fellow traveller planting is the innovative name for the old horticulture wisdom that describes which plants should grow together . The Native American system call " three sisters " commend growing corn , beans and squash together in small mound . Science now acknowledges that these three plants are biologically beneficial for each other , each provide something the other plant life needs .

Companion Planting

" Companion planting is based on the musical theme that certain plants can benefit others when set in near law of proximity , " agree to the National Sustainable Agricultural Information Service . The welfare for plants can be pest control , mellow fruit or nitrogen memory . big - scale of measurement sustainable Department of Agriculture programs touch on to comrade planting as intercropping . menage horticulture wisdom such as " put garlic near your roses " is associate planting .

Pest and Plant Suppression

plant such as the African marigold secrete chemicals from roots , stems or leave behind that suppress or repel harmful insect pests from neighboring plants . Marigold liberate thiopene , which repels a metal money of harmful worms call nemotodes . Black walnut tree relinquish a chemical chemical compound called juglone . It keep certain plants that are prejudicial to walnuts from grow nearby .

Spatial Companions

Shade - loving plant such as leafy greens and squash bet on taller vegetable such as corn to provide refinement . This mutual dependency also facilitate to regulate pest problem . The shade supply by corn may disorient the squash vine rock drill and thus increase squash yields . The prickly squash vines perhaps dissuade raccoon from wipe out the tender corn .

Farmscaping

When masses design and create habitats for the mutual dependence of plants and animals it is call " farmscaping . " Cover crops such as rye exude chemicals that suppress weeds near love apple , broccoli and other veggie . reciprocally dependent plants that help each other include strawberry mark and spinach , onions and tomatoes , cucumber and helianthus , and lettuce and radish . noggin offer the all-important nutrient nitrogen and are good companions for all vegetables .

Mutual Benefit

Vegetables that provide reciprocally good chemical substance interactions include bush bonce set with celery and summer savory ; the shekels family planted near beets , spinach and chard ; and bush beans grown near Irish potatoes , cucumber or corn . The specific scientific identification of why these works do well together is not always known , and test copy has been a subject of test and error . The interior Sustainable Agricultural Information Service provides fellow traveler planting chart .

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