Are you growing tomatoes in your vegetable garden this year? And with all that effort, you’re definitely going to want to grow bright, juicy, red fruit that tastes heavenly. Growing tomatoes together with other, very specific vegetables, herbs or flowers can be of great benefit to the health of the plants you are putting all your time and effort into.
Companion planting is a gardening method that involves pairing vegetable plants together so they thrive better when they are grown together. It has been shown that strawberries and green beans grow better together than they do when they are grown separately. Another known pairing is Bibb lettuce with spinach. These plants are known to have complementary physical needs, thus making them great companions.
Every beginner gardener needs to know that when growing tomatoes, the plants need to be pollinated to produce fruit. Attracting pollinating insects is the best way to pollinate your fruit. If there are no insects around, an alternative is to gently shake the plants by hand so that the pollen from the males reaches the female receptors. Companion planting with flowers is a terrific method for attracting pollinator insects such as bees. Try planting petunias or heliotrope beside your growing tomatoes. Pollination is just one of the benefits of companion planting.