Companion planting makes flowers bloom better and also reduces pests and diseases

In the gardening world there are companion plants that are especially suited to growing together, each giving the other a boost, while some plants are antagonistic and will hinder each other when grown together. Let's take a look at what is actually going on.

Every plant's flowers, leaves and roots are different; some attract certain insects and repel others. If another plant also likes that insect, then the two promote each other's growth.

In the natural environment many plants grow in the same area, most promoting each other's growth while some are in competition. When we plant in a yard or on a balcony we should also pay attention to these matters, so that flowers and plants promote each other's growth.

I. Plants that promote each other's growth

1. Roses and garlic:

Roses are well suited to being planted with garlic; garlic drives away many pests harmful to roses, such as the common aphid.

2. Tomatoes and cabbage:

Tomatoes are very well suited to being planted with cabbage, because they drive away some moth larvae that eat cabbage. The many holes we see on cabbage are the work of these larvae.

3. Cucumbers and nasturtium:

Nasturtium has a certain pest-repelling effect, and it happens to be very good at driving away the beetles that eat cucumbers, and nasturtium can also attract some beneficial insects.

4. Marigolds and cucurbit plants:

Marigolds not only have a certain mosquito-repelling effect, they can also control nematodes in the soil, which works even better than spraying pesticide directly, and they are very good for the growth of cucurbit plants, especially watermelon.

5. Cauliflower and zinnias

Zinnias can attract some beneficial insects, such as the common June beetle and other beneficial ladybugs, which feed specifically on pests like aphids and cabbage worms, making them very beneficial to cauliflower, cabbage and the like.

II. Comparison of companion and antagonistic plants

1. Basil

Basil, also known as jinbuhuan, is very well suited to beginners; it is an especially good plant, as long as it is not planted together with rue. Next to basil it is suitable to plant tomatoes and lettuce, which helps promote the growth of these vegetables.

2. Bush beans:

Bush bean plants are well suited to cabbage, carrots, beets, corn, marigolds, cucumbers, catnip and strawberries; potatoes and marigolds can drive away the beetles that eat bean plants, and they also promote each other's growth.

Next to bush beans, do not plant garlic, chives, onions or other allium plants.

3. Long beans:

Next to long beans, do not plant beets, garlic, onions and the like; there are quite a lot of suitable plants, such as corn, marigolds, cherry radishes and carrots.

4. Chives:

Chives are especially well suited to beginners, not only because they are easy to grow and have few pests or diseases, but also because they can promote the growth of all kinds of plants. They themselves have a pest-repelling effect, driving away aphids and Japanese beetles, and they also do a good job of promoting the growth of other plants.

5. Cucumbers:

Cucumbers are very poorly suited to being planted with late-maturing potatoes, because they increase the chance of the potatoes getting blight. Cucumbers can be planted with beans, cabbage, carrots or sunflowers.

6. Garlic:

Garlic is well suited to being planted next to monthly roses (Rosa chinensis), and is also very well suited to being planted next to cabbage or tomatoes. Garlic can block the invasion of aphids, moths and the like, and it can also appropriately prevent potatoes from getting blight. The worst thing to plant garlic with is beans.

7. Marigolds:

Planting a few marigolds next to most vegetables is excellent; they can drive away pests, especially aphids and some beetles that eat beans, but marigolds are not suited to being planted next to cucurbits or potatoes.

8. Sage:

Sage is well suited to being planted next to cabbage, carrots and tomatoes, but is not suited to being planted next to cucumbers. Sage has the effect of driving away moths and flies, and can promote tomatoes growing more robustly.

9. Thyme;

Thyme is also very well suited to beginners; it is easy to grow, has low water needs, comes in a rich variety of cultivars, has fresh-scented branches and leaves, and can promote the growth of all kinds of plants.

12. Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are not suited to being planted next to potatoes, fennel or walnut trees; this is also why soil that has grown tomatoes should not be used to plant potatoes, otherwise they easily pick up pests and diseases.

Tomatoes are well suited to being planted together with basil, cabbage, carrots, onions, rosemary or sage.

All of the above are companion and antagonistic plants; if a plant is not mentioned, it can also be planted together, it is just that there will be no mutually promoting effect between them.