Companion Plants: No Frenemies Here

Companion plants are what I like to refer to as ‘Plant BFFs’. These plants help their nearby neighbor in the garden in a variety of ways. Much like our own best friends who help us be our best selves in their own unique way, companion plants can serve different purposes.

To get a better understanding of companion plants let’s consider the Native American Three Sisters Garden. This is a planting tradition using maize/corn, beans, and squash, where each plant helps the others just by being itself.

Do you have that friend who is always there when you need someone stable to lean on or gives you the support you need? This reliable friend is corn, who provides a stable trellis for the beans to climb.

What about the friend who always has your back, makes sure you won’t get burnt out or provides that much needed water on a night out? That friend is definitely squash, who acts as a ground cover suppressing weeds and maintaining soil moisture.

What about the friend who helps you out with something you need without even having to ask? This caring friend is the beans, who provide nitrogen in the soil which the squash uses in abundance.

There are so many other common examples of companion plants. Like tomatoes with marigolds and basil to enhance flavor and repel pests. Those are the friends you loved sharing clothes, jewelry or makeup with and the ones with great radar on the significant others not worth your time. But remember in the garden, like life, it is great to get out of our comfort zone and experiment. Break the rules a little bit and you might be pleasantly surprised by a new burgeoning plant partnership!