Symbiosis

[~Obsidian~]

So, what is it?

Symbiosis occurs when two (or more) organisms live together, and mutually benefit from the relationship - they both give and take, helping them to grow and live successfully.


In this thread we can post the natural partners that are not always obvious to growers both new and old. Also feel free to post good companion plants that may not benefit biologically but instead benefit physically.

To begin with I'll post the first association, pointed out by Dunemist in the sweetcorn thread.

Biological benefit - Climbing beans and sweetcorn

Sweetcorn is a heavy feeder, and as such manages to leech alot of the nitrogen out of the ground. Beans (leghumes) replace this, with their own form of symbiosis (check the growing beans thread for this).

The two will live comfortably together, the benefits being sweetcorn gets the nitrogen it requires, and the beans have something to climb up on.


Please feel free to correct me if anything is wrong in that, I did it off the top of my head!

[Kirsten]

How about me and my cucumbers:

I plant the seed = gives them a chance to grow
Cucumber gives me food!

:D I'm kidding.

[Te'oma]

So, what is it?

Symbiosis occurs when two (or more) organisms live together, and mutually benefit from the relationship - they both give and take, helping them to grow and live successfully.


In this thread we can post the natural partners that are not always obvious to growers both new and old. Also feel free to post good companion plants that may not benefit biologically but instead benefit physically.

To begin with I'll post the first association, pointed out by Dunemist in the sweetcorn thread.

Biological benefit - Climbing beans and sweetcorn

Sweetcorn is a heavy feeder, and as such manages to leech alot of the nitrogen out of the ground. Beans (leghumes) replace this, with their own form of symbiosis (check the growing beans thread for this).

The two will live comfortably together, the benefits being sweetcorn gets the nitrogen it requires, and the beans have something to climb up on.


Please feel free to correct me if anything is wrong in that, I did it off the top of my head!

I am not sure if I posted this here before but I am Iroquois descent. Historically, the Iroquois were an agrarian society and we had, what we called the three sisters that were always planted together. That was corn, beans and squash.
What you said about the beans and corn is absolutely correct but the benefit of squash in this mix is that the broad leaves and ground running vines help to keep down weeds and they shade the roots of the others. This also helps the soil to maintain more moisture and encourages worm activity to help to enrich and aerate the soil too

[Te'oma]

another idea on symbiosis...if you plant marigolds in amongst your flowers or vegetables you will drastically reduce the amount of insect predation on your plants. Marigolds give off lindane in trace amounts and this serves to act as insect repellant

[Riz]

another idea on symbiosis...if you plant marigolds in amongst your flowers or vegetables you will drastically reduce the amount of insect predation on your plants. Marigolds give off lindane in trace amounts and this serves to act as insect repellant

very true :GreenThumbs:

[Riz]

aphids dont like garlic either so planting garlic next to plants which attract aphids helps out.. i have never tried it before but some gardeners swear by it.