You have likely heard the term before, but what is it, and why and how does it work?
Besides simply being “plants that grow well together”, if your goal is to select plants that will benefit your crops, you need to understand why certain plants are sometimes used. Depending on your soil, and many other factors specific to your planting area, you may not need certain ‘companion plants’.
Knowing the why will ensure you are making the best use of your space, money, and time. Don’t put your energy into what you don’t need if it would be better suited to something else.
Some plants provide protection right away, while other “protective” botanicals take at least a season to have an effect.
Companion planting works in a variety of ways depending on the insect and depending on the plant. A plant can:
- Repel pests
- Act as a “trap crop”
- Attract predatory insects to feed on the pests
- Larvae of certain insects feed on pests, so you’ll need to provide the adult insects with nectar so they’ll lay their eggs
Trap Crops
In short, it’s a decoy plot to attract-annihilate.
Here’s the scheme: You plant a trap crop first to attract the pests (which are already in the area), then harvest the trap crop a month or so later with all the pests on it. Destroy the trap crop, and plant your desired crop.
You can plant more of the trap crop at the end of your rows to attract further pests away from the plants you want to protect. Keep an eye on the trap crop, and destroy and replant as needed. Some trap crops actually kill the pests themselves: how efficient!
Download the Companion Planting Charts so you can easily plan a great layout!
COMING UP I’LL HAVE A LIST OF THE MAIN CROPS, WHAT TO PLANT WITH THEM AND WHY!
Here’s the CABBAGE Chart