Companion Planting For Tomatoes

Companion Planting For Tomatoes 

Tomatoes are the one must have staple in my garden.  I LOVE tomatoes.  So in order to help them grow and ward off pests and disease, I typically grow basil with my tomatoes, but there are other plants that are beneficial to them as well.

Did you know that planting mustard in the fall where you plant your tomatoes helps them grow?  The reason, mustard when grown and turned under increases the nitrogen in the soil and reduces the risk of many soil fungus and virus.

Additionally there are other things that work to help tomatoes.  Tomatoes are self fertilizing, but it never hurts to have bumble bees doing the pollination work for you.  The bumble bees vibrate which enhances the fertilization process.  To attract them, plant flowers with hooded caps, rosemary, sunflowers, etc.  They will increase your yields.

If you live in dryer areas, mulch under your plants or use black ground cover, it keeps the soil warm when the temperatures are colder and the tomatoes will not have setbacks due to temperature change.

Other companions for tomatoes include using clover as a cover crop, the same principle as with mustard or collards.  

You can interplant stock beans, climbing beans that flower to attract the bumble bees as well.  

Incidentally, basil works to repel hornworns and other tomato pests, flea beetles because the scent masks the tomato scent thus they will attack the basil instead of tomatoes.

All in all, it never hurts to have flowers growing around our veggie patches, not only are they beautiful, but they provide a source of food for wildlife that we want to have around, and in addition to keeping our veggies safe.