What are good companion plants for winter gardens?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.*Companion planting* creates mutually beneficial relationships that improve resilience in a winter garden manner as nature intended. Garlic repels aphids from kale, allowing peas to provide nitrogen and offering frost protection for spinach. These relationships can reduce pest pressure on crops and provide better cold tolerance without the use of chemicals.
Spacing Guidelines
- Plant garlic 6 inches from kale rows
- Space pea trellises 12 inches from spinach
- Interplant leeks between carrot rows every 8 inches
Seasonal Considerations
- Plant peas early for spring/fall shade only
- Garlic requires fall planting for winter protection
- Dill should be established before first frost
Garlic protection functions via the use of sulfur compounds that will not only protect your kale (and possibly other crops) from common kale pests. You can plant your cloves in October around your kale plants as a barrier to prevent pests from settling in on your kale. Together, this will reduce your aphid infestation by 70% per kale plant compared to a similar number of kale plants singly planted.
Pea companions are a form of living trellises that shelter the spinach from the worst of the elements. Their vertical growth exerts protective shade on the spinach while also fixing nitrogen in the soil for future crops. The natural fertilization process enhances spinach growth rates during the short winter days.
Leeks protect carrots by camouflaging their aroma from the carrot fly. The strong scent of the onion makes it difficult for pests to locate the carrot roots. Place leeks every 8 inches between the carrot rows; their scent will create an aromatic barrier around the carrots' roots and persist even through freezing temperatures.
Adaptations for regional and site-specific conditions maximize the benefits to partners. In snow zones, evergreen rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is included to provide a windbreak. In coastal gardens, salt-tolerant rosemary is often planted in association with vegetable patches before planting. In arid areas, sage (Salvia) is used to retain moisture. Match the plant and condition to local challenges.
Utilize these combinations when planting in the fall for successful outcomes in the winter. First, try commuting with garlic-kale combinations to see if they help reduce pest populations. Then you can add on pea-spinach pairings as the next fall planting season. This turns your garden into a self-sustaining ecosystem, requiring less of your involvement.
Read the full article: Top 10 Cold Hardy Vegetables to Grow
