- Herbs attract beneficial insects into the garden.Dougal Waters/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Increase your average produce yield and combat pests without chemicals by planting herbs, flowers and vegetables that benefit one another in close proximity. Not all plants are compatible, and there are plants that should not be grown together such as beans and onions. Successful vegetable companion planting requires knowing which plants work together. Pair the right plants, then step back and allow Mother Nature to work her magic in your garden. - Plant companion crops such as carrots right underneath the tomato plants.tomato image by YN from Fotolia.com
There are many plants that are effective companions for tomatoes. Plant asparagus, basil, carrot, chives, onion, parsley, marigold and nasturtium close to tomato plants. The tomato plant protects asparagus from the asparagus beetle, and since tomato plants prefer to grow in the same spot year after year, planting them in the asparagus patch helps you get the a double crop from one area of the garden. Tomatoes grow well with roses and help prevent black spot. Members of the onion family help repel pests because their smell masks the smell of the tomato plant, according to Cornell University's horticulture department. - Onions and lettuce are good companion plants.onions and lettuce image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
Onions keep rabbits out of the lettuce patch, so alternating these two crops can prevent loss of the lettuce crop. Radish seems to be a lot tenderer when inter-planted with lettuce. Other good crops to plant with lettuce include strawberries, cucumbers and carrots. The lettuce helps shade cucumber roots which is essential to their survival. - These holes were made by the white cabbage butterfly.cabbage image by Marius Lazin from Fotolia.com
The cabbage family includes cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, collards and Brussels sprouts. It is best not to plant members of this family close together. Aromatic plants with multiple blossoms such as hyssop, thyme, dill and rosemary help repel pests such as the white cabbage butterfly and increase pollination by attracting a variety of bees. Onions and potatoes are other suitable choices for companion plants. - Choose companion plants that help shade the cucumbers roots.cucumber image by Alexandr Shebanov from Fotolia.com
Planting cucumbers with corn or sunflowers offers the cucumbers a natural trellis to climb on, shades the roots of both plants and helps deter raccoons, who find cucumbers unpalatable. Other good companion plants include beans, radish and peas. Radish that is allowed to go to seed helps protect the cucumber plants from the cucumber beetle. Avoid planting cucumbers near aromatic herbs or potatoes.
