Plant Buddies

In Nature, plants have community. Ponderosa Pine, Lupine, Arrowroot Balsam not only enhance one another, they need one another. Also true with vegetables in our gardens.

We often refer to compatible plants as companion plants.

Before we prepare our plots for planting we might consider which vegetable grows best with another and why.

Most gardeners are familiar with the Native American tradition of incorporating the 'Three Sisters,' corn, beans and squash.

The symbiotic relationship of these three plants not only encourage pollinators and specific use of soil nutrients, the plants also aid one another in their specific consumption of water and rate of growth.

Corn provides a structure for the beans to climb on and squash leaves shade, suppress weeds and preserve moisture for all three plants. Beans then in turn release nitrogen in the soil for the corn and squash. Other benefits of combining compatible plant species include use of space.

A major consideration in gardening is pollination. Therefore the more beneficial pollinators we can invite to our gardens the better. Incorporating flowering culinary herbs in our rows can attract beneficial insects therefore discouraging harmful species.

The following is not an exhaustive list but you will get the idea.

• Asparagus grows well with tomatoes, parsley and basil.

• Carrots like peas, lettuce, onion, sage and tomato. Carrots don't like dill.

• Lettuce likes carrots, radish, strawberry and cucumber.

• Peas like carrots, radish, turnip, cucumber and beans. Peas don't like onions or potatoes.

• Spinach like strawberry and fava beans.

• Beans can grow with most herbs and vegetables

• Celery likes nasturtium, onions, cabbage and tomato.

• Onions like beets, carrots, lettuce and cabbage. Onions don't like beans or peas.

• Potatoes like beans, cabbage, horseradish and marigolds. Potatoes don't like sunflowers, cucumbers or tomatoes.

• Tomatoes like onion, marigold, asparagus, carrot, parsley, cucumber and basil. Tomatoes don't like cabbage, fennel or potatoes.

• Cabbage likes aromatic herbs, celery, beets, onion, camomile, spinach and chard. Cabbage doesn't like strawberries, tomatoes or dill.

• Cucumbers like beans, peas, sunflower and radish. Cucumbers don't like aromatic herbs or potatoes.

• Parsley likes tomato and asparagus.

• Radishes like peas, nasturium, lettuce and cucumber. Radishes don't like hyssop.

• Turnips like peas. Turnips don't like potatoes.

Companion planting is an alternative way to plant. In my estimation it is a more natural way to garden. Oh, that we would learn from Nature.

- Margaret A. Swenson is a Washington State University Master Gardener. To reach her, call 509-477-2181.