Companion vegetables for tomatoes

Friendship between garden plants is also beneficial for the owner of the plot. After all, this way you can optimize the space without the risk that the neighbors will oppress each other, and harvest more from the same bed

Monocultures are much more susceptible to pests and diseases. By increasing biodiversity, you are mimicking nature's ways of minimizing disease and pest attacks.

When choosing a companion bed, always look for non-competing characteristics: plants can have different but complementary growth habits that do not compete with each other. For example, the combination of tall, upright plants with vines close to the ground makes efficient use of garden space. Or a combination of deep-rooted vegetables and shallow-rooted vegetables provides a similar effect.

Second. They should have the same needs for fertilizer, water, or sunlight, making them easier to care for. For example, pairing plants with high water requirements makes it easier to water them all at the same time.

Third. Some plants improve the nutritional value of the soil. Thus, legumes are considered good companions for many plants because they "fix" nitrogen and make it available to neighbors.

Beetroot is a great companion crop because it doesn't take up too much space. Part of the Chenopodiaceae family (along with Swiss chard), it has edible leaves as well as root vegetables.

First, beets are planted in the garden in early spring, and then cabbage seedlings are planted. Since beets naturally loosen the soil, this will be a bonus for seedlings in the neighborhood. In the season, both vegetables catch up with each other and are harvested late.

Dill, onion and garlic are also good choices and can be a natural deterrent to certain pests such as aphids.

Cabbage row lettuce not only provides you with fresh herbs, but also a cover crop that will reduce weed problems, overheat the soil, and decompose into natural compost when cut. In addition, frost-resistant varieties of lettuce can be sown until the end of the season.

Cucumbers are a controversial companion. While some gardeners believe that cabbage will improve the growth of cucumbers, we must remember: cabbage is very moisture-loving and competes for water, which can deprive cucumbers of soil moisture.

Cabbage DOES NOT LIKE being next to tomatoes, peppers and peas.

Carrots

The ability to pair carrots with the right companion plants is an important part of growing healthy and fragrant root crops.

Sowing radish seeds together with carrot seeds is a garden classic. Since radishes germinate faster and are harvested earlier, there is room for carrots to grow.

Planting chives and leeks together with carrots is a smart strategy. Green onions improve flavor and texture while repelling aphids. Leek drives away carrot flies, and carrots, in turn, counteract the onion moth. Planting together will help these plants grow without being damaged by pests.

Cucumber grass (borage), oregano, cilantro and marigolds are universal plants that heal the soil in case of nematodes. From spices it is recommended to plant parsley and rosemary.

Carrots DO NOT LIKE dill as it produces compounds that are harmful to carrot plants and can slow down their growth and development.

Onions

Being a good neighbor in their own right, onions can be grown alongside many crops.

Strawberry is the case when onion friendliness comes in handy. The crops have similar soil requirements as they both benefit from a well-drained bed in full sun. In addition, similar planting schedules allow you to prepare the bed immediately. Onions and new strawberry seedlings can be planted in early spring or, depending on the climate, planted in autumn so that the plants begin to vegetate when spring arrives.

The most important way that strawberries and onions help each other is pest control. Even relatively small green onions smell bright enough to mask the sweet smell of ripe strawberries from animals looking for a juicy treat. Depending on placement, onion stalks can also hide ripe berries from feathered strawberry lovers.

One option is to plant strawberries and onions in alternating rows. Provided there is sufficient soil drainage, planting between strawberry plants is allowed.

Another possibility, especially for small strawberry plots, is to form an onion fence around the perimeter.

Other onion companions: cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce.

Onions DO NOT LIKE to grow next to their relatives, as well as with sage, peas, beans and asparagus.

Potato

Potato goes well with plants that are not strong competitors for underground food.

Legumes, celery, marigolds, onions are great for planting next to potatoes. Lettuce and spinach cover the aisles from weeds.

Chamomile, basil, yarrow, parsley and thyme improve the growth and flavor of potatoes and attract beneficial insects to the garden.

Avoid planting potatoes near asparagus, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, kohlrabi, melons, parsnips, rutabagas, squash, sunflowers and turnips.

Tomatoes

Many plants are advertised as improving the health, vitality and flavor of tomatoes. All these characteristics are difficult to measure because there is little scientific research, but there are many options to try in your own garden.

Plants recommended for co-planting with tomatoes include asparagus, basil, beans, peas, borage, marigold, carrots, celery, garlic, kosmeya, lemon balm, nasturtium, onion, parsley and sage.

If there is a problem with red spider mites, then planting tomatoes and garlic together and applying garlic spray will be preventive measures.

Lettuce, as with other neighbors, not only produces a crop when planted in the shade of taller tomato plants, but also provides a living mulch by discouraging weeds.

Gooseberries and roses benefit from being next to tomatoes. The smell of tomatoes repels gooseberry pests, and for roses, the neighborhood is useful against black spot, according to flower growers who prepare such a spray for spraying rose bushes. Place the crushed tomato leaves in a half-liter jar, add water, add a tablespoon of cornstarch and spray on the bushes.

Tomatoes DO NOT LIKE next to nightshade, cabbage, corn and dill.

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Companions to tomatoes for a favorable neighborhood

Compacted plantings benefit the gardener: the soil in the beds is constantly in the shade, which means it does not lose excess moisture and part of the nutrients. In addition, companion plants mutually help each other with food supplies and in the fight against pests. Let's find out what to plant tomatoes next to so that they feel comfortable and give summer residents a generous harvest.

Contents

talk about companion plants for tomatoes. Photo by pixabay/Detonator

Tomatoes growing close to other plants in a greenhouse

A tomato greenhouse can bring much more value to diligent gardeners if you choose the right companions for vegetables. In early spring, when it is still too early for the main crop to move into the ground, any early-ripening plants can be planted in it. When the tomatoes have already occupied the allotted living space, it is recommended to plant in the greenhouse those crops that can get along with them in the neighborhood.

Note

If the ground in the greenhouse has been warmed up to positive temperatures as early as the end of March, feel free to plant radishes, onions, pak choi, lettuce, and arugula in it. Before planting tomatoes in greenhouse beds, crops will have time to produce a crop, and they can be harvested.

For greenhouse tomatoes, for healthy growth and comfortable development, it is important to choose the right neighbors. Photo by pixabay/Alexei_other

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• Herbs (basil, thyme, sage, mint) do well with tomatoes if they get enough sunlight. And for the benefit of tomatoes, these herbs repel soil pests;
• Eggplant . together with tomatoes, the purple comrade feels quite comfortable, but it is important to create optimal conditions for him. It is more light, warm and moisture-loving than tomatoes. You can solve the problem and create the necessary microclimate for eggplants by planting them on the sunny side. To add moisture and warmth, shield them from the tomatoes with a wall of cling film. The only disadvantage of such a neighborhood is common pests;
• Strawberry . the requirements for heat and humidity in crops are the same. Both tomatoes and strawberries provide abundant, but not frequent watering. To pollinate the berries, it is enough to keep the greenhouse door open;
• Pepper is friends with tomatoes: they have the same maintenance and care regimen. Plants can be tied to a common trellis. Common pests can be scared away by planting marigolds between them. And the pepper pest, aphids, will be scared away by the aroma of tomato leaves;
• White cabbage is also suitable for planting together with tomatoes. The smell emanating from nightshade is not tolerated by cabbage butterflies: heads of cabbage will not suffer from caterpillars. Wide sockets will shade the ground under the tomatoes from moisture evaporation and reduce the need for vegetables for irrigation;
• Garlic and onion are the main producers of volatile aromas (phytoncides), which are avoided by many pests. For planting next to tomatoes, types of onions that are grown on greens are suitable. Remember that onions are no less light-loving than tomatoes. Spring garlic is also suitable as a companion for the scarlet inhabitants of greenhouses: winter garlic can freeze without snow cover.

By the way

An infusion of broken garlic shoots is a natural prophylactic for spraying Solanaceae against infections and pests.

Pepper is one of the best neighbors for greenhouse tomatoes. Photo by pixabay/Hans

Companion plants for outdoor tomatoes

All crops that are suitable for greenhouse tomatoes can be used as planting compactors for outdoors. In addition, in open-air beds, tomatoes get along well with pumpkin, melon and watermelon. When growing strawberries and tomatoes together, it is better to give preference to tall varieties and choose a planting density so that both crops receive enough sun.

In addition to the above crops, you can also grow next to tomatoes:

• Parsley;
• Asparagus;
• Sorrel;
• Celery;
• Cucumber;
• Phacelia.

Pay attention

Phacelia not only fertilizes and loosens the soil under tomatoes, but also repels nematodes and wireworms.

tomatoes get along next door to a pumpkin. Photo by pixabay/Alexey_Hulsov

Poor choice of neighbors for tomatoes

Dill and fennel have no place next to tomatoes. Cucumbers are also best planted separately. They do not harm tomatoes in any way, but they have noticeably different conditions of detention. Cucumbers should be hot and humid, excessive heat and moisture only harm tomatoes: heat affects the pollination process, and moisture contributes to infections.

Peas and tomatoes have no evidence against neighborhood: legumes, on the contrary, accumulate soil nitrogen. But at the initial stage of growth, they will deprive the tomatoes of sunlight, and then the tomatoes will take it away from the legumes. The tenacious tendrils of peas can damage young seedlings until their stems are strong.