Garden expert shares simple hack for flourishing plants in small spaces: 'I love this idea'

Armstrong Garden Centers (@armstronggarden) recently posted a TikTok video describing a handful of plants that work very well together.

The scoop

"Companion planting hack for small gardens!" They wrote in the video caption. "You can use a strawberry pot to grow a tomato with loads of companion plants even if you are short on space. This is an easy way to try vertical gardening and make the most of your patio, balcony or urban garden this season."

@armstronggarden Companion planting hack for small gardens! 🍓You can use a strawberry pot to grow a tomato with loads of companion plants even if you are short on space. This is an easy way to try vertical gardening and make the most of your patio, balcony or urban garden this season 🪴 🍅 choose a determinatebtomato like a Roma or other patio varieties because they stay compact and will do well in a container. 🌼 you can try other companion plants like herbs or calandula too! So what do you think - want to give growing a tomato ina. Strawberry pot a try? Leave a 🍅 if you want to learn more! #urbanharvest #urbangarden #gardenhack #gardentip #growtomatoes #verticalgardening #upcyclegarden ♬ original sound - Armstrong Garden Centers

The gardener went on to describe the various benefits of certain companion plants. Marigolds attract ladybugs that eat aphids, for example. Nasturtium, meanwhile, acts as a delicious sacrifice, so pests eat it instead of the tomato plant. Alyssum was another selection for its ability to attract needed pollinators. Other gardeners have suggested basil and chives as companion plants to tomatoes. 

How it's helping

Growing your own food is a great way to save a few bucks at the grocery store, especially considering climate shifts are contributing to the rise of prices. The benefits don't stop there, though.

Since your food doesn't have to travel as far to reach your plate and isn't being subjected to harsh commercial pesticides thanks to natural alternatives, the food you're growing is notably healthier than what's in the produce aisle. As an added bonus, gardening also improves mental health.

The locality of your food also reduces travel pollution, which is about 20% of food's overall ecological footprint. Keeping that atmospheric pollution down is just one more way to slow melting icecaps and subsequent sea level rise and tamp down growing extreme weather patterns.

Having additional plants in your yard, along with companion plants like these, supports your local ecosystem, especially for pollinators. 

What everyone's saying

TikTok viewers were keen to try out Armstrong Garden Centers' idea for planting tomatoes in a pot with a selection of companion plants.

"I love this idea!" wrote one viewer.

"That's going to be so pretty," said another community member.

How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week 🧑‍🌾 One hour a week ⌛ Less than one hour ⏳ I don't have any plants 😢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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