Do not get along: what plants can not be planted in the neighborhood

The relationship of plants in the garden depends on many factors: from close relationship, from the secretion of various substances by roots and leaves, from the ripening period, from the requirements for light, water and nutrition. Some plants help each other to develop, while others, on the contrary, oppress each other. It is especially important to take this into account in small summer cottages, when, in order to save space, several crops are grown on the same bed. To get a good harvest, you need to know which of the green creatures is not able to live peacefully with each other.

Potatoes and tomatoes

These cultures are close relatives. They belong to the nightshade family, have the same diseases and suffer from the invasion of the same pests. Especially these crops are loved by the late blight fungus and Colorado beetles. Eggplant, pepper, physalis, nightshade also belong to the number of nightshades. All these plants, when planted closely, infect each other. To block the path of disease, you can plant beans or beets between the beds.

Interesting fact

American breeder Luther Burbank at the beginning of the twentieth century bred a hybrid potato variety with large tubers and large fruits resembling tomatoes. The breeder named a new plant species tomato… But the hybrid did not become widespread in agriculture, because it could not reproduce itself. Plants that grew from its seeds had strangely shaped fruits and underdeveloped tubers. Experiments in this direction are still being carried out, but such hybrids have not yet been brought into mass production.  

Cabbage and radish

Here, a negative role is also played by the relatedness of plants, which are the cruciferous family. It includes radishes, turnips, rutabagas, turnips. Cruciferous pests are occupied by such pests as the white-fly butterfly (or rather, its voracious caterpillars), cabbage aphid, cabbage bug, leaf beetle (or babanukha), scoop caterpillars, cruciferous flea beetle. They devour leaves, disfigure heads of cabbage, and make interveinal gnaws. With severe damage, the leaves dry out, this leads to the death of plants. Sow dill between crucifers.

Carrots and dill

Planting umbrella crops such as carrots, dill, parsley, celery, anise is prohibited next to each other, not only because they suffer from the same diseases and pests. This adversely affects plant growth. Carrots and dill require the same nutrients. The root system begins to compete and take everything it needs from each other. The carrot root crop grows medium-sized, the splendor of the dill decreases. In addition, in the second part of ripening, tall dill umbrellas can shade their lower “sister”.

The location of carrot beds under the apple tree is not recommended. Our ancestors also noticed that such a neighborhood worsens the taste of root crops – bitterness appears.

Garlic and beans

Garlic is known for its phytoncidal and antibacterial properties. Most plants experience the beneficial effects of the active substances secreted by the vegetable crop, which suppress the growth of pathogenic microflora and scare off pests. Garlic protects the crop from aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, carrot flies, leaf beetles.

But not all plants will agree to coexist with garlic and regularly receive phytoncidal protection from it. Legumes react worst of all to it: beans, peas, soybeans, lentils. The proximity of garlic to beans will give a small number of flowers and ovaries, which means that the harvest will not please the owner of the garden.

Cucumbers and zucchini

The pumpkin family needs similar growing conditions. Cucumbers and zucchini love high temperatures, high air humidity, prefer sprinkling, do not require abundant feeding if enough organic matter has been introduced. And yet, planting them nearby is not recommended, since the pollination process is disrupted. It is better not to leave your own seeds from such plants for planting next year. In addition, zucchini and cucumbers are often attacked by powdery mildew and quickly spreads through the beds.

Beets and corn

The antibacterial toxins secreted by the beet root crop adversely affect corn germination. Beets require a lot of light to grow, and the tall queen of the fields will provide shade for the whole day. It is also necessary to take into account the depth of root germination. Beetroot can be depleted of nutrients from deeply sprouting amber grains.

Grapes and cabbage

The incompatibility of these two cultures has been known for a long time. Already in Ancient Greece, they knew that next to the heads of cabbage, the vine was withering, the taste of the berry was deteriorating. And this is surprising, because next to cauliflower, the quality of grape fruits does not change. Allelopathy may be the culprit. This is the property of closely growing vegetables, bushes and other representatives of the flora to influence each other. The main culprit is the chemicals released by each plant and form a kind of biochemical defense. Grapes don’t like competitors at all.  

Onions and peas

They are not able to get along side by side, the peas will grow slowly, and the harvest of both crops will be very small. Better plant next to onions, chives and leeks celery, beets, cucumbers, radishes, watercress. And peas will gladly give a good harvest next to carrots, cucumbers and turnips.

Horseradish and turnips

The horseradish root system grows up to 2 m deep, and getting rid of it is as difficult as it is from weeds. Therefore, planting horseradish must be controlled by cutting off the lateral processes at the root. This way you will not let it grow over the entire area and will get a straight, even and large root. At this time, the turnip, going through a full development cycle, sucks out a huge amount of nutrients from the ground, depleting the soil. These two plants will interfere with each other’s development.

Strawberries and raspberries

Raspberry bushes consume a lot of moisture and dry out the soil. The strawberries stop producing berries and may die. The compatibility of strawberries and tomatoes is also dangerous. These two crops require the same nutrients, this competition slows down plant growth. They can also become infected with late blight from each other.