Garden Markers and Plants Working Together
“You work so well together”. “You look so good together”. If you are in a relationship, these quotes would have you smiling. But out in the garden, these same quotes can pepper the air—if you find yourself talking to plants and garden markers (not too unusual for tender-hearted gardeners).
Smart gardeners know that there actually is a rhyme and reason to productive gardens. Using companion plants can increase your crops, keep pests and weeds down, save space and conserve water. Your garden markers can also be companions to your plants—protecting them from being trampled in their first tender days when the first leaf emerges from the ground or from being dug up before they have a chance to emerge and complimenting their beauty with a sign of recognition on an attractive marker.
Sisters
In relation to early gardening practices of Native Americans, you may have heard of the “three sisters”: corn, beans and squash. While real sisters might not always get along, these three crops always complement each other in satisfactory harvests. Over centuries, gardeners have found that these companion plants offer each other advantages in order to survive.
The tall corn sprouts up in the middle of the mound and the pole beans use it for support as they climb. The squash’s thick leaves and vines help shade the ground and keep the soil moist where the spindly vines of beans rise from the earth. As squash thrives low to the earth, it also prevents weeds from moving in and around the other plants. As the plants grow through the summer season, they provide for one another.
The trick in companion planting is to plant two crops that really don’t grow the same way. You want height for full sun exposure mixed with low-growing thicker plants to protect spindly legs. You don’t want competition. Look for plants where even the root systems are different so that they don’t compete for nutrients.
Companions
The following are some suggested companion plants from the Mother Earth website:
- Arugula and shallots
- Spinach and garlic
- Tomatoes and lettuce, celery or lima beans
- Cabbage with leafy greens
- Onions with leafy greens
- Broccoli with lettuce or radishes
- Corn and potatoes
Bugs be Gone
Some plants will offer their companions the gift of a season free from insect or animal pests. It’s often beneficial to pair flowering plants with your vegetables to attract pollinators and attract beneficial insects like hoverflies and ladybugs to your plants. Herbs like basil, oregano, garlic chives, sweet alyssum, fennel and cilantro have proven beneficial in protecting other crops from insect invaders.
Before I Rise
Garden markers are helpful companions before the growing season even starts. They hold the place of your plants, protecting winter’s dormant roots from being disturbed by spring garden tools. They help remind when the memory fails. You can order Kincaid plant markers in multiple heights so that they will complement the plant they will be next to in height. The silver stainless steel garden markers will make beautiful classic companions with any plants in your garden.
