Onion | Beets, Corn Salad, Cucumber, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Pepper, Parsnip, Salsify, Savoury, Courgette | Leek, Parsley, Peas, Potato, Tomato |
| Endive | Fennel, Leek, Tomato | Artichoke, Lettuce, Salsify, Tarragon |
| Asparagus | Basil, Dill, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Tomato. | Potato |
| Artichoke | Sweetcorn, Beans | Parsley, Pea, Salsify, Tarragon |
| Aubergines/Egg Plant | Beans, Catnip, Marjoram, Green Beans | Okra, Potato, Tomato |
| Basil | Asparagus, Celery, Pepper, Tomato | Rue |
| Beets | Dill, Onion | – |
| Cauliflower | Beans, Celery, Chamomile, Dill, Oregano | Pea, Potato, Strawberry, Tomato |
| Beans | Egg Plant, Celery, Cucumber, Potato, Pumpkin, Rosemary, Sage, Savoury, Sweetcorn | Chives, Garlic, Fennel, Leek, Shallot, Onion |
| Borage | Roses, Tomatoes, Strawberries | – |
| Broccoli | Celery, Chamomile, Dill, Rosemary, Sage, | Nasturtium, Oregano, Strawberry, Tomato |
| Zucchini | Onion, Corn, Lettuce | Cucumber, Potato |
| Peas | Beans, Beets, Cucumber, Dill, Fennel, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Pumpkin, Sage, Sweetcorn, Carrot, Celery, Spinach, Mint, Radish, Carrots | Tomato, Potato, Onion, Leek, Garlic, Cauliflower, Shallot |
| Raspberry | Garlic, Violets | Potato |
| Garlic | Beetroot, Cucumber, Lettuce, Melon, Strawberry, Raspberry, Carrot | Chives, Leeks, Peas, Rhubarb, Spinach, Wheat |
| Cucumber | Beans, Celery, Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Onion, Peas, Sweetcorn | Potato, Kohlrabi, Radish, Black Spanish Round Radish |
| Kohlrabi | Celery, Corn Salad, Leek, Lettuce, Onion, Pea, Potato, Radish, Spinach | Cucumber |
| Melon | Radish, Sweetcorn | Potato, Swiss Chard |
| New Zealand Spinach | Fruit Trees | None |
| Parsnip | Onion | Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Potato |
| Peppers | Basil, Beetroot, Chives, Garlic, Leek, Onion, Tomato | Chive, Fennel, Kohlrabi, Okra |
| Pumpkin | Lettuce, Pea, Radish, Sunflower, Sweetcorn | Sage, Potato |
| Leek | Beets, Celery, Corn Salad, Endive, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Pepper, Salsify, Strawberry, Tomato, Carrots | Beans, Pea, Red Beetroot, Radish |
| Rhubarb | Corn Salad, Lettuce, Spinach | Melon, Black Walnut, Cucumber, Pumpkin |
| Radish | Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Pea, Pumpkin, Spinach, Strawberry, Sweetcorn, Tomato, Carrot, Cucumber | Hyssop |
| Black Spanish Round Radish | Beans, Beets, Celeriac, Chervil, Cucumber, Lettuce, Mint, Parsnip, Peas, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes | Cucumber |
| Turnip & Rutabaga | Rosemary, Peas, Mint | Garlic, Onion, Radish |
| Roses | Borage, Chives, Feverfew, Violets | |
| Sage | Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Fennel, Peas, Rosemary | Pumpkin |
| Salsify | Beetroot, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Onion | Artichoke, Endive |
| Celery | Beans, Broccoli, Beetroot, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Kohlrabi, Leek, Spinach, Tomato | Parsnip, Potato, Sweetcorn, Wheat, Parsley, Lettuce |
| Lettuce | Beetroot, Cucumber, Kohlrabi, Leek, Onion, Pea, Pumpkin, Radish, Rhubarb, Salsify, Strawberry, Sweetcorn, Tomato, Carrot, Strawberry, Carrots | Parsley, Parsnip, Celery |
| Spinach | Celery, Fruit Trees, Kohlrabi, Potato, Rhubarb, Strawberry, Tomato | Chard, Radish, Radish, Beetroot |
| Brussels Sprouts | Potato, Hyssop, Thyme, Sage | Tomato, Rosemary, Nasturtium, Strawberry |
| Sweetcorn | Radish, Courgette, Sunflower, Tomato, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Peas, Melon, Lettuce, Artichoke, Beans, Egg Plant, Potato, Parsnip | Red Beet, Celery |
| Tomatoes | Pepper, Parsley, Radish, Black Spanish Round Radish, Basil, Celery, Mint, Endive, Garlic, Leek, Spinach, Sweetcorn, Chives, Asparagus, Lettuce | Cauliflower, Dill, Potato, Fennel, Pea, Parsnip, Onion, Cucumber, Rosemary, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Gherkin |
| Corn Salad | Onion, Strawberry, Kohlrabi, Leek, Rhubarb | None |
| Fennel | Sage, Lettuce, Endive, Cucumber, Peas | Tomatoes, Beans |
| Belgian Endive/Chicory | Fennel, Lettuce, Carrot, Runner Beans, Beets, Tomato | Fennel, Rue |
| Carrots | Rosemary, Dill, Garlic, Cabbage, Chives, Chicory, Leek, Onion, Peas, Radish, Chard, Lettuce, Tomato | Mint, Red Beetroot |
| Sunflower | Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweetcorn | Potato |
- Calendula (marigold)
- Tagetes (Africans)
- Achillea (yarrow)
- Borage (starflower)
Conclusion
In conclusion, we’ve compiled a list of a few items to think about when considering companion planting. With so many benefits to companion planting, many natural and eco-gardeners are adopting this gardening practice. Companion planting is a gardening practice in which you grow plants together that benefit each other. Companion planting reduces pests, enhances yields, and improves plant health and vitality.
