Companion planting is a phrase that has taken on many meanings for today’s gardeners. Within the scientific community, companion planting is also called intercropping and is a form of polyculture, which describes a method of planting species of plants together for mutual benefit, usually in agricultural situations.
For the layman, companion planting is best described as the practice of planting two or more plants together to enhance the growth and quality of nearby plants; to provide maximum ground cover; and, when possible, to improve the soil. This approach to gardening offers many benefits, with the trade-off being that more thought needs to go into the garden planning stage when deciding which plants should go where. Although there is no scientific explanation as to how or why the plants benefit one another, when planted in “companionable ways,” much has been learned over the years — with a great deal of success.
Some of the successful companion planting relationships are due to the release of chemical secretions at the roots, which may affect other plants or have an effect on organisms in the soil. It has been theorized that companion planting benefits may result from the plant releasing certain gases or odors that can repel pests from either the roots or the above-ground parts of the plant. With certain predators (notably insects that damage the plants) out of the way, the plants can flourish. The same goes for other potential pairings. One plant may have the ability to do something like provide structure, add nitrogen to the soil, or offer shade in such a way that makes another plant flourish without hurting itself.
There have been lab studies where scientists have tried to replicate the results of companion planting — with mixed results. By adding the juices of pairs of plants to a 5 percent copper chloride solution and allowing it to crystallize slowly on a glass plate, Dr. Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer and Dr. Erica Sabarth of the Bio-Dynamic Association were able to predict which plants would be companions and which would be antagonistic from the resulting crystallization patterns. Their findings, along with the trial and error of numerous gardeners, were summarized in a pamphlet by Richard Gregg in 1943 called Companion Plants and How to Use Them. Today, similar studies use paper chromatography techniques for related tests.
The companion wildflower and weed suggestions in this book should be used as a basis for your own experimentation, not as a proven guide to success. One of the most important considerations when you look at choosing your own companion wildflowers and weeds is to not lock yourself in by this book’s information. Try some of the combinations out for yourself, experiment with new ones, but also play around with the spacing between the plants and the ratio of one plant to another.
As you become more familiar with the subject, you will eventually realize there is conflicting information — partly due to everyone’s individual experiences based on geographical location, climate, and garden conditions. Therefore, the rule to companion gardening is simple: Try it out for yourself. Keep a record of your attempts and have fun with it. Plant basil in among your tomatoes and watch them grow like mad. Try basil in with the peppers for a similar result. Or, try adding in parsley as it can help tomatoes grow strong and healthy.
Companion planting requires a gardener to shake off his or her idea of traditional gardening and make room for new concepts. You will need to let go of concepts that define what a weed is and consider the fact that the weed could have value. Are there stinging nettles, a common weed across the United States, in your area? Have you spent hours trying to eradicate this weed that can grow up to 10 feet tall? Well, stop because they have value. If you grow them close to aromatic herbs, they are supposed to increase the aromatic oils in these herbs by as much as 75 percent. Stinging nettles, like foxglove and lily of the valley, are reported to improve the length of time the fruit from their companion plants can be kept once picked, particularly tomatoes.
Scientific research supports companion planting in the agriculture industry in terms of intercropping and crop rotation, the process of rotating crops for healthier soil and plants. Companion planting applies to prevention or protection from pests and diseases, as well as attracting the right type of insects for pollination and for soil improvement. It is important to note that just as some plants will benefit from being close together, other plants will suffer from the pairing.
There are a few rights and wrongs to take note of, such as realizing that not much will grow under the black walnut tree, which it found across most of the United States and Canada. This tree releases a chemical into the soil that ensures nothing near it can compete with the nutrients and moisture that it needs, making it an undesirable plant to choose in companion planting. Marigolds are planted all over the world to repel all kinds of pests. If you take the dead marigold plants and dig them under in the fall (meaning, leave the plant in the ground and turn the dirt and soil over, chopping the plant and roots as you do so), almost nothing will grow where they grew, and as the plant pieces decay, they will kill anything you plant. But by spring, the soil is safe for planting again. Companion planting allows you to take advantage of the systems already in place in nature to make the most of your garden.
Companion planting can increase your yield of vegetables and even enhance the flavor of some if planted with specific herbs. Beneficial plants to have in your vegetable garden are wild rose, elderberry, buddleia, privet, golden rod, and mustard. With this type of system, it is easy to combine flowers, shrubs, trees, and vegetables for larger and better-tasting yields. If you are short on space, consider planting to maximize the space available such as by planting runner beans with dahlias or pairing curly parsley with cosmos. Another combination that can work well are clematis flowers with apple trees as the clematis can climb the trees and utilize the space under the tree that is often wasted.
While companion planting is a lot of fun, it also makes the vegetable garden more attractive, both to the eye and to the nose, and offers practical solutions to common gardening problems.
It can intensify the beauty of flowers by combining them with plants of contrasting shapes, color, and height. This type of system can be used to provide practical needs like shelter from wind, shade, or help prevent soil erosion. It allows a gardener to combine all the elements of a backyard garden into a small space without sacrificing yields or beauty.
Companion planting has guidelines but no rules. It offers suggestions, but ultimately allows you to create a garden that will work for you in the space you have available. This type of system will work for any level of gardener, who takes the time and put in the effort to find what works best for their area.
This book will introduce you to the art of companion planting with wildflowers and weeds. As a bonus for all types of companion planting, there is special section on feeding your garden properly to ensure it grows big and healthy, and a chapter on garden maintenance. Case studies of real stories from real people along with a list of resources to help you learn more about companion planting in general are also included.
Happy planting and be sure to check out the other books in this series:
• The Art of Companion Planting with Herbs: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need
• The Art of Companion Planting with Vegetables: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need
• The Art of Companion Planting with Annuals: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need
• The Art of Companion Planting with Perennials: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need
• The Art of Companion Planting with Bulbs, Tubers, and Rhizomes: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need
• The Art of Companion Planting with Shrubs, Bushes, and Vines: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need
• The Art of Companion Planting with Fruits: A Little Book Full of All the Information You Need