They say that when it comes to problem-solving, two heads are better than one. As it turns out, when it comes to gardening, two heads of garlic are better than one, too.
The scoop
Gardener, homesteader, and plant shop owner Austin Graf (@buzzedblooms) shared a video detailing his successes with a specific planting strategy for two popular crops: garlic and potatoes.
"You wanna grow amazing potatoes and amazing garlic?" he said. "The secret ultimate hack is to grow them together as companion plants."
In companion planting, two crops are planted in the same garden bed or plot. And where it may sound like they would overcrowd each other, certain crops work to enhance each other's growth. This, Austin explains, is the case for these two.
"Garlic and potatoes just work well together," he said. "Garlic is antibacterial and antifungal, which means it's going to help keep potatoes more resilient against potato blight and potato scab."
He also explained that the sulfuric compounds released by garlic act as natural insect repellants for both crops, helping deter aphids and potato beetles from spoiling the harvest.
Finally, he shared that the two crops "work together in spacing and timing." Since garlic is generally ready to harvest before potatoes are, he shared, a gardener can reap their garlic crops and then give their potatoes a chance to spread out, giving "one last push to get ultra big and ultra bountiful."
How it's helping
In an age when consumers are feeling the impacts of inflation, particularly in the grocery aisles, it can be a major budgeting hack to start growing food at home. Whether you're growing tomatoes or herbs, unlocking your own free and unlimited supply means the savings will really add up over time.
But anyone who's grown their own food knows that there's much more to it than simple cost savings.
The food grown at home has been found to be more nutritionally rich, as most fruits and vegetables lose their nutritional value the longer they're in transit. People who grow at least some of their own food have also been found to be physically healthier overall. And even better, gardening has been found to reduce stress, boosting mental wellness.
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Several hours a week 🧑🌾 Keeping a vibrant, chemical-free garden is also incredibly beneficial to your local ecosystem. The less pesticide and herbicide you use, the healthier your air, water, and soil will be — an impact that ripples from pollinators all the way up the food chain.
What everyone's saying
Viewers were eager to test out Austin's strategy. "Can't wait to try this," one enthused.
Others had already deployed the strategy and found great success with it. "Mine are happily growing together!" one gardener shared. "Love sweet potatoes and garlic bc they are dual purpose crop."
Another echoed the sentiment, saying: "The more I learn about companion planting the more i realize that garlic seems to go with almost everything."
If you're looking to figure out which companion plant pairings might work for your garden, try starting with this thoroughly researched list from the Farmers' Almanac.
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