Companion planting involve planting different type of plants near each other to help each other. Companion planting allow certain plants to repel pests, and companion planting allow certain plants to attract pollinators. Herbs contain volatile oils that will repel much types of insects; thus, you can use herbs within your companion planting strategy.
One of the most common example of companion planting is basil and tomatoes. Basil should be planted near tomatoes because basil contain volatile oils that will repel hornworms and thrips. Additionally, planting basil near tomatoes will enhance the flavors of the tomatoes.
Using Herbs to Help Your Garden
The two plants should be planted six inch apart from each other. If planted too close to each other, they may crowd the other plants. Many herbs act as deterrent for pests due to the chemical compounds that they contain.
Chives contain sulfur compounds that will deter aphids and carrot flies. Therefore, planting chives near roses or root crops will protect those plants from the pests. Rosemary can be used in companion planting with beans and brassicas.
The needle like leaves of rosemary will deter beetles and moths. Many herbs can be layered within the garden. One herb can be tall to be planted along the perimeter of the garden, while other herbs will be low growing and be planted in the middle of the garden.
Many herbs will act as pollinator magnet. For instance, borage contains blue flowers that will attract honeybees and hoverflies that will eat aphids on squash plant. Dill and fennel will attract lacewings and parasitic wasps that will eat harmful pest in the garden.
Chamomile will grow well with seedlings because chamomile will release chemicals that strengthen the young seedlings. Some plant combination will not work well together. Fennel release chemicals that stunt the growth of tomatoes.
Therefore, planting fennel in an isolated part of the garden will prevent stunting the growth of other vegetables. Mint is another herb that may be problematic for other herbs in the garden. Mint will spread quick, invading other herbs like rosemary and taking there water.
However, if you plant mint in a container, you can move it to an area next to other herbs like peas to repel flea beetles. Sage and basil are two herb that will stunt the growth of each other. Use smart layouts for your garden to allow the herbs to work well together.
Plant lavender and sage along the perimeter of the garden. Basil grows well with other peppers, and thyme grows well with strawberries. Allow twelve to eighteen inch between each plant.
This spacing will allow the herbs to be close together without getting sick; too many herb too close to each other will result in the spread of diseases between herbs. However, planting herbs at enough density will create a scent barrier that will prevent many pests from entering the garden. Plant herbs from seeds indoors.
Once the frost has passed and the soil temperature reaches fifty five degrees, transplant these herbs into the garden. Because cilantro and dill bolt quickly, it is best to use succession planting to ensure that you have herbs that will attract pollinators at all times. Use straw to mulch around the roots of the herbs to retain the moisture in the soil.
Water the herbs deep but infrequently so as to encourage deep roots. Although companion planting for herbs may sound like folklore, the reason behind companion planting is due to the chemical properties of herbs. For instance, basil contains eugenol that will deter flies.
Thyme contains thymol that will repel cabbage worms. If there are enough pollinator in the garden, the plants will produce greater yield of tomatoes on average by twenty percent with the help of pollinators. To see if companion planting actualy works, plant one bed of vegetables with companion planting and leave another without companion planting to observe the difference in yield from the two beds.