You probably already have a place in mind for a vegetable plot. Perhaps your herbs will have their own little section of the plot, or even a plot of their own. If you are thinking about container gardening, you probably plan to plant rosemary in one container and thyme in another. This sounds great, but there is a better way. It is called companion planting.

Companion planting is another way of working with nature. Some dissimilar plants have developed a symbiotic relationship-they help each other survive. Of course plants that have a similar pH should be planted together, but many symbiotic plant relationships go much farther than pH.

The most famous symbiotic relationships are 'Carrots Love Tomatoes' and 'Roses Love Garlic. There are many other plant relationships that you can use to enhance the beauty and health of your organic yard. Symbiotic relationships are not limited to vegetables liking vegetables, but include relationships between many different plants. You can use these relationships to enhance your vegetables and herbs, as well as other plants in your yard. Your imagination is your only limit.

Types of Companion Plant Relationships :

There are several kinds of plant relationships that you can use. Understanding them will help you to choose the best companion choices for your yard.

Nitrogen Fixation
If you plant oxygen-fixing legumes, such as beans or peas, near nitrogen loving members of the cabbage family, such as broccoli and kale, the cabbage family and legume family will both smile.

Repelling pests and Attracting Help
Some plants emit chemicals from their roots or leaves, called allelochemicals, which repel pests. As an example, tomatoes repel caterpillars from diamondback moths, which like to use cabbage leaves for food.

Other plants attract insects that prey on pests that would otherwise damage nearby plants. As an example, beans attract insects that eat corn pests, such as leaf beetles.

Space and Other Factors
Plants that need partial shade often grow best in the shade of a larger plant or bush. As an example, spider flowers (cleome) can provide the partial shade that lettuce prefers. Sometimes a row of sturdy plants can protect weaker plants from wind damage.

Root depths vary from one plant to another. You can take advantage of this difference to grow more vegetables in a given area. As an example, by planting shallow-rooted onions in close proximity to deep-rooted carrots, you can grow more of each in your vegetable garden.

The Unexplained
When basil is planted in close proximity to tomatoes, both grow very well. This is a beneficial relationship that hasn't been explained.

Another similar relationship is between climbing beans, corn, and squash. When the three grow together, they are all happy, but know one knows exactly why.