What is companion planting?
Q: What is companion planting?
A: Companion planting is the practice of planting different crops next to each other in gardening and farming to help the crops grow and use the available space as much as possible.
Q: Why do some farmers practice companion planting?
A: Some farmers practice companion planting to encourage processes that help the plants, such as pollination, to stop pests from damaging the crop, to attract pests away from the crop, and to provide shelter for different crops.
Q: What are trap crops in companion planting?
A: Trap crops are plants that are planted next to the crop to attract pests away from damaging the crop.
Q: Who used the basic principles of companion planting thousands of years ago?
A: The basic principles of companion planting were used thousands of years ago by Native American peoples in Mesoamerica.
Q: What crops did Native American peoples grow together?
A: Native American peoples grew squash, maize, and common beans together.
Q: How did the beans help the maize in Native American companion planting?
A: The beans fixed nitrogen, which helped the maize grow.
Q: What are some benefits of companion planting?
A: Some benefits of companion planting include increased plant growth and yield, improved plant health, and pest control without the use of chemicals.
