Content
- 1 Rules for the proximity of potatoes with other crops in the garden
- 2 Are tomatoes planted next to potatoes?
- 3 Is it possible to plant potatoes next to cabbage?
- 4 Is it possible to plant zucchini next to potatoes?
- 5 Is it possible to plant different varieties of potatoes side by side?
- 6 What can you plant next to potatoes?
- 7 What crops should not be planted next to potatoes?
- 8 Conclusion
You can plant representatives of the cruciferous family, garden herbs, legumes and some flowers next to the potatoes. They enrich the soil with nutrients, improve its structure, and repel pests. However, you should not plant plants that have common diseases nearby. These are representatives of nightshades, for example, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants.
Rules for the proximity of potatoes with other crops in the garden
Potatoes are usually grown in large fields, open areas with good lighting and no stagnant water (not in lowlands). At the same time, other plants can be planted next to the main crop (along the edges of the field and in the inter-row spaces). When choosing neighbors, you need to consider several features:
- Representatives of the same family (nightshades) are always excluded - they have common diseases and pests.
- Neighborhood with all pumpkin plants is undesirable.
- Avoid planting plants that create too much shade or take up too much water and nutrients.
- The best neighbors for potatoes are legumes, green manure and cruciferous vegetables.
- It is also a good idea to plant flowers between the rows that repel insects due to their specific aroma.
Are tomatoes planted next to potatoes?
If you plant tomatoes next to potatoes, this will lead to the fact that the crop may suffer from diseases and pests. The Colorado potato beetle is especially dangerous. It attacks both tomatoes and potatoes. As a result, yields are significantly reduced, often by 30-40%.
Also, do not plant tomatoes after potatoes. The reasons are similar. Both plants belong to the same nightshade family. Therefore, they have the same diseases - the risk of mutual infection increases significantly.
Tomatoes should not be grown together with potatoes.
Is it possible to plant potatoes next to cabbage?
If you are choosing the best neighbors for potatoes, you can and should pay attention to different types of cabbage. Suitable for planting are traditional white cabbage, red cabbage, colored, Beijing and others.
Cabbage gets along well with potatoes, as well as vice versa, so it is permissible to plant them side by side, as well as after each other (alternating crop rotation). This rule also applies to other representatives of cruciferous vegetables:
- radish;
- radish;
- arugula;
- daikon and others.
Therefore, you can plant them nearby, but not too close. In addition, due to dense plantings, both crops can suffer from a very dangerous disease - blackleg.
Is it possible to plant zucchini next to potatoes?
It is not advisable to plant zucchini next to the main crop. Potatoes may be worse off from this due to large leaves and spreading vines that create unnecessary shadow. But the zucchini themselves suffer the most. The fact is that potatoes take up a large amount of water and nutrients, which is why the fruits of the neighboring plant will be small. This may also affect their taste.
Is it possible to plant different varieties of potatoes side by side?
As you know, potatoes are grown mainly from tubers, without using seeds, i.e. in a vegetative way. They also go into food. Therefore, even if flowers of different varieties cross-pollinate with each other due to bees and other insects, this will not affect the root crops. Thus, representatives of any variety can be planted in one field.
They can cross-pollinate each other so that varietal qualities are lost. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and choose remote areas.
What can you plant next to potatoes?
When choosing neighbors for potatoes in open ground, it is recommended to pay attention to representatives of the cruciferous family. It's a good idea to plant legumes and some flowers nearby. The most successful options are described below.
Legumes
Representatives of the legume family are considered the best neighbors to plant next to potatoes. The fact is that bacteria live on their roots, which saturate the soil with useful nitrogen. Another plus is that the roots have a specific smell that repels dangerous pests (Colorado beetles and wireworms).
The proximity of potatoes and peas is undesirable
Although almost all legumes can be planted nearby, it is recommended to take into account several features:
- The most suitable neighbor is the bush bean. It can be planted along the edges of the field and between rows.
- The beans themselves can not be planted next to each other, but only along the edges. The fact is that they absorb a lot of nutrients. It is not advisable to place such plants between rows.
- Peas should not be planted nearby, as they ripen earlier. And this period coincides with the treatment of potatoes against the invasion of Colorado beetles. Therefore, the pea harvest may be unsafe for health.
- It is also better to plant green beans not next to the main field, but along the edges.
Garlic and onion
These are very good neighbors not only for potatoes, but also for many other crops, such as strawberries. Plants are recommended to be planted side by side, right between the rows, as they release phytoncides into the air. These substances repel many pests. In addition, neither onions nor garlic produce powerful greens - there will be no shade.
Savior flowers
Some flowers are used not only to decorate flower beds, but also to repel dangerous pests. Among the most popular potato saviors are the following:
- Calendula prevents the invasion of Colorado potato beetles.
- Marigolds save from nematodes and mole crickets.
- Tansy repels ants.
- Nasturtium helps save potatoes from whiteflies and whiteflies.
- Chamomile-pyrethrum saves from the invasion of aphids, as well as small rodents.
For example, it is recommended to chop calendula and plant it in the ground in the fall after harvesting. It will enrich the soil with nitrogen and serve as a natural fertilizer.
Radish, radish
Any member of the cruciferous family can be planted next to potatoes.The same applies to the most common crops grown in Russia – radishes and radishes.
They can be placed in wide (about 1 m) row spacing, as well as along the edges of the beds. Both crops release phytoncides into the soil, which disinfect the soil and prevent the invasion of potato pests.
Radish and other cruciferous vegetables repel pests by releasing phytoncides
Mustard
Mustard is a green manure - a plant that improves the structure of the soil and enriches its composition with valuable nitrogen compounds. It can be planted between rows of potatoes and other crops. However, it must be completely mowed when the shoots are approximately equal to the tops of the main crop. Otherwise, the mustard will bloom, produce seeds, and turn from a good neighbor into a dangerous weed.
Green vegetables and herbs
It is acceptable to place any leafy greens, such as spinach or lettuce, between the rows of potatoes. They don’t take up a lot of nutrients, and they also ripen much earlier. Greens are not particularly beneficial, but if you plant them in a potato field, you can save a lot of space.
If we talk about herbs, for example, anise, coriander, thyme, it is not only possible to plant them nearby, but also necessary. Such crops repel Colorado potato beetles due to their characteristic odor.
Corn
Another good neighbor of potatoes in the garden is corn.It is planted only along the edges of the site, since the stems are tall and can create shade and impede passage. If there is very little space, you can plant them side by side between the rows. But then the potatoes should be placed in the north-south direction. In addition, the width between the furrows is left at least 1 m. Corn is also placed at the same interval.
Horseradish
Theoretically, horseradish does not harm potatoes; on the contrary, it repels pests due to the release of phytoncides. But this root crop grows well, which makes it difficult to remove it from the garden. Therefore, it is better to plant not next to each other, but along the edges of the site. At the same time, it is important to carefully control growth - otherwise the crop will turn into a difficult weed.
What crops should not be planted next to potatoes?
When choosing neighbors for potatoes, you need to find out about those plants that are categorically not recommended to be planted nearby. They may share pests or diseases, as well as rob nutrients or create shade.
Potatoes do not tolerate proximity to eggplants and other nightshades.
Solanaceae
It is useful to know the main rule - you should not plant representatives of the nightshade family next to potatoes:
- tomatoes;
- Bulgarian pepper;
- chilli;
- eggplant;
- tobacco and others.
The reason is obvious - they have common diseases and pests. For example, if tomatoes suffer from late blight, the dangerous fungus will probably have time to spread to potatoes.
Strawberry
Strawberries are not dangerous for potatoes. But the berry itself can be seriously damaged if planted nearby. The main reasons are related to the effects of potatoes, which:
- creates shading;
- takes away nutrients and water;
- can infect plantings with late blight.
In addition, strawberries require more careful care, and it is not always convenient to approach plantings in a potato field between the rows.
Pumpkin
Several common plants belong to the pumpkin family:
- cucumbers;
- pumpkin;
- watermelon;
- melon;
- zucchini;
- zucchini;
- squash.
Their proximity to potatoes is dangerous because the crops have a common disease - late blight. This is a dangerous fungal infection that can easily spread to the main crop. Therefore, it is best not to plant such plants nearby. They are placed at a distance from each other.
Sunflower
Sunflowers are undesirable for potatoes because they actively remove water and nutrients from the soil. The plants are tall and provide additional shade. Therefore, it is not advisable to plant them between rows. At the same time, placing it along the edges is quite acceptable.
Celery and parsley
Celery and parsley of any variety are the only leafy greens that are harmful to potatoes. Plants actively absorb moisture and fertilizers from the soil. Therefore, the yield of the main crop may decrease.
Shrubs and trees
Shrubs and trees should not be planted next to potatoes. Even if placed along the edges of the field, they can create shade for the front rows. Large plants take a lot of water and fertilizers from the soil. In this case, it is allowed to place, for example, berry bushes along the edges of the field. But apple trees, leaf and coniferous trees should not be planted nearby, but as far away as possible.
Conclusion
You can plant quite a lot of different plants next to potatoes. These are representatives of legumes, cruciferous plants, as well as savior flowers, such as marigolds or calendula.Trees, shrubs, as well as representatives of the nightshade family, on the contrary, are not recommended to be placed near potatoes.
