companionplanting

Companion planting

Companion Planting is a system where two or more plants are grown in close proximity, in order to provide some form of protection to one or all of them. It is a form of polyculture. Polyculture includes crop rotation, companion planting and the use of beneficial weeds.

Benefits could be to act as a deterrent or a decoy for pests and diseases. Some plants produce chemicals from their leaves which can deter certain pests, i.e. African Marigolds produce a substance called thiopene which repels the tiny slugs that live in the soil, therefore making it a good companion for root crops.

Another good example of this would be the carrot and carrot fly. The Carrot Fly is attracted to the smell of the Carrots especially when the crop is being thinned, the scent is strongest when leaves are crushed. To stop the carrot fly from finding your carrots place a plant with a stronger smell near to the Carrots. There are various plants that can help with this. Onions are a good one to try as the strong odour they give off will help mask the scent of the Carrots.

Planting taller plants around your crops can provide shelter and also creates a micro-climate which can protect from pests. Helpful insects can be encouraged by planting something near by which they use for food, i.e. hoverflies love nectar but their larvae feed on aphids, so putting plants rich in nectar nearby will attract them.

Trap crops also work well . Black aphids love nasturtiums more than anything. If you have trouble with aphids on your bean plants then you can plant nasturtiums nearby and then pull them up when they are full of aphids.

Please find below a table in alphabetical order of plants and their good and bad companions we hope you find it useful.

Plant Name	Best Friends	Worst enemies
Asparagus	Can stop tiny nematodes from attacking the roots of tomato plants.
Aubergine	Runner beans, Dwarf beans, Spinach.
Basil	Pepper, Tomato, Marigold
Beans	rosemary, peas, cucumbers, carrots, chives, radishes, lettuce.	onion or fennel.
Beetroot	Beans, Cabbage, Onion, Sage.	Mustard
Brassica's (Cabbage Family)	Bush Beans, Beets, Celery, Onions, Tomato, Marigold, Nasturtium, Sage, Rosemary.	Strawberry and Caraway
Carrots	Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Leeks, Peas, Radish, Tomato, Sage grow well with chives, rosemary, parsley and tomatoes. (Onions are good at repelling carrot fly due to the smell).	Dill
Celery	Dwarf Beans, Cabbage, Onion, Spinach, Tomato
Cucumbers	Beans, sweetcorn, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radish, Marigold, Nasturtium, Savory	No strong smelling herbs
Lettuce	Carrots, Cucumbers, Onion, Radish, Beans, Chervil and Strawberries
Melon	sweetcorn, Nasturtium, Radish.
Nasturtiums	Cucumber and lettuce
Onion	Beetroot, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Cucumber, Lettuce, Pepper, Squash, Strawberries, Tomato, Savory	Peas and Beans
Parsley	Tomato
Peas	Dwarf beans, Runner Beans, Carrots, Sweetcorn Cucumber, Radish, Turnips. lettuce, Turnips.	Onion and Garlic
Pepper	Onion
Radish	Beans, Carrots, Cucumber, Lettuce, Melons, Peas, Squash beetroot, spinach, parsnips, beans.	Hyssop, cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, or turnips.
Runner Beans	Carrots, Corn Cucumber, Aubergine, Lettuce, Pea, Radish	Onion
Spinach	Celery, Aubergine, Cauliflower.
Squash	Sweetcorn, Onion, Radish.
Strawberry	Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Spinach.	Cabbage
Sweetcorn	Runner beans, Cucumber, Melons, Peas, Squash and Potaotes.	Tomato
Tomato	Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Onion, Mint.	Sweetcorn, cabbage, Cauliflower and Fennel , French Marigold.

Make sure you plant your companions at the same time as your edible crops to prevent pests from getting a hold.

	Very useful Herbs
Bay Leaf	The leaves of theis pungent plant cna be dried alnong with other strong herbs and sprinkled around the garden as a natural insecticide.
Borage	A self seeding annual, borage makes a good companion plant for tomatoes, squash and strawberries. Also a good plant for attracting beneficial insects like bees. An excellent mulch, soil conditioner and a good addition to your compost heap it is rich in minerals like potassium, calcium and mineral salts.
Chervil	A good companion for radishes and keeping aphids away also known to deter slugs.
Chives	Onion scent protects chrysanthemums, sunflowers and tomatoes from aphids.
Comfrey	This plant was tradionallyused for medical purposes, it is rich in potassium, calcium and phosphorous. A good place to look for slugs as they like to hide amongst its folliage.
Coriander	Helps to repel aphids and spider mite .
Dill	Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and predatory wasps that love to eat aphids and a good chum for your lettuce.
Garlic	The Strong smell helps to deters aphids and is a good companion for roses. has ben known to ward off snails, carrot fly and codling moth.
Hyssop	A member of the mint family, hyssop makes a good companion for cabbages and grapes, will fend off attacks from flea beetles and codling moths. Do not plant it near radishes. Excellent for attracting bees.
Lavender	A beautifully scented plant and a must for every garden or allotment, repels flea beetle and moths. Makes an excellent food source for many beneficial nectar loving insects.
Lemon Balm	When crushed this plant gives off a heavenly citronella like scent which makes many bugs dislike it. Can be invasive so best grown in a pot.
Mint	A very useful plant to have in the garden, it is known to deter many insects such as flea beetles, ants, aphids and cabbage moths. Also effective in detering mice. Can be used as a mulch around your brassica's. A very invasive perrenial so best grown in a pot.
Oregano	Makes a good companion plant for members of the brassica family and good for repeling the dredded cabbage white butterfly.
Parsley	Good companion for onions, tomatoes, carrots and asparagus. It's flowers a great for attracting insects like hoverflies and bees. Don't plant near mint as they don't get on!
Rosemary	Makes a good companion for beans, cabbages and carrots. Can keep carrot flies and cabbage moths at bay.
Sage	A good companion for brassica's and carrots will deter cabbage moth, carrot fly and flea beetle. The flowering plant attracts many beneficial insects.
Rosemary
Tarragon	Can be planted throughout the garden, disliked by many pests.
Yarrow	A strong smelling plant which attracts many beneficial insects such as ladybirds and hoverflies. It is known to give a boost to other plants and accumulates phosphorous, calcium and silica, and is great added to your compost heap.

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