Companion Companion PlantsPlants

Diverse mix of plants makes healthy Diverse mix of plants makes healthy beautiful gardenbeautiful garden

Many believe certain plant Many believe certain plant combinations have extraordinary combinations have extraordinary (some even believe mysterious) (some even believe mysterious) powers for helping each other growpowers for helping each other grow

Scientific study confirms:Scientific study confirms:

some combinations have real benefits some combinations have real benefits unique to those combinationsunique to those combinations

Practical experience demonstrates Practical experience demonstrates how to pair certain plants for mutual how to pair certain plants for mutual benefitbenefit

How does companion planting How does companion planting work?work?

Companions help each other growCompanions help each other grow

Tall plants provide shade for sun-sensitive Tall plants provide shade for sun-sensitive shorter plantsshorter plants

Companions use garden space Companions use garden space efficientlyefficiently

Vining plants cover the ground, upright Vining plants cover the ground, upright plants grow up. Two plants in one patch.plants grow up. Two plants in one patch.

Companions prevent pest problemsCompanions prevent pest problems

Plants like onions repel some pestsPlants like onions repel some pests

Other plants can lure Other plants can lure

pests away from more pests away from more

desirable plantsdesirable plants

Companions attract beneficial insectsCompanions attract beneficial insects

Every successful garden needs plants that Every successful garden needs plants that attract the predators of pestsattract the predators of pests

Roses, garlic chivesRoses, garlic chives

Garlic said to repel rose pestsGarlic said to repel rose pests

Garlic chives just as repellentGarlic chives just as repellent

small purple or white flowers in small purple or white flowers in

late spring look great with late spring look great with

rose flowers and foliagerose flowers and foliage

Tomatoes, cabbageTomatoes, cabbage

Tomatoes repellent to diamondback moth Tomatoes repellent to diamondback moth larvae which chew large holes in cabbage larvae which chew large holes in cabbage leavesleaves

Cucumbers, nasturtiumsCucumbers, nasturtiums

nasturtium vining stems nasturtium vining stems

make great companion make great companion

among cucumbers, squashamong cucumbers, squash

Reputed to repel cucumber Reputed to repel cucumber

beetles, but better as beetles, but better as

habitat for predatory habitat for predatory

insects, such as spiders insects, such as spiders

and ground beetlesand ground beetles

Peppers, pigweed or Peppers, pigweed or ragweedragweed

Leafminers preferred the weeds Leafminers preferred the weeds

to pepper plants to pepper plants

in studyin study

Remove flowers Remove flowers

before they set seedbefore they set seed

Cabbage, dillCabbage, dill

Dill attracts the tiny beneficial wasps that Dill attracts the tiny beneficial wasps that control imported cabbageworms and other control imported cabbageworms and other cabbage pestscabbage pests

Corn and beansCorn and beans

Beans attract beneficial insects that prey on Beans attract beneficial insects that prey on corn pests such as leafhoppers, fall corn pests such as leafhoppers, fall armyworms and leaf beetlesarmyworms and leaf beetles

Beans climb up corn stalksBeans climb up corn stalks

Lettuce, tall flowersLettuce, tall flowers

Nicotiana (flowering tobacco), cleome Nicotiana (flowering tobacco), cleome (spider flower) give lettuce light shade(spider flower) give lettuce light shade

Radishes and spinachRadishes and spinach

Radishes attract leafminers away from Radishes attract leafminers away from spinachspinach

The damage the leafminers do to radish The damage the leafminers do to radish leaves doesn't prevent radishes from leaves doesn't prevent radishes from growing wellgrowing well

Potatoes, sweet alyssumPotatoes, sweet alyssum

sweet alyssum - tiny flowers that attract sweet alyssum - tiny flowers that attract predatory waspspredatory wasps

Plant sweet alyssum alongside Plant sweet alyssum alongside

bushy crops like potatoes, or bushy crops like potatoes, or

let it spread to form living ground let it spread to form living ground

cover under arching plants cover under arching plants

like broccolilike broccoli

Cauliflower, dwarf zinniasCauliflower, dwarf zinnias

Nectar from dwarf zinnias lures ladybugs Nectar from dwarf zinnias lures ladybugs and other predators that help protect and other predators that help protect cauliflowercauliflower

Collards, catnipCollards, catnip

Studies have found that planting catnip Studies have found that planting catnip alongside collards reduces flea-beetle alongside collards reduces flea-beetle damage on collards damage on collards