With the arrival of gardening season, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) suggests companion planting as a clever approach to let your garden thrive. This age-old method pairs different plants for their mutual benefits, enabling your fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers to bloom spectacularly throughout the summer. According to RHS experts: “Some plants are thought to confuse or act as a decoy to potential pests, while a few provide food for the pest’s natural predators.”
Gardening buffs aiming to supercharge their tomato crops can add a group of plants to their patch. Obsessed Lawns specialists have identified that tomatoes prosper alongside compatible green allies such as basil, marigolds, or nasturtiums.
These beneficial companions deter pesky insects and also possess the ability to “enhance” the flavour profile of your tomatoes.
Specifically, basil emerges as a taste enhancer for tomatoes and serves as a flexible herb in culinary creations, reports the Mirror US.
Nasturtium enters the fray as a guardian against whiteflies and aphids, notorious tomato assailants in the balmy summer periods.
In addition to these, other congenial comrades for tomato plants include peppers, spinach, lettuce, and carrots, each contributing towards sturdier tomato growth.
The RHS added further insight into the practice: “Companions can give added health to their neighbours.
“Parsley gives increased vigour to tomatoes and asparagus, horseradish planted near potatoes makes them stronger and more disease resistant.”
However, if companion planting isn’t your cup of tea, it’s vital to monitor your tomatoes for any signs of disease or consider choosing more robust varieties such as Crimson Crush.
Throughout the growing season, gardeners must remember to remove side shoots to concentrate growth on the main plant.
Neglecting this step results in a spindly plant that fails to produce any fruit.
