Companion Planting
Thinking of growing strawberries and tomatoes together as companions in your garden , but are n’t quite sure if it ’s a full theme ? In this article , gardening expert Liessa Bowen examines if these two pop garden plants can be get together , or if they are better off paired with something else .
Contents
Tomatoes and strawberries are both very democratic garden plants , well - loved for theirdelicious fruit . The sweet predilection of strawberries in the springtime and the clean , most flavorful homegrown tomato plant in the summer make garden a very worthwhile ( and very tasty ! ) endeavor . If you want to develop both strawberries and tomatoes , you may enquire if you’re able to plant them together .
Many garden plants grow well together , and those that profit each other are know as companion plant life . Companion plants may benefit their neighbors by providing specter , fight off insect pests , furnish support , or appeal pollinators . fellow traveler planting is a well - established practice utilized by many successful gardeners .
Sometimes , however , there are plant that should not be grown together . Some flora may be a good fellow for one neighbour , but not for another . piteous fellow traveler selection may vie for nutrients , infinite , or sunshine , or they may both be susceptible to the same pestilence and disease , thereby increasing the probability of exposure . Other plants make inert comrade , provide no apparent benefit or detriment .
permit ’s take a closer look now at both love apple and strawberry to discover out if they make near garden companions , or if you should beak something else to mate them with .
The Short Answer
Tomatoes and strawberries do not make good companion plant life . You could grow them together , and it ’s possible they will both do delicately . But both tomatoes and strawberries are both highly susceptible to two fungal diseases called “ verticillium wilt ” and “ anthracnose , ” which can easily spread out from one plant to another . It ’s best to found tomatoes and strawberries in unlike area of the garden to minimize the spread of these disease .
The Long Answer
Even though these two plants are very different , they are both susceptible to some of the same diseases . Two fungous infections in particular , verticillium wilting and anthracnose , can cause real problems .
septic plants will experiencesevere impairment to both leafage and fruits , stimulate failed harvests and sometimes even imbed death .
If you do desire to grow both of these plant in your garden , you should endeavor to imbed them far apart . This willminimize the peril of cross - contaminationif one or the other becomes infected with a fungal disease . 0
It may not be possible to completely preclude certain diseases , because they ordinarily fall out in nature , but you’re able to practice a number of good gardening technique to help reduce the danger of plant catching gadfly and diseases .
Verticillium Wilt
Verticillium wilt is acommon fungal diseasethat can affect a all-inclusive diverseness of fruits , vegetables , bush , and trees . Thefungus naturally lives in soiland can be easily passed to susceptible plants , especially if they become thinned .
Symptoms include yellowing and wilting of leaves , eventually leading to leaves turning entirely brown and dying . works may look stunted or deformed , and fruit will become shrivel up and pale .
Anthracnose
Anthracnoseis a very vulgar fungal disease that affects both of these works , and also many other fruits , vegetables , and even trees . It cause brownish dapple to develop on leaves , spreading from little touch to entire leaves .
It also causes fruits to grow sunken , mushy billet that begin as small dose and develop into large rotten areas , eventually rot the entire yield . Anthracnoseeasily spreads from one plant to anotherby spores .
Prevention
you could helpprevent and control both verticillium wilt and anthracnoseby :
Growing Tomatoes
Tomatoes are annuals and are one of the mostpopular summer cropsgrown by hobby gardeners . They areeasily produce by seedand the adventuresome nurseryman will find plenty of interesting options to try .
Tomatoesare also wide available during the spring and summertime as seedlings . You will see less variety if buy new industrial plant , but this allows gardeners to deliver time by planting a levelheaded young offset .
Tomatoes are soft to raise in containers , raised bed , and traditional garden mise en scene . you may even incorporate them into your flower garden if you recover yourself with a bit of redundant infinite ! As long as you have a location withfull Dominicus and good soil , you probably have enough way to grow at least one goodish industrial plant .
Tomato plants have introductory growth needs . This includes providing them the right amount of sunshine , water , and space . You ’ll also need to right fertilize , and check that they are planted in well - asseverate territory . Let ’s take a deeper look at each growth want .
Tomatoes expand in full Sunday and will grow the healthiest and with the most abundant fruit with rich sunlight . For good result , plant in a location that receives at least 8 time of day of direct sun each sidereal day .
Tomatoes benefit from regular lachrymation and typically demand 1 to 2 inches of body of water per workweek . When provide irrigation , water from below and prove to forfend getting unneeded body of water on the leaves and yield .
tomato plant grow best in achromatic to somewhat acidic ( pH between approximately 6.5 and 7.0 ) soils . Soil should be rich and loamy , well - drained , and high in constitutive matter .
tomato plant industrial plant will gain from some light fertilization during the middle part of the grow time of year . you may sum a fertiliser Cartesian product that is design for tomatoes and other garden vegetables , or you may use a nutrient - rich constituent compost .
Lycopersicon esculentum plant total in unlike variety , from sprawling indeterminate - growth industrial plant to constrict bush varieties . Almost any Lycopersicon esculentum plant will benefit from a growth financial support , such as a coop , stake , or atrellis .
Be alert for any early signs of pestilence and disease . Mulch around your plant in the summer to aid hold back soil moisture . Prune off sucker to help maintain good air flow and encourage in effect output .
Tomatoes have a number of great companion plants . They profit from familiar plant that will helprepel pestilence and draw pollinators . Some companion plants are even said to help improve the love apple ’s flavor ! A few choicetomato associate plantsinclude :
Growing Strawberries
If you ’ve ever had the chance to equate a store - purchase strawberry with a newly - break up hemangioma simplex , you know thatfresh , home - grown strawberries are the winnerswhen it comes to their sweet appreciation . You caneasily grow strawberries at domicile , even if you have special space . They are modest , compact , and are easy grown in container .
Strawberries are perennial that can generally be arise in zones 4 to 9 . They are typically purchased as young plant from a nursery or garden center , although there are numerous online retailer offer plant that have been started from seed as well . Online sellers normally volunteer a wide variety of bare - root plant .
Like tomatoes , strawberries also have basic growth needs to maximise their yield production . They will call for right amounts of sunlight and water . They also postulate to have the right balance of soil and fertilizer . Let ’s take a deeper look at the basic growth requirements for strawberries .
Strawberries fly high in full Sunday , ideally at least 10 hours of sunlight per twenty-four hours . works uprise in full sun will be a rich dark green , will bring on the most flowers , and will develop an abundant supply of perfumed berry .
Keep your hemangioma simplex plants moist by watering on a regular basis to supplement any deficiency of rainfall . They do best with 1 to 2 in of water system per week .
Strawberries will grow best in soil that is deep in constitutive thing , loamy , and well - drained . Mulch around your strawberries to help keep territory wet and forbid berries from touching bare soil where they may pick up contaminants and disease .
Strawberries will do good from an constitutive fertilizer to help keep the industrial plant vigorously growing , blooming , and bring about fruits .
Strawberries multiply rapidly by send off runners , which quickly dwell an area with a dense ground blanket of plants . Plants should be space close to 12 inches apart and runners can be murder to let your plants plenty of way to grow .
Keep your berry dapple weed because weeds can easily outcompete your strawberry mark . Trim contrabandist and refresh your berry piece each spring to allow the healthy and most vigorous plants to rise . Mulch in summertime to retain wet , and in wintertime to protect flora from grueling frosts .
There are many plants that will develop well with strawberries and provide benefits in the garden . Companions for strawberriescan helpimprove yield , repel pests , and draw in pollinators . Some fantabulous companion plants include :
Final Thoughts
Companion plantings are an excellent agency togrow different crops together and savor some tangible welfare . Not all plants complement each other , however , such as tomato grown with strawberries . plant that are prostrate to the same pests and disease are best grown farther aside from each other , and nearer to other , more desirable , companions .
you may still enjoy the sweet taste of strawberries and perfect home - grown summer tomatoes , grow in your own garden . Just give them each disjoined locations and select more beneficial neighbors for each .
