Neighborhood and rotation of vegetables on the site - the theory and practice of crop rotation. A pleasant neighborhood or what crops can be planted nearby Mint’s purple neighbor in the garden

Most gardeners are looking forward to the spring warmth, which will mark the beginning of a new summer season and will enable owners personal plots plant seeds and seedlings of vegetable crops in the soil. Fertile soil for garden beds, use of modern fertilizers and good quality seedlings are of significant importance. These factors will certainly affect the harvest harvested in the fall. However, in addition to this, to achieve maximum results, one more factor should be taken into account when drawing up a planting plan. We are talking about the compatibility of vegetables in the garden, which will be covered in this review.

First of all, a summer resident should find information about the peculiarities of growing certain vegetable crops that he plans to sow in the upcoming season. A table of compatibility of vegetables in the garden, which can easily be found on the Internet or in specialized literature for gardeners, will play a good role in studying this issue. Using the table, the information in which is presented in schematic form, the summer resident will be able to learn the basics of proper crop planning and learn about the compatibility of vegetable crops in the garden that belong to different plant families and differ in growth vigor, type of fruit and development characteristics.

As discussed in an earlier review, plants can influence each other's growth quality. Moreover, this influence can be both negative and favorable. So that good and bad neighbors garden bed did not jeopardize the future harvest; before setting up a plot, the summer resident should familiarize himself with the peculiarities of planting certain crops. For example, one of the most popular types of tuberous crops, potatoes, should not be planted in the same area as zucchini, tomatoes and pumpkins. These plants do not have the required level of compatibility and can become a source of additional trouble for the owner of the site.

To avoid problems and get excellent harvest potatoes, in the spring the tubers should be planted in the ground next to the crops of coriander, radish, beans or cabbage.

Potatoes also go well with watermelon. This proximity will make it easier to process the beds, as well as eliminate possible hassles associated with watering, treating with herbicides, etc. Also, many summer residents plant cucumbers on their plots. These vegetables have a wide range of uses - they can be eaten fresh, and also used in numerous recipes for canning for future use. Therefore, quite often garden owners ask the question of what can be planted after cucumbers in the garden and how to achieve maximum yield for this crop.

The answer to this question will also be suggested by the table, which describes the optimal proximity of vegetables in the beds and gives recommendations on the correct sowing of the plot. By selecting the appropriate crop in the table – in this case, cucumbers – you can see what to plant in the garden beds.

Cucumbers go well with crops such as:

  1. broccoli;
  2. celery;
  3. Chinese cabbage;
  4. beet;
  5. spinach;
  6. asparagus, etc.

The best predecessors of cucumbers are peas, potatoes, onions, and cabbage. As for undesirable “companions” for cucumbers, they are represented by the following list of crops:

  • tomatoes;
  • sage;
  • rhubarb;
  • turnip;
  • zucchini.

Similar rules exist for planting other popular plants. In particular, when preparing for planting in the spring, the carrot bed should not be placed next to the crops of rhubarb, turnips and cucumbers; it will also not get along with raspberry bushes, like any other vegetable, they will simply wither in dense vegetation. Also, a summer resident can choose for carrots good vegetables neighbors in the garden, the compatibility table will help make this as simple as possible.

So, the following crops will coexist with carrots in the garden:
- parsley;
- tomato;
- garlic;
onion;
- beans.

Almost every owner summer cottage In the spring he buys cabbage seedlings at the market. Knowing what can be planted after cabbage in the garden, he will be able to see the result of his investment and get dense plugs with crispy leaves within a few months after planting the crop in the ground. Experts recommend placing beds with garlic, beets, dill, radishes and lettuce next to cabbage crops.

It is better to abandon the idea of ​​sowing crops such as oregano, potatoes and tomatoes next to white cabbage due to the poor compatibility of these plants. If you want to get an excellent harvest of cauliflower, the compatibility of planting vegetables in the garden should also be taken into account. So, good companions for of this plant are considered leguminous plants, as well as celery, dill and sage. Plants such as strawberries and tomatoes can have a negative impact on the development of cauliflower inflorescences. Therefore, beds with these plants should be placed at a sufficient distance from cauliflower crops.

Compatibility table for vegetables in the garden

Knowing what to plant after the strawberries in the garden, and what is better to place far from the crops of this plant, the summer resident will be able to use the available resources of his site in the most appropriate way. He will be able to lay out the right beds for strawberries, which will not have a negative impact on the growth qualities of neighboring vegetable crops.

Eggplant is considered the most unpretentious vegetable. This vegetable can coexist favorably with most traditional vegetable crops planted by summer residents. Eggplant will give good harvest no matter what neighbors surround him. It can be leafy vegetables, potatoes, legumes and others. In a similar way, all neighboring plants in the garden bed are selected, the compatibility table of which can be printed by the summer resident in advance.

Absolutely few people know that champignons can be grown in the garden or vegetable garden as vegetables in the beds.

They are considered unpretentious mushrooms, so they can be grown anywhere, the main thing is to monitor the temperature and avoid direct sunlight.

Crop rotation and its features

Modern summer residents cannot always allocate enough time to understand all the intricacies of planting vegetable crops. Therefore, often their expectations are not met and instead of harvesting, they see their garden plot or grandmother’s small bed in the village become covered with weeds, and the plants die from pest attacks. In order to avoid these negative phenomena, when planning a site, it is worth taking into account not only the distribution by cardinal directions and compatibility of vegetable crops, but also the features of crop rotation.

Optimal crop rotation of vegetables in the beds is achieved by annually changing the sowing plan. Since annual planting of crops in the same order leads to soil depletion and deterioration of soil fertility, experts in the field Agriculture It is advised to change the location of the beds. Crop rotation will give tangible results in the first year. It will manifest itself in the form of maintaining soil fertility and achieving excellent yields of crops placed in the beds.

Features of processing beds with vegetable crops

Having understood the peculiarities of placing compatible crops, the owner of a summer cottage will be able to optimize the planting plan and extract maximum result from available resources. However, we should not forget about traditional ways increasing productivity. These include mulching the beds to prevent the soil from warming up, organizing watering, and choosing the right time to weed crops and treat them against pests. It is also important to choose right size beds that will allow you to cultivate the soil gardening tools most effectively. The size of the beds is selected individually, taking into account the specific layout of the site. You can read how to properly plan and make beds.

Optimally planned crop rotation in the beds in combination with the right choice“neighboring” crops when sowing will save time on processing the garden and will be the key to a good harvest. With such a responsible approach to planting vegetable crops, soil resources are used most efficiently, and the crops themselves act as a natural barrier to protect neighboring plants from pests and diseases.

Spring comes, the sun warms the earth, and it’s a busy time for the gardener. These days, it is very important to plan the usable area of ​​your plot and distribute it under beds occupied by various crops. Today we will try to optimize your plantings together by talking about the compatibility of vegetables in the beds. Some plants, as it turns out, are friends, help each other and protect from various pests, while others, on the contrary, cause mutual inhibition of growth and even death. But we are interested, first of all, in getting an excellent harvest. This means that the compatibility of vegetables in garden beds is a very important and relevant issue.

Is spring site planning necessary?

Indeed, why re-draw your garden every year if you can build and plant cucumbers on one, tomatoes on another, and so on, once and for all? This is convenient, but somewhat irrational. Each plant requires its own set of microelements, and it turns out that a garden bed, used for many years for planting the same crop, is oversaturated with unclaimed elements. Or, on the contrary, she is devastated by the most important things to her. Therefore, crop rotation is necessary. However, on small area sometimes it is difficult to ensure a full replacement; mixed plantings are forced to be used, and therefore for proper organization They need to know the compatibility of vegetables in the beds.

What kind of beds can there be?

We are used to our land being divided into neat rectangles, each of which grows one crop. However, there are a lot of options, and in order for your garden to be as productive as possible, you need to know the compatibility of vegetables in the beds. These can be narrow beds according to Mittlider, which require the introduction of large amounts of mineral and organic fertilizers, as well as high and multi-tiered beds. The latter are quite difficult to arrange, but they are ideally suited for growing several crops. In this case, you should also be concerned about the compatibility of vegetables and flowers in the same bed, because the close proximity of plants allows them to influence each other.

Compacted beds

Sowing several crops in one bed allows you to significantly save space and at the same time get good result. At the same time, we must remember: maintaining the compatibility of vegetables and flowers in one garden bed is a little easier than planting several at the same time. fruit crops. Here it is already necessary to take into account the difference in growing seasons. However, let’s return to the bright flower and fruit beds. Why do they use this technique, is it just for beauty? It turns out not. For example, marigolds planted near tomatoes perfectly protect the bushes from various pests. Other flowers serve as tasty traps for insects. Plant nasturtiums around the garden - all the aphids will concentrate on it, not paying attention to the garden vegetables.

and fragrant herbs

And the greenery in the beds has long been proven, they do not compete, do not interfere with each other, but at the same time you significantly save space and get a pleasant variety for your table. Herbs planted next to the fruit bed will give the vegetables a refined taste and will protect them from insects. Rosemary repels beetles that attack beans, cabbage pests really don’t like thyme, and aphids are afraid of onions and garlic. Oregano, like marigolds, is a reliable protection for everything fruit plot from uninvited guests.

Every gardener, even if he does not have professional knowledge, should have an idea of ​​​​the compatibility of vegetables and herbs in the beds. This doesn't require much. So, fast-growing lettuce, radishes and other spring vegetables and greens can be planted between pumpkins and melons. By the time the powerful stems of the pumpkin grow, the radish crop will already be harvested. If you plan to plant shade-loving greens such as spinach, choose tall plants that will reliable protection. For example, it could be corn. Sunflowers also grow well next to corn; the plants do not compete with each other.

We discussed a little general issues, will now go directly to the views garden plants. We will look into compatibility different vegetables on the beds. How to plant this or that species, what its proximity to will bring it more benefit than harm, and much more.

Favorite peas: what to plant next to them

This is a plant that gardeners do not like because of its creeping nature. However, it is worth considering the compatibility of different vegetables in the beds - and the disadvantage turns into an advantage. The fact is that it gets along well with corn, and its powerful trunks will be an excellent support. This way, you will harvest two crops from one bed and save yourself the trouble of tying up tender peas. But you can go even further and unify the garden bed by planting beans or carrots, lettuce, radishes, parsnips or turnips around its perimeter.

What else is pea compatible with? It can be planted among cucumbers; such proximity will benefit both crops. Eggplants and melons love peas; in addition, if you have potatoes growing in your garden, be sure to scatter peas throughout the planting; their roots will enrich the soil with essential microelements. But onions and garlic need to be planted away from peas; such proximity is completely useless.

Beauty Carrot

We continue to consider the compatibility of vegetables in the beds. Leading agrotechnical companies give advice to gardeners, recommending planting carrots along the edge of a bed with tomatoes and peas. Goes very well with various herbs. This is sage and rosemary. Therefore, you can make prefabricated beds with fragrant leafy greens and plant them with carrots. Or vice versa. But dill and parsley need to be moved away from carrots; such proximity leads to a deterioration in the growth and development of the root crop.

Green onion

This is the first spring source of vitamins, which is loved and grown on every garden plot. However, today we are talking about the compatibility of vegetables in the beds. The list of plants with which onions are “friends” is quite large. These are almost all the most important horticultural crops: beets and bell peppers, tomatoes and carrots, lettuce and broccoli. Onions combine very well with spinach, potatoes and cabbage. However, to make your planting enjoyable, avoid its proximity to beans, sage and peas.

bell pepper

A capricious culture that does not grow so well in our climatic zone, as in more southern regions. However, this can be slightly improved if you choose the right neighbors. First of all, you need to remember that it cannot be planted in the same bed with beans. But the proximity to tomatoes, on the contrary, is tolerated very well. Do not forget to plant greens and fragrant herbs to make full use of the compatibility of vegetables in the beds. About ten different herbs can grow in a garden at the same time. Basil and coriander, onions and spinach go well with peppers.

Lettuce, a precious source of vitamins

Another plant that eloquently shows the compatibility of vegetables; you can count a dozen fruit crops, which will only grow even more magnificent from such proximity. These are asparagus and beets, sunflowers and tomatoes. Experienced gardeners recommend planting lettuce along with white and Brussels sprouts, carrots and corn, and cucumbers. Considering that lettuce grows in a short, curly carpet, it helps conserve moisture by preventing the liquid from evaporating as quickly. Cucumbers love this kind of neighborhood very much.

There are many ways to disembark different plants on one bed. If this is an ordinary bed on a plane, and not multi-tiered design, then, in addition to interspecific competition, you need to take into account the size of the plants. Central part the beds can be occupied by sunflowers or tall tomatoes, cucumbers, then you can place onions and peas, eggplants. Or plant peas over the corn and plant lettuce around it. All these plants complement each other well.

Potato

Often this particular crop occupies a significant part of the garden, which means you need to carefully consider the compatibility of vegetables in the garden. Photos of garden plots of professional gardeners very often show the classic combination of potatoes and legumes. Indeed, beans and peas grow well in potato plantings, bringing benefits primarily by enriching the soil. Although the legume harvest will also not be superfluous. Potatoes go well with white cabbage and broccoli, corn and eggplant, garlic, lettuce and onions.

The Friendliest Neighbor - Eggplant

Indeed, its compatibility with other vegetables in the garden is simply fantastic. He has no enemies, he complements almost any culture well. However, if we talk about the health and quality of growth of the eggplant itself, experts advise planting it next to potatoes and legumes, in particular beans and peas. Leafy vegetables are excellent neighbors for eggplants. Experienced gardeners recommend planting basil, lettuce, and spinach next to blueberries.

This begs the question: “In what order should I plant vegetables to make the garden bed as efficient as possible?” We propose a scheme that is used by German farmers. They make a very wide bed for planting root crops, about 1 meter. In this case, the potatoes are located in the center (early varieties can be planted in two rows, and late varieties in one). On one side, eggplant is planted in a line, and on the other, lettuce, kohlrabi and cauliflower. All these vegetables can be alternated in one row. Two rows of spinach are sown along the edge of the bed, and the space between them and the rest of the crops is sown with lettuce and radishes.

It will pass as the crops mature. The green umbrella of lettuce appears first; it shades other, slowly growing crops and saves them from the scorching sun. Lettuce ripens first, then spinach, then it’s the turn of radishes. After about a month, it’s time for lettuce and cauliflower. Thus, the bed gradually becomes empty, leaving room for the growth and development of eggplants and potatoes. Now it’s clear how to use the compatibility of different vegetables in the beds. It will tell you how to plant correctly personal experience, and for the first time use the ready-made scheme.

Peanuts - exotic in our beds

Indeed, this crop is very rarely grown in the garden, but in vain. After all, agricultural technology is no more complicated than growing cucumbers, and you get a valuable and nutritious product. The compatibility of peanuts in the garden with vegetables is due to their high needs V nutrients Oh. It gets along well with cucumbers, which also love high, warm and fertilized beds. In addition, any legumes can be planted with it.

Corn

A useful culture that is often undeservedly forgotten. However, it can serve as a natural support for climbing cucumbers; in addition, aphids do not like corn, which means your cucumbers will be under natural protection. Climbing legumes are also perfectly compatible with corn and can be planted around the entire perimeter of the bed. These are beans and peas. She gets along well with melons and potatoes, zucchini and sunflowers. But it’s better to plant tomatoes further away.

Tomatoes

A bed of tomatoes is not so conducive to the neighborhood, since voluminous bushes tend to take over everything free space. But you can use different ways planting, for example, build a high mound in the center of the bed, on which to plant asparagus and basil, dill, lettuce, onions, parsley, spinach and thyme. Tomatoes love the proximity of legumes, so beans can be planted between the rows. An excellent option for planting in the nearest garden bed would be carrots and melons. But cabbage and corn should occupy another part of the garden.

Cabbage

As you already know, there are a lot of varieties of this plant, and at least white cabbage and cauliflower grow in every garden. It would seem that they can easily be planted in one bed, since you will remove the colored one much earlier than its neighbor ripens. But in fact, they do not tolerate each other well, so when planning a common garden bed, it is better to give preference to beans and celery, and cucumbers. Aromatic herbs also get along well with cabbage; they help repel insects. These are sage and spinach, thyme, dill, onions. If landing white cabbage Do not make it too thick, then you can grow enough greens, as well as radishes, in the spaces between the rows.

Cauliflower

It does not grow well next to its closest relative, but it perfectly complements beds with beans and beets, celery and cucumbers, sage and thyme. Doesn't like tomatoes or strawberries. Broccoli goes well with all of the listed plants, but does not tolerate cauliflower at all, so you will have to create several beds for different types of cabbage. Brussels sprouts are one of the most tolerant sprouts; they combine better with other species in garden beds. The only enemy is tomatoes, so tomatoes and cruciferous vegetables cannot be planted side by side under any circumstances. But dill and lettuce - please, you can add radishes and sage, spinach and turnips to the garden.

cucumbers

When planting this crop, make sure that there are no potatoes, melons or aromatic herbs nearby; it is better to plant all the greens along with cabbage. Cucumber loves high warm bed, on which peas and beans, corn and lettuce, radishes will grow well together with it. As with the previous example of a universal bed, we allocate the central strip for corn. It will become a support for cucumbers, beans and peas, which can be sown not only mixed, but also together, in one hole. The edge of the bed can be lined with lettuce and radishes, which will be harvested fairly quickly.

How to combine incompatible things

This question is especially relevant if you have a greenhouse. Everyone loves vegetables comfortable conditions, however large greenhouse should not be empty, and it is occupied by a variety of fruit plants. To separate poorly compatible plant species, film canopies are used to divide the greenhouse into certain sections. This helps create a kind of microclimate.

To summarize all that has been said, I would like to note that planning mixed beds greatly helps save space and significantly improves the quality of the harvest. Soil resources are used more evenly, and the plants themselves serve as natural protection for each other from diseases and pests. It should be taken into account that the planting scheme can be changed to suit the needs of your garden; we have given only general templates. But be sure to observe the compatibility of vegetables. This simple rule always gives excellent results and does not require any additional costs or investments. From one garden bed experienced gardeners remove 11-15 kg of a variety of vegetables. Correct location growing plants in the garden also helps to save resources, since less water and fertilizers are required. That, perhaps, is all about what the compatibility of vegetables in the beds is. A list of plants that are “friends” and “not friends” with each other is given at the beginning of our review in the form of a table. Use it - and you are guaranteed a good harvest!

Let's think together why mixed plantings are needed? This is when different crops grow not in separate beds, but in adjacent rows or mixed together.

In nature, there are no large areas occupied by one species. In the meadow there is always a mixture of herbs, in the forest - not only different breeds trees, but also shrubs, grasses, mosses. Even in a field where only one crop is planted after plowing, weeds grow. We, too, can create a vegetable garden in which plants coexist.

Of course, there will be unwanted “aliens” here too, but they won’t cause much harm. This is because a rich, diverse ecosystem will be in balance! How to do this? The answer is simple - use the mixed planting method. To do this, you need to know which plants are good neighbors, and plan the territory to ensure the closest possible proximity different cultures. They should not grow in large masses, but in adjacent rows or holes.

Better at the border

It has long been noticed that plants grow better at the border of different ecosystems: at the edge of a forest, on the shore of a reservoir, at the edge of a field. To recreate the border effect I use a spiral bed. On it, the border is twisted into a spiral and there is room for many microclimatic areas: the higher, the drier and warmer, there is shadow and sunny side. I usually plant spices in a spiral bed aromatic plants. Here is a variant of the plant sequence: sorrel, valerian, onions, peppermint, clary sage, oak sage, garden thyme, oregano, garden strawberry, sage, cumin, rosemary.

You can simply alternate rows, checking the crop compatibility table. However, we must remember that the influence of plants on each other depends on the conditions in which they grow. Sometimes in large numbers they oppress neighbors, and in moderate numbers they are helpers. In general, you will need creativity and your observations.

Culture compatibility

First of all, select a main crop (for example, tomatoes). Then choose a neighbor that has a beneficial effect on the main plant. In our case, it could be lettuce or spinach - they will produce a harvest before the tomatoes begin to bear fruit. tall plants tomatoes will protect the greens from direct rays of the sun and create a more favorable microclimate for them. Lettuce can be sown again after harvesting. It is worth planting aromatic herbs nearby that repel pests. You just need to make sure that they don’t drown out the main culture.

Consider the timing of crop ripening. If you harvest one crop early, it is worth finding a replacement plant for it. You can't leave the ground bare. It is mulched and green manure is planted.

When choosing crops, you should pay attention to reducing competition between them. Plants with deep root systems will get along better with those with shallow roots; species with low nutritional requirements will not interfere with those who need a lot of nutrients; tall, spreading crops will protect those that like light partial shade from the sun.

Only the neighbors' water needs should be similar.

Plants with deep root systems:
Eggplant, legumes (except peas), cabbage, leeks, carrots, parsnips, peppers, radishes, beets, celery root, tomatoes, pumpkin.

Plants with a shallow root system:
Lettuce, peas, potatoes, kohlrabi, watercress, corn, onions, cucumbers, parsley, leaf celery, radishes, melon, spinach.

Mixed plantings perform several functions: protecting plants from diseases and pests, increasing yield per unit area, protecting the soil from one-sided depletion, reducing the number of weeds. Fruits and vegetables growing in community with other species taste better: mint improves the taste of potatoes, parsley improves the taste of tomatoes.

If you choose the right plants, they will help each other and delight the owner. Exactly this efficient use your piece of land.

I have been using compaction of crops and joint planting in my garden for a long time. I sow carrots through the row with onions, plant beds with cabbage with savory, and potatoes with beans. And such nursery plants as calendula, marigolds and nasturtium grow throughout the garden.

Cauliflower in marigolds.

"Communal" for celery

I decided to compact the plantings of Brussels sprouts, broccoli and early cabbage by planting celery root between them. These cultures go well together. Cabbage stimulates the growth of celery, which drives white butterflies away from the cabbage.

At first everything went like clockwork: both cabbage and celery developed perfectly. But in the second half of summer, where Brussels sprouts and celery grew, I saw that the former was noticeably ahead of its neighbor in growth. Soon the top leaves of the cabbage closed, and my celery was in the lower tier, in dense shade.

I looked after this “communal” bed especially carefully. The cabbage was good, but the celery became “sad” day by day.

I realized that I had made a mistake - it was impossible to plant late-ripening crops nearby. And if you decided to do this, then you had to leave such a distance between them so that everyone had enough space and light. My celery was clearly not getting enough of this. It never formed powerful rhizomes; we had to be content with only greenery.

Celery planted together with early cabbage is another matter! Already in July, all the heads of cabbage were cut off, and the celery remained the rightful owner in the garden. The conclusion suggests itself: any plants first need to create optimal conditions for development, namely: adequate nutrition, watering, lighting. And then the crops planted nearby can remain friends for a long time.

Who is friends with whom?

Everyone knows that onions and carrots are the best friends in the garden. One crop repels pests from another and vice versa. After the carrots have sprouted, I plant onion seedlings into the gaps found.

Sweet couple.

I fill the same gaps in the beets with lettuce. A bed from under early radish You can sow with green manure. But it is more economical to sow radishes directly between the rows of carrots. Carrots grow slowly, the seedlings remain low for a long time and cannot in any way shade the fast-growing radish. This way I get a double harvest from one bed. I sow the seeds of early ripening dill into peas: after a while its tendrils will catch on the dill stems.

I sow beans along the perimeter of the potato plot. At first it is a little stunted in growth, but after digging up the potatoes it develops beautifully and manages to ripen. I add onions to the tomatoes - I plant the sets between the bushes, but only on the greens. After all, tomatoes grow quickly and greatly shade their neighbors.

Otherwise, someone will definitely start harassing their neighbor. In general, everything is like with people. How can one not remember the old saying: “Friendship is friendship, but tobacco is apart!”

Vegetable beds or why do plants need satellites?

Gardeners have long noticed that plants growing nearby influence each other. They highlight in environment different substances that their neighbors “like” or “dislike.” For example, they feel good next to early cabbage and tomatoes, late cabbage and early potatoes, tomatoes and celery, beans and potatoes.

Potatoes and cabbage.

Mustard leaves, marigolds, calendula, and basil heal the soil and help all crops. I plant them along the edge of the beds, at the entrance to the greenhouses.

There is another big plus in mixed plantings. This is a flight of our imagination. Let's get rid of the stereotype that cabbage should sit in even rows! I plant plants randomly (at the corners of a triangle, the contour of a circle), around - nasturtium with marigolds. And the garden bed looks festive. And the smell of flowers scares away butterflies.

Eggplants and marigolds.

I add several phacelia flowers to the cucumbers - and they attract pollinating insects with their smell. So simply the plot turns into a piece of paradise - a place where you can rest your soul.

I place satellite plants in row-spacings or in nests among the main crop. Such mixed plantings create a favorable background, increase resistance to disease and even affect the taste of the fruit. With mixed plantings, soil fatigue does not occur, and the number of pests is significantly reduced, since the smell of their “food” is interrupted by the smell of other plants. In addition, such beds create an ideal refuge for predatory insects that feed on garden pests.

Romance of onions and melons

I have my own method, proven over the years, of growing several crops in one bed. For example, onions with melons and watermelons. The harvest is excellent! In a garden bed (2-2.2 m wide), usually in April - early May (on the waning moon) I plant onion seedlings along the edge in two rows with a distance of 40-50 cm between them. I place the next two-row from the first at a distance of 90- 100 cm.

At home I sow watermelon and melon seeds for seedlings. Then I carefully transplant the seedlings into open ground, in the center of the bed with onions, at a distance of 70-90 cm from each other. To prevent stress and illness, I treat onions and melons with a microbiological preparation and an infusion of wood ash (200 g per 10 liters of water). I water using a drip irrigation system. In mid-summer I harvest the ripened bulbs. After the ovary appears on the vines of watermelons and melons, I leave only 2-3 fruits per bush. They will grow large and tasty. Using the same technology, I add melons to winter garlic.

Text: garden portalhttp://agraruu.net/


Not everyone is able to grow a good harvest of cabbage on their plot, because it is susceptible to a large number of pests. Many, once disappointed, no longer risk planting this crop. However, if you know what is best to plant next to cabbage, you can extra effort not only naturally protect it from pests, but also improve the composition of the soil.

The mechanism of work of phytoncidal plants

If you have to protect cabbage from flying insects twice a summer - during egg-laying periods (usually the end of May and the beginning of August), then the plant must be protected from bedbugs, rootworms, flea beetles, and beetles throughout the entire growing season. The most effective is the simultaneous planting of herbs and flowering phytoncide plants that exude biologically active substances.

Creating natural protection against pests will require some effort only at the initial stage, but later you can get a number of pleasant bonuses:

  • improving the taste of cabbage;
  • decorating the site throughout the season;
  • the opportunity to stock up on your own seasonings and natural medicinal raw materials for the winter.

Useful plantings next to cabbage beds will protect it regardless of weather conditions.


Flowers – protection from insects and healthy soil

The worst enemies of cabbage are the white butterfly and leaf miner. Their larvae are capable of causing irreparable damage in a short time. An effective natural repellent against whiteweed and similar pests are marigolds (tagetes) - ubiquitous bright flowers with a specific smell. If you plant them along the contour of the bed, as well as directly next to the cabbage, then the attractiveness of this place will be lost for butterflies and moths. Marigolds exude phytoncides both from inflorescences and from roots, repelling aphids, whiteflies, mole crickets, moths, protecting against some fungi, as well as nematodes.

A number of other colors have the same properties.

  • Calendula, which can be planted once, and in subsequent years the plant is already able to reproduce by self-sowing.
  • Tansy. A bush can grow in one place for several years. It should not be planted directly on a bed with cabbage, since tansy has a depressing effect on its growth.
  • Chamomile.

Nasturtium is also a phytoncide. But these flowers actively attract aphids, which the ants often transfer to neighboring plants. Many people advise planting nasturtium around cabbage as an “interceptor” for whites and moths, but there is no guarantee that pests will be limited to it.

Of all the flowers suitable for protecting cabbage and other crops, marigolds are still invariably the most popular.

For protection to be effective, care should be taken in advance. By the time the cabbage is planted, the flowers should already be blooming and emitting a scent. Tagetes sprouts literally 3-4 days after sowing, grows quickly under favorable conditions, and is unpretentious. In a month and a half you can grow decent bushes with buds, which need to be planted between rows and along the contour of the ridge.


Healthy neighborhood: herbs and vegetables

Some vegetables and herbs will not only help cope with cabbage pests, but also form a mutually beneficial alliance with it.

The perennial herb tarragon will save you not only from cutworms, but also from leafminer moths. If a large bush grows next to a garden bed, the butterflies become disoriented and instinctively fly around it. It is enough to plant tarragon once for several years, but it is prone to overgrowth, so it is better to immediately fence off the space around it with dug-in border tape.

Sage and savory also effectively repel white butterflies, whiteflies, and flea beetles. And mint also discourages ants, who love to spread aphids, from the garden bed.

It is useful to plant tomato bushes around the cabbage bed. These fragrant plants create a kind of protective halo around themselves, through which cruciferous pests do not pass. This property of tomatoes was discovered quite a long time ago and is actively used by many summer residents: after pinching, tomato branches are laid out between the rows of cabbage, radishes, and radishes. However, soon after they wither, they lose their abilities, so it is easier to plant several bushes nearby. Moreover, even if the weather does not allow the harvest to ripen, then your protective function tomatoes will perform properly.

Not all varieties of cabbage grow well next to tomatoes, so they can be planted along the contour, interspersed with marigolds. approximate diagram"1 in 5."

Cabbage gets along well next to all types of leafy salads, which not only do not compete with it for nutrients, but also stimulate root formation and protect against flea beetles.

Slugs also love to feast on cabbage, especially young leaves. However, these creatures are very gentle and prefer to stay away from traumatic surfaces. This allows you to protect plants by creating a mechanical barrier. If you plant borage (borage) with hard, fleecy leaves along the contour of the bed, then slugs and snails will not encroach on the cabbage. They also do not like the smell of garlic, sage, chicory, onion and rosemary. If you plant these plants along the borders of the cabbage bed, you can protect the seedlings from damage.


Bad "neighbors"

Sometimes, without knowing it, gardeners attract pests by placing unwanted plants next to cabbage. These include celery. This grass repels midges, but at the same time actively attracts the cabbage butterfly.

Plants such as:

  • carrot;
  • caraway;
  • parsnip;
  • turnip;
  • radish.

The above crops attract white butterflies, as well as leaf miners, whose caterpillars then actively eat the cabbage.

Each plant synthesizes its own substances, which saturate not only the air, but also the soil around it, therefore, when planting different crops together, the nuances of such a neighborhood should be taken into account. Cabbage grows poorly next to gillyflowers, parsley, bush beans, and garden strawberries.

It is also important to consider different moisture requirements. For example, spinach should not be planted nearby because it requires significantly more water than cabbage. As a result, root fungus will develop and the formation of heads of cabbage will begin to be inhibited.

Each plant has its own set of nutrients. Cabbage requires quite a lot of nitrogen; tomatoes, onions, and celery also love it. But radishes, nasturtiums and greenery do not need much of this element, so they can be planted along the contour of the beds.

White cabbage and cauliflower do not get along side by side, the yield of both types decreases. Each person needs their own garden bed, preferably not at a distance less than a meter. Doesn't like cauliflower and broccoli. Brussels sprouts are more tolerant, but tomatoes should not grow nearby.

Fennel is an extremely aggressive plant, so it should not be planted with cabbage or other vegetables.

Joint plantings (mixed beds), subject to proper selection of crops, help gardeners to rationally use usable area, while simultaneously improving yields.

Cabbage usually grows well without requiring special conditions and careful care. Its main enemy is pests. Not all summer residents have the opportunity to regularly cultivate their plantings and collect caterpillars and beetles, so you can take advantage of nature’s help - plant permanent responsible “watchmen” - phytoncides - next to the garden bed and in the aisles. Although they do not provide an absolute guarantee of getting rid of enemy insects, their contribution is very significant.