There are different plants which you can grow together in a garden space. If you can grow companion plants together, it will be effortless to arrange your planting space. Also, it will be helping in planning a very successful garden. Companion planting with tomato is much easier when planning your garden.
Why We Use Companion Planting
I have been gardening for as long as I can remember. Growing up, we always had veggies growing, and as soon as I had my own home, I made it a priority to have a garden of my own. Over the last few years, Chris and I have focused so much on growing chickens, turkeys, lambs, and pigs that our garden got placed on the back burner. This year, we are back at it, and to make my life a little easier, I am focusing on a technique called “companion planting.”
What Is Companion Planting?
Companion planting is just a fancy term for grouping different veggies, herbs, and flowers together for mutual benefit.
Three Perks of Companion Planting
1 – Deterring Harmful Pest
Insects are attracted to certain plants and repelled by others. Marigolds emit a scent that repels the most common pests of tomatoes. By planting them together, you decrease the likelihood of aphids and other harmful pests attacking your plants.
2 -Attracting Pollinators
While some plants are self-pollinating, many need the help of bees, butterflies, and even some flies to produce. Planting certain flowers and herbs alongside squash, cukes, and other flowering veggies will increase your garden’s production.
3 – Improving Nutrient Uptake
You are probably starting to get the picture that different plants need different things. The same goes for nutrients in the soil. Some need more nitrogen, while others are “nitrogen fixers” and add it to the ground. By pairing plants that need different nutrients, you can get the most out of your garden space.
Companion planting is a great way to maximize the efficiency of your garden.
Farmers Almanac
Companion Plants for Tomatoes
Plants recommended as Companion plants for Tomatoes are cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, lettuce, Carrot, garlic, and marigold. These are considered the best companion plants. These plants are helping the root growth to get a vigorous harvest from tomatoes. When you companion plant tomatoes, you have to consider one or a few benefits that both plants can get by planting together.
- Cucumber – This is helping to control weeds
- Peppers – Pepper and tomatoes are from the same family. Therefore, easy to grow as they require the same conditions. But it is essential to do crop rotation for the next planting.
- Zucchini– Tomatoes and Zucchini are popular choices in companion planting. These two will give a good harvest when planting together.
- Lettuce – When planting tomatoes, you can plant lettuce alongside. So, before getting harvest from tomatoes, you will have a yield from lettuce.
- Carrot – Will help to loosen the soil around the tomato plant
- Garlic – Help to protect tomatoes from insect attacks
- Marigold – This is working as an insect repellent plant
Also, there are what are considered “bad plants” for companion planting with tomatoes. Those are eggplant, cabbage, and fennel. These plants should not grow with tomatoes.
- Cabbage – reduce the growth of tomatoes.
- Eggplant – When planting eggplant and tomatoes together will make tomatoes more susceptible to diseases. So you should avoid planting together.
- Fennel – This will reduce the growth of the tomato plant.
Go Ahead, Give Companion Planting A Try!
With a little planning, you’ll be enjoying fresh tomatoes from your garden too! Companion Planting with tomatoes is a great place to start for any gardener, from beginning to expert!
