Upset with your unfulfilled kitchen garden dreams? Are pests getting in the way? Fret not, grow companion plants with your veggies. Companion planting is a great way to ensure not only your plants' safety but also to add a pretty touch to the foliage diversity in your garden. By growing companion plants together, the plants grow healthy as they mutually benefit from each other. You don’t have to worry about them competing for space and nutrients, as they look after each other. Companion planting, where you pair plants from different species, is perfect as it provides shade, repels insects, prevents diseases, and even provides nutrients. This type of arrangement of plants side by side saves your space, and you don’t have to buy new pots either! 

Marigold and Tomatoes

You can blindly rely on marigolds. Marigold is one of the best companion plants and can thrive with any plant. It particularly helps vegetables, by attracting pests towards itself, keeping them away from infesting the vegetable. Tomatoes grow best with marigolds, as they have similar water and soil conditions, making them garden buddies. Tomatoes are highly vulnerable to root-knot nematodes, plant parasites that attack the roots. Marigolds help reduce nematodes in the soil.

Coriander and spinach

Coriander, also known as cilantro, is another great companion for carrots. This herb has a deep tap root, which brings up essential nutrients. Coriander is the best companion plant for leafy veggies like spinach. Coriander draws in beneficial insects like ladybugs, and wasps; which feed and eliminate harmful pests like aphids and mites.

Dill and onions

The yellow-speckled dill plant is a good neighbour for onions. Valued for the ability to draw useful insects to the garden, it also enhances the growth and flavour of onions. Since dill plant is a fast grower, it traps harmful insects like aphids to itself, keeping away from the onion plant right from the beginning of its growth.

Sage and strawberry

Strawberry can seem like a complicated plant to grow, susceptible to pests and moulds. Sage can help your strawberry plant survive. The strawberry’s sweet smell attracts pests insects, and even large animals. But with sage as a companion plant, its strong smell masks strawberry’s smell. It protects strawberry from unwanted visitors and prevents moulds.

Chive and Lettuce

Chive is the ideal companion plant for lettuce. Chive maximises space in the garden bed as it is a tall plant, leaving plenty of space for lettuce. Chive as well, has a strong scent that deters the ‘bad guys’ like aphids and spider mites.

Read Also: fenugreek for hair growth: my mom says methi is a good home remedy for hair loss