Mixed planting and which plants are suitable for mixed planting
Mixed planting, also known as polyculture, intercropping, or co-planting, is a type of agriculture that involves growing two or more plants in the same field at the same time, and crossing crops to make them grow together. In general, the theory believes that growing multiple crops at the same time can save space, because crops in the same field may mature in different seasons and provide rich environmental benefits.
The benefits of recording mixed planting include balancing the input and output of soil nutrients, suppressing weeds and pests, resisting extreme climates (wet, dry, hot, and cold), suppressing plant diseases, increasing overall productivity, and maximizing management of scarce resources (land ).
Mixed planting in prehistoric times
The use of a single crop to grow large fields is called single agriculture, which is the most recent invention of the industrial-agricultural complex. Most past farmland systems involved some form of mixed planting, although clear archaeological evidence for this is difficult to achieve. Even if botanical evidence of plant residues (such as starch or plant matter) of multiple crops is found in ancient fields, it is difficult to distinguish the results of mixed crops and crops in rotation.
Both of these methods are believed to have been used in the past.
The main reason for more planting in prehistoric times may be related to the needs of farmers' families, rather than thinking that mixed planting is a good idea. As a result of the domestication process, certain plants may adapt to multiple crops over time.
Classic Mixed Planting:
Three Sisters
A typical example of mixed planting is the "three sisters" in the United States: corn, beans and gourds (pumpkins and squash).
These three sisters were domesticated at different times, but were eventually combined to form an important part of Native American agriculture and cuisine. The mixed planting history of these three sisters was recorded in the northeastern United States by the Seneca and Iroquois tribes, and may have begun sometime after AD 1000. As they grow, corn provides a stalk that beans can climb on, beans are rich in nutrients to offset the beans that corn takes away, and pumpkins grow to the ground to keep weeds down and prevent water evaporation In hot soil.
Modern mixed planting
Agronomists who study mixed crops have different results on whether the differences in mixed monocropping crop yields have an effect. For example, a combination of wheat and chickpeas may be suitable for one part of the world, but it may not be suitable for another part of the world. But in general, when the right combination of crops appears together, it will produce significantly good results.
Mixed planting is most suitable for small-scale agriculture that is picked by hand. It has been used to improve the income and food production of smallholders and reduce the possibility of crop failure-even if one of the crops fails, the same plot may still produce success for other crops.
Advantage
There is no doubt that this approach provides a rich biodiversity environment that fosters habitat and species richness for animals and insects such as butterflies and bees. Some evidence suggests that, compared to a single cultural field in some cases, a multicultural field does produce higher yields and almost always increases biomass abundance over time. Polyculture of forests, wastelands, grasslands and swamps is particularly important for the reproduction of European biodiversity.
A recent study (Pech-Hoil and colleagues) studied the American tropical perennial herb (Bixa orellana). This fast-growing tree species has a high carotenoid content and is used in small-scale farming cultures in Mexico. Use food dyes and spices. The experiment studied the growth in different agronomic systems-intercropping and polyculture, backyard planting, including poultry farming, as well as multi-plant and single-species cultivation. Achiote adjusts its mating system according to the type of system it grows, especially the amount of outcrossing seen. Further research is needed to determine the power at work.
Do you know the mutual growth and mutual restraint between various plants?
A reasonable and clever combination of planting vegetables can not only make better use of the land and prevent pests and diseases, but also can often get unexpected harvests.
However, if they are not properly matched, the opposite effect will be obtained. For example, when roses and luteolin are planted together, the roses will crowd out the luteolin, causing it to die slowly; and before dying, the luteolin will emit a chemical substance, which will poison the rose. Died, and finally both died together.
However, plants do not only squeeze and kill each other, many plants can also love and help each other. For example, American Indian ancestors planted beans, squash and corn together for generations, because beans can use rhizobia to increase nitrogen fertilizer in the soil, pumpkins can provide good coverage for corn, and corn can provide support for vine beans .
For another example, marigold can emit a chemical substance that kills nematodes, so it is a good companion for vegetables such as tomatoes and green peppers that are easily attacked by nematodes. The sweet little flowers of dill can attract parasitic wasps, and parasitic wasps are natural enemies of cabbage worms, aphids, and beetles, so dill is a good friend of cabbage, cabbage, and cucumber.
In addition, onions cannot be planted with beans, but they are good partners with carrots. Tomatoes and potatoes should not be planted together, because they are easy to spread diseases.
Understanding the friendship and love and hatred between plants can enable us to know which vegetables and plants in the garden are better to grow together, and which ones should not be grown together. In addition, understanding the friendship and love and hatred between plants is also a very interesting thing in itself, don't you think?
Common Vegetable Companion Table
Vegetable name
good accompany
Bad partner
asparagus
Tomatoes, coriander
Nasturtium, basil, petunia
Onions, garlic, potatoes
Dwarf beans
Potatoes, cucumbers, corn, strawberries, carrots, celery, beets, chard, cauliflower, kale, turnips, eggplant, parsnips, lettuce, sunflower, other beans
Summer savory, tansy, marigold, rosemary
Allium family, kohlrabi, fennel, basil
Trailing beans
Corn, turnip, cauliflower, cucumber, carrot, chard, eggplant, lettuce, other beans, potatoes, strawberries
Summer savory, tansy, marigold, rosemary
Allium family, beet, kohlrabi, sunflower, cabbage
Basil, fennel
pea
Carrots, turnips, white radishes, cucumbers, corn, celery, chicory, other beans, eggplant, coriander, spinach, strawberries, green peppers
Summer savory, marigold, petunia, rosemary
Alliaceae, potatoes
gladiolus
spinach
These are the varieties of plants which are suitable for mixed planting.
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