The association of compatible crops can bring many advantages to our garden.
The needs of each of them are different and complement each other, which minimizes the competitive relationship of plants that grow together and the spread of pests and diseases.
A first example of crop association
An example is the cultivation of onion near carrots , as the first repels the carrot fly , a pest that causes significant damage to this crop. In addition, some associations also enhance flavor and growth.
Do you know what our first conclusion about plant compatibility is?
The simultaneous cultivation of two compatible plants produces benefits with respect to their cultivation separately and the use of light, water and / or nutrients is better.
There are other pairs of plants that are indifferent to each other and do not cause harm or benefit, but there are also some harmful associations of incompatible plants whose combination can increase competition for resources and the incidence of pests.
Attentive! We are going to give some advice for the crop association
- Crops with different growth speed: if we plant a fast crop (lettuce for example) in the free space that exists until the slowest crop grows (cabbage) we take advantage of the space and there is hardly any competition between them.
- Plants of the same family are usually incompatible:We should avoid growing them together. Some examples: cucurbitaceae (watermelon, melon, squash, zucchini, cucumber …), legumes (beans, beans, peas, lentils …) or Solanaceae (eggplant, tomato, pepper, potato, potato …).
- Plant legumesto incorporate nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil after some more voracious and demanding plant, which depletes the soil, such as carrots, celery, corn, cucurbitaceae or cruciferous (cabbage, cabbage, turnip …).
- Associate the cultivation of fruits and vegetables with floral and aromatic plants, which remove pests or attract beneficial insects that favor biological control. The calendula , for example, attracts natural enemies of the aphid and other like sage, rosemary or thyme away the flies carrot and cabbage, ants and aphids.
- The Pre-Columbian Association (corn + beans + pumpkin) is very interesting .
Examples of beneficial and harmful associations between plants and crops
CHARD
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, celery, onions, cabbage, beans, lettuce, pepper, radish, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Asparagus, leeks.
GARLIC
- Beneficialassociation : Basil, eggplant, escarole, strawberries, lettuce, turnip, cucumber, pepper, beet, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Cabbage, legumes (pea, bean, bean …), leek.
BASIL
- Beneficialassociation : Jewish, cucumber, pepper, tomato.
ARTICHOKE
- Beneficialassociation : Bean, lettuce, pea, radish.
- Harmfulassociation : Potato.
CELERY
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, eggplant, cabbage spinach, beans, cucumber, leek, radish, pepper, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : Potato, carrot.
EGGPLANT
- Beneficialassociation : Garlic, celery, borage, onion, cabbage, endive, spinach, bean, lettuce, potato, leek, radish, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Cucumber, zucchini.
BORAGE
- Beneficialassociation : Eggplant, spinach, cucumber.
ZUCCHINI
- Beneficialassociation : Basil, onion, pea, bean, lettuce, potato, corn.
- Harmfulassociation : radish.
PUMPKIN
- Beneficialassociation : Basil, onion, cabbage, pea, beans, lettuce and corn.
- Harmfulassociation : Radish, potato.
ONION
- Beneficialassociation : Eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, endive, spinach, strawberry, lettuce, melon, cucumber, parsley, puerr, beet, watermelon, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Pea, bean, potato.
CABBAGE
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, celery, eggplant, squash, onion, endive, spinach, pea, bean, lettuce, turnip, potato, cucumber, pepper, leek, beet, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Garlic.
CAULIFLOWER
- Beneficialassociation : Celery, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : Onion, cabbage, potato.
ENDIVE
- Beneficialassociation : Garlic, eggplant, onion, cabbage, endive, spinach, strawberries, turnip, leek.
ASPARAGUS
- Beneficialassociation : Pea, lettuce, cucumber, parsley, leek, radish, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : Onion, beet.
SPINACH
- Beneficialassociation : Celery, eggplant, borage, onion, cabbage, endive, strawberry, pea, bean, bean, lettuce, turnip, pepper, leek, radish, tomato and carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Chard.
STRAWBERRY:
- Beneficialassociation : Garlic, onion, spinach, lettuce, leek, thyme.
- Harmfulassociation : Cabbages.
PEA
- Beneficialassociation : Celery, zucchini, cabbage, asparagus, spinach, lettuce, corn, melon, turnip, potato, cucumber, pepper, radish, watermelon, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Garlic, onion, beans, leek.
BEAN
- Beneficialassociation : Artichoke, celery, spinach, lettuce, corn, potato, rosemary.
- Harmfulassociation : Garlic, cauliflower, leek.
BEAN
- Beneficialassociation : Basil, chard, celery, eggplant, zucchini, squash, cabbage, spinach, strawberry, lettuce, corn, turnip, potato, cucumber, pepper, radish, cabbage, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : garlic, onion, pea, bean, fennel, leek, beet.
LETTUCE
- Beneficialassociation : Garlic, eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion, cabbage, spinach, strawberry, pea, bean, bean, corn, melon, turnip, potato, cucumber, pepper, leek, radish, beet, watermelon, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Celery, parsley.
CORN
- Beneficialassociation : Pumpkin, pea, bean, bean, melon, potato, cucumber, watermelon, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : Celery, beet.
CANTALOUPE
- Beneficialassociation : Onion, pea, lettuce, corn.
TURNIP
- Beneficialassociation : cabbage, spinach, pea, beans, lettuce, cucumber, leek, beet, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : radish, carrot.
POTATO
- Beneficialassociation : Eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, beans, beans, corn, leek, radish, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Celery, pumpkin, cucumber, pepper, tomato.
CUCUMBER
- Beneficialassociation : Garlic, basil, celery, borage, onion, cabbage, asparagus, pea, bean, lettuce, corn, turnip, radish, beet.
- Harmfulassociation : eggplant, potato, tomato.
PEPPER
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, garlic, basil, cabbage, spinach, pea, beans, lettuce, leek, radish.
- Harmfulassociation : Potato.
LEEK
- Beneficialassociation : Celery, eggplant, onion, cabbage, endive, spinach, lettuce, potato, pepper, beet, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Garlic, pea, bean, bean, radish.
RADISH
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, garlic, celery, eggplant, spinach, pea, beans, lettuce, potato, cucumber, pepper, tomato, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : Pumpkin, turnip, leek, cabbage.
BEET
- Beneficialassociation : Celery, garlic, onion, cabbage, lettuce, turnip, cucumber, leek.
- Harmfulassociation : Asparagus, beans, tomatoes, carrots.
CABBAGE
- Beneficialassociation : Celery, pea, bean, lettuce, potato, cucumber, leek, beet, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : Garlic, onion, strawberry, fennel, radish.
WATERMELON
- Beneficialassociation : Onion, pea, lettuce, corn.
TOMATO
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, garlic, basil, celery, onion, cabbage, asparagus, spinach, pea, beans, lettuce, corn, parsley, leek, radish, carrot.
- Harmfulassociation : fennel, potato, cucumber, beet.
CARROT
- Beneficialassociation : Chard, garlic, eggplant, onion, cabbage, pea, beans, lettuce, potato, leek, radish, tomato.
- Harmfulassociation : Celery, beet.
