Better Together: Companion Planting

Tis the season for garden planning and planting. As nature is moving into the spring season with new blooms and life, we are gearing up for the annual Plant Sale, hosted by the Growing Collective, to begin our summer gardens. This event is a perfect opportunity to explore a variety of vegetables, native plants, edible flowers, and herbs that you can purchase as seedlings. The Growing Collective is made up of dedicated volunteers with an array of gardening skills and knowledge. One of which is companion planting.

Three Sisters

Companion planting is a form of permaculture and strategic gardening practice that supports the health of soil and plants. It is the practice of planting crops next to each other to support each other's planting and growth. One of the most well known companion plantings is the Three Sisters, an Indigenous practice of planting beans, corn, and squash together. But how do they support each other? Well, the corn serves as support for the bean vines to crawl up, the beans ‘fix’ the nitrogen in the soil, and the squash protects the corn and beans from pests. By planting these crops together (sometimes referred to as intercropping) they support each other's growth better than if they were separate. After the colonization of the Americas and the subsidization of crops, monocropping, planting only one crop in an area, is primarily used in large agricultural operations. Monocultures are more susceptible to pests, do not promote nutrient rich soil, and increase reliance on pesticides and fertilizers. Companion planting on the other hand offers naturally occurring pest deterrents, supports nutrient dense soil, increases crop yield, and attracts pollinators. We highly recommend considering companion planting for your home garden this summer.

If you are interested or intrigued by incorporating some companion planting this summer, here are some considerations you should take.

Start small:

If this is your first time trying companion planting, it’s recommended that you start small. Starting small prevents us from getting overwhelmed with trying to learn everything at once. Focusing on one set of companions gives you experience with the technique without needing to manage a whole garden's worth. 

Don’t be too fixated having perfect companions:

Similar to the previous suggestion, fixating too much on the perfect pairs right away can create more stress and take the enjoyment out of gardening. Doing your research on what plants to pair is important, but it’s also important not to worry too much about getting everything right the first time.

Consider the height of what you are planting:

Some planning and consideration of the layout of the garden will need to occur when you start companion planting (another reason to start small). One of the considerations you have to make is in regards to the height of the plants. If you find the right pair, make sure one or both of them isn’t too tall and blocks sun access from the other plants.

Need a little bit more convincing? Here is a little expansion on the benefits of companion planting:

Decreased susceptibility to pests:

Some pairs act as natural deterrents to pests. For example, planting marigolds near tomatoes helps prevent pests and nematodes from overtaking your tomatoes while attracting other pollinators.

Less ‘weeds’:

Weeds, or undesired plants in the garden, will have a harder time growing between symbiotic plants. They will have strong competition for soil and sunlight and are less likely able to grow in these kinds of environments.

Healthier soil:

Companion planting allows for multiple plants to grow in a garden at once, and polycultures like this allow for healthy, nutrient de

nse soil to thrive. We can look at the example of the Three Sisters and of how the beans support the soil to allow for the squash and corn to grow.

Attract pollinators:

As previously mentioned, some companion pairs help attract pollinators and beneficial insects. Pollinators support the health of plants by also discouraging the harmful insects.

Increased crop yields:

Given the benefits already stated, of course you will have an increased crop yield! Not only will you have a diverse variety of crops, but you will be able to eat fresh all summer long!

Companion planting brings great benefit to soil, pollinators, crops, and us. It is a potentially new strategy of gardening to look into this season. You can get a head start on your plantings by checking out the Growing Collective Plant Sale and chatting with the dedicated volunteers of that group.