Gardening expert Laura (@younggrowersclub) found the ideal companion plant for her winter garden and was keen to share it with her TikTok followers.
The scoop
"Perfect for making the most of the space and feeding those broccoli plants," Laura wrote in the video caption.
@younggrowersclub Perfect for making the most of the space and feeding those broccoli plants #companionplanting #gardening #growingfood #broccoli ♬ original sound - Laura • YOUNG GROWERS CLUB
She describes how planting broccoli in her broad bean bed could work out well in the long run. As the broad beans grow, they will be able to feed nitrogen into the soil. After the beans were harvested and removed, the broccoli could then take over the space and make use of the freshly invigorated soil.
How it's helping
Growing your food is a great way to enjoy healthy produce while saving a few bucks at the grocery store. Doing so also cuts down on pollution from transportation. About 20% of a food product's environmental footprint comes from transportation. That pollution leads to increased floods, droughts, and heat waves that are wreaking havoc on farmers and driving up grocery prices.
On top of being an effective tool for home gardening, companion planting has the added benefit of avoiding the need for fertilizers. Runoff from harsh fertilizers can lead to algae blooms in waterways. These suck up all the oxygen in the water and strangle out other life in a process called eutrophication.
With the right plants working together, they can also keep pests at bay without the need for commercial pesticides. Garlic, marigolds, lavender, lemongrass, and lemon balm are all common choices. Synthetic pesticides are generally indiscriminate and can destroy helpful organisms. Plus, like fertilizers, they can generate negative outcomes for marine environments through runoff.
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What everyone's saying
Laura's TikTok followers were happy to follow suit with companion planting of broad beans and broccoli.
"I did it also, hope to have luck with brasicas this year," said one community member.
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