10 Best Companion Plants for Potatoes

Potatoes are cool-season, crops that grow in fertile soil conditions. They are heavy feeders and can be sensitive pests. Planting the right companion plants can help to improve soil health, repels pests and help in steady growth throughout the season. By enabling smart companion planting you can get better harvests, produce resilient potatoes and create a thriving garden.

Best companion plants for potatoes:

1.Cilantro

Cilantro or Coriander are good companion plants for potatoes. The shallow roots of cilantro don’t compete with potatoes much. The fragrance produced by cilantro repels aphids, potato beetles and spider mites from attacking your potatoes. When there are less pests, potatoes can grow even healthier producing better yield.

2. Alyssum

Alyssum is a good ground cover and helps to attract beneficial insects that kill potato plant pests. Plus it is low maintanence and can help to add diversity to your garden. It does compete for nutrients which benefits your potatoes.

3. Chives

The strong scent produced by chives helps to repel unwanted pests. Chives also uses only a small space in your garden. Chives can also help to attract certain beneficial insects that prey on potato pests. This can help your potatoes to grow more healthier.

4. Corn

Corn and potatoes have different needs. Growing them together can help to maximize the space in the garden. Corn has shallow roots and grows tall whereas potatoes are root crops that grow underground.

Plus its also believed that growing them together can improve flavour. But both can still compete for nutrients so make sure the soil is fertile enough.

5. Marigolds

Marigolds repel potato beetles, improve potato flavour, and attract a variety of pollinators and beneficial insects. Also marigolds need less nutrients to grow and they don’t compete for nutrients with potatoes.

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6. Nasturtium

Nasturtium is a great trap crop. Growing it at a distance from your potatoes can attract pests to nasturtium. This in turn saves your potato plants. Nasturtium is a low maintenance plant and does not require much care.

7. Horse radish

Horse radish helps to repel Colorado beetles and growing it near your potatoes can improve disease resistance. However its best to grow them in the edges of your potato beds rather than planting them close to your potatoes.

8. Leeks

Leeks belong to the allium family. Their shallow roots will not compete with your potato plants for nutrients. They also produce an onion like smell that can help repel pests that attack your potato plants.

9. Legumes

Legumes fix nitrogen in the soil, improving soil fertility which benefits your potato plants.

10. Cabbage

Cabbages help to repel potato betels. They have shallow roots and won’t compete for nutrients with your potatoes. Cabbages can also help to provide shade for your potato plants.

By pairing potatoes with these plants, you can create thriving garden ecosystems that have improved soil fertility and disease resistance. If you found this article helpful don’t forget to share!!

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