Catastrophic Vegetable Pairings in Companion Planting to Avoid - 9 Detrimental Combinations That Were Destined to Ruin Your Harvest
Avoiding Plant Combinations for a Healthier Vegetable Garden
Bonnie L. Grant, a professional landscaper with a Certification in Urban Gardening, has been gardening and writing for 15 years. Her passion for edible landscaping has led her to share valuable insights about which plants should not be combined in a vegetable garden.
Basil, a favourite herb for many gardeners, has specific growing requirements that can clash with those of other plants. For instance, basil requires warm temperatures and full sun, while cabbage and kale prefer cooler temperatures and can tolerate partial shade. Planting them together hinders their growth due to differing environmental needs. Basil’s strong scent can repel pests, but it’s best grown separately or in containers near cabbage and kale rather than interplanted directly.
Similarly, basil’s nitrogen-rich, more moist soil can lead to problems when grown with thyme or sage, which thrive in drier soil and are prone to root rot. Growing them together may lead to one struggling, so it's best to keep them separate but nearby, as thyme’s aroma can repel bugs.
Melons, with their requirement for lots of moisture and nutrients, can overshadow and outcompete basil, possibly suffocating it.
Tomatoes, another popular vegetable, have their own set of incompatible partners. Both tomatoes and cucumbers are susceptible to similar diseases, such as cucumber mosaic virus and phytophthora blight, which can spread easily between them. Cucumbers' high water needs also increase fungal risks for tomatoes.
Tomatoes and dill or fennel should also be avoided due to allelopathic chemicals that inhibit tomato growth and the attraction of tomato hornworms by mature dill. Tomatoes and cole crops (cabbage family, e.g., broccoli, cauliflower) are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, stunting tomato growth and reducing yields.
Tomatoes and potatoes or eggplant are all nightshades and share pests and diseases such as blight, leading to greater spread and competition for nutrients.
Asparagus and garlic are another pair to avoid, as garlic can stunt asparagus growth.
Potatoes and zucchini both require a heavy nitrogen intake and should not be situated too closely to each other, as potatoes grow a bit quicker and will steal the nutrients from the soil, effectively starving the squash.
Pumpkins and summer squash will hybridize readily, resulting in some interesting fruit, but it will not be true to what you planted and could taste terrible.
Dill and carrots can cross-pollinate, making dill seeds taste odd. They also have the same pest and disease problems and will exacerbate both when grown nearby.
Strawberries planted near brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) can be infested by cabbage loopers, reducing plant vigor and impacting yields significantly.
The umbrella-shaped flowers, almost identical seeds, and similar growth habits of dill and carrots are due to them being members of the Umbelliferae family.
The hard outer shell of pumpkins distinguishes them from summer squash, whose rind is softer and edible.
Tomatoes and corn are both susceptible to corn earworms, also called tomato fruit worms. Planting them near each other can create a perfect site for these pests to feed and destroy the crops.
Fennel releases chemicals that can reduce germination rates, leading to lower crop yields.
By being aware of these incompatible plant combinations, gardeners can plan their planting layouts carefully to avoid them. Separating incompatible plants into different garden areas or containers can help mitigate these issues.
In the world of gardening, maintaining a balanced vegetable garden involves avoiding certain plant combinations, such as basil, which requires warm temperatures and moist soil, combined with thyme or sage that thrive in drier conditions. (home-and-garden, gardening)
Similarly, tomatoes and cucumbers, both susceptible to similar diseases, should not be planted together due to the risks of spreading cucumber mosaic virus and phytophthora blight. (lifestyle, home-and-garden, gardening)
