Even in a small garden plot you can grow a varied crop of vegetables and fruits if you place all the crops correctly. The correct proximity of plants can either help in achieving the goal or hinder it. Let's see what can be planted next to the bell pepper.
Culture with character
This is a heat-loving and whimsical plant. The achievements of modern selection make it possible to grow it in the conditions of the Urals and Siberia in open ground, but more often in these regions sweet peppers are planted in a greenhouse.
The soil for growing peppers should be loose and fertile and retain moisture well.Fertilizing is carried out six times per season with organic and mineral fertilizers. Frequent watering, but without stagnation of water, allows the bush to form correctly.
Most often it is necessary to sow seedlings in boxes, since the growing season is long. After the onset of warm weather, the seedlings are planted in the garden. If frost is still possible, it is covered with film or special non-woven material. Even in the summer months, you don't have to remove the shelter if the weather is below 25 degrees. In such cases, it is preferable to choose self-pollinating varieties, which will produce an ovary even under the film.
It is important to ensure that there is enough fresh air and that the bushes are not infected with blackleg - the most dangerous disease for this crop.
The plant, especially in the first months, is fragile, so support is desirable. To obtain a larger number of shoots, the top of the bush is pruned at a height of twenty-five centimeters. Harvesting takes place 80–90 days after germination.
Growing in open ground
What does bell pepper live with in open ground? With many crops that have phytoncidal properties and a specific odor:
- onions;
- marigolds;
- tansy;
- coriander;
- catnip;
- spinach;
- nasturtium.
This juxtaposition can be used in so-called mixed beds: when several plants are planted on a small plot of land (bed) and processed together. In this case, the bell pepper is planted at a distance of slightly more than 40 centimeters between the bushes, and other plants are planted in the same bed with it, between the rows.
The combination of pepper and the described plants helps protect the capricious crop from pests, since the substances secreted by marigolds or coriander repel insects, and phytoncides prevent dangerous bacteria from developing in the soil.
In this regard, it is useful to use herbs:
- marjoram;
- basil;
- dill;
- thyme;
- lovage
They exhibit a similar effect, without interfering with the pepper growing and bearing fruit. At the same time, a plant such as okra will protect fragile bushes from the wind and serve as a support. It is better to plant it along the edge of the garden bed.
Based on the similarity of care, seedlings of carrots, eggplants and zucchini are good neighbors for peppers. For carrots, this is considered one of the best options in the garden. They work well with each other, reducing the gardener’s labor costs and making the work easier. Carrot seedlings repel many pests.
What ornamental plants can it be planted with for a good harvest? It is enough to sow nettles and chamomile in the garden. They will speed up the ripening process and allow the pepper to develop better. Dandelion also has a similar effect, however, when combining these plants, it is important to carry out weeding on time, otherwise the garden will become overgrown with weeds, and its owner will be left without a harvest. Of the weeds, it is enough to grow several specimens along the edges of the bed.
Sweet can be planted next to tomatoes and cabbage - such a neighborhood, although not particularly beneficial, is quite acceptable and does not harm any of the plants. However, you should be careful that tomato diseases do not spread to the Bulgarian bush, since both crops belong to the nightshade family.
Cabbage can be tricky because it consumes a lot of moisture and some varieties produce a wide head surrounded by large cabbage leaves.As a result, cabbage takes up a lot of space, which is unprofitable if grown together. Although compact sweet pepper bushes can fit comfortably in the space between cabbage plants.
When determining what else to plant next to the pepper, it is easy to focus on green crops that can be combined with many plants. These are chard, spinach, lettuce. They can be planted next to peppers to save space. They will not take up much space in the garden bed, require good watering and will shade the soil, preventing it from cracking during the dry period.
Unlucky neighbors
When finding out who the plant is friends with, it is important to identify its “enemies”, with whom compatibility is negative, which will not only reduce the yield, but can also lead to the death of the plants. All the gardener’s efforts will be in vain.
Among the plants that peppers should not be planted next to is fennel. It is very aggressive, and the aromatic substances it releases can destroy the plantings of many crops, including sweet peppers.
The beet seedlings will be the first to take their “place in the sun”, taking not only most of the light, but also nutrients - such a proximity is unfavorable for both plants, but the pepper will be the first to lose.
Among the varieties of cabbage, there are species that are incompatible with pepper - kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts, which compete for nutrients.
It is unacceptable to plant sweet peppers next to hot ones. This will lead to cross-pollination of plants, as a result, sweet varieties will become bitter, the fruits will decrease, and the seeds obtained in the future will produce a new variety with sharp, bitter fruits - something between sweet and hot peppers.It is better if these varieties are located at a considerable distance from each other, preventing the combination of pollen.
It is not recommended to plant it next to potato plantings. These plants suffer from similar diseases, so their compatibility can lead to the rapid spread of diseases. In addition, the bushes formed by potatoes take up a lot of space, limiting the space for peppers.
Unfavorable neighbors for bell peppers are beans and peas. Although these crops enrich the soil with nitrogen and loosen it, when planted next to pepper, they suppress it. In addition, the peas are looking for support on which they could twine, and the seedlings standing nearby are well suited for this. As a result, the pepper may simply break or be “smothered” by the legume crop.
Let's look into the greenhouse
Growing in a greenhouse requires a separate approach. Since there is little space in such rooms, and the spread of infections occurs faster, the selection of plants must be done more carefully.
When deciding what to plant with, gardeners consider two things: making the most of the space and preventing the development of diseases.
Let's see what is worth planting next to the bell pepper. Planting peppers next to onions is also acceptable in a greenhouse; you can find a place nearby for seedlings of zucchini, carrots, white cabbage or cauliflower. The latter type is preferable because it takes up less space.
Any herbs will only improve the yield of peppers - they are compatible with many crops and are generally recommended for planting indoors. An important condition here is the ability to repel many insects and other pests, in particular aphids, whiteflies and powdery mildew.
The question of whether it is possible to plant similar crops next to each other, such as eggplants and tomatoes, is controversial. Since plants suffer from the same diseases, they can easily transmit them to each other, which in a limited space, especially with poor ventilation, threatens complete loss of the crop. It is necessary to use this combination with great caution and do not forget about regular treatment of plants and soil. You can try varieties that are more resistant to pests.
Nasturtium and chamomile, planted nearby, will have a beneficial effect on the main crop, increasing its productivity.
It is not recommended to plant peppers in a greenhouse next to cucumbers, since they have different requirements for growing conditions. Cucumbers need a high level of humidity, and the Bulgarian culture prefers dry and warm air; when combined, infections can develop.
Fennel and dill are not greenhouse plants and should not be planted next to pepper. The effect of fennel has already been described, and dill spreads so actively that it can interfere with other plants, in addition, its tall peduncles and large umbrellas prevent the pepper from receiving a sufficient amount of light. Dill can also become a source of carrot flies, which settle in its roots and are dangerous, first of all, for carrots, and its umbrellas become a refuge for aphids - dangerous for peppers.
Plant beets and some cabbage varieties It is also dangerous near pepper - this significantly reduces the yield of the crop.
Peas planted next to peppers, like beans and other legumes, are also very dangerous, so it is not recommended to plant legumes in greenhouses.
Thus, when deciding what can be planted next to pepper, you need to start from the compatibility of the crops and their influence on each other.Sometimes the list of things you can plant peppers with may seem strange, but more often this is proven data. You can get some information from your own experience and create your own list of combined plants.
