What is Companion Planting?

Companion Planting with Spinach & Lettuce

What does Companion mean? Companion…one who accompanies another, thing that matches or accompanies another; - The Oxford English Dictionary.

Companion planting is the art and science of applying a diverse group of vegetables, herbs and flowers together to create a sustainable ecosystem that will repel insects and neutralize unwanted bacteria naturally. The process of companion planting allows the crops to exchange valuable nutrients from the soil to the plant, providing nutritional benefits to the vegetables that grow through natural pest control. When companion plants are strategically placed together, this method will enhance the yield per crop.

How to combine vegetables, herbs and flowers?
If a garden is small, space is a problem. Companion planting can fill empty spaces by using vegetables or herbs in between each other. Radish can be planted between the lettuce or the spinach. Certain vegetables prefer less sun then others or need less sun to grow. By using the combination of vegetables, herbs and flowers in the garden will mean fresh supply all season long.

Crops that help each other should be grown together to get better results. When basil is planted in between tomatoes, this combination will balance out the eco system between the plants by using companion planting.

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