INTRODUCTION
Imagine a bustling, vibrant community where everyone helps each other. Where the taller shade the shorter, the strong protect the weaker, and where the skills of the different members complement each other, forming a harmonious, self-sustaining whole. This is not a description of a utopian society, but the basis for a successful organic garden, based on the ancient wisdom of plant co-existence.
Modern monoculture agriculture has made us forget that in nature, plants are never solitary, but live in complex communities. Plant co-existence, also known as mixed farming, transposes this natural model into the vegetable garden. Rather than growing a single species in neat but lifeless rows, we create plant communities that support each other’s growth, provide protection against pests and diseases, and maximise yields.
In this article, we take an in-depth look at the science and art of plant propagation. We’ll explore the best friends and worst enemies in the world of vegetables, illustrate through concrete examples of plant associations that work, and show you how the Biogarden365 app can become your personal advisor in creating the perfect plant associations. Join us and transform your garden into a thriving, self-regulating ecosystem!
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The science behind plant breeding: why does it work?
Plant sprouting is not just a folklore or a horticultural hocus-pocus. Its effectiveness is backed by concrete biological and ecological principles. Let’s see what’s going on behind the scenes, below and above ground level.
1. Alerting and deceiving pests (Repellent effect) 🐜
Many plants release natural essential oils, compounds (allelochemicals) that repel pests.
- The classic example: the strong smell of onion disrupts the orientation of the carrot fly, thus protecting the carrot from damage. The same is true in reverse: the smell of carrots repels the onion fly.
- Aromatic herbs: the scent of rosemary, sage, thyme or mint will keep away many pests such as cabbage aphids and cabbage leaf aphids.
- Stink bug (velvetle): the substances produced by its roots kill the nematodes (nematodes) in the soil that damage the roots of many vegetables, especially tomatoes and potatoes.
2. Attraction of beneficial insects (Baiting effect) 🐞
While some plants are a deterrent, others attract predators and pollinating insects that are our garden’s allies.
- Flowering plants: marigolds, nasturtiums, daisies or dill flowers are a magnet for ladybirds (which kill aphid colonies), flies and caterpillars.
- Helping pollination: the proximity of flowers ensures good pollination for crops such as squash, cucumbers and tomatoes, which is essential for a bountiful harvest.
3. Improving soil quality and nutrient management 🌱
Different plants have different root systems at different depths and use and even produce different nutrients.
- Butterflies: bacteria that live on the root tubers of beans, peas, lentils and alfalfa can fix nitrogen in the air and release it into the soil. The bacteria in their roots can bind nitrogen in the air and can then “fertilise” the soil, free of charge, for plants that grow next to them and need a lot of nitrogen, such as brassicas, tomatoes and maize.
- Dynamic accumulators: deep-rooted plants such as black coneflowers and dandelions can take up minerals from deeper in the soil and make them available to plants near the surface by composting their leaves.
4. Optimal use of space and microclimate creation ☀️
By taking advantage of the different growth habits of plants, you can create a “raised” garden.
- The legend of the “Three Sisters”: the classic Native American companion plant is corn, beans and squash. Corn is the mainstay of the runner bean. The beans fix nitrogen in the soil, feeding the corn and squash. Pumpkins shade the soil with their large leaves, preventing weeds and retaining moisture.
- Shading: tall tomatoes or maize can provide partial shade in summer for more delicate, lower plants such as lettuce or spinach, protecting them from the scorching sun.
5. Disease prevention and soil health 🍄
In monocultures, pathogens spread rapidly. Mixed culture breaks this process.
- Fungicidal: Garlic and onions have fungicidal properties, so they can provide protection against fungal diseases when planted next to strawberries or tomatoes, for example.
- Biodiversity: diverse vegetation also leads to diverse soil life. Different root exudates feed different microorganisms, creating a healthier, more resilient soil ecosystem.
Best friends and worst enemies: concrete examples
Let’s look at some tried and tested plant pairing pairs and combinations to avoid at all costs!
Harmonious Alliances (Good Neighbours) ✅
| Plant | Good neighbours | Why does it work? |
| Tomatoes | Basil, carrots, onions, stinkweed, marigolds | Basil improves the taste of tomatoes and repels pests. Stinkweed protects against nematodes. Onions are fungicidal. |
| Carrots | Onions, rosemary, sage, lettuce, radish | Onions discourage carrot fly. The shallow root systems of lettuce and radish do not compete with carrot roots. |
| Cabbages | Dill, rosemary, sage, mint, beans, peas | The aromatic spices alarm the cabbage leaf. Beans and peas provide nitrogen to the soil. |
| Uborka | Maize, beans, dill, sunflower | Corn and sunflowers provide support and shade. Dill attracts beneficial insects. |
| Strawberry | Onion, garlic, spinach, lettuce | Onions protect against fungal diseases. Spinach and lettuce act as mulch. |
| Potatoes | Beans, cabbage, horseradish, marigolds | Beans fix nitrogen. Horseradish improves the resistance of potatoes to diseases. |
Pairings to avoid (Bad neighbours) 🚫
| Plant | Bad neighbours | Why is it not working? |
| Tomatoes | Potatoes, brassicas, maize, walnut trees | Potatoes and tomatoes are susceptible to the same diseases (e.g. phytophthora). Walnut trees release an anti-sprouting substance. |
| Onions | Beans, peas | Onions inhibit the nitrogen-fixing bacteria in butterflies. |
| Cabbages | Strawberries, tomatoes | They inhibit each other’s growth. |
| Potatoes | Sunflowers, pumpkins, tomatoes | They compete for nutrients and water and share diseases. |
| Kapor | Carrots | Dill attracts pests that also attack carrots. |
Biogarden365: Your personal plant care advisor
The world of plant associations is fascinating, but also complex. Keeping track of dozens of vegetable and herb combinations is almost impossible, especially for a novice gardener. That’s where the Biogarden365 app comes in, with an intelligent plant-matching module built into its garden designer function.
How does Biogarden365 help?
- Visual Design, Instant Feedback: when you place a plant in your bed in the Digital Garden Designer, the app instantly analyses its environment.
- Green light: if you draw a good neighbour next to a plant, the app will show a green light to confirm that you made the right choice.
- Red alert: If you try to place a bad neighbour, the app will give you a red warning and often an explanation why pairing is not recommended.
- Built-in Knowledgebase: no more browsing spreadsheets or looking through books. Each plant’s data sheet gives you its best and worst neighbours, with detailed reasons why. This knowledge is always in your pocket.
- Saves Time and Energy: Instead of spending hours on planning and research, Biogarden365 does the analysis for you in seconds. So you can avoid costly mistakes and aggravation.
- Inspiration and New Ideas: the app can suggest proven combinations you might not have thought of yourself. It can help you creatively use the space available to you and maximise the biodiversity of your garden.
Design the perfect bed with Biogarden365!
Summary: The power of community in your garden
Plant mating is much more than a simple technique; it is a way of looking at things. It teaches us to see our garden not as a set of separate elements, but as a living, breathing system where everything is connected.
Using the right plant associations:
- You can get more outof less work.
- You can control pests and diseaseswithout chemicals.
- You can improve the quality and fertility ofyour soil.
- You can create a more diverse, hardy and aesthetically pleasing garden.
And the Biogarden365 app takes the burden of planning off your shoulders. With its intelligent plant-matching feature, you can be sure you’re making the best decisions and that every plant in your garden is in the best possible place.
Don’t hesitate to use the wisdom of nature and modern technology to help you! Create harmonious plant communities and enjoy the chemical-free, bountiful harvest your well-planned garden will provide!
