If you forget this thing when growing vegetables, there is a risk of disease and pests

In order for your vegetables to grow strongly in the bed and to be spared from diseases, you have to resort to certain tricks: mixed culture is the key word here.

Every hobby gardener has heard of mixed culture, but have you also dealt with it in more detail? With this age-old method of garden planting, you protect your vegetables from pests and diseases and also ensure that the soil stays fresh for longer.

Growing mixed culture: how does it work?

Simply put, mixed culture means that the right types of vegetables should be grown side by side . Because certain types of vegetables fit together better than others - this is due to their different needs and properties that complement each other or do not get in the way. In this way, the vegetables can draw a wide variety of nutrients from the soil without taking anything away from each other. At the same time, the nutrients in the soil remain balanced.

In mixed crops, not only do you avoid plants competing for nutrients, you even ensure that they strengthen each other. With the help of fragrances, for example, they drive out predators, as the Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) writes. This is the case for the combination of lettuce and fennel, as well as potatoes and student flowers.

Also interesting : At this point in time tomato shoots should really be removed.

Mixed crop: You should not grow these plants side by side

Now, of course, the question arises of how best to remember, which plants fit together and which do not. You can remember it based on the genus of plants: Plants of a genus usually don't get along because they have the same nutritional requirements . Here you will find a list of the most common types of plants and their representatives, which you should not plant next to each other.

• Nightshade family : tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers
• Daisy family : iceberg lettuce, lettuce, endive salad
• Cruciferous vegetables : horseradish, cauliflower, mustard
• Umbelliferae : celery, fennel, carrot
• Garlic Family : garlic, onions, leeks
• Legumes : beans, peas

Which types of vegetables can be mixed together?

One gives a little reminder to find out which types of vegetables fit together: Mostly those plants are those that also taste good on the dinner plate, as the online portal Gartenlexikon writes. Examples are:

• Cucumber and dill
• Tomatoes and basil
• Beans and savory

But also vegetables that do not seem to fit together at first glance can maintain a good neighborhood. These include strawberries and garlic : the latter prevents gray mold attacks on the strawberries. Chives and carrots also get along well, because they protect the carrot fly from infestation.

Below we have listed more examples of vegetables including good neighbors for you:

• Beans go well with strawberries, cucumber, cabbage, kohlrabi, potatoes, radishes, celery, tomatoes.
• Cucumbers with peas, fennel, beans, leeks, celery, onions, cabbage
• Carrots with radishes, radishes, tomatoes, peas, leeks, onions
• Potatoes with spinach and broad beans
• Tomatoes with bush beans, bell pepper, parsley, kohlrabi, cabbage, celery, spinach, zucchini
• Spinach with strawberries, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, tomatoes, cabbage, kohlrabi
• Onions with strawberries, carrots, celery, cucumber, lamb's lettuce, zucchini
• Salad with bush beans, peas, strawberries, cabbage, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, beetroot, tomatoes, onions

Read also : Beware of the heat: zucchini from your own garden can be poisonous.

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