Your Garden Bed Neighbors Decide Everything: A Secret That Will Hide Your Harvest From Pests

20.02.2025 22:30

Have you noticed that some beds delight with a harvest, while others wither, despite all efforts? It is not only the soil or watering that are to blame. It turns out that plants, like people, are friends and enemies.

For example, carrots and onions are ideal neighbors. Onions repel carrot flies, and carrots protect them from onion moths. But plant tomatoes next to potatoes, and both will fall victim to the Colorado potato beetle.

Such a neighborhood will turn your garden into a dining room for pests. And never plant fennel next to cilantro or dill - it releases substances that inhibit the growth of greenery.

Garden
Photo: © Belnovosti

The secret to success is in proper crop rotation

If you plant the same crop in the same place year after year, the soil will become depleted and diseases will accumulate.

For example, after tomatoes and potatoes, the soil loses potassium, and cucumbers draw nitrogen from the soil.

The solution is simple: divide the garden into zones and change crops annually.

After “gluttonous” plants (cabbage, pumpkin), plant legumes - they will saturate the soil with nitrogen.

And after root vegetables (carrots, beets), greens or onions will take root perfectly.

If you have a small plot, use vertical beds or containers to rotate crops. For example, plant cucumbers in a barrel this year, and peppers or eggplants next year.

Don't forget about protective plants

Marigolds planted between the beds will repel nematodes and aphids.

Basil next to tomatoes will improve their taste and protect them from whiteflies.

And garlic under the apple tree will reduce the risk of scab.

Even weeds can be useful: nettles growing near a fence will strengthen the immunity of neighboring crops. But make sure that they do not choke them out.

If the nettles have grown too much, cut them off and use them for an infusion: soak them in water for a week, then water the plants – this is free nitrogen fertilizer.

Use the compatibility chart, but don't be afraid to experiment.

For example, some gardeners plant zucchini next to corn - its stems serve as support for the vines. And if you sow parsley between the rows of strawberries, slugs will bypass the bed.

The main rule: watch the plants. If they wither despite fertilizing, perhaps their neighborhood is harmful to them.

For example, roses and peonies do not get along - their roots secrete substances that suppress each other's growth. And sunflowers planted next to beans shade them and deprive them of their harvest.

Interesting life hack

Plant nasturtium next to cabbage. Its bright flowers will distract white butterflies, and the leaves can be added to salads - they are rich in vitamin C.

And if you want to protect carrots from carrot fly, sow sage or rosemary nearby - their aroma confuses pests.

And don’t forget about herbs: mint, thyme and oregano will create a “fragrant shield” around the beds, repelling not only insects, but also rodents.

Advice for greenhouses

Alternate cucumbers and tomatoes with green crops (lettuce, spinach). They grow quickly, do not deplete the soil and create a favorable microclimate.

And if you plant basil or coriander in the corner of the greenhouse, their smell will interrupt the aroma of tomato tops, which attracts whiteflies.

And remember: even weeds can be useful. Dandelions loosen the soil with their long roots, and their flowers attract bees. The main thing is to control their spread.

Igor Zur Author: Igor Zur Internet resource editor


Content
  1. The secret to success is in proper crop rotation
  2. Don't forget about protective plants
  3. Interesting life hack
  4. Advice for greenhouses

Latest news

The main news

All news