The well-planned mixed culture in the vegetable bed ensures higher yields, because the mutually supporting plants are more resistant to diseases and less susceptible to pests. But not only the good neighborliness is important: Plants that don't like each other at all should never stand next to each other.
Dill, leeks and cucumbers get along very well in the bed
What are the effects of the right mixed culture?
Some plants mutually encourage growth. In other cases, only one vegetable supports the other. A good example of this is the onion and beetroot combination found in many grow plans. Although the beetroot benefits from the onion, this partnership tends to have negative effects on the onion.
Sometimes the forced neighbors in the vegetable patch don't get along so badly that they bother and only bring in very small yields. It therefore makes sense to consider both crop rotation and good or bad neighborhoods in the cultivation plan.
Examples of good and bad neighbors
| vegetable plant | good neighbors | bad neighbors |
|---|---|---|
| bush beans | Savory, Strawberries, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Other Cabbages, Lettuce, Green Leaf Lettuce, Celery, Beets, Tomatoes | Peas, fennel, garlic, leeks, onions |
| endive | Fennel, cabbage, leek, runner beans | none |
| peas | Dill, fennel, cucumber, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, corn, carrot, radish, zucchini | Beans, potatoes, garlic, leeks, tomatoes, onions |
| strawberries | Borage, fava beans, garlic, lettuce, leeks, radishes, chives, spinach, onions | all types of cabbage |
| fennel | endive, peas, lamb's lettuce, cucumber, lettuce, pick-lettuce, chicory, radicchio, | beans, tomatoes |
| cucumbers | Beans, dill, peas, fennel, cabbage, lettuce, coriander, cumin. Leek, corn, beetroot, celery, onion | tomatoes, radishes |
| potatoes | Beans, chamomile, nasturtium, cabbage, cumin, corn, horseradish, peppermint, spinach | Pumpkin, tomato, celery |
| garlic | Strawberries, cucumbers, raspberries, carrots, beets, tomatoes | Peas, cabbage, runner beans |
| cabbage | Mugwort, beans, dill, endive, peas, chamomile, potatoes, lettuce, coriander, cumin, leeks, chard, peppermint, leaf lettuces, beets, celery, spinach, tomatoes | Strawberries, Garlic, Mustard, Onions |
| leek | Endives, strawberries, chamomile, cabbages, kohlrabi, lettuce, carrots, salsify, celery, tomatoes | Beans, Peas, Beetroot |
| radish and radish | Beans, peas, nasturtium, cabbage, lettuce, watercress, chard, carrots, spinach, tomatoes | cucumbers |
| zucchini | Nasturtium, Corn, Beetroot, Runner Beans, Onions | none |
tips
If you draw the cultivation plan for the mixed culture in winter, you should not ignore the location requirements of the vegetable plants. Some crops, such as zucchini, grow so large that they can overwhelm their neighbors. Overlays easily lead to pest infestation, despite good neighborliness. Take this into account in the planting plan.