Companion Planting & Native Plants

Companion planting is an ecological gardening technique where compatible plants are grown near each other for mutual benefit. This can involve pest control, nutrient sharing, physical support, or microclimate enhancement.

Unlike monoculture gardening, where a single crop dominates an area, companion planting embraces diversity and natural cooperation — a cornerstone of permaculture ethics.

Plants communicate chemically through root exudates and volatile compounds. Some species release beneficial substances that deter pests or attract predatory insects. Others share mycorrhizal fungi networks, exchanging nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.

Example:

• Legumes (beans, peas, clover) fix nitrogen in the soil using bacteria, benefiting heavy feeders like corn and tomatoes.

• Alliums (onions, garlic) produce sulfur compounds that repel aphids and carrot flies.

• 🌱 Pest Reduction: Strong-scented herbs confuse harmful insects.

• 🌼 Pollinator Attraction: Flowers like calendula and nasturtium draw bees and butterflies.

• 🌾 Nutrient Cycling: Deep-rooted plants bring up minerals for shallow-rooted neighbors.

• 🌿 Soil Protection: Groundcovers reduce erosion and suppress weeds.

• 🌻 Biodiversity & Resilience: Diverse systems recover faster from disease or pest outbreaks.

A guild is a group of plants that work together within a permaculture system.

The Three Sisters Guild

• Corn provides structure for beans to climb.

• Beans fix nitrogen.

• Squash shades soil to retain moisture and deter weeds.

Apple Tree Guild

• Apple tree (main canopy)

• Comfrey (dynamic accumulator and mulch)

• Chives & garlic (pest deterrent)

• Clover (nitrogen fixer)

• Daffodils (rodent barrier)

Tomato Companion Guild

Tomatoes love basil, carrots, onions, and marigolds — a synergy of pest control, pollination, and soil balance.

Some plants compete for nutrients or release allelopathic chemicals harmful to neighbors.

Incompatible Pair  - Reason

Tomatoes & Potatoes - Spread of blight

Beans & Onions - Root zone conflict

Cabbage & Strawberries - Attract shared pests

Carrots & Dill - Compete for space and nutrients

1. Start with a focal crop — what you want most to grow.

2. Identify its allies — plants that offer shade, nutrients, or pest defense.

3. Plan vertical layers — canopy, shrub, herbaceous, groundcover, and root layers.

4. Observe and adapt — use your site’s microclimate and soil conditions to refine the layout.

💡 Tip: Always rotate plant families each season to maintain soil fertility and prevent disease buildup.

Crop - Companions - Avoid

Tomatoes - Basil, carrots, onions, marigolds - Potatoes

Carrots - Lettuce, peas, onions - Dill

Corn - Beans, squash - Tomatoes

Cabbage - Dill, celery, rosemary - Strawberries

Lettuce - Carrots, beets, radishes - Parsley

In permaculture, companion planting extends beyond vegetable beds into guild-based food forests. Each layer — from canopy trees to fungi — contributes to system health.

Key Principles:

• Stack functions (each plant has multiple purposes)

• Foster beneficial relationships (pollination, shading, protection)

• Close the nutrient loop (compost and mulch within the system)

Example:

A fruit tree guild might include nitrogen fixers (goumi), pest repellents (chives), pollinator flowers (yarrow), and groundcovers (strawberries).

Native plants are species that occur naturally in a particular ecosystem without human introduction. These plants have co-evolved with local wildlife, climate patterns, and soil conditions — creating balanced, self-sustaining ecosystems.

In permaculture, native species form the base of resilient design because they reduce human input while improving ecosystem health.

Permaculture design mimics nature — and nothing represents “nature” better than native flora. Native plants provide structure, habitat, and food for insects, birds, and mammals that evolved alongside them.

When used strategically in guilds or zones, they:

Support natural pest management

Reduce irrigation needs

Stabilize soil

Attract pollinators and beneficial insects

Native plants are the living infrastructure of a regenerative landscape.

💧 Water Efficiency: Deep roots adapt to local rainfall.

🌼 Wildlife Support: Native flowers feed pollinators year-round.

🌱 Soil Regeneration: Native grasses and forbs build organic matter.

🦋 Biodiversity Boost: Create ecological corridors for birds and butterflies.

🔄 Low Maintenance: Less pruning, fewer fertilizers, no chemical pesticides.

Feature                                                     Native Plants                                                  Non-Native Plants

Adaptation                                                 Evolved in local climate                                                May need extra care

Water Use                                                Minimal once established                                                      Often high

Wildlife Value                                        High – provides food & shelter                                             Low or disruptive

Maintenance                                                             Low                                                                  Moderate to high

Ecological Impact                                          Builds biodiversity                                                    Can displace natives

Bottom line: Non-natives can add color or function, but natives form the ecological backbone of permaculture systems.

1. Identify your ecoregion. Use USDA hardiness zones or local native plant databases.

2. Match plant traits to microclimate. Sun, shade, soil type, and moisture all matter.

3. Diversify layers. Include canopy, understory, shrub, herbaceous, and groundcover plants.

4. Plan for succession. Choose species that thrive across seasons.
   
   

💡 Pro Tip: Prioritize local ecotypes — the most region-specific seed sources available — to maximize survival and resilience.

Designing with native plants begins with observation.

Steps:

• Map natural drainage and sunlight exposure.
  
  

• Group plants by water needs and root depth.
  
  

• Integrate natives with edible perennials for functional diversity.
  
  

• Use mulch and living groundcovers to retain soil moisture.
  
  

• Include flowering natives across all seasons to sustain pollinators year-round.

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🌿 Example Layout:

• Canopy: Live oak or black walnut
  
  

• Shrub: Elderberry, serviceberry
  
  

• Herbaceous: Bee balm, echinacea
  
  

• Groundcover: Creeping thyme, native clover
  
  

• Vines: Passionflower or native honeysuckle

Region                                                                                      Native Species                                                                 Primary Benefits

Southwest                                                          Desert marigold, agave, mesquite                                          Drought tolerance

Pacific Northwest                                  Red-flowering currant, sword fern, salal                                    Pollinator habitat

Midwest                                                   Milkweed, black-eyed Susan, little bluestem                               Monarch support

Southeast                                                          Coreopsis, goldenrod, yaupon holly                             Pollination and soil cover

Northeast                                                        Joe Pye weed, columbine, red maple                                 Moisture management

• Water only during establishment (first year).
  
  

• Avoid fertilizers — natives thrive in natural soil chemistry.
  
  

• Cut back dead material in late winter, not fall, to protect overwintering insects.
  
  

• Leave leaf litter — it’s a natural mulch and wildlife shelter.
  
  

• Weed early to prevent invasives from taking hold.
  
  

Over time, your native garden will stabilize and self-regulate, requiring minimal intervention.