Planting in Pairs
Companion planting has been in practice throughout history, all over the world. Ever heard of a “Three Sisters Garden”? This is a mound garden consisting of corn, beans and squash, planted by indigenous peoples of the Americas, and is still a popular plant grouping today! The concept of companion planting is used in many home-scale gardens as a means of pest repellent. For instance, in New England, using marigolds to deter white flies and nematodes from crops like pumpkins and cucumbers. Or, in tropical climates where slugs are an issue, planting garlic to protect lettuce and kale. Companion plant groups occur in all sorts of varieties, from vegetables to herbs to native plants. They act to protect, preserve, and assist one another, and the wildlife they sustain, throughout their growing season. Did you know that jewelweed is the antidote to poison ivy, and is often interspersed throughout a poison-ivy patch?
Okay, but how does it work?
Well, let’s look at one of my favorite companion plant groups as an example. I personally LOVE a caprese salad. The ingredients of which include basil, tomatoes, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar, derived from grapes. The pairing that most people see here, and throughout Italian cuisine, is that of basil and tomato. Grapes and water buffalo play a crucial role in the greater ecosystem of the Italian homestead, but for simplicity we will focus on tomatoes and basil. Basil has a very pungent scent and flavor, deterring insects that love the sweet smell and taste of tomatoes, like tomato hornworms and aphids. Tomatoes attract pollinators, specifically bumblebees, that aid both basil and tomatoes in producing fruit and re-seeding. And, there is anecdotal evidence that when planted together, the tomatoes taste better than those not accompanied by basil in the garden.
In an extremely complex ecosystem this is only one small part, and both these plants are companions to other plants as well. Other interesting companion plantings include carrots and onions, eggplants and lettuce, lavender and roses, the list goes on. As we think about companion planting in our gardens, there is so much opportunity to investigate how and why these plants work well together, and you just may find it is based in more common sense than it seems at the start! Planting in pairs is an important, and exciting, approach to growing food on a home-scale. Go on and group!