These plants grown alongside fruit trees can naturally decrease weed growth, repel insects, bring in pollinators, and provide additional benefits.
Planting vegetables alongside specific other plants can
deter garden pests
and boost vegetable productivity without using fertilizers or pesticides. You can use this same principle when
growing fruit trees
By combining them with suitable companion plants, you can enhance various aspects of your garden. If your aim is to boost soil quality, draw in pollinators, or organically keep pests away, consider planting these optimal choices beneath or close to your fruit trees, as they synergize exceptionally well for multiple benefits.
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Top Plants to Companion Plant with Fruit Trees
Due to their stature and versatility, fruit trees coexist well with many types of plants. However, cultivating them alongside flowers, insects-deterring herbs, legumes, and groundcover plants offers significant advantages. To maximize the rewards of integrating these companions with your fruit trees, consider pairing several species from each category and select plants that flower at various times to maintain pollinator engagement.
1. Flowering Plants
Planting flowers beneath or within 25 feet of fruit trees offers multiple advantages. Besides enhancing aesthetic value, these blooms also
attract pollinators
and
beneficial insects
This can boost fruit production and ward off pests. Numerous native perennials, annuals, and bulbs can be grown alongside fruit trees, yet consider these suggestions to begin your planting journey.
Tips
Select blooming plants that can endure the level of shade produced by your fruit trees, or position your flowers somewhat apart from the tree trunks to allow them better access to sunlight.
Spring-Blooming Bulbs:
Narcissus, crocuses, snowdrops, and others
spring-flowering bulbs
Are simple to place under fruit trees and wither away as temperatures increase. Cultivating these early blooming plants underneath fruit trees can help sustain spring pollinators that depend on the fruit tree blossoms. Some, like daffodils, also serve as natural deterrents for pests and may prevent deer from feeding near the fruit trees.
Native Perennials:
Non-indigenous perennials may thrive under fruit trees; nonetheless, indigenous flora provides greater advantages. Primarily, these native plants tend to be more appealing to pollinators, plus they are specifically suited to the particular climate and soil of your area and will come back each year effortlessly. Seek out varieties that originate from your locality.
Annuals:
Marigolds, nasturtiums, dwarf sunflowers, zinnias, and borage are only a handful.
easy-care annual flowers
that pair beautifully with fruit trees as long as they get enough sunlight. These plants won’t compete with fruit trees for space or soil nutrients, and they naturally die back at the end of the season for easy garden cleanup.
2. Scented Plants
Many
fragrant plants
Additionally, they bloom, which means there’s some overlap between these two types of companion planting. Nonetheless, scented plants offer an extra benefit: their potent aromas can repel various pests that typically harm fruit trees, thus ensuring you harvest fewer damaged fruits. Several ideal choices for this purpose encompass
popular culinary herbs
However, several other aromatic plants also thrive alongside fruit trees.
Herbs:
Herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, lavender, chives, oregano, and chamomile can serve as effective companion plants to ward off fruit tree pests like the codling moth. However, these herbs
thrive most in direct sunlight
And might not flourish directly under fruit trees that create substantial shade. If this applies, consider trying out more shade-resistant herb alternatives such as dill and cilantro.
Other Pest-Repelling Plants:
In addition to culinary herbs, various aromatic plants that repel pests from fruit trees consist of horseradish along with members of the allium family like garlic, ramps, and onions.
ornamental alliums
Allium plants are particularly beneficial for warding off peach tree borers, but they also have the ability to deter deer and rabbits.
Related:
7 Proven Methods to Shield Trees from Deer Destruction
3. Soil Improvers
Large commercial orchards frequently depend on chemical fertilizers to enhance fruit tree productivity. However, you can decrease or entirely remove their use.
need for fertilizers
By cultivating nitrogen-fixing plants near your trees. As these plants grow, they enhance the soil naturally and can provide additional nourishment to fruit trees if you let their stalks and foliage decompose back into the earth once the plants wither in autumn.
Beans and Peas:
Edible legumes frequently serve as beneficial companions in vegetable gardens to enhance soil fertility; similarly, they can offer numerous advantages to fruit trees. Remember that bush-style beans and peas typically do not necessitate support structures, whereas pole beans usually require trellises or cages due to their climbing nature.
Lupines:
A lot of farmers aren’t aware that
Lupins are part of the legume family.
Additionally, they can enhance nearby plants through nitrogen fixation via their root systems. Many gardening stores offer bigleaf lupines, recognized for their large foliage and striking flowers. However, wild lupines might serve as an superior choice for Eastern coastal gardeners since these species are indigenous to the area and aid pollinators such as the threatened Karner Blue butterfly.
Clover:
Dutch white clover and micro clover, which fix nitrogen, are commonly available at most garden centers. Additionally, more vibrant choices such as crimson clover or red clover can add interest when planted around fruit trees.
4. Groundcovers
When cultivated under fruit trees, clover plants do more than enhance the soil with nitrogen; they also serve as a
weed-suppressing groundcover
And prevent tall weeds from encroaching and competing with the fruit. Other groundcovers that can thrive under fruit trees include:
Creeping Thyme:
This plant is considered an edible, but it’s predominantly cultivated as a groundcover to help suppress weed growth.
Creeping thyme
creates a thick, low mat of leaves and bears pinkish-purple blooms that bees find irresistible.
Mint:
Many plants struggle to match the rapid expansion of mint, yet this quick-spreading crop does not present similar difficulties for larger fruit trees. Unattended,
mint plants
create a dense ground cover that makes it difficult for other plants to grow through. Additionally, mints generate blooms that draw in pollinating insects.
Wild Strawberries:
Also known as
alpine strawberries
Wild strawberries yield smaller fruits compared to their domesticated counterparts, yet they can withstand greater shade. Therefore, they make an excellent option for limited areas.
Rhubarb:
Although
rhubarb
is taller than most groundcover plants, its large leaves and robust nature make it ideal for controlling weeds. For maximum coverage, grow several rhubarb plants in a ring beneath fruit trees and harvest the plants’ edible stems in spring for pies.
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