What if your garden could grow more — with less effort, fewer chemicals, and almost no waste? Turns out, it’s not a new idea. For generations, farmers across India have been pairing plants like maize and beans, turmeric and ginger, letting them support each other the way nature intended.

Today, as more of us turn to kitchen gardening and eco-friendly ways to grow food, this age-old practice, called companion planting, is making a quiet comeback. And it might just be the simplest way to build a healthier, more resilient garden.

Our grandparents might not have called it “companion planting”, but they knew instinctively which crops thrived together — turmeric under banana, greens with onions. If you’ve ever seen methi peeking out from under a brinjal plant in your nani’s backyard, you’ve seen companion planting in action.

What makes companion planting work

1. Natural pest control

Some plants naturally repel insects or protect neighbouring crops by acting as trap crops. For example:

• Marigolds release compounds that deter nematodes and aphids, especially beneficial near tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Nasturtiums attract aphids, keeping them away from leafy greens and cabbage.
• Basil, when grown with tomatoes, improves flavour and repels........
  

  © The Better India