Pumpkin companion plants are a great way to add variety to your vegetable garden. These plants will allow you to cultivate more edibles while ensuring your pumpkins are not harmed.
Companion planting is done to get more value from the land without harming any plants. Companion plants will help you receive better value from your garden.
They will not only grow well with pumpkins, but they can also provide certain benefits to the other residents, it is essential to do proper research instead of choosing random plants, as some may not be the best fit for your garden.
Contents
Types of Pumpkin Companion Plants
1. Lavender
Lavender plants are a great option for companion planting with pumpkins. Lavender plants are famous for their sweet fragrance. They produce beautiful spiky flowers that are typically purple and have gray-green foliage.
These small plants grow in the form of shrubs and come back to life every year to bless us with their signature fragrance and vibrant flowers.
– Characteristics
These gorgeous purple blooms are native plants to Europe, but that does not stop it from growing in other parts of the world without significant problems. They are not the fastest-growing plants either and typically grow moderately. They mature when they reach a height of about three feet and a spread of four feet.
You can plant this flowering shrub in early spring when there is no threat of snowfall, and the soil has warmed up. These plants can adapt to many growing conditions but do well in warmer climates and enjoy light exposure. They also make excellent companion plants to many flowers typically found in a garden.
– Growth Requirements
Your experience with growing this sweet-smelling shrub will depend on the conditions you provide and the variety you choose. If you take good care of lavender plants, they do well for a couple of years, but generally, they do not have a very long lifespan. Even if they are kept in ideal conditions, they wither away in about ten years.
Lean soil that is moist but drains well is the best option for growing lavender plants. You can add some sand to the soil mixture to increase drainage. Alkaline soil will encourage more fragrance in your plants, while acidic soils may result in short lives for the plants.
They do, however, enjoy their time under the full sun. This exposure will result in abundant flowers that are big and lush.
Lastly, note that they are drought-resistant plants, but they need water during their early growth. Ensure they receive enough water in their early days, but once they are established, they can survive extended periods without water.
2. Korean Licorice
Korean licorice is an excellent addition to a garden of pumpkin plants. These flowering plants have many different benefits that warrant their place in your garden.
Korean licorice has tall stems with long flowering buds fashioned with vibrant blue-purple flowers. They are a great decorative addition to any pumpkin garden as they will increase their beauty and appeal.
– Characteristics
Korean licorice is a member of the mint family, which means they will bring their signature mint fragrance. In addition to the scent, they are a great way to attract pollinators like beneficial hoverflies. Grow pumpkins with licorice, and these hover flies are a great defense mechanism against many pests that would normally bother pumpkins.
These hoverflies lay their eggs on the leaves of this sepcific licorice. When these eggs hatch, the larvae will feed on the pests that may attack the plants. These include aphids, mites, mealybugs, and other pumpkin pests as well. So, they will not only increase the appeal of the scene, but they are also a great security system for the garden.
Another addition to the list of benefits is that they are deer resistant. Thus, they will keep away deer and other wildlife that may think about munching on your garden plants. Korean licorice is also heat-resistant, so it can easily grow in warmer climates but avoid planting them in shady areas, which may prove fatal.
– Growth Requirements
Moist soil that drains well is the best option, and it will thrive when the conditions are met. You can add some sand to the soil mixture to increase drainage, you can even mist it once a while, especially on summer days. Korean licorice can quickly grow in acidic, neutral, and alkaline soils.
Korean licorice mint enjoys its time under the full sun. This exposure will result in abundant flowers that are big and lush. They need water during their early growth. As a result to this, you must make sure they receive enough water in their early days, but once they are established, they can survive extended periods without water.
3. Corn
Corn is another good companion plant that can be easily added to any pumpkin garden. In fact, most of the time, corn is cultivated alongside beans and squash. Together, they are called The Three Sisters.
Planting pumpkins next to them is a natural expansion of your vegetable arsenal. These plants mutually benefit each other with their different properties and help each other grow.
– Characteristics
The vegetable is delicious, and it tastes even better when it is freshly harvested. This tasty vegetable is not the only attraction to growing this plant. It is surprisingly easy to grow and cultivate corn in home gardens, making it a great option for beginners and veterans.
Corn plants are tall with straight stalks. These stalks produce husked ears that house the corn itself. On the outside, most corn varieties look the same, but the differences show themselves once you look inside the ears. They could even be of different colors, like white and yellow, but sometimes they are also bi-colored.
The different varieties of corn also give you options to choose the one best for you. Modern types have been developed to mature early compared to others. Although you get an early yield, their taste may not be as delectable compared to the other late-growing varieties.
The most commonly cultivated sweet corn is an annual plant that is planted in early spring. It continues to grow throughout the summer season. It takes about three months for it to be ready for harvesting. Although, the modern varieties can be prepared in two months.
– Growth Requirements
Corns prefer acidic to neutral soil that is well-draining but moist. It is a good idea to get the soil tested before planting them. Moreover, note that the pollination process of maize takes place as the wind blows the pollen away, which would be in the very beginning of spring, and then warm weather will prepare for their growth.
Corn needs its time under the full sun, that is why when the weather begins to get warmer, they start to sprout. This exposure will be the one to make sure that the ears are filled with sweet-tasting corn and develop to their full potential. It requires at least six hours of sunlight on most days.
Regular watering is a good idea to achieve a plentiful harvest; however, remember that instead of watering the surface daily, it is better to do one session of deep watering and it’s all great after that. Another thing to keep in mind is to keep the area free of weeds that may take over the water and nutrients.
4. Marigolds
Marigolds are bedding flowers and are among the most common and reliable of the group. These flowering plants produce warm colors and blooms, adding interest and appeal to any area they appear in.
These daisy-like flowers come in a range of sizes and colors; some are small single-petal flowers like signet marigolds, while others, like African marigolds, are large double-petal flowers.
– Characteristics
Marigolds are another excellent option for pumpkin companion planting. Marigolds are often considered a great option for keeping away all pests. And although some of these stories may be exaggerated, marigolds can keep many harmful soil-borne problems away from the area, especially root-knot nematodes that are a significant threat to pumpkins.
The roots of these flowering plants secret a chemical that keeps soil pests away from them and the plants in their vicinity.
Any variety of this plant will provide you with this benefit, and you can plant them as close to your pumpkin plants as possible. They will not affect the growth of their neighbors in any way, on the contrary, it’s a great characteristic.
These plants can grow easily from seeds, and they take only a couple of months before they are ready to bloom. Typically, they are planted in early spring after the soil the prepared to be worked, but if you want early outdoor bloom, you can plant them indoors and grow them about six weeks before the last frost.
– Growth Requirements
Lean, moist, and well-draining soil is the best to grow marigolds, but they are easily grown in wide different soil varieties. Make sure the soil is not too acidic, and you should be good to go. On another note, they also do not need nutrient-rich soil, because they will be feeling weaker.
Like other flowering plants, the best results are obtained by planting marigolds under the full sun. It will result in abundant plants that are healthy and vibrant. Shady conditions can hinder the growth of plants.
On the other hand, remember that in the early stages, marigolds need regular watering, but once they have established their root system, they are relatively resistant to droughts. But for the absolute best results, you should water them every week.
5. Marjoram
Marjoram is a perennial herbaceous plant that is closely related to oregano. However, remember that although the resemblance can be tricky to decipher, marjoram is sweeter in comparison and has a light but spicy floral scent. This herb is an excellent option as a pumpkin companion plant because it allows you access to a lot of tasty dishes.
This plant can also be grown as an annual in some areas. This low-growing plant has a shrubby appearance with gray-green foliage of inch-long leaves. In addition to the aroma and taste, the plant also produces tiny flowers that can be white or pink, but they are not especially showy.
Another great advantage of choosing marjoram as a companion plant in your pumpkin garden is its ability to enhance the taste of veggies. Which would try to lead to the fact that, if you plant this herb among the vines of your pumpkins, you will enjoy more flavorful gourds.
Marjoram is a slow-growing herb that is best planted in spring. It will eventually grow and spread as a ground cover. These plants produce stomach irritants, as a result, use them according to the needs of various dishes. Another thing to consider while growing marjoram is that they are challenging to grow from seeds, so it is better to grow them from nursery plants.
– Growth Requirements
Like other plants, marjoram grows best in the sand and well-draining soil that is either slightly acidic or alkaline in nature. Excellent drainage is crucial for this plant as its roots are susceptible to root rot.
Marjoram plants love sunlight and need their time under the sun, so you should choose a spot accordingly. If you are growing them inside, place them beside your brightest window, or you may even have to move them constantly throughout the day to chase sunlight.
They require regular watering in the early stages of growth, so try to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Once they establish their roots, the plants are somewhat drought-resistant, but it is not a good idea to let them dry up completely.
6. Pole Beans
As mentioned above, beans, corn, and squash are a group of vegetables that are often planted together because of the mutual benefits they provide to each other.
Beans are one of the tastiest vegetables that often require a trellis fence to support their plants. These plants have long green pods that house the beans.
– Characteristics
Pole beans benefit significantly from the tall corn stalks as they act as the trellis support needed for the beans. In addition, squash plants produce mulch which is also beneficial for their growth.
The benefit of the beans to the table is their ability to add nitrogen to the soil. For instance if you consider some beans, corn, squash, and pumpkins have this mutually beneficial relationship with each other.
Heirloom pole beans are the tastiest among the pole beans and have a lot of different varieties. These varieties can be identified by their varying pod shapes ranging from long rounded pods to flattened pods. The many varieties are associated with different parts of the world in which they were developed.
Beans require about two months to mature and develop, and they cannot grow until the soil temperatures have risen to a considerable level.
This can be a problem in areas where the growing season is not long enough. However, in those specific areas, you can plant them indoors a couple of weeks before the last frost and bring them outside in spring, and they will thrive indoors too.
– Growth Requirements
Pole beans need well-draining loamy soil that is slightly acidic in pH. Another thing to keep in mind is to remove any weeds in the ground, so they do not compete for nutrients and moisture.
Beans need their time under the full sun. It will also allow the plant to be dry and avoid fungal diseases.
These little pods also need moderate watering to grow to their fullest. Drip irrigation is the best method for beans as it will prevent any soil from splashing on the leaves, which can result in soil-borne diseases. If the soil is dried up about one inch from the surface, it is a good time to water the plant.
Conclusion
Pumpkin companion plants are a great way to add more variety to your vegetable garden while ensuring that your orange gourds are not negatively affected.
Keep in mind the following points if you choose to grow any of these plants:
- Most of these plants have wide varieties, so you have options to pick and choose from.
- Many of them are easy to grow and maintain once you provide them with good growing conditions.
- These plants grow well under full sun and in moist, well-draining soil, making them perfect for your vegetable gardens.
- It’s a good idea to get your soil tested before planting them.
All of these companion plants are valuable because of their yield and will also provide benefits to the pumpkins in the form of nutrients, security, or better taste. So, which plant made your vegetable garden from this list?
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