Like high school, plants often separate themselves into natural cliches. Some individuals get along and work altruistically together, while some covertly gossip and sabotage other plants behind their backs. The art of planting groups of plants together that work well as teams, while separating plants that are natural enemies, is called companion planting.
The first site provides a comprehensive list of companion plants, and explains the properties of many of the plants. Qualities that useful plants may have include:
- Trap crops: Attract bad insects. Either poison the bad insects, or entice bad insects away from your prize crops. Examples are sunflowers, larkspur, and nasturtiums
- Attract good insects: Many good insects feed on bad insects. Preying mantus, lady bugs, and parasitic wasps don't harm humans, but dine on bugs that may damage your garden. Chamomile, cosmos, and dill are examples.
- Deter bad insects: May have an odor that bad bugs dislike, or secrete a substance that repels bad insects from their roots that neighboring plants can suck up to become more pest resistant themselves. Marigolds, petunias, and many herbs have this property.
Benefits of companion planting include improved vegetable flavor, increased plant growth, decreased weed growth, healthier plants, less need for pesticides.
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