As planting season nears, gardeners everywhere eagerly plan what plants they want to grow this year. The variety of a home garden can be endless when thinking about the infinite number of herbs, vegetables, and ornamentals to choose from. 

But before you rush out to your local home and garden store for your Lawn Mower and planting supplies, you should be more strategic about how you plant this year. Also known as companion planting, this gardening technique leverages the specific qualities of two or more plants by placing them together in the bed. So, Instead of mixing a hodgepodge of your favorite plants, consider how they will interact with one another, and the benefit combination could bring. 

If the concept of companion planting is new to you, don’t worry! We have four crucial tips that can help you get started and improve your gardening experience this year. 

Use the Three Sisters Approach

All plants have roots, but did you know that there are different root types? This creates an opportunity to create a healthy soil environment using the Three Sisters planting method. Native Americans developed this smart companion planting technique by planting beans, corn, and squash together. They recognized that these plants worked together (much like sisters) to grow and thrive. Cooperation is the result of the plants’ different root systems.

If you want to maximize how well your vegetable garden performs, be aware of what root types you should buy when shopping at your plant and tree nursery:

• Choose deeply-rooted plants like tomatoes and squash. These get all the hydration and nutrients needed from deeper soil levels. 
• Select plants that can take advantage of nitrogen and reduce the need for fertilizer, like peas. 
• Choose plants that have roots designed to aerate the soil and break through compacted dirt.

Conserve Space by Varying the Plant Maturity Rates

This tip is helpful for gardeners working with a smaller growing area. You may be frustrated how hard it is to walk through bulky rows of kale and green bean bushes, but with companion planting, you can conserve space by staggering harvest times.

Here’s how:

• Plant your early maturing plants first. These are usually leafy greens like kale and lettuce.
• Halfway into their growth cycle, go ahead and add plants that take longer to mature, like cucumbers, tomatoes, and pepper plants. 
• As the season progresses and your earlier plants are ready for harvest, your second planting should just be starting to mature.
• With your first harvest complete, your garden is still busy producing a second from the longer-maturing plants you added.

In addition to the additional bounty you’ll enjoy at the end of the growing season, your soil will be healthier because of the root systems you’ve put into it. 

Create Natural Trellising

One of the biggest challenges gardeners have to deal with as their plants mature is the need for support. This is often accomplished through the use of wood dowels, fabric ties, and tomato cages, however, if you’d like to avoid this clutter, you could let specific plants act as trellis instead. Corn stalks are a popular solution since they can handle the added constriction of other plant life without much issue. 

For example, if you plan to grow green beans, plant them next to your corn to use the sturdy stalks as support. This will keep your beans off the ground and away from annoying pets. Plus, if you also plant squash near the corn, this can deter rodents from helping themselves to your sweet kernels.

Plant a variety of edible plants and flowers together

Companion planting doesn’t only benefit vegetable gardens. If you love flowers, there are a variety of combinations that can encourage pollination and deter pests. For example, a great strategy for keeping annoying cabbage moths and hungry caterpillars at bay is to mix plants of varying heights and colors into the bed. This makes it a challenge for pests to locate and destroy the blossoms you love to look at. Another approach is to attract predator insects that feast on the pests you hate. 

To get a better idea of how companion planting works to ward off troublesome insects, we’ve broken down the most common plant combinations for this purpose: 

• Protect your tomatoes by planting basil nearby. This herb is popular for deterring moths which often ruin tomatoes with hornworms. At the same time, bees will be attracted to your basil plants and can improve nearby tomato plant pollination.

• Garlic works on more than just vampires. In your garden, growing this pungent herb or at least spraying the area with a garlic-based spray will fend off destructive Japanese beetles and aphids. For best effect, plant garlic directly between rows.

• Tired of caterpillars going to town on your brussels sprouts and broccoli? Plant some nasturtiums nearby to lure caterpillars away to feast on their blossoms instead.

• Bring in an army of ladybugs with dill to destroy annoying mites and aphids.

• A perennial flower that works wonders in attracting predatory insects is the Tansy. Plant it near your asparagus and carrots to repel cutworms. 

Companion Planting Can Do Wonders for Your Garden 

From pest control to weed suppression and maximizing harvests, it’s not hard to see why companion planting has grown so popular. With some simple planning and a quick trip to your favorite nursery, you can create a garden full of beneficial plant relationships to improve your yield.