You never know when you might need to cook with onions, so they’re a necessity on your kitchen counter. But not every plant can grow alongside the onion family—some companions are better off in other parts of your garden or even outside it entirely. Our handy guide will help you decide which plants and herbs will have their best chance at flourishing as part of your onion garden.
Onion Companion Plants to Plan Your Garden is a blog post that provides information about the onion plants and what not to plant with them. The article also includes a list of onion companion plants to help you plan your garden. Read more in detail here: what not to plant with onions.
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Onions have swiftly gained a positive image as a result of their many advantages. These plants have a bulb-like structure at the top, which is a trait shared by all members of the Allium family. The leaves have a flat texture and are yellow to bluish-green in color.
Onions are native to Southwestern Asia and are cultivated and utilized all around the globe. Garlic, onion, leek, and chive are just a few of its well-known related cousins.
Onions are not only simple to grow, but they also yield early and are disease resistant. Companion planting, on the other hand, is a practice that every gardener should explore if they want to boost the quality and output even more.
Find some of the finest and worst onion companion plants in this post, as well as ideas on how to increase yield and gain the most advantages from this very lucrative plant.
Contents
What Is the Purpose of Companion Planting?
Gardeners have traditionally employed interplanting to make the most of their available area. Certain plants that grow in groups have shown to be beneficial not just to the individual plants but also to the gardener’s whole property.
These are the three P’s of companion planting, which typically aid in the success of companion plants.
1. Efficiency
Companion planting may boost your garden’s yield significantly. When two or more companion plants are planted in close proximity to one another, they not only benefit each other but also save space.
The three-sisters technique of companion planting is a perfect example. Many harvesters think about and apply this strategy while designing their gardens.
It entails growing maize, squash, and beans all at the same time. When planted together, these three “sisters” flourish while also conserving space in the garden.
2. Controlling pests
The aroma of many plants, particularly blooming plants, is utilized to keep pests away from the primary crop. Some plants have such a strong odor that it repels insects and pests; others have a strong enough odor to mask the aroma of the primary crop.
A few plants may also be used as trap crops, luring insects and pests away from the main crop. These are, however, always planted apart from the main crop.
Some scents are also known to attract helpful insects. Predatory insects is another name for them. However, they are often planted near the primary crop.
3. The process of pollination
Attractive blooming plants not only enhance the garden’s beauty, but they also attract pollinators. Though we typically discover methods to get rid of wasps in the garden, some of them, in addition to bees, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators, are excellent pollinators.
What to Plant with Onions as Companion Plants
Now that we understand why companion planting is beneficial, let’s look at some of the finest onion companion plants for your garden.
However, in addition to their particular advantages, onions are often ideal hosts for other plants, making them excellent onion companion plants. The following is a list of a few of them.
Cabbage Family No. 1
- Brassicaceae is the scientific name for this family of plants.
- Cruciferous vegetables are also known as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
- Cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi are among the vegetables included.
Onion plants are generally recognized to help cabbage family members. This is due to onions’ ability to resist insects and pests that are common in the cabbage family. Cabbage worms and cabbage maggots are the most common insects seen in this area.
Cruciferous vegetables like Bok choy, cauliflower, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables demand comparable growth conditions as onions, such as sunny places with well-drained soil and a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer.
As a result, all of the vegetables listed above may be used as onion companion plants.
Lettuce 2
- Lactuca sativa is the scientific name for this plant.
- Whether eaten raw or cooked
- Calcium is present. Iron, Vitamin C, and Beta Carotene
In comparison to lettuce, onions have a deeper root plane. The difference in root planes enables them to grow together without competing for nutrition.
This allows you to make the most of your garden area without jeopardizing the health of the plants or the soil.
Strawberry No. 3
- Fragaria ananassa is the scientific name for this plant.
- It’s simple to grow
- Antioxidant characteristics
One of the greatest strawberry companion plants is onion. These luscious fruits are prone to a variety of pests and illnesses, with aphids being particularly fond of them. Onions, on the other hand, have a strong odor that may prevent various pests, especially marauders.
Planting these two plants together, contrary to popular belief, has no effect on the flavor of either of them. The strawberries do not taste like onions, and the onions do not taste like strawberries.
Chamomile (number 4)
- Matricaria chamomilla is the scientific name for this plant.
- Smells like apples
- Relaxes anxiousness and soothes an upset stomach.
Chamomile is one of the greatest onion companion plants to grow in the yard since it protects the plant with its antifungal and antibacterial characteristics.
Because it is a herb, it not only adds to the visual value of the garden with its lovely leaves, but it also enhances the taste of the onions significantly.
Carrots, number five
- Daucus carota is the scientific name for carrots.
- They are grown in purple, black, white, yellow, and red colors in addition to orange.
- Enhances ocular health
Carrot flies are particularly fond of carrots. These target the plant’s root, causing it to die altogether. Onions are effective in repelling these venomous insects.
Because they are both root plants, however, more caution must be used while harvesting them. Carrots and other root plants are commonly used as contentious onion companion plants because immature carrots are highly delicate and may be removed prematurely when harvesting onions.
6. Savory Summer
- Satureja hortensis is the scientific name for this plant.
- a little peppery flavor
- Medicinal and culinary applications
Summer savory is a great herb to cultivate with onions since it improves the taste by making it slightly sweeter while also encouraging growth.
7. Beets
- Beta vulgaris var. crassa is the scientific name for this plant.
- Various culinary applications
- Cholesterol and saturated fat levels are low.
Onion companion plants thrive from beets. Beets are protected against garden pests such as sugar beet-flea bugs and aphids by onions. They also function as a natural repellant against animal pests such as rabbits and deer, which may be damaging to beets.
Garlic and leek may help protect beets in the same way.
Swiss Chard, No. 8
- Beta vulgaris var. cicla is the scientific name for this plant.
- The taste is rather bitter.
- It’s a great source of vitamins and fibre.
Swiss chard has large leaves that may assist the soil retain moisture. Because onions grow on a shallow root plane, this creates a healthy soil environment for them.
Swiss chards may also benefit other members of the Allium family, such as chives and shallots.
Tomatoes, number nine
- Solanum lycopersicum is the scientific name for this plant.
- Calorie-conscious
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular and cancer disorders.
Onions protect strawberries in the same way as they protect tomatoes by deterring insect pests with their strong odor. Garlic and chives, which are close cousins of the onion family, also help tomato plants in the same way.
Marigolds (nine)
- Tagetes is the scientific name for this plant.
- Plants that only bloom once a year
- Flowers that are edible
Marigolds are available in a variety of hues, including brilliant yellow, orange, and rusty red. They aid in the attraction of helpful insects that aid in pollination.
These annuals also deter destructive insects from wreaking havoc on your onion patch.
What Not to Plant With Onions as Companion Plants
Certain plants might be hazardous to onions if they are planted together. The following is a list of them:
Plants in the Onion Family
Onions are often attacked by onion maggots. These incredibly dangerous bugs may swiftly move from one plant to the next. As a result, keeping garlic, shallots, and leeks apart from onions is a smart idea.
All of your onion plants should be spaced apart so that the maggots do not destroy them. As a result, other plants will benefit from onion as a companion plant.
2. Peas
Peas of all kinds despise being planted near any member of the Allium family. Onions, shallots, garlic, and chives, for example, may all slow down pea development.
They also have vastly different precondition requirements. Onions need a lot of nitrogen, but peas, being legumes, can’t handle too much nitrogen in the soil. Even if they’re planted close, both plants will need a lot of attention.
3. Beans
Again, avoid growing any onion family member near beans. Onions have antibacterial qualities, which may destroy the beneficial bacteria on bean roots, halting their development. Most significantly, it prevents nitrogen from being released into the soil via its roots.
Other Pests and Diseases
Onions, like any other plant, are vulnerable to a variety of diseases and pests. Here are a few of the more alarming ones that gardeners should be aware of:
Pests
- Onion maggots lay their eggs near the root of the onion plant. Stunted, withering seedlings, weak plants, and malformed bulbs are the most typical signs. Sanitation, pesticides, and companion planting are all effective methods of prevention.
- Bulb mites cause stunted development and decaying bulbs, which are infested with cream-white parasites. To keep bulb mites at bay, avoid crowding onion plants and spacing them out far enough apart.
- Leaf miners are little yellow and black parasites that deposit their eggs on leaves and leave thin white streaks behind them. Worse, they may result in early leaf drooping and a reduced crop.
Fungal Infections
- Black mold discolors the leaves and bulb, causing them to become black. To avoid this, the plant should be sprayed with a fungicide before planting.
- Botrytis leaf blight: this fungal disease is caused by high humidity and warm temperatures, and it affects older leaves. White abrasions with light green outside rings that may enlarge are among the symptoms. It may be avoided by spacing plants out.
- Fusarium basal plate rot may be prevented by rotating crops every four years or so. In extreme temperatures, it causes browning on stems and yellow withered leaves.
- To avoid rust, use weed control methods and fungicides. Rust may cause little white spots to develop into orange eruptions, and if left unchecked, can cause full root and stem damage.
- Smut creates dark thick stems and blisters at the base of the plant; it slows development and may destroy the plant in a matter of weeks. Crop rotation may prevent smut from lingering in the soil for years.
Bacterial Infections
- Burned leaf tips, burnt inner scales, and dark green streaks on leaves are frequent indications of leaf streak and bulb rot. For prevention and control, avoid fertilizing throughout the winter and instead use organic bactericidal sprays.
- Pythium seed rot inhibits the development of older plants and produces grey roots and mushy leaves in seedlings. To avoid this, keep an eye on the soil moisture and use fungicides as needed.
Onion Health Advantages
- Onions include flavonoids, which have been shown in tests to decrease harmful cholesterol levels in the blood and improve cardiovascular health. Due to the blood-thinning effects of thiosulfate, it also decreases the risk of a stroke or heart attack by a significant amount.
- Flavonoids also assist asthma sufferers breathe more readily by relaxing the muscles of the isolated trachea.
- With the high calcium content, onions can strengthen your bones and joints. Moreover, its Antioxidant characteristics can boost immunity and reduce the risk of cancer.
- Onion extract is often used as one of the key ingredients in natural eye drops since it contains selenium. Remember that selenium may help the body produce more vitamin E, which can help prevent eye issues like conjunctivitis.
- Onions may also assist with dandruff and lice, as well as enhance dental and sexual health. They also give the skin a natural shine and can help with scalp disorders like dandruff.
Conclusion
Gardening is a very personal hobby. It need a great deal of practice and expertise. The larger the danger, though, the greater the payoff. Make sure to think about companion planting in your garden. Why not give companion planting a try if the most successful and long-term hobbyist gardeners feel it enhances their land and plants?
You may also experiment with various pairings in your garden by using a companion planting chart.
The “egyptian walking onion companion plants” is a blog post that discusses the best plants to grow with onions. The article includes pictures and information on how to plan your garden.
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