Squash is a popular vegetable in the produce world. Some gardeners are intimidated by it, but squash can actually be very easy to grow if you know some simple tricks! With these tips for planting your favorite member of this family-what do Squashes have that makes them so special?
One of the most common tricks to help your squash plants is companion planting. There are many different companion plant species that provide benefits for each other, be it protection against pests or improved yields.
In some gardens you can use more than one companion plant with differing goals- this way no single task will go neglected!
What Is Companion Planting?
Planting different plants near your crop can help it thrive. There are many benefits, such as deterring pests or enhancing growth that come from companion planting and you’ll want to experiment with which ones work best for each other!
Companion planting is all about improving your soil quality, providing nutrients for the primary plant, deterring pests and weed growth. Companion plants can also serve as natural supports to climbing plants or offer protection against sun exposure in some cases!
When choosing companion plants, it is important to use ones that will coexist well with your primary plant. While one might provide certain benefits in one of our main crops, it might not work at all for another type or variety; doing research ahead can save time later down the line when we realize these misfits weren’t worth pulling from their pots!
Squash plants are often lonely on their own. That’s why it helps to have a variety of companion plants around for company and protection, which may also help you yield better crops by the time your squash is ready for harvest!
Some plants love to grow alongside squash. If you plant these companions in your garden, they will help protect and nourish the fruit of your labor. Other plants may come as beautiful flowers that provide an extra touch while also improving other aspects such like appearance or scent!
Take a look at these 15 companion plants you should plant alongside with squash!
1. Peas
Peas are a great companion plant for squash. They help to increase the quality of your soil by adding nutrients that you may not be able otherwise, and their flowers add aesthetic value as well!
Without Nitrogen, plants would not be able to photosynthesize and produce sugars. It is an essential element for all types of life on Earth—especially squash!
Peas are a great way to add nitrogen back into your soil, and they’re also really tasty! You can even eat them straight out of the garden if you want.
2. Beans
Beans, are another great companion plant for squash. They add nitrogen and help make the soil tougher so that your tomatoes can grow well!
Corn farmers have long since recognized the importance of alternation in order to provide their crops with enough nutrients. Corn depletes soil nitrogen, but soybeans bring back what is needed when they come next year–this gives them a fighting chance at survival!
There are so many different types of beans! they come in every color and flavor you could imagine, some for eating fresh while others need to be cooked. For example: lima (vegetables), pinto or pink eye bean (pulpy). Beans make the perfect companions because there’s no bad temper among them – just find your favorite kind today!
3. Borage
Borage, a flower that’s not wildly popular but is growing in popularity due to its many beneficial traits such as attracting pollinators and being good companion plant for squash.
As the name suggests borages attract bees which are needed by plants like tomatoes or cucumbers so they can be pollinated resulting into crop production!
Borage is a great plant for adding companionship and protection from pests. One of its best features to offer this attribute in your garden are flowers, which can provide colorful purple blooms!
This also helps deter harmful worms such as nematodes or maggots who might want nothing more than an easy meal on the vulnerable roots below them.
4. Icicle Radishes
The icicle radish is a helpful plant for pest deterrence when planted closely beside it and can help protect against common problems like squash bugs or cucumber beetles that may otherwise prey on those plants. Just two or three will do!
These white radish varieties have a rich and spicy flavor that is said to be milder than its more common counterpart Radish but just as delicious in recipes!
5. Dill
You may be able to ward off cucumber beetles with dill. This plant, which grows quite differently from most other vegetables in your garden or farm area is known for attracting beneficial insects such as lacewings and ladybugs; both of these creatures will eat harmful pests like the little buggers – without leaving any harm on its intended targets!
Not only will dill attract larger insects that eat the smaller, more harmful ones but it is also an easy-to-care for and resilient plant.
Dill can be grown while helping your squash plants thrive, by using its leaves in cooking or adding them near vegetable gardens as decoration!
6. Garlic
As many gardeners will tell you, aphids can be difficult to get rid of. They feed on the leaves and stems of plants–such as squash plants–and suck nutrients out hurting plant in process. Luckily there are ways for homeowners with an organic approach!
Garlic is a great way to keep pesky aphids out of your garden. The strong scent deters these pests, and planting it near other plants can also help protect them from getting harmed too!
7. Mint
Squash plants are not only at risk from insects and other pests, but they can also be damaged by large mammals. This includes deer or rabbits that feed on the garden
Mint is a great companion for squash because it repels these herbivores while growing well alongside them!
There are a variety of mint options to choose from, many with the potential for use in your kitchen and even more that offer fragrance as well. Who wouldn’t want their garden full or inviting smells?
8. Oregano
Cabbage moths are pesky pests that can be found anywhere from your home garden to the grocery store. It’s important not only for gardens, but also in commercial settings like farms and orchards alike because these insects might pose a threat if they start infesting items grown there too!
But, don’t worry – you have some defense tactics up your sleeve: plant oregano along with any other aromatic plants near where squash crops grow, so those critters stay away before things get out of control!
9. Phacelia
Phacelia is a flower that can be beneficial to your squash plants. These flowers are also known as lacy phacelias, tansy-painted faces or ‘facela’ (a Spanish term meaning “face”).
They’re typically easy on the eyes and will attract pollinators such as bumblebees who help with pollination in return for nectar from these beautiful blooms!
Phacelia is a flower that’s often found in gardens. It has some unique features and benefits to offer, like suppressing weed growth around squash plants or even growing on its own as ground cover!
10. Rosemary
Rosemary is a fragrant herb that has been used for centuries to keep pests away. Rosemary helps deter bugs of all kinds, from pesky mosquitoes and flies in your garden or on food you’re preparing, to deer who can damage plants; but an animal may still come into contact with rosemary if it’s hungry enough!
Rosemary is a fragrant herb that can be used in the kitchen and offers many benefits. It has both medicinal uses, but make sure to check with your doctor before using it as an all-purpose remedy for ailments like headaches or stomachaches! Rosemary also adds great flavor when you browse through its beautiful leaves at home–so what are you waiting for?
11. Marigolds
Marigolds are a perfect companion plant for many types of garden. For example, they attract pests such as squash bugs and mosquitos which means you can grow more than just your main crop without worrying about them!
Marigolds are a great way to help keep the bugs away from your squash. Planting marigold flowers near, but not right next to squash. Actually, a few feet is advised for best results!
12. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are beautiful and effective companion plants for squash. These flowers attract pests that can do a lot of damage if left unchecked, so planting them next to your crop plants will help keep the aphids off those more susceptible crops while still benefitting from all their beneficial properties like repelling bugs or attracting pollinators!
What not to Plant with Squash
There are many beneficial companions to plant beside your squash, but some plants should be avoided. While these plants are great if you plant them in your garden bed, they will do more harm than good if planted alongside squash.
13. Potatoes
Potatoes and squash both need the same nutrients for their growth, so it’s best to avoid planting them next to each other.
These two veggies together compete with each other for food sources in any given area – not only does this reduce yield potential but also means there is less chance at a successful harvest.
14. Pumpkins
Make sure to keep pumpkins and squash away from each other. The two crops are closely related, meaning they can cross-pollinate with each other, which will lead to bad fruit if you grow them together as their pollinated flowers may not produce what was intended by the cultivator.
15. Fennel
Fennel is known for attracting certain insects and pests that may cause harm to squash plants.
While some previously mentioned companion plants are beneficial, fennels nature of impeding the growth nearby makes it a poor choice as well–it needs space in order not to affect other plant life near by!