With a mixed crop you can grow different types of vegetables in one bed. We show you which plants go together.
The creation of a mixed culture creates a harmonious coexistence in the bed. In addition, hobby gardeners provide variety and harvest he althy and strong vegetables almost all year round. The secret of the mixed culture lies in the fact that the plants used not only get along well with each other, but can also support each other in growing and thriving. If you choose the right bed partners, you will also have fewer problems with plant diseases and pests.
What is mixed culture?
Mixed cultivation refers to the cultivation of different vegetables, herbs or flowering plants in one bed. The decisive factor is the combination of the different plants with each other. The positive properties of the individual plants are taken into account and used.
The plants are arranged in the bed in such a way that they influence each other positively. The mixed culture is opposed to the monoculture. In this form of cultivation, all ornamental and cultivated plants are strictly separated from each other. The mixed culture has the advantage that the plants can develop better due to the lower nutrient competition and are less susceptible to diseases and pests.
How can mixed cultivation be implemented on a small area?
Most of the time, an allotment garden is less suitable for the large-scale cultivation of vegetables. Nevertheless, many allotment gardeners make sure there is a balance between ornamental and kitchen gardens. A mixed culture garden can promise a rich yield even on a small area.
Do you have about 20 square meters of unused space? Then nothing speaks against creating a varied mixed culture bed there. Those who plan the cultivation of the area sufficiently will be able to bring in a rich harvest between spring and late autumn and will always be supplied with fresh vegetables.
The individual cultures in the bed can be built up as follows:
Spring: Spinach, carrots, lettuce, onions
Early summer: Radishes, dill, parsley, kohlrabi, zucchini
Late Summer: Kale, Chard, Endive
The spinach isthe first plant in the bed. The leftovers are raked off in April. The remaining leaves can be left as a layer of mulch between the rows of beds. Later in the year, this layer can be replaced with grass clippings.
The early vegetables are sown between the rows of spinach. In summer, kale or chard follow. Broad beans are suitable as a preculture for red or pointed cabbage.
Which herbs are suitable for mixed cultivation?
Some herbs are particularly beneficial for a successful mixed culture. Chives can be planted next to strawberries. Not only are the purple flowers a pretty contrast, the bulbous plants exude essential oils through their leaves and roots that protect the fruit from gray mold.
Some particularly successful plant combinations make it clear that vegetables and herbs not only harmonize perfectly on the plate, but already in the bed.
Cucumber and Dill
Cucumbers and dill are a true classic in the kitchen. Anyone who expects a rich cucumber harvest should try the mixed culture with dill. Dill can ensure that the cucumber seeds germinate better. The growing cucumber plants, in turn, provide shade for the dill, ensuring it grows well.
Beans and Savory
If you prepare beans, don't forget the savory. Also in the mixed culture bed both are a harmonious duo. Savory promotes the growth of the beans and gives them an intense aroma. Beans are more likely to be attacked by the black bean aphid. The scent of the savory deters the pests and the plants are spared.
Tomato and basil
Tomatoes with basil - a piece of vacation in the south. No wonder that both plants also harmonize wonderfully with each other in the bed. The basil excretes substances through the roots that help the tomatoes to better absorb the nutrients from the soil. Tomatoes that grow alongside basil develop an intense flavor and are spared whiteflies and mildew. The coalition in the mixed culture bed also benefits the basil. Numerous leaflets appear and the plants are better protected against root rot.
Examples of combinations of vegetable plants in a mixed culture garden
| Vegetable Plant | suitable plant neighbors |
|---|---|
| Salad | Cabbage Radishes Strawberries Peas Carrots |
| Spinach | Kohlrabi Potatoes Strawberries Tomatoes Rhubarb |
| Onions | Zucchini Cucumbers Strawberries Lamb's lettuce Celery |
| Carrots | Peas Radish Radish Tomato Leek |
| Potatoes | Spinach Beans |
| Tomatoes | Spinach Celery Parsley Kohlrabi French Beans |
Tages as pest controllers
Growing potatoes in your own garden is popular, but not always crowned with success. Roundworms often cause problems for the potatoes and can even destroy entire harvests. The marigold ensures he althy potatoes in the cottage garden. The marigold releases a substance through the roots that attracts the roundworms. When the nematodes begin to chew on the plant, they ingest toxins and die. This provides a pretty splash of color in the mixed culture garden and at the same time the hobby gardener can enjoy he althy potatoes.
Mixed culture - No Gos in the bed
Not all plants harmonize with each other. This should be considered before creating the mixed culture bed. While carrots are actually grateful for onions as plant neighbors, the onion is less positively influenced by the proximity to the carrot. Planting cucumbers and radishes, beetroot and leeks or peas and beans should also be avoided at all costs.
Tip: A sketch should be made before laying out the mixed culture bed. The plan can serve as a reminder when planning planting for the following year.
The following plants should not be planted together in the mixed culture garden
- Tomatoes + Potatoes + Aubergines (Solanaceae)
- Carrots + celery + fennel (umbelliferae)
- Leek + onions + garlic (leek)
- Lettuce + iceberg lettuce + endive (daisy family)
- Cauliflower + Mustard + Horseradish (Caccharaceae)
- Peas + beans (legumes)