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11 Lavender Companion Crops to Develop in Your Backyard
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Lavender (Lavandula) is a hardy, low-maintenance plant that may thrive in quite a lot of rising situations. Whereas it is going to flourish with out a lot care, a method to make sure a profitable harvest is by rising lavender subsequent to companion vegetation.
Sowing lavender in tandem with different backyard staples—like marigolds, rosemary, garlic, or sage—creates a plot stuffed with vegetation that mutually profit one another. Tall, fragrant lavender protects lower-growing vegetation from solar and pests, whereas ground-level vegetation defend the soil surrounding the lavender. Forward, we’re sharing expert-recommended lavender companion vegetation that can guarantee this crop succeeds in your backyard.
Alex Betz, a panorama designer who’s the founder and CEO of Plant by Quantity.
Rosemary
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Lavender and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) work effectively collectively due to their complementary aromas. “Rosemary’s sturdy scent helps repel pests resembling aphids, whiteflies, and sure beetles, lowering the danger of those pests infesting the lavender plant,” says Alex Betz, panorama designer with Plant by Quantity. “Likewise, lavender’s perfume acts as a pure pest repellent for the rosemary.” Lavender additionally helps to keep up a extra secure microclimate round rosemary by lowering soil moisture evaporation.
- Zones: 7 to 10
- Dimension: 3 to five toes tall x 2 to 4 toes huge
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Thyme
Yulia Naumenko / Getty Photos
Aromatic thyme (Thymus vulgaris) additionally acts as a pure pest repellent for lavender, whereas its low-growing behavior serves as a moisture-retaining mulch. “The lavender additionally acts as a aromatic repellent for the thyme, heading off moths, fleas, flies, and mosquitoes,” says Betz. “Lavender grows taller than thyme and acts as a windbreak, offering safety to the low-growing thyme vegetation, in addition to a partial shade barrier in the course of the hotter elements of the day.”
- Zones: 5 to 9
- Dimension: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches huge
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Marigold
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Whereas lavender’s perfume repels pests which may assault marigolds (Tagetes), marigolds can suppress nematodes which might be drawn to lavender. “They’ll defend lavender from underground and above-ground threats,” says Betz. Moreover, lavender attracts pollinators that profit marigold flowers.
- Zones: 2 to 11
- Dimension: 6 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 24 inches huge, relying on selection
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil
Coneflower
Valerie Loiseleux
Coneflower (Echinacea) is a well-liked pollinator plant that welcomes bees and butterflies, whereas discouraging aphids and Japanese beetles from attacking lavender. “Some species of echinacea have the power to repair nitrogen within the soil, serving to to enhance soil fertility and benefiting neighboring vegetation,” says Betz. In flip, lavender repels pests from coneflowers and acts as a wind and shade barrier with its top.
- Zones: 3 to 9
- Dimension: 1 to three tall x 1 to 2 toes huge
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Legumes
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Lavender’s top permits it to defend beans and peas from wind and solar whereas additionally defending the vegetation from powdery mildew and root rot. “The lavender repels pests, will increase pollination charges, and improves the yield of beans and peas,” says Betz. “Beans and peas can improve soil, repair nitrogen, and help lavender’s progress.”
- Zones: 3 to 11
- Dimension: 1 to 10 toes tall x 1 to 2 toes huge, relying on selection
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Garlic
Aksana Zavadskaya / Getty Photos
Whereas lavender helps garlic by attracting pollinators and bettering soil well being, garlic’s highly effective aroma and antifungal properties defend lavender from aphids, whiteflies, and root rot. “Garlic roots launch compounds that enhance soil construction and improve microbial exercise, which might profit the general well being of the soil and promote higher develop for lavender,” says Betz.
- Zones: 3 to 9
- Dimension: 1 to three toes tall x 6 to 12 inches huge
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Basil
Sand86/ Getty Photos
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) can improve the flavour of lavender and promote wholesome progress whereas repelling undesirable pests and attracting helpful pollinators. “The lavender additionally repels pests that would negatively have an effect on the basil, attracts pollinators, and stimulates helpful soil microbes, enhancing soil well being and selling higher nutrient uptake by the basil vegetation,” says Betz.
- Zones: 2 to 11
- Dimension: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches huge
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Sage
Yuliia Bilousova
When grown subsequent to lavender, sage (Salvia officinalis) can assist enhance the important oil content material in lavender, making it extra aromatic. “It emits fragrant compounds, resembling camphor and cineole, which repel pests like moths, beetles, and sure flies, defending the lavender from pest infestations,” says Betz. Sage’s dense foliage can even assist suppress weed progress round lavender vegetation, lowering competitors for vitamins.
- Zones: 5 to 9
- Dimension: 12 to 30 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches huge
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Catmint
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Catmint (Nepeta) attracts bees, butterflies, and different pollinators to lavender whereas concurrently repelling pests and suppressing weeds. “Catmint’s roots can stimulate helpful soil microbes, enhancing soil well being and selling higher progress of each the lavender and the catmint,” says Betz. “The lavender additionally attracts pollinators that profit the catmint by rising pollination charges, main to higher flower manufacturing and probably larger yields.”
- Zones: 3 to eight
- Dimension: 12 to 24 inches tall; width varies
- Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil
Creeping Thyme
Laszlo Podor / Getty Photos
Enhance the power and well being of your lavender by permitting a mat of creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) to suppress weeds. “Creeping thyme additionally contributes natural matter to the soil by leaf litter and root turnover, bettering soil construction and fertility, benefiting lavender,” says Betz.
- Zones: 4 to 9
- Dimension: 2 to 4 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches huge
- Care necessities: Full solar to partial shade; well-drained soil
Alliums
YuriyS / Getty Photos
Garlic and onions, each within the allium household, defend lavender with their anti-fugal, antibacterial, and pest-repelling properties. “Alliums, particularly when crushed or decaying, launch sulfur compounds that may suppress soil-borne pathogens and pests, bettering soil well being and lowering threat of illness,” says Betz. “Each vegetation entice helpful pollinators.”
- Zones: 4 to 9
- Dimension: 3 to 4 toes tall
- Care necessities: Full solar to partial shade; well-drained soil
4 Sorts of Crops To not Pair with Lavender
Lavender’s rising necessities make it a simple match for different vegetation that favor the identical situations: full solar, well-drained soil, and never an excessive amount of moisture, says Betz. Keep away from pairing lavender with sorts of vegetation that want shade, moisture, or wealthy, acidic soil.
- Shade-loving vegetation: Betz recommends avoiding putting shade-loving vegetation, like hosta, fern, astilbe, bleeding coronary heart, and heuchera in the identical spot as your lavender vegetation.
- Water-loving vegetation: Herbs and vegetation that favor moist soil, like mint, begonias, fuchsias, and impatiens, are unlikely to thrive alongside lavender, says Betz.
- Heavy feeders: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, and different greens or flowers that want wealthy soil will not profit from the soil that lavender wants—and might depart lavender competing for vitamins.
- Acid-loving vegetation: Lavender prefers a barely alkaline to impartial soil pH (round 6.5 to 7.5). Keep away from planting lavender with acid-loving vegetation that favor decrease pH ranges, like rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries, camellias, and gardenias, says Betz.
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