Page 24 - Organic Gardening 3 Part Series

What Are The Benefits of Companion Planting?

Compatible plants are beneficial to the environment and will allow your garden to
use nutrients more efficiently. By planting deep and shallow-rooted vegetables
allows the strong upright vegetable (think, corn) to serve as a support to pole
beans which bring nitrogen to the deeper-rooted vegetable. That's just one
example. Taller plants provide shade for tender plants such as lettuce.

However, there are some plants which should not be planted together such as:

 Tomatoes and potatoes
 Broccoli and squash or peppers
 Cilantro should be planted far away from tomatoes

 Dill and carrots

Setting a Trap

Trap plants are very
attractive to pests that you
can use them to keep pests
away from your vegetables.

Nasturtiums will attract
aphids and flea beetles and
keep them away from your
garden. Chervil attracts
earwigs, and dill attracts
the pesky tomato
hornworm which will
devastate your tomato

crop.

Insect Attractants

Certain plants attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Still, others attract
insects which feast on pests, which is vital in an organic garden. For example,
ladybugs love aphids, which delight in preying on cucumbers, squash, pumpkin,
and melons. You can attract ladybugs by planting garlic, geraniums, bachelor's

button, and dill.