Companion Planting for Gardening: Sustainable Gardening

Gardening enthusiasts often seek ways to optimize their plots for better yields, healthier plants, and reduced pest problems. One time-honored technique that has proven effective is companion planting. This method involves strategically placing certain plants together so they benefit each other in various ways, from improving growth to deterring pests. It can be as simple as planting stinky things, like mums or various herbs, by extra tasty plants like roses or even lettuce in order to deter deer. Read on for more examples that are not only practical, it can also be quite beautiful!

PHOTO: PHILIPPE S. GIRAUD / GETTY IMAGES

What is Companion Planting?

Dating back 12,000 years, North American indigenous people referred to a form of companion planting as the “three sisters” — squash, beans, and corn (Medium). Companion planting is based on the idea that certain plants can mutually benefit each other when grown in close proximity. These benefits can include pest control, improved growth, and enhanced flavor. The right combinations can create a more productive and harmonious garden.

Benefits of Companion Planting

1. Pest Control: Some plants naturally repel pests that might otherwise feast on their neighbors. For instance, marigolds release chemicals that deter nematodes.
2. Improved Growth: Certain plants provide essential nutrients or shade that benefit their companions. For example, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting leafy greens planted nearby.
3. Pollination: Flowers can attract pollinators like bees, which help increase the fruit set of nearby vegetables.
4. Soil Improvement: Deep-rooted plants can bring nutrients from the subsoil to the surface, enriching the soil for other plants.

Five Examples of Companion Planting

1. Tomatoes and Basil
   • Benefits: Basil is known to improve the flavor of tomatoes and can repel pests such as whiteflies, aphids, and tomato hornworms.
   • How to Plant: Plant basil around the base of tomato plants. Ensure there’s enough space for air circulation to prevent disease.
2. Carrots and Onions
   • Benefits: Onions emit a strong scent that deters carrot flies, while carrots can help suppress weeds around onions.
   • How to Plant: Interplant rows of carrots and onions, ensuring adequate spacing for both root crops to develop fully.
3. Cucumbers and Nasturtiums
   • Benefits: Nasturtiums repel aphids, cucumber beetles, and other pests. They also attract pollinators, which helps cucumber plants produce more fruit.
   • How to Plant: Plant nasturtiums around the edges of cucumber beds or in between cucumber plants.
4. Corn and Beans
   • Benefits: Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which corn plants need in large quantities. Corn provides a natural trellis for climbing bean varieties.
   • How to Plant: Plant corn first and, once it’s about a foot tall, plant beans around the base of the corn plants.
5. Lettuce and Radishes
   • Benefits: Radishes help break up the soil, making it easier for lettuce roots to grow. Lettuce provides shade to radishes, preventing them from bolting in hot weather.
   • How to Plant: Plant radishes in between rows of lettuce or around the edges of lettuce beds.

Companion Planting: A Model for Community Synergy

Just as companion planting enhances garden productivity and health, bundling home services with Pigybak can create significant synergies within a community. Pigybak allows neighbors to coordinate their home service needs, whether it’s contracting, landscaping, or maintenance, to optimize resource use and reduce costs.

Benefits of Bundling Home Services with Pigybak:

1. Cost Efficiency: Sharing contractors between neighbors can lead to bulk discounts and reduced service fees.
2. Reduced Carbon Footprint: Coordinating services means fewer trips for contractors, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
3. Strengthened Community Ties: Working together on home projects can build a stronger, more connected neighborhood.
4. Enhanced Service Quality: Contractors working on multiple projects in close proximity can maintain a higher quality of service due to reduced travel time and increased familiarity with the area.

Companion planting offers a natural, effective way to boost garden productivity, control pests, and improve plant health. By understanding and utilizing the synergies between plants, gardeners can create thriving, harmonious gardens. Similarly, Pigybak helps homeowners create synergies within their communities, promoting sustainability and efficiency.

Just as basil and tomatoes thrive together, so too can neighbors when they bundle their home services with Pigybak. This summer, explore the benefits of companion planting in your garden and consider how collaborating with your neighbors on home projects can yield fruitful results for your community. Download the Pigybak app today and start building a greener, more connected future.