As a result of their origins in separate plant families, strawberries and tomatoes have quite different growing behaviors.
Tomatoes and strawberries are both beloved for their delectable flavors. Aiming to control garden pests should be the goal of any companion plants for tomatoes and strawberries.
There is definitely some research and thought that goes into interplanting veggies and fruits. Some veggies, nevertheless, won’t do well when planted close to fruits. Tar should be used as a companion planting.
Companion plants that can boost tomato and strawberry growth and output are necessary. As its low-lying spread can be an ideal cover to reduce weeds around plants like asparagus and rhubarb, strawberry is an excellent companion to many plants.
What is tomato and strawberry companion planting?
Despite the fact that strawberries and tomatoes are not known to get along, they can be planted close to one another or in the same garden bed. Brassicas, fennel, potato, and sweetcorn are foods that tomatoes dislike.
Strawberries and tomatoes come from very different plant families. They require essentially completely distinct types of environments and have radically different developing behaviors.
For instance, tomatoes are typically grown as annual plants even though they are tender perennials that are only hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11.
They stop producing fruit at temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and perish when exposed to frost.
Can you plant strawberries and tomatoes together?
If they are supported by ample mulch, healthy soil, and direct sunlight, strawberries and tomatoes can be planted together.
Tomatoes and strawberries can share the same pests and illnesses, yet they can still get along well and enjoy being neighbors.
To give each plant room to spread its roots and prevent the spread of disease, leave at least 10-15 inches on either side of it. Regular watering, mulch, and organic fertilizer like pelleted chicken dung can help both plants thrive successfully together.
How do I start tomatoes and strawberries companion plants?
About six weeks before the last spring frost, start your tomato and strawberry seedlings indoors. Your seeds or bulbs should be sown at a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in two starter trays filled with potting soil.
Plant strawberry plants and tomato seeds in separate trays. You can identify the trays that each plant is in by labeling them. Maintain the soil’s moisture every day, and give the seedlings 16 to 18 hours per day of grow light.
Your strawberries and tomatoes should be planted in the spring, after all chance of frost has passed, in an area outdoors that receives about 10 hours of direct sunlight daily.
8 inches of soil should be tilled with a shovel, then 2 to 3 inches of equal parts peat moss and compost should be added. To avoid stressing out your strawberry plants, start on an overcast, chilly day.
Where you intend to grow tomatoes, use a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer, and where you intend to grow strawberries, apply a 16-16-16 fertilizer.
When planting your strawberries, rake the soil to create one-foot-tall hills that are 12 inches apart from one another.
Make a trench deep enough to cover the root system and stems, down to the first set of leaves, before transplanting your tomato plants.
The roots and stem of each plant should be covered with soil before being positioned at an angle in the trench. As close to the first set of leaves as possible, press the dirt firmly around the stem.
Each plant should be spaced between 1 and 2 12 feet. To transplant your strawberry plants, make a hole in each mound.
For the roots, dig a hole that is big enough. Your strawberry plant’s root ball should come free from the seed tray.
Bury the roots all the way to the crown, fanning them out in the hole. To avoid causing harm to your plant, make sure the crown is level with the soil’s surface. Each mound should receive one strawberry plant.
To keep weeds from growing and to help the plants retain water, mulch the strawberry and tomato plants with approximately an inch of straw.
Water should be applied to the soil right away. Water your strawberries once a week with an inch of water, but water your tomatoes two or three times every week with water.
To ensure that your strawberry plants have a robust root system for the harvest the next season, pinch off the blossoms during the first growing season.
When fruit starts to appear, side-dress your tomato plants with 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound per 100 feet. Repeat the application process after three and then six weeks. Fruit should be picked every two days when it has reached its full color and is firm.
What is good to plant with strawberries?
Strawberries and onions are excellent companion plants. Many garden pests, especially slugs and snails, are deterred by their smell, which produces an unpleasant environment.
According to Kellogg Garden’s Bob Lawson: “These sour veggies make excellent strawberry companion plants.” Numerous garden pests that prey on the leaves and fruits of the strawberry plant are naturally repelled by their foul smell.
Conclusion
Tomatoes and strawberries can coexist peacefully, but they will both thrive better if they are planted with other companion plants. In addition to luring pollinating insects, these can help repel pests.
Basil and chives are two herbs that go well with tomatoes. Marigolds and other flowering plants like violas will draw bees, and borage is a favorite of the bees.
