Homeowners often wonder which plants to grow and what not to plant. The following is a list of companion plants for your landscaping, as well as specific instructions on how best to care for them.
Watermelon plants are a fruit that requires a lot of care and attention. They have specific companion plants that need to be planted in order to provide the best possible growing conditions for them. In this article, we will go over what not to plant with melons and what you should plant with them.
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Meta: Are you looking for the greatest watermelon companion plants? This comprehensive guide will explain precisely what works and why for a robust, healthy plant development.
You planted watermelon in your garden a few weeks ago, and as they develop, you see that there is a lot of empty space. What better way to fill that space than by planting something else, right?
What a fantastic concept!
But only if you choose the appropriate plants.
Companion planting is the practice of growing various types of plants together.
You might wind up with two or more dead harvests if you do it wrong. But don’t be concerned. Your watermelon plants will not be harmed.
We explored the finest companion plants for watermelons in this comprehensive guide so you can receive the most yield during harvest season.
Contents
What to Plant with Watermelon Companion Plants
Radishes
Are you concerned that insects such as cucumber beetles may devour your watermelon plants? Then radishes are the perfect companion plants for you, since their pungent aroma keeps insects away.
While the cucumber plant is their preferred food, they’ll gladly eat your watermelon plants as well, infecting them with bacterial wilt. When the fruit starts to ripen, your plant will start to wither if you don’t treat it.
Album by Chenopodium
Album by Chenopodium or the more common name, Lamb’s Quarter is a weed.
What’s going on here?
Why are we recommending that you plant marijuana with your watermelons? That’s because this is one of the few weeds that increases rather than depletes mineral levels in a plant.
Why not? It’s chock-full of the goodness of seven minerals: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese, all of which are essential for plant development and well-being.
Oregano
Who doesn’t like a sprinkling of oregano on their pizza or pasta? Now you may grow the well-known plant alongside your watermelons in your own backyard. But it isn’t the only reason we recommend it.
Oregano has a dual purpose. While its pungent odor repels most insects and pests, it attracts essential insects such as hoverflies and lacewings.
Watermelon, like every other plant, need assistance in the pollination process, and although high winds help, nothing beats these fluttering bees that go from bloom to flower with the vines.
Corn
Corn is a plant that protects your watermelon plants from predators while also serving as a key element in many delicious cuisines such as pasta, pizza, and other dishes.
Corn, in addition to warding off predators, also shields the plant from direct sunlight. Watermelons do need 5-6 hours of sunshine every day, but they are also prone to burning when it is really hot.
That’s where the corn plant’s robust tendrils come in help, but make sure they don’t completely cover the watermelon plant.
Potatoes
Potatoes don’t always make good neighbors, like in the case of cucumber plants, but they are ideal for watermelons.
All you have to do now is make sure the potato plant is mulched with straws. Mulching has three purposes: it retains moisture, cools the soil, and, most significantly, it keeps hazardous weeds at bay.
And, of course, everyone loves potatoes. There are a plethora of things you can create with them, ranging from french fries to a simple roast with garlic, and growing them in your own yard allows you to do it for half the price, if not less.
Nasturtium
Their role with watermelons is similar to that of cucumbers in that their pungent odor repels pests and insects such as whiteflies, leafhoppers, ants, and squash bugs.
However, it isn’t the sole benefit of planting plants. Nasturtium blooms are colorful and vibrant, and they will brighten up your home garden (compliments to your home garden coming in 3, 2,1..).
To top it off, both the blossoms and the leaves are delicious and contribute to the freshness, flavor, and appearance of your salad.
Marigold
Marigold, which is high in Alpha- Terthienyl, is another plant that repels insects and pests. Margold, like Nasturtium, has a beautiful, golden hue that will draw attention to your home garden.
Allium
Because Allium is related to garlic and shallots, it has a strong taste and, more significantly, a strong odor.
This keeps typical watermelon pests like flea beetles, whitefly, and black flies at bay, allowing the plants to thrive in a safe and healthy environment.
I’m guessing one of your concerns is how to choose one of these bug-repellent plants as a companion plant.
That depends on the bugs and pests that infest your watermelon plant, as well as your own tastes.
Alliums are ideal if you use a lot of garlic or your watermelon is infested with flea beetles, while Nasturtium is best if you want lovely blooms in your home garden and consume a lot of salads.
Beans on a Pole
While most of the above-mentioned companions help in keeping pests away, Beans on a Pole play a different role as they improve soil quality by fixing the amount of nitrogen in it, which is another very important nutrient for most plants.
This is because nitrogen aids in the production of amino acids in plants. These amino acids aid in the cell development of the plant.
Apart from these, pollinating plants such as cosmos, zinnias, and alyssum are also wonderful companion plants.
Plants from the aster family may also be used. Sunflowers, coneflowers, and daisies, for example, are excellent pollinators (after all, plants have needs too).
Companion Plants for Watermelon: What Not to Plant With Watermelons
Now that you know what to plant, here are some ‘bad neighbors’ who might stifle your watermelon plant’s development.
Tree of the Black Walnut
You want your watermelon tree to produce the possible fruits and that is just what the Tree of the Black Walnut hinders due to the presence of a substance known as Juglone.
It’s also a horrible neighbor to plants like cabbage and other root crops because of this. Because it stops seeds from germinating properly.
Shagbark hickory is another plant with the same chemical that should be kept well away from your watermelons and cabbages.
Zucchini with Cucumbers
If you’ve read our entries on the best and worst cucumber companion plants, you’ll know that we don’t advocate growing cucumbers alongside watermelons, and the same holds true for watermelons.
This is due to the fact that both plants are plagued by the same pests, notably cucumber beetles and aphids, which may be disastrous to your home garden if not detected early enough.
These pests eat the leaves and fruit of the watermelon plant, stunting the plant’s and fruit’s development.
You should always keep Zucchini away from watermelons for the same reasons.
Keep in mind, too, that
Before planting companion plants, make sure your watermelon plant’s vines have enough room to spread out. If they don’t, they’ll choke each other out, slowing development. As a result, we suggest leaving at least 6-10 inches between each seedling.
Conclusion
Choosing a companion plant for your home garden may make or break it. It may be the difference between a large yield and a dead plant, so do your homework and choose a companion plant that is right for you and your soil type.
And we covered the best and worst companion plants for watermelons in this guide, as well as data on how they affect growth, so you have all the information you need to make an educated selection.
If you have any queries about companion plants for watermelons or believe we left anything out, please contact us through the contact page or leave a comment below.
The “flowers to plant with watermelon” is a guide that provides information on what plants are compatible with growing in the same space as a watermelon. It also includes some flowers that should not be planted near watermelons.
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