Turns out that plants benefit from a supportive network, just like people do. It’s becoming more apparent in agriculture that some plants simply grow better when beside complementary plants. These living specimens need energy, sun, and nutrients to flourish. That is what companion planting is based on, plants that are different but thrive with companionship. Essentially, they give each other a helping hand (who doesn’t need one every now and then!).
What is companion planting? Simply put, it involves growing different plants together, or beside each other, to get a better crop. The idea is to create a buddy-system, where some characteristics of a plant can help another one to grow optimally. The characteristics of each plant complement each other, making it a beautiful budding relationship. This concept can work both in small gardens or large fields, whether gardening for pleasure or farming.
There are plenty of good reasons to plant certain crops together (our favorite is number nine!).
Increased plant health
An overall healthy plant, grown in nutrient-rich soil, in turn will have beneficial effects on the microbiome in the plant. It’s been found that companion planting in certain crops has shown enriched functions of top microorganisms of both plants. In some cases, this means there may be less need for the use of pesticides, leaving a more natural crop that is better to consume, as any organic farmer will tell you. And in other cases, some plantings could also attract pollinators, which means more yield.