Garlic is a truly epic plant that can be used in myriad ways. Not only does it have a delicious aromatic taste that can flavor almost any dish, but it is also an excellent companion for most of the plants in the garden. Garlic is a natural antifungal and can repel pests with its strong odor. There are many garlic companion plants that will really benefit from having companions planted garlic nearby!
Garlic is a powerful companion plant because of its strong odor and natural pest-repellent properties. Its scent can drive countless pests away from your precious plants, but it can also be used to attract beneficial insects for pollination. If you're gardening in a small space, garlic can have a big impact when planted closely with other fruits and vegetables.
There are few plants like beans that a garlic bulb may not grow well with. It really is a great choice to accompany plants among the plants in your garden. Learn about the best garlic companion plants that will work in your garden!
What is companion planting?
Many plants are good companion plants for garlic. Source: karenandbrademerson
Companion planting is a popular way to arrange plants in the garden, especially in smaller gardens and home gardens where space is limited and every plant counts. Planting companions can help maximize space and improve the quality of the crops you are growing. Some combinations of plants can even help improve the taste of their neighbors!
One of the many reasons that companion planting in the garden continues to be popular is its ability to repel predatory insects. Some plants have a strong aroma or are natural repellants for insects that like to eat vegetables. Other plants secrete oils in the soil that repel pests such as nematodes. Another benefit of companion planting is that it can attract beneficial insects to pollinate your garden. By using companion plants to attract beneficial insects to your garden, you can enjoy the benefits of increased pollination and greater biodiversity.
Additionally, companion planting is useful when planning the use of your garden space as it can help maximize limited physical space. Some companion plants can be grown as ground cover, taking up space directly at ground level, with the added benefit of shading the ground and preventing weeds from germinating. Other plants can grow tall and shade heat-sensitive plants underneath. If you are planting a slower growing variety, companion plants can help mark the spot to plant the slow germinating seeds so you don't accidentally overplant your garden!
Next, let's talk about the benefits of using garlic as a companion plant and which plants will grow with it!
Good garlic companion plants
Garlic is happy about everything except legumes. Source: mrvklaw
One of the best uses of garlic is having it as a companion fruit Trees. Garlic has antifungal properties that can protect fruit trees from a variety of diseases, including apple scab on apple trees and leaf curl on peach trees. This is a simple and organic way to grow garlic and protect your precious fruit trees. Garlic can also repel aphids, mites, fungus flies, cabbage grinders, ants, snails, onion flies, codling moths, and Japanese beetles. Talk about a powerhouse! The scent of garlic is so strong that it can keep rabbits and deer away.
If you want to plant herbs in your garlic, give it a try chamomile. Chamomile can help improve the taste of garlic. Another herb that goes well with garlic is to regret. Rue is a highly fragrant herb that is known to keep flies and maggots away. So it can prevent maggots from attacking your plants. yarrow and Summer hearty improves garlic health and production. Garlic repels spider mites, which makes it a great combination dill. tarragon is another great companion plant as it increases the growth of garlic.
Garlic is one of the best companion plants for flowers because it is a natural pesticide. For example, rose Pests hate the smell of garlic! Insects like aphids, ants, mites, snails, and even black spot fungi avoid the strong smell of garlic. Garlic can also deter pests Geraniums. Garlic and Marigolds Both are known to repel many pests, so they can form a powerful combination along the edge of your garden to repel pests with the scent and attract beneficial pollinators. One benefit of planting garlic with Nasturtiums is that nasturtiums can shade weeds in bed and use otherwise wasted space around the floor surface. Nasturtiums also produce an edible flower that can be eaten or left on the plant to distract pests as a "trap fruit".
Garlic and leafy vegetables grow well together because they occupy different spaces in your garden bed. The bulb of garlic forms under the surface of the soil as its green landscapes grow tall and narrow. Leafy vegetables have shallow roots and grow near the surface of the soil, taking up space that would otherwise be empty. For example, arugula and Green salad are low-growing leafy vegetables that go well with garlic. Be sure to choose a smaller type of salad that won't block sunlight from reaching your pants. Nor does lettuce compete with garlic for the same nutrients in the soil.
spinach is a good companion plant for garlic, as both are cold-resistant and grow together in winter until spinach is killed by colder temperatures. Similar to nasturtiums, spinach can form a cover of ground around your garlic, preventing weeds from taking control.
Garlic is an excellent companion plant for the Brassica family as it wards off many of their most common pests, including cabbage grinders, cabbage worms, cabbage maggots, and Japanese beetles. In particular garlic and Cabbage are excellent companions, as the scent of garlic can not only protect the delicate cabbage plants from pests, but can also deter grazing animals from turning your harvest into a snack. Garlic is known to deter animals from chewing on crops such as deer, rabbits, squirrels, and elk. It can also improve the taste of broccoli when planted nearby. When you are struggling with pests that attack Brassica plants like Kale, Kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, Collards, or cauliflower Try planting garlic in the garden or placing it as a border around your garden beds to protect pests from attack.
Garlic grows well with you Carrots as it confuses carrot flies and can protect them from infestation. It can help protect carrots from root maggots with the oils it secretes, and this benefit extends to too celery Plants that belong to the same family as carrots. Garlic can also act as an effective fungicide against late potato rot and protect your skin potato Harvest. By growing the onions near your potatoes, you can try to prevent this infection from getting stuck.
Beets and garlic are both root crops, but they grow at different depths of the soil and are therefore good companions. They don't like the same nutrients, and garlic can protect beets from yeast infections. Another root plant that is used to accompany garlic planting is Parsnips. Parsnips are prone to root maggots, so garlic's antifungal properties can be incredibly helpful for them.
Garlic is a great companion for tomatoes because it repels spider mites and other pests that attack tomatoes and supposedly improves the taste of tomatoes as well. Hot and light pepper will also enjoy the same benefits as tomatoes when planted companions with garlic. Although peppers and garlic grow at different times of the year, young pepper plants can be better protected by planting them nearby before planting garlic in early spring. Another member of the Solanaceae family, aubergine, also grows well with garlic as it protects the endangered eggplant fruits from pest infestation.
Whether you should plant Strawberries Garlic is still hotly debated among gardeners. Some gardeners say it can stunt the growth of strawberries. On the other hand, garlic has been shown to deter spider mites, which like to eat strawberries. We leave this pairing choice up to you! Next, we're going to talk about some plants that you definitely shouldn't plant with garlic.
What not to plant with garlic
Not only do you get cloves, but also cloves of garlic. Source: KaseyEriksen
One of the few downsides to growing garlic in the garden is that sulfur builds up in the soil, which can stunt the growth of certain plants. Garlic curbs the growth of Beans, Peasand most legumesand should be planted further away to prevent decreased growth. Similar to beans, the herbs parsley and sage couldn't do the best around garlic. Although not proven in scientific studies, gardeners often report that if planted nearby, it can stunt the growth of parsley and sage.
You should avoid growing garlic nearby asparagus because garlic is a member of the Allium family, which can stunt the growth of asparagus. There is a scientific reason for this: asparagus takes several years to form spears. Garlic can build up sulfur and other compounds in the soil it grows in. When you plant these plants together, the garlic increases the sulfur levels in the soil while consuming the exact nutrients asparagus needs to make spears. This explains why when asparagus grows together, it does not contain the nutrients it needs in the soil, forms smaller roots and produces fewer spears.
Finally, avoid planting garlic near large parts of your garden with only members of the Allium family Onions, chives, leek, and Shallots. This gives all pests that feed on them the opportunity to attack all of the plants at the same time. By planting your garlic between flower beds and near a wide variety of vegetables, you don't run the risk of one pest destroying your entire crop at once.
frequently asked Questions
Q: Where should I plant garlic in my garden?
A: Everywhere! Garlic has antifungal properties, repels an incredible number of pests (including rabbits and deer), and complements almost every plant in the garden.
Q: Will garlic grow in the shade?
A: Probably not – garlic thrives in full sun! It is possible to grow it in the shade, but the bulbs will get smaller.
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