There is a wide variety of onions that can be grown in the garden or in the urban garden, white onion, red onion, spring onion, sweet onion… The onion is an easy plant to grow, the problem is when you want to plant several things together, it is important to know which crops you can associate them with and that there is no problem of compatibility or what benefits the onions will bring to these other plants.
The strong aroma of onions makes them good companions as they can confuse, repel or distract various species of pests that can affect other intercrops. In this article we will see plants that onions help but also vice versa.
Contents
Other Allium Family Plants
Onions can be planted with other members of their family, like white onion with red onion. Alliums are a family of plants that rarely contract pests and diseases but if you do, the pests will affect the whole family, that’s the only downside of planting them together.
They must also be implemented in a crop rotation because a monoculture is never good.
cabbage
Cabbage belongs to the brassica family and can be grown very well with onions as it will help repel certain pests that affect cabbage. In this family are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, closed cabbage, rutabaga, rutabaga, mustard, pak choi, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, among others. The turnip being an exception, since the onion can influence its flavor.
carrots
They can be interspersed with onions, in fact this is a classic combination. Onions repel carrot fly and onion fly will be repelled by carrots. Growing carrots has so many benefits.
parsnip
They grow well with onions, helping each other against possible pests.
beets
Root crops will not compete with alliums for the nutrients they need. With which they can be combined in the same terrace or growing bed at the time of crop rotation.
black nightshade
This family is made up of peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and goes very well with onions in the hot season as they help them with the parasites they may have.
Potatoes
In some places, planting potatoes and intercropping onions have also been experimented with and have shown surprising results in terms of pest control, besides the fact that onions can improve the flavor of the plants around them.
lettuce
It is a fast grower and does not require a lot of space to grow, making it an ideal crop to combine with onions. If your growing space is limited, lettuces and onions can be combined to save space. In such a way that we plant the lettuces and we plant the onions, when the lettuces are ready to be harvested, the onions will already have large leaves and will begin to develop.
Another method is to plant onions around the lettuce, forming a protective square against pests. Radishes can also be combined with lettuce and onions, as they grow quickly and adapt well to spring and fall.
Strawberries
In this case, the onions will not interfere with the flavor of the strawberries and may help them repel pests. I would recommend putting them around and not interspersing them as strawberries need space to grow and produce offspring.
Fruit trees
Planting onions near fruit trees is possible and even beneficial due to the benefits we mentioned earlier, such as aphid control.
Chamomile
Chamomile stimulates the growth and flavor of onions when grown nearby according to some experienced growers.
Savory
Savory is a Mediterranean shrub that was used as a condiment in food or to season olives. Currently its use is being lost, if you want to revive this tradition you can plant it near where you have your onions as it improves the flavor of the onions.
dill
It is an excellent culinary herb that can be used in cooking. Dill is related to fennel and is an herb that can enhance the flavor of nearby onions.
Parsley
Parsley is similar in many ways to carrots which transfer the same benefits to it. You can put a row of onions and another of parsley, so they will complement each other and you will also have a good dose for your kitchen and that of your loved ones.
mint
Planting mint near onions may confuse the onion maggot. The main disadvantage of this plant is that I only recommend it for the urban garden because it can be potted. Mint is a very invasive plant and very difficult to control if it spreads through the ground.
worry
Marigolds are very beneficial to the garden and have many uses, including calendula oil to apply to our skin. They also attract many pollinators and beneficial insects. As for onions, they have the ability to repel soil nematodes. A very difficult pest to keep at bay.
Amaranth
It is a pseudo-cereal that has the ability to extract certain nutrients from the soil and which onions or surrounding plants can take advantage of to make them stronger.
milk thistle
Milk thistle is a weedy plant that can come out on the ground sporadically. We can take advantage of it, because if we cut it before planting onions and leave it on the ground, it will provide many nutrients to the soil.
roses
It is an ornamental crop that is usually affected by aphids, so it would be ideal to plant onions between the rose bushes to repel them. In this case, onions would be a secondary crop.
Other ornamental flowers
Onions and the plants of their family can help maintain the garden ecosystem to some extent, they will not always be 100% repellant against all kinds of pests. If you have a garden with flowers you can combine them with alliums, extra help is always good.
Plants You Should Never Plant Near Onions
- Green peas: They will grow less strongly if the onions are nearby or vice versa.
- Beans or Beans: They should also not be planted near an allium, as both crops will be stunted.
- Asparagus: Onions can affect the flavor of asparagus negatively. It is better to plant them in different beds.
- Sage: Sage is a bad companion for onions, it can be great as an ingredient but as a companion in the garden it will affect its growth.
Every gardener should think about where he will include his onion harvest next season in order to make a good crop rotation and write it down in the garden diary so that he does not forget.
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