Spread the love

by Diane Beyer

Everyone has had an experience with a bad neighbor. There are various reasons for considering a neighbor “bad,” but most of them have an element of “chemistry” in them somewhere. Some people just don’t get along. It’s no different in the plant world. Since plants are restricted in place and not able to move away from bad or undesirable neighbors, they must employ other methods. Plant communities use chemistry to repel or subdue those that may pose a threat to a thriving population.

There are several other things to consider when deciding what to plant with what:

What growing conditions do the plants require? Plants that have different requirements for soil pH level, sun exposure, nutrients, or moisture should not be planted together and expected to thrive. Plants also release varying amounts of nutrients, such as nitrogen and potassium, which can affect the growing conditions of nearby plants by altering proximate pH levels.

In contrast, do not plant two heavy feeders together, as one will inevitably bully the other by sucking up nutrients needed by both.

Plants that require large amounts of water will scavenge water from surrounding soils, harming nearby plants that are not as effective at water consumption.

There are several other things to consider when deciding what to plant with what:

• What growing conditions do the plants require? Plants that have different requirements for soil pH level, sun exposure, nutrients, or moisture should not be planted together and expected to thrive. Plants also release varying amounts of nutrients, such as nitrogen and potassium, which can affect the growing conditions of nearby plants by altering proximate pH levels.

• In contrast, do not plant two heavy feeders together, as one will inevitably bully the other by sucking up nutrients needed by both.

• How tall do the plants get? This should be taken into account when planting small annuals or large trees. If plants, such as tomatoes, are planted next to sun-loving plants, such as bush beans, chances are good that the beans will suffer from the shade of the taller, more aggressive tomatoes. It is possible to plant plants of varying heights together if the smaller ones are oriented such that they receive the most sun exposure.

• Plants that require large amounts of water will scavenge water from surrounding soils, harming nearby plants that are not as effective at water consumption.

• Plants that attract similar pests and/or diseases benefit from not being planted in close proximity.