Mixed cultivation dominates in the ecologically managed hobby garden. This is accompanied by the annual question of whether tomatoes and strawberries get along as plant neighbors. Better not make the decision impulsively, but pay attention to our approach.

Mixed culture celebrates the harmony of opposites - sometimes

The success of a mixed culture is based on the optimal combination of crops in terms of size, root space, ripening time and nutrient requirements. From this perspective, the tall tomatoes should get along well with the short strawberry plants. In addition, tomatoes are among the heavy consumers and strawberries are among the weak consumers, so that they do not get in each other's way in this respect either.

Nevertheless, these opposites do not attract and thus contradict the premises of a successful plant partnership. In addition to the botanical condition, the requirements for location and care also play a part in the assessment. These aspects speak against a mixed culture of tomatoes and strawberries:

  • the towering tomato plants shade the sun-seeking strawberry plants
  • the regular, intensive fertilization of tomatoes allows the strawberry plants to sprout
  • the higher water requirement of tomatoes dilutes the flavor of strawberries

Wild strawberries thrive among tomato plants

The native wild strawberry is much better able to cope with the challenges of mixed cultivation with tomatoes. Contrary to popular belief, the wild strawberry is not the wild form of our garden strawberry. Rather, their origin goes back to a cross between two strawberry varieties from America. Wild strawberries thrive even in the shade of tall trees and know how to arrange themselves with tomato plants.

tips and tricks

The most careful planning of a mixed culture is doomed to failure if it is overlooked that strawberries are incompatible with themselves. If a bed is planned to plant a strawberry culture there, there must not have been any conspecifics in the previous three to four years.

Category:

Vegetable garden