Tomatoes are one of the most popular edible plants to grow at home. Depending on your climate, you may grow them outdoors, in a greenhouse or in a container. Companion planting can help you increase your tomato yield. It can also help with making your garden more resilient, to cope with pests and maintain fertility.
Companion plants to grow with tomatoes
1. Marigolds
This flower has excellent qualities to repel garden pests. It produces a substance called alpha-terthienyl, which helps reduce root-knot nematodes in the soil.
2. Calendula
Plant it near tomatoes and this is another crop that will draw in a wide range of pollinators over a long blooming season.
3. Lettuce
Leaf lettuce (and other leafy greens) in the same container as the tomatoes make a nice ground cover acts as a living mulch which helps keep the soil cooler. It also reduces the chances of spreading diseases from water and soil splashing on the leaves.
4. Alliums – Garlic, onions and chives
Garlic, onions, chives and other alliums all work well as companions. Their strong smell can repel a range of pests.
5. Carrots
Plant a crop of carrots early in the season with your tomatoes before the they take off. Plant another crop towards the end of the season when the tomato plants are on their last leg. Any time in between and the carrots will be a bit smaller as they compete with the roots of mature tomatoes for space in the soil.
6. Peppers
Some gardener books suggest that planting tomatoes and peppers together can be problematic because diseases (like blight, for example) can easily spread between them.
However, bigger problems arise with diseases etc. when you grow members of this family in the same bed after one another. Growing them together, therefore, can sometimes be the better option. By planting tomatoes and peppers together, you can move them together in a crop rotation system. This can make things easier in a smaller space.
7. Celery
Tomatoes can be planted alongside celery without any harm to either crop. What’s more, the celery may also benefit from the shade from the tomato plants.The celery is said to repel the cabbage white butterfly.
8. Basil
Basil improves the growth of nearby tomato plants, and is even said to make the fruits taste better. They mature at about the same rate, so you can have plenty of fresh tomatoes and fresh basil to enjoy at the same time. Basil is good for repelling tomato hornworm caterpillars, flies and mosquitoes.
9. Borage
Borage protects tomatoes from tomato hornworms, but the science behind that has yet to be proven. Grow borage for the leaves and flowers that have a fresh, cucumber-like flavor. Add the young leaves and blooms to salads, soups, and summer drinks.
10. Cucumbers
Cucumbers share similar needs with tomatoes in terms of their environment and growing conditions. They could also be grown up cordons or supports to make the most of a smaller growing area.
Bonus: Purslane is another edible weed that could be good for creating ground cover around tomato plants. It could be particularly beneficial in areas with lower rainfall, or where water is scarce.
Source: www.ruralsprout.com
