Strawberries are a popular fruit and can produce nutrient-rich and delicious yields throughout the summer season. However, ensuring that they produce enough yields and also maintain their flavor, requires diligent care and attention to their requirements. One approach to maximizing the yield and fragrance of strawberries is to grow companion plants that improve their health, ward off pests, and enrich the soil. This article will explore the various companion plants that can be grown alongside strawberries in your garden to reap the benefits of increased yield and flavor.
Companion planting involves planting different species of plants in the same garden plot to enhance the growth, resistance to pests, and produce higher yields. When done correctly, companion planting can also minimize the need for chemical interventions to control pests and enrich soil.
Strawberries, though relatively resilient and easy to grow, are prone to diseases, pests, and soil depletion. Growing companion plants alongside strawberries can help combat these problems and improve the overall health of the plants. Companion planting for strawberries can lead to the following benefits:
Companion plants can be deployed to repel pests that attack strawberries or attract natural predators for such pests. Certain plants such as chives or garlic act as natural repellents for aphids, slugs, and spider mites which can attack strawberry plants. Some flowers like marigolds and calendula have a similar effect due to the repelling properties of their scent.
In contrast, companion plants such as clovers, dill, and parsley attract predators like ladybugs and parasitic wasps which feed on aphids and other pests, ensuring a healthy balance of predator and prey in the garden.
Companion plants can promote soil health by reducing compaction, increasing fertility, and balancing nutrition. The plants do this by improving soil aeration and allowing microbial activity, which breaks down organic matter faster, releasing nutrients back into the soil. Adding companion plants such as beans, peas, and clovers, can supply nitrogen and help maintain a neutral pH.
Strawberry plants are reliant on pollinators such as bees and butterflies to facilitate fertilization and the formation of seeds. Planting companion plants such as lavender, borage, and bee balm, which produce nectar and pollen, can attract and provide a food source to pollinators, increasing the frequency and quality of fertilization.
Growing certain plants alongside strawberries can be beneficial while others can compete unfavorably for resources, attract the wrong kind of pests, or produce harmful toxins. The best approach to companion planting is to select plant species that complement the needs of strawberries and provide a conduit for solving growing problems.
Complementary companion plants should have specific attributes that work in tandem with the needs or deficiencies of strawberries. For example, beneficial companion plants for strawberries would provide fertility, or encourage pollinators, or ward off pests. Certain plants balance the pH of the soil, and provide shelter for the roots, thereby improving the overall health of the strawberries.
Plants safe to coexist alongside strawberries should not be too aggressive or competitive, drawing too many nutrients out of the soil, growing too tall and overshadowing the strawberries. Some companion plants can be invasive or even poisonous, which can affect the overall health of the garden or the quality of the strawberries.
Some plants when planted alongside strawberries can compete for resources, or even harm the growth of strawberries, eventually affecting the yield and flavor of the fruit. These plants include:
- Brassicas
- Nightshades
- Sweet Potatoes
- Grapes
Mint: Mint is a valuable companion plant for repelling aphids, flea beetles, and whiteflies. It releases a scent that distresses and deters pests, and can also promote strawberry growth.
Nasturtiums: Nasturtiums are known to repel aphids and caterpillars, and at the same time, attract beneficial predators.
Chives and Garlic: Chives and garlic have a strong odor that repels aphids, thrips, and spider mites. They’re also useful in improving the flavor of strawberries.
Clovers and Beans: Clovers and beans are nitrogen-fixing plants that promote strawberry growth, enrich the soil, and restore depleted soil. Clovers improve soil health by breaking up hard and compacted soil.
Comfrey: Comfrey is well known for its deep roots that reach deep into the soil, bringing potassium, calcium, and other minerals up that are beneficial to strawberries.
Calendula: Calendula is a soil-enriching plant that is also known to attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Lavender: Lavender is a bee-magnet plant known to attract bees and other pollinators to your garden. It also produces a sweet fragrance that deters pests.
Borage: Borage is a herbaceous plant that bears attractive blue-hued flowers and produces lots of pollen and nectar, attracting lots of pollinators to your garden.
Bee Balm: Bee Balm or Monarda is another great pollinator attractor. It also attracts hummingbirds that can help tackle other pests in the garden.
The best time to plant companion plants for strawberries is in the early spring or late fall when the soil is still warm, and the planting helps enrich the soil.
Companion plants should be planted close enough to help provide their intended benefits to the strawberries, but far enough to avoid overcrowding, competing for resources, or shading the strawberries. As a general rule, companion plants can be planted within 2-3 feet of strawberries.
Companion planting can help conserve water, reduce soil erosion, and alleviate stress on plants by creating microclimates or providing shade. It can also create a visually appealing garden full of color and scent, and also discourage weeds from growing, reducing competition for nutrients.
Yes, some plants can be detrimental to the growth and development of strawberries, such as Brassicas, Nightshades, Sweet potatoes, and Grapes. These plants are known to compete unfavorably for resources and can harbor pests that can attack strawberries.
In conclusion, companion planting is a useful and practical approach to growing strawberries. Not only does it help to boost yields and enhance the flavor, but it also minimizes the need for chemicals and can promote the health of the environment. Implementing companion planting should start with selecting the right plants that complement the needs of strawberries and support healthy growth. The benefits of companion planting are worth the effort and will produce excellent results in the long run.
