9 Questions
What is companion planting?
The practice of planting different crops in proximity for pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects, maximizing use of space, and to otherwise increase crop productivity
Which agricultural technique involved planting maize, beans, and squash together?
The Three Sisters
What is the purpose of trap cropping?
To attract pests away from the main crop
What is the benefit of companion plants that produce nectar or pollen in a vegetable garden?
They encourage higher populations of beneficial insects that control pests
What is the mechanism behind legumes such as clover providing nitrogen compounds to neighbouring plants?
They fix nitrogen from the air with symbiotic bacteria in their root nodules
What is the purpose of host-finding disruption?
To disturb flying pests by surrounding host-plants with other plants or even decoy-plants
What is the history of companion planting?
It was present in forest gardens in Asia many centuries ago and in Mesoamerica thousands of years ago
What types of plants can be used in companion planting?
Vegetables, fruit trees, kitchen herbs, garden flowers, and fodder crops
What is the purpose of using plants as wind breaks or for shade?
To protect the main crop from wind damage
Study Notes
Companion planting is the practice of planting different crops in proximity for pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects, maximizing use of space, and to otherwise increase crop productivity.
The modern principles of companion planting were present many centuries ago in forest gardens in Asia and thousands of years ago in Mesoamerica.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas practiced companion planting in the form of the Three Sisters agricultural technique, which involved planting maize, beans, and squash together.
Organic farming and horticulture have made frequent use of companion planting since the 1920s.
Companion planting uses a large list of companion plants that include vegetables, fruit trees, kitchen herbs, garden flowers, and fodder crops.
Companion planting can operate through a variety of mechanisms, including pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects, and maximizing use of space.
Legumes such as clover provide nitrogen compounds to neighbouring plants such as grasses by fixing nitrogen from the air with symbiotic bacteria in their root nodules.
Trap cropping uses alternative plants to attract pests away from a main crop, and host-finding disruption disturbs flying pests by surrounding host-plants with other plants or even decoy-plants.
Some companion plants help prevent pest insects or pathogenic fungi from damaging the crop, through chemical means.
Companion plants that produce copious nectar or pollen in a vegetable garden may help encourage higher populations of beneficial insects that control pests.
Some crops are grown under the protective shelter of different kinds of plants, whether as wind breaks or for shade.
Test your knowledge on the ancient and effective practice of companion planting with this quiz! Learn about the benefits of planting certain crops together for pest control, pollination, and maximizing productivity. Explore the different mechanisms used in companion planting, from trap cropping to host-finding disruption. Discover the wide variety of companion plants that can be used in your own garden, including vegetables, fruit trees, herbs, and flowers. Take this quiz to see how much you know about this sustainable and natural farming technique!
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