COMPANION PLANTING: PLANT CARE THE WAY NATURE INTENDED

Companion planting is an ancient gardening technique that encourages grouping plants in the garden that benefit each other.  One of the earliest known records of companion planting dates back to the writer Theophrastus in the year 300 B.C.  The infamous “Three Sisters” garden of the Iroquois Native Americans utilized corn, beans and squash offering each other mutual protection, support and nourishment. Many companion plants have developed systems to repel pest insect from valuable food crops and landscape plants, while other companion plants attract helpful insects and birds, keeping bad insects in check.  Some companion plants are known to produce chemicals in their roots that suppress not only pest insects, but also disease and noxious weeds!  Many groundcovers and cover crops, also known as “Living Mulches”, are planted in order to smother and cover emerging weeds. Another useful companion plant practice utilizes certain plants as bait to draw a particular pest insect far away from the more valuable crop or landscape plant.  Additionally, some groups of companion plants grow deep roots to help loosen compacted soils; others enrich the soil with a free source of nitrogen, while some companion plants provide shelter and protection for tender seedlings.  An important and simple way to decrease pest problems in our landscapes and vegetable patches is to replicate nature by increasing the diversity of plantings in ones gardens, especially those containing attributes beneficial to other plants. 

1. Companion Plants known to repel pest insects and/or disease are:  Marigolds, Lavender, Wormwood, Basil, Chamomile, Chives, Mint, Rosemary, Parsley, Hyssop, Thyme, Catnip and Garlic
2. Companion Plants known to attract beneficial insects and/or birds are: most members of the Daisy Family (Compositae) such as Cosmos, Coreopsis, Sunflowers, Tansy, Goldenrods, Black-Eyed Susan’s, Purple Coneflowers, Asters and Gay feathers while non daisy members include Dill and Fennel. Many native Ohio trees, shrubs, perennials and grass that bear fruit or seed will help to attract birds to ones gardens.
3. Companion Plants that will enrich garden soils with nitrogen and biomass are: most legume crops and members of the Papilionaceae Family such as Sweet peas, Pole Beans and Peanuts.  Other nitrogen rich plants include Lupines, Lespedeza, False Indigo, Clover and Black Locust.
4. Companion Plants that trap pest insects include: Radishes, Nasturtiums, Collards, Borage, Mustard, Lantana and Tomatoes (plant Trap Plants near desirable plantings, and be sure to remove them once they become infested with pest insects)
5. Companion Plants used as Nurse Crops include: Winter Rye and Oats (to protect newly seeded areas) and Comfrey, Lespedeza, Cow Pea and Annual Rye (to loosen clay soils)
6. Companion Plants used as “Living Mulch” include; Strawberries, Mint, Sweet and Red Clover and Hairy Vetch (not to mistaken with Crown Vetch)
7. Companion Plants as weed suppressors: Wormwood, Sage, Sunflowers,  Annuals Rye and Solidago (plant such companions at least 18” from valuable crops and landscape plants to reduce potential for injury)

Healthy companion plants start with healthy soils.  Adding amendments to our garden soils such as aged compost and leaf mulch help to support a more diverse population of soil microbes to combat soil borne disease, reduce soil erosion, improve soil structure and increase nutrient uptake by plant roots.  Compost is truly recycling at its finest, and all gardeners should have a composting area on their property for their yard and kitchen waste. Garden soils enriched with compost produce plants that are less susceptible to bad insects, and often outgrow pest damage when attacked, remaining productive and picturesque.   Many gardeners build raised beds with their compost to a height of 12”-24”, and surround the area with blocks, boulders, straw bales or cedar timbers to prevent soil loss.  Creating raised beds lessens the amount of bending over and kneeling one needs to do in the garden, and also provides companion plant roots with deep soils for faster, more pest resistant growth.  Mulch raised beds with pine straw, aged wood chips or shredded leaf mulch to help retain moisture, and weave soaker hoses through companion plant groups to irrigate with less water waste than a traditional broadcast sprinkler.  Organic fertilization can also help stimulate healthy plant growth, but soils rich in compost will fulfill many of your plants nutrient needs.  Additional compost should be incorporated into ones garden areas annually for optimum plant growth and fewer pest problems.

Companion planting is an excellent strategy to eliminate the need for toxic chemical pesticide and to reduce our workload in the garden.  When we use a diversity of companion plants for pest, weed control and soil enrichment, we are creating more sustainable garden areas that care for themselves the way nature intended.  Many such plantings are also beneficial to humans as food and medicine.  Marvin’s Organic Gardens grows many of the above mentioned companion plants using certified organic methods.  Please stop in or call us about our great selection of these helpful plants and compost, or call to set up an appointment for Marvin’s Organic Gardens to design and install your very own sustainable companion planting.  Go Organic!  It’s Only Natural.