Companion planting in the vegetable garden

The Benefits of Companion Planting

• Maximising Space in the Vegetable Garden

By combining vegetables that develop differently both above and below ground, as well as pairing slow-growing plants with fast-growing ones, you can make the most of the available space.

• Reducing Weed Growth

As the saying goes, nature abhors a vacuum! Combining vegetables and occupying nearly all available space helps to crowd out weeds.

• Boosting Production and Yields

This is due to the efficient use of space (higher yield per square metre) and the fact that legumes (peas, beans, broad beans, etc.) have the unique ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, making it available for neighbouring plants to benefit from.

• Providing Plants with Mutual Protection Against Diseases and Pests

By mixing vegetables from different botanical families, you reduce their concentration and, consequently, limit mass infestations or the rapid spread of diseases specific to one family or species. Some plants also emit particular scents or secrete substances from their roots that confuse or repel pests. Finally, many plants produce flowers that attract beneficial insects or act as decoys for pests (like nasturtiums, which aphids prefer over vegetable crops).

Nasturtium, Coriander and Marigold: highly useful plants for companion planting in the vegetable garden

A practice that doesn't happen by chance: tried-and-tested plant combinations

Not all vegetables can necessarily be paired together. In most cases, companion planting is neutral, but sometimes it can be unfavourable, even for both parties (for example: garlic, beans, courgettes and fennel).

Therefore, combining crops should not be improvised. Here are some beneficial pairings whose advantages have been observed scientifically or by gardeners:

• Radishes and carrots (fast-growing radishes/slow-growing carrots),
• Tomatoes and marigolds (French marigolds repel nematodes),
• Leeks, celeriac and carrots (combining different root depths while grouping two vegetables that benefit from being sheltered under an insect-proof net),
• Maize, climbing beans and squashes (maize stalks act as supports for the beans, which in turn provide nitrogen for the squashes).

Maize, climbing beans and squash (Milpa): a pairing recognised for thousands of years

There are many examples of beneficial pairings in books dedicated to this topic, such as:

• “A Healthy Garden Through Companion Planting” – Gertrud Franck – Éditions Imagine un Colibri
• “I Pair My Crops… and It Works” – Claude Aubert – Éditions Terre Vivante
• “Leeks Prefer Strawberries” – Hans Wagner – Éditions Terre Vivante

Don’t hesitate to refer to them!

As a bonus

Pascale tells you all about companion planting in the vegetable garden in our advice sheet!

Watch our video: Olivier and Louis talk about plant associations in the vegetable garden: