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Most companion planting advice notice in “ acquaintance or enemy ” lists is based on guessing , not science . alternatively of trying to lodge these made - up list , learn what to prioritize or else .
If you ’re new to horticulture , use these confidential information to advantageously understand your grow conditionsand make smart planting decisions .
What Is Companion Planting?
fellow traveler planting is one of those mind that sounds with child in theory : place certain plants together and they ’ll boost each other ’s succeeder — few pests , better flavor , more vigorous plant . Others may be incompatible and cause outcome if planted near each other . But when you stab into the grounds behind all those “ constitute this with that ” or “ do n’t plant this near that ” leaning , things begin to fall apart .
At its core , companion planting just intend putting two or more kinds of plants together in the Leslie Townes Hope that one will benefit the other — or avoiding combination where one might negatively affect the other .
That advantage might come from shading , breaking wind protection , attracting pollinators , refill soil , repelling pests , or roleplay as a physical reenforcement .
None of that is controversial — and many gardener already do it , whether they call it companion planting or not . Putting a shadowiness - loving plant life next to a taller one , for exercise , is just common sensory faculty .
The Trouble with Traditional Pairings
thing get murky when we start talking about specific plant pairings that purportedly help oneself or handicap each other in cryptic ways — like planting sweet basil with tomatoes or avoiding onion near beans .
Books and websites are wad with these companion planting list , but most lack any scientific backing . They ’re often just assemblage of plant life names , with no detail on how many to embed , how far aside , or when to sow them for any supposed effect . And when someone say , “ it worked for me , ” we do n’t really know what “ it ” was — what they did , what conditions were involved , or what outcome they ’re look up to .
The democratic bookCarrots Love Tomatoeshelped generalize many of these idea , but even it does n’t offer research or solid explanation — just long inclination and anecdotal claims . ( And fun fact : the playscript never actually enjoin carrots love Lycopersicon esculentum . It just calls them “ compatible . ” )
Some of these cautions , like the idea of allelopathy — where one plant turn chemical substance that can suppress the growth of another — voice dramatic .
And yes , there are known examples of allelopathic behavior ( the juglone inwalnut treesis commonly cite ) , but they tend to be very specific and often exaggerated or misrepresented on popular companion planting lists . In reality , if your plants haveadequate space , the right land term , light , andmoisture , it ’s unlikely to be a problem . Solid grow practices are always your best bet .
Even trust sources like university extension sometimes come down into the same ambush . One companion planting piece of paper from Cornell University1includes several pages of suggested pairings — right after admitting there ’s no research - prove , consistent recommendations . In other words , they ’re sharing a inclination they do n’t even endorse .
What the Research Really Says
Much of the enquiry related to plant interactions comes fromagriculturalorcontrolled research lab scene — not home garden . These environments allow for specific variable quantity to be measured , but the results do n’t always translate directly to backyard plots with vary soil , sunshine , and tearing conditions .
The journalEcological Entomologypublished a study2looking at grow strawberries next to borage — a plant get it on to attract pollinator . The hemangioma simplex did produce more yield and had good lineament , but the number of pollinators did n’t actually increase . The researchers pretend it might be due to change in the mix of pollinator or other unknown factors . So while the results were interesting , they were n’t conclusive — and they were based on container plants , not open garden seam .
Other study have shown that industrial plant can regulate each other chemically or physically — changing solution growing base on who ’s nearby or sending out chemical compound into the soil . These findings corroborate the thought that flora interactions are real and complex . But turn that into round-eyed , authentic advice for backyard gardeners ? We ’re not there yet .
Should You Try Companion Planting?
So , where does that leave us ? If you enjoy try out , there ’s no trauma in trying some fellow traveller planting combinations . Just keep in mind that these melodic theme are mostly untried , and should never supplant the gardening fundamentals we do it piece of work — things like right land conditions , fair to middling luminosity , consistent watering , and giving plants enough outer space to grow .
If something seems to ferment well in your garden , that ’s great — but it ’s stillanecdotal , not scientific test copy . sense free to go with what work for you , just be cautious about exhibit it as a tried - and - true method acting of fellow traveller planting .
Resources
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