What to Plant With Beans: Companion Planting Guide
What to Plant With Beans?
Beans can be planted with a variety of other crops including cucumber, melons, corn, squash, marigold, nasturtium, rosemary, summer savory, agastache, radish, eggplant, basil, brassicas, carrots, chard, peas, potatoes, strawberries, beets, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mint, chamomile, dill, oregano, parsley, onions, celery, chives, lovage, borage, calendula, buckwheat, catnip, collards, coreopsis, cosmos, echinacea, iberis, gaillardia, cilantro, clover, monarda, oats, phacelia, rudbeckia, sage, scabiosa, spinach, Swiss chard, thyme, tithonia, and yarrow.
Key Points:
- Beans can be planted with a variety of other crops including cucumber, melons, corn, and squash
- Beans can also be planted with marigold, nasturtium, and rosemary
- Other compatible crops for beans include summer savory, radish, eggplant, and basil
- Brassicas, carrots, chard, peas, potatoes, strawberries, beets, and garlic are also good companions for beans
- Beans can be planted with kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mint, chamomile, dill, and oregano
- Other recommended crops to plant with beans include parsley, onions, celery, chives, lovage, borage, and calendula, among others
Did You Know?
1. Did you know that planting marigolds alongside beans can help deter pests? Marigolds emit a strong fragrance that repels harmful insects, making them the perfect companions for your bean plants!
2. Want to improve your bean harvest? Plant some radishes nearby! Radishes are known to repel pests such as aphids and beetles, while also enriching the soil for your bean plants.
3. Here’s a fascinating fact: beans and corn have a natural symbiotic relationship! The beans’ vines can climb up the cornstalks, providing support, while the bean plants fix nitrogen into the soil, benefiting the corn’s growth.
4. Companion planting tip: try planting some herbs like basil or thyme near your beans. These herbs not only add flavor to your meals but also attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, enhancing pollination and overall plant health.
5. Did you know that beans make great companions for carrots? This dynamic duo helps each other thrive in several ways. While the beans provide nitrogen to the soil, benefiting carrots’ growth, the carrot leaves create a shade that helps keep the beans’ roots cool and moist.
Cucumber And Melons: Perfect Companions For Beans
Companion planting is an age-old gardening technique that involves strategically planting different crops together to benefit each other. When it comes to beans, there are several plants that can be excellent companions, including cucumber and melons.
Cucumbers are particularly complementary to beans because they have shallow root systems that won’t compete for nutrients. Additionally, cucumber vines can provide much-needed shade for the bean plants during hot summer months, helping to prevent them from wilting or getting sunburned. In return, the beans can act as a living trellis for the cucumbers, providing support as they climb and minimizing the risk of diseases caused by contact with the soil.
Similarly, melons, like cucumbers, have low nutrient requirements and can be planted alongside beans without causing any harm. The sprawling nature of melon vines also serves as a natural living mulch, which helps to conserve moisture in the soil and suppress weed growth around the bean plants. Plus, these companions create a visually stunning display in the garden, with the contrasting colors and textures of the bean and melon leaves complementing each other perfectly.
Companion Planting: Enhancing Bean Growth With Corn And Squash
Another great option for companion planting with beans is corn and squash. This trio, also known as the “Three Sisters,” has been used by Native Americans for centuries due to the synergistic benefits of planting these crops together.
Corn provides a natural trellis for the beans, allowing them to climb vertically. In return, the beans stabilize the tall corn stalks, preventing them from falling during strong winds. This mutually beneficial arrangement maximizes productivity and reduces the need for additional support structures.
Squash plants act as ground cover, shielding the soil from harsh sunlight and inhibiting weed growth. The large leaves of squash create shade, which helps to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. As a bonus, beans and corn suppress weed growth around the squash plants, acting as a living mulch. Furthermore, their nitrogen-fixing abilities contribute to the overall fertility of the soil.
Marigold And Nasturtium: Beneficial Flower Companions For Beans
Adding flowers to your bean patch not only enhances its aesthetics but also improves bean growth. Marigolds and nasturtiums are particularly beneficial companions for beans.
Marigolds are known for their ability to deter harmful nematodes and repel pests such as aphids and Mexican bean beetles, which can damage beans. Additionally, marigold roots produce a substance called alpha-terthienyl, which is known to suppress root-knot nematodes, making them a natural form of pest control. Planting marigolds alongside beans can help alleviate pest pressures without the need for chemical interventions.
Nasturtiums, on the other hand, attract beneficial insects like pollinators and predatory insects that prey on pests, helping to create a balanced and healthy ecosystem in the garden. They also repel aphids and whiteflies, reducing the risk of infestation on bean plants. Moreover, nasturtiums’ vines can serve as a living ground cover, helping to retain soil moisture and reduce weed growth.
Boosting Bean Health With Herbs: Rosemary And Summer Savory
In addition to vegetables and flowers, herbs can be excellent companions for beans, promoting their overall health and productivity. Rosemary and summer savory, in particular, have proven to be valuable additions to a bean garden.
Rosemary is not only an aromatic herb but also acts as a natural repellent for pests such as bean beetles, aphids, and spider mites. Its strong scent confuses and repels these harmful insects, protecting the beans from potential damage. Additionally, rosemary increases the overall biodiversity in the garden, attracting beneficial insects like bees and butterflies that aid in pollination.
Summer savory, on the other hand, works as a natural fungicide, preventing the growth of fungal diseases that can afflict bean plants. Its antimicrobial properties help to keep diseases at bay, thus promoting better bean health and yield. Furthermore, summer savory’s delicate flowers attract beneficial insects like hoverflies, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, which prey on common bean pests like whiteflies and aphids.
Diverse Pairings: Beans Thrive With Vegetables And Flowers
In addition to the aforementioned companions, beans can thrive when paired with a diverse range of vegetables and flowers. These include eggplant, basil, brassicas, carrots, chard, peas, potatoes, strawberries, beets, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mint, chamomile, dill, oregano, parsley, onions, celery, chives, lovage, borage, calendula, buckwheat, catnip, collards, coreopsis, cosmos, echinacea, iberis, gaillardia, cilantro, clover, monarda, oats, phacelia, rudbeckia, sage, scabiosa, spinach, Swiss chard, thyme, tithonia, and yarrow*.
These plants offer various benefits to beans, including pest deterrence, disease prevention, enhanced pollination, improved soil health, and increased biodiversity. By incorporating this diverse range of companions, you can create a vibrant and thriving garden that supports the growth and productivity of your bean plants.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do beans grow well next to?
Beans grow well when planted next to a variety of vegetables. They are compatible with Brassicas, carrots, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potatoes, radish, and strawberries. These plants benefit from the nitrogen that beans fix in the soil, creating a harmonious and mutually beneficial environment for growth. However, it is advisable to avoid planting beans next to chives, garlic, leeks, and onions, as these plants may interfere with the growth or development of beans.
What should not be planted next to beans?
It is important to avoid planting beans near alliums such as garlic, onions, chives, leeks, scallions, or shallots. These plants can inhibit the growth of beans and may hinder their development. Furthermore, it is advisable to keep peppers, wormwood, fennel, and gladioli away from beans as they can also negatively impact their growth and overall health.
What can I intercrop with beans?
Another great option to intercrop with beans is lettuce. Lettuce provides a beneficial shade for the beans, helping to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. Additionally, the shallow roots of lettuce don’t compete heavily with the deeper roots of beans, allowing for efficient use of nutrients and space in the garden. The combination of beans and lettuce can create a vibrant and productive intercropping system.
What can I plant next to broad beans?
According to David’s experience, there are several options for plants that can be planted next to broad beans. For example, potatoes can be a suitable companion as they have been known to inhibit pests that attack broad beans. Additionally, beans tend to thrive when planted near carrots, cucumber, cabbage, lettuce, peas, parsley, and cauliflowers, as these plants complement each other well. However, it is advisable to avoid planting broad beans near onions, garlic, leeks, and fennel, as they may not contribute to their growth as effectively.