Did you know that some plants grow better when they grow next to other plants? The opposite is also true, where some plants just don’t get along. It is a little known secret in organic gardening and all has to do with one plant repelling pests that would attack the other plant, or attracting beneficial insects, providing nutrients, or in some cases simply offering shade and support. Celebrate this marvelous concept in biodiversity when planning your spring garden.   

I first learned about companion planting from the book Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by Louise Riotte (follow that link for a large excerpt). You can find whole charts on this subject with all kinds of neat garden arrangements.

Let’s start with some very common crops such as corn, beans, and squash. These three have a very special symbiotic relationship whereby beans are able to climb up corn stalks and in return the beans (or other legumes) help replenish the soil with nitrogen after absorbing it from the air and converting it into a usable form for next year's crop. Beans also attract insects that prey on corn pests, such as leaf beetles. Leaves of the squash provide a living mulch that conserves water and provides weed control. Seem a little better than spraying down your yard with weed killers and pesticides?

One of the first questions an eco-minded person should ask when troubleshooting in the garden is, “How can I work with nature to solve this?” It’s possible there is an amazing answer that does not involve driving to the hardware store and buying chemicals that are probably banned in Canada and Europe yet are still available here in the U.S.

Companion planting can also be used in the juxtaposition of crops and flowers. For example, tall-growing, sun-loving plants may share space with lower-growing, shade-tolerant species. In the typical Native American garden, sunflowers were planted along the north edge of the garden so that they would not block out the sun for the others.

If aphids are a problem in your garden, which can be so common, ants herd aphids onto sunflowers, keeping them off neighboring plants. Have you ever seen an ant milk an aphid? Nature is weird! Members of the mint family, such as catnip, are cool because they have square stems (take a look!) and also repel aphids with their strong scent. Mints can also be invasive, though, so plan carefully. 

The nice thing about companion planting is that these techniques have been around for a while. You don’t have to go through a whole season of trial and error to figure out what will work best for your garden.

First, figure out what you like to grow and what works for your garden space. Then learn about native plants in your area and utilize those, because they are already perfectly suited for their environment and do not need extra water, and they support local wildlife.

For a whole list of companion crops, check out Mother Earth News Plant Chart, or learn more at Seeds of Change.