The Best Companion Plants for Aquaponics

Expert gardeners know that a diverse mix of plants makes a healthy and beautiful garden, as many believe that plants also like the company of other plants to help them thrive. This is called companion planting, and just like other gardening methods, applying this method of planting in your aquaponics system can provide benefits not just to the plants but the whole system.

It is because companion planting is a great way to enhance your crops' health and productivity while promoting a diverse and sustainable ecosystem in your garden. So why not give it a try and see the benefits for yourself? This article discusses the best companion plants for aquaponics to guide you in growing your favorite crops in your aquaponics garden.

What is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is a gardening strategy that maximizes the growth of crops by 

Planting a combination of flowersherbs, and vegetablesto improve the health and yield of your garden crops

Some plants grow fine and complement each other, while some have adverse effects. Choosing the right companion plants can give a lot of benefits to your garden.

What Benefits Does Your Aquaponics Garden Get From Companion Planting?

Your aquaponics system can certainly get a lot of benefits from companion planting. One of them is pest control. Given how tricky it is to control pests in your system, it is undoubtedly worth considering planting pest-resistant herbs like chives or dill in your grow bed to prevent aphids.  

The most useful takeaway for companion planting in aquaponics is paying close attention to the growth habit of your plants. Which plants grow taller, and which one's spread out more? Knowing these things will help you efficiently use your grow bed's space and light exposure. Consider planting lower-growing and lower-light crops like lettuce alongside taller and more light-hungry plants like peppers. 

Benefits of Companion Planting

  1. Companion planting can increase growth and pollination rate.
  2. It helps prevent pest problems.
  3. Taller plants protect smaller plants from the sun. For example, tall plants can provide shade for sun-sensitive shorter plants.
  4. It uses the garden space efficiently.
  5. It helps attract beneficial insects. 
Companion Plants for Aquaponics

The Best Companion Plants Combinations

Below is the companion planting chart to serve as your guide in planting combinations for your aquaponics garden.

Vegetable

Companion Plant (s)

Incompatible Plant (s)

Lettuce

Carrot, Radish, Beetroot, Parsnip

Cabbage, Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Tomato

Onion, Carrot, Dill, Basil,  Celery, Cucumber, Parsley, Pepper

Fennel, Cabbage Family, Potato

Carrots

Lettuce, Cabbage,Leek, Onion, Pea, Radish, Sage

Dill

Swiss Chard

Onion, Beetroot, Cabbage

Onion

Carrots, Lettuce, Cabbage, Beetroot

English Pea, Beans

Radish

Spinach, Peas, Carrot, Cucumber, Lettuce

Peas

Beans, Carrots, Turnip, Radish, Cucumber

Cucumber

Cabbage, Corn, Beans, Radish

Aromatic Herbs

Beans

Almost all herbs and vegetables

Asparagus

Parsley, Tomato, Basil

Cabbage family (including cauliflower and broccoli) 

Celery, Onion, Beets, Chard, Spinach, Aromatic Herbs

Pole Beans, Strawberries, Tomato, Dill

Celery

Bush Bean, Tomato, Onion family, Cabbage family

Eggplant

Beans, Marigold

Parsley

Asparagus, Tomato

Spinach

Strawberry

Beetroot

Broccoli, Onion, Cabbage, Swish Chard

Basil

Tomatoes

Chives

Carrots

Mint

Cabbage, Tomato

Rosemary

Cabbage, Beans, Carrots, Sage

Garlic/ Onion

Carrots, Beetroot, Strawberry, Cabbage, Tomato, Lettuce

Peas, Beans, Parsley, Leek

Peppers

Tomato, Basil, Carrot, Onion

Beans, Kale, Cabbage family

Rosemary

Carrot, Cabbage, Sage, Beans

Companion Planting

Common Planting Mistakes to Avoid

Your crops may suffer the consequences if you make the mistake of planting the wrong plants next to each other. So avoid these common mistakes to ensure your companion planting helps your crops.

1. Not Providing Enough Space

Make sure to give enough space to your plants. Providing enough space will prevent plants from competing with the nutrients and give them enough airflow and room to grow and bear fruits. 

2. Mixing Onions with Beans

Avoid planting members of the onion family neat members of the beans family. Alliums produce a compound called ajoene that can hamper the growth of legumes.

3. Wrong Timing

Timing is everything with inter-planting. The best companions complement each other's growth over time. For example, you can quickly harvest lettuce and radishes with tomato beds if they are transplanted at the same time as tomatoes. When your tomatoes start taking off and shading the grow bed, the lettuce or radishes will be ready for harvest.

4. Maintenance Needs

Avoid combining crops with different maintenance requirements. The secret to companion planting is keeping like with like. Birds of a feather flock together! So make sure you are aware of the maintenance needs of your crops before combining them. 

5. Avoid Wasting Space

Inter-planting is a great way to maximize space and yield from your garden. But you can miss valuable opportunities to increase your yields if you don't know how to use your planting space.

6. Too Many Companions

Sometimes, a beginner can be a little overzealous with their inter-planting and want to plant ten or more species in a grow bed and end up with an overgrown mess. It can be hard to tend many species in a small area and difficult to know which plants are serving their purpose. 

Conclusion

When planning your aquaponics garden, remember that choosing the best plants for your system and the best companion for your plants is essential for its success. So make sure you choose the right companion for your plants to get the most out of your garden. Thank you for reading our article. Feel free to leave your comment below. 

 

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