nasturtium<\/a> is a great plant to grow alongside turnips for a few reasons.<\/p>\nFirstly, the nasturtium’s vibrant blossoms attract beneficial insects like hoverflies, parasitic wasps, bees, and butterflies.<\/p>\n
Second, the nasturtium vines grow very slowly and can be used as a living mulch by covering the ground around your turnip plants to prevent moisture loss and weed growth.<\/p>\n
Cabbage moths, which would otherwise feast on your turnip leaves, are repelled by the aroma of nasturtiums.<\/p>\n
Nasturtiums look pretty, and their foliage and tendrils are great for keeping the garden soil temperature cold and moist around the turnip patch. In conclusion, nasturtiums are effective in warding off cabbage moths.<\/p>\n
Planting flowers among your vegetables is a great way to brighten your garden and give it a more rustic vibe.<\/p>\n
<\/span>The Worst Turnip Companion Plants<\/span><\/h2>\nKnowing which plants will not grow well together is just as important as knowing which foods will benefit from one another for companion planting. Some plants can transfer pests and illnesses or compete for resources, which can hasten their spread. Avoid growing the following crops with your turnips.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Potatoes<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"potatoes](\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/potatoes-planting-with-turnips-scaled-e1672293644305.jpg\")
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Growing two root or tuber crops next to one another is not a good idea. Both require room to spread their tubers and roots and may inhibit turnip growth. Tomato plants are better if you want a nightshade crop to plant alongside your turnips.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Hedge Mustard<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"mustard](\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mustard-planting-with-turnips-e1672293679792.jpg\")
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Hedge mustard and turnips belong to the same family. Its development and ability to produce fruit will be hampered if grown beside a turnip. Your turnip draws bugs because of it. If you plant hedge mustard in your garden, your turnip crop may also become infected with clubroot.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Horseradish<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"horseradish](\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/horseradish-planting-with-turnips-e1672293778741.jpg\")
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The absolute worst plant to grow near your turnips is this horseradish. It draws vermin that devour your turnip tuber and leaves.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Knotweed<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"knotweed](\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/knotweed-planting-with-turnips-scaled-e1672293726672.jpg\")
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If possible, keep knotweeds away from turnips. This plant prevents turnip growth and can harm the soil and roots surrounding your turnip crop.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Root Vegetables<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"root](\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/root-vegetables-planting-with-turnips-scaled-e1672293834884.jpg\")
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Never plant turnips near root vegetables. The worst crops to plant alongside turnips are root vegetables. In addition to competing with turnips for nutrients, they take up room underground and compete for root space. They absorb the majority of the soil’s moisture.<\/p>\n
<\/span>The Benefits of Companion Planting<\/span><\/h2>\nUsing companion planting to your advantage is simple. Like humans, plants need company and positive interactions to flourish. Companion planting can double the productivity of food crops.<\/p>\n
Imagine this as planting a garden full of useful plants you can later eat. After all, that is the thought of growing them together.<\/p>\n
Companion planting has an infinite number of uses. Turnip greens, for instance, benefit from being grown close to turnip companion plants, such as peas, since the two vegetables complement one another. These naturally occurring plants are just as easy to gather as they are nutritious.<\/p>\n
Here are the benefits of turnip companion planting.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Minimizes Risks<\/span><\/h3>\nWhen you grow two crops together, you boost your chances of getting a decent harvest even if one crop dies or is harmed by environmental stressors like pests, low water levels, or illnesses.<\/p>\n
Additionally, it encourages planting plant species that are good for the gardener, the soil, and the ecology. Insect diversity results from the plants’ diversity, which prevents cluster invasions by insects and reduces the frequency of insect raids in your garden.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Saves Space<\/span><\/h3>\nYou have the option of planting multiple plants together thanks to companion planting. Turnips and garlic or onions are a nice example. Planting these three crops can help you make the most of your garden area if you have a tiny garden.<\/p>\n
It also aids in correct planning and plant spacing. To combat troublesome pests, your plant structure is crucial.<\/p>\n
By interplanting herbs or flowers between each row of vegetables, companion planting prevents the formation of long rows or wide patches of crops. A concentration of a certain vegetable serves as a draw for these troublesome bugs.<\/p>\n
It will be more difficult for pests to find crops if you plant various companion plants and flowers. Pests have a harder time surviving and adapting because of the behavioral changes displayed by flowers and herbs, their fragrance, and the variety in their hues.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Protects Crops<\/span><\/h3>\nBy growing a plant next to another with a natural defense against such external forces and can protect surrounding plants, plant companions can help by providing a more fragile plant shelter from environmental factors like the sun or wind.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Reduces Weeds<\/span><\/h3>\nYou want to have as little weeding as possible. Weeds can be choked out by plants near the ground, requiring you to do less weeding. Additionally, the mulch formed by companion\u00a0plants shades the soil and aids in moisture retention.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Reduces Plant Disease<\/span><\/h3>\nDisease thrives in broad areas of a single crop. When identical vegetables are grown next to one another, illnesses can spread quickly from one plant to the next. By dividing your crops into smaller groups, companion planting helps prevent the spread of plant disease.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Turnip Companion Planting Guide<\/span><\/h2>\nAfter knowing the good companion plants, it is important to know the companion planting techniques for Turnips.<\/p>\n
Turnip plants are cool-season crops and are members of the cabbage family. Here is a \u00a0brief guide on planting\u00a0turnips with other plants in your backyard garden.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Check the Soil Health.<\/span><\/h3>\nChoosing the right soil is an important aspect of companion planting turnips. The soil should be clear of rocks and stumps. Turnips thrive in well-drained soil. It prefers rich soil.<\/p>\n
When preparing the soil for planting, add some manure. It would be best not to use fresh manure because it will harm the roots.<\/p>\n
Turnips prefer a pH range of 5-7 in their soil. Test your pH using a kit, and then adjust it as necessary.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Observe the Planting Season.<\/span><\/h3>\nTo give turnips enough time to mature before the hot weather of summer or the cold weather of winter arrives, direct sow turnip seeds as feasible, as early in the spring or as late in the summer. To avoid crowding, thin seedlings when they are 4 inches tall, spacing them 4 inches apart. Compared to foods cultivated in the spring, fall harvests are typically sweeter.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Attract Beneficial Insects<\/span><\/h3>\nFruit-bearing crops like cucumbers and pumpkins require pollinators like butterflies and bees. In the meantime, predatory insects like parasitic wasps, ladybugs, and hoverflies will eat pests like aphids that can harm your turnip crops.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Maintain adequate Sunlight and Water.<\/span><\/h3>\nTurnips should grow turnips\u00a0in broad sunlight, with regular irrigation to keep the soil moist. Cover the seed with soil that is half an inch thick to retain moisture for the germination process. To keep weeds out and retain moisture, cover it with mulch.<\/p>\n
![\"companion](\"https:\/\/gardender.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/companion-planting-with-turnips-scaled-e1672293148146.jpg\")
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