Companion planting – The 6 best companion plants for your vegetable garden
Companion planting makes your vegetable garden healthier and more productive!
Find out which plants, such as marigolds, dill and others, will keep out pests, attract pollinators and improve the soil – and which vegetables will benefit.
We’ve all been there: pests are thriving in your vegetable patch and the soil isn’t as good as it should be. In an organic garden, nasturtiums, marigold flowers and other companion plants come into play to repel pests and attract beneficial insects instead. Are you curious to know which plants will be effective helpers in your vegetable patch? Here are 6 plants that should be in every vegetable garden.
The benefits of companion planting – why it’s worth it!
Companion planting has many benefits that you can’t afford to miss out on.
- Natural plant protection: Some plants repel pests, protecting neighbouring vegetables.
- Healthier soil: Deep- and shallow-rooted plants loosen the soil and enrich it with nutrients.
- Better pollination: flowering plants attract bees and butterflies, ensuring a bountiful harvest.
- More aromatic vegetables: Herbs and flowers can enhance the flavour of vegetables.
1. Pot Marigold
Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) loosens the soil with its deep roots and helps to control harmful nematodes and wireworms. The black bean aphid, cabbage whitefly, potato beetle and pea moth find the smell of marigolds unpleasant and keep their distance. At the same time they attract beneficial and pollinating insects. You can make a soothing calendula ointment from the flowers.
Marigolds need a sunny to partially shady spot and well-drained, humus-rich soil.
Good for: tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, beans
2. Dill
Dill (Anethum graveolens) enhances the flavour of vegetables. Its large umbels attract hoverflies, whose larvae eat aphids. Dill also stimulates the germination of carrot seeds.
Dill needs a sunny to semi-shady, sheltered position and well-drained, rather poor soil.
Good for: cucumbers, carrots, beetroot, cabbage, onions
3. Camomile – the plant doctor
Camomile (Matricaria chamomilla) strengthens weak plants, has an antibacterial effect and improves soil structure with its extensive root system. Its essential oils are said to improve the aroma of neighbouring plants and have a positive effect on their growth.
Camomile needs a sunny location and well-drained, nutrient-poor soil.
Good for: onions, leeks, cabbage, kohlrabi, carrots, strawberries, potatoes, celery
4. Nasturtium – The pest magnet
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) will sacrifice itself for your harvest. The plant attracts aphids, protecting valuable vegetables from attack. Ants and insects that come to feast on the fruits of your vegetable garden will also be confused by the smell of nasturtium, preventing them from finding their favourite plants.
It is a little known fact that nasturtium leaves have a pleasantly pungent taste. They can be used to enhance salads and herb curds, or to make pesto. The flowers of the nasturtium are also edible, as are the seed pods, which taste delicious when pickled as nasturtium capers.
Nasturtiums grow in sunny to semi-shady positions in moderately humus-rich, well-drained soil.
Good for: tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, cabbage, pumpkins.
5. Marigolds – the nematode hunters
Marigolds (Tagetes) are a popular addition to any vegetable patch and get on well with all kinds of vegetables. They attract harmful nematodes in the soil with the scent of their roots. When the nematodes enter the roots, the chemical composition of the root changes and the nematodes are killed. This is why marigolds are often planted next to root vegetables. Tagetes patula has been shown to be particularly effective in controlling nematodes.
As marigolds are very popular with snails, they are often used as a decoy food. The snails attack the marigolds and leave the vegetables alone.
6. Borage – the bee magnet
(Borago officinalis) attracts bees, enriches the soil with valuable potassium and strengthens neighbouring plants. It is a particularly good neighbour for cabbage. Its scent confuses cabbage white butterflies and prevents them from laying their eggs.
Borage needs a sunny to semi-shady spot and will grow in almost any garden soil as long as it is well-drained.
Good for: strawberries, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, tomatoes, cabbage
