published on in info

Companion Planting: Why You Should Grow These Plants Side-by-Side

3 / 10

zaranda/Shutterstock

Lettuce and Basil

This is another pairing that works efficiently because the plants are on different schedules. The cool-season lettuce peters out around the time the basil is ready to soak up the heat of summer.

4 / 10

igorsm8/Shutterstock

Green Beans and Corn

These make a good combination because the beans can climb the cornstalks for support without impeding their growth.

Beans also fix their own nitrogen from the atmosphere, meaning they can create nitrogen with the help of soil bacteria rather than needing nutrients from the soil. The extra nitrogen improves the soil for surrounding plants, in this case nitrogen-hungry corn.

Native Americans added a third plant — a sprawling squash vine that shaded out weeds beneath the corn and beans — and called the trio The Three Sisters.

5 / 10

OOmyim/Shutterstock

Roses and Garlic

The shorter garlic fills in nicely around the bare stems of rose bushes. More important to the success of this companion planting, garlic is said to chase away aphids, spider mites and especially Japanese beetles.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7p63MoqOyoJGjsbq5wKdlnKedZLmqv9NomqiloJa7qrvNZqelmZ6ptq%2BzjLCfsmWppMJuv8eorKWcXZy%2FsMOMrZ%2Beq5Viva2tza2qZquZmbJurthmqqKclWQ%3D