Companion planting involves organizing plants so they can support each other’s growth and health in the garden. When you utilize these types of beneficial relationships, organic gardening becomes much easier.
Here’s a list of plants that make great garden companions for bush beans.
1. Celery
Celery can be used to protect bush and pole beans from bean beetles. In return, the bean plants increase the nitrogen in the soil, providing a boost of nutrients to heavy-feeding celery.
In addition, celery’s scent repels whiteflies, which can feed on bean plants and cause yellowing and leaf distortion.
2. Cucumber
Cucumber plants promote rapid bean pod development. Cucumbers are also heavy feeders that benefit from the nitrogen bush beans produce.
Cucumbers don’t grow tall enough to provide shade to other plants, so consider planting them near bush beans. Certain cucumber plants grow vines that eventually provide shade for your bush bean plant.
3. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums repel bean beetles that feed on bush beans. Their flowers are also very effective at attracting pollinating insects and small birds. Nasturtiums can withstand partial shade, so they can easily grow under bush bean plants.
Nasturtium roots expand outward, helping to suppress weeds and prevent soil erosion. They also act as a living mulch, which helps retain moisture in the area.
4. Radish
Radish plants encourage rapid bean pod production, and bean plants increase the amount of nitrogen in the soil that radish plants need to grow. Radishes also attract beneficial insects and repel those that would normally infest and destroy bean plants.
Bush beans also provide shade for growing radishes, which grow quickly and don’t take up much space.
5. Savory
Summer savory is frequently prepared in the kitchen with green beans and is one of the best bush bean companion plants. Grow it near the base of the bean plant, but not so close that it becomes shaded.
This perennial plant promotes bean pod production, and it also helps enhance the beans’ flavor, while deterring pests like Mexican bean beetles.
6. Strawberries
Strawberry plants and bush beans have similar soil requirements. For this reason, they make the perfect companion plants.
In addition, bush bean plants convert nitrogen from the air into fertilizer that strawberry plants can tap into through the soil.
The low-growing and spreading habit of strawberries make them ideal as groundcover plants and weed-suppressors under bush bean plants.
7. Potatoes
Bush beans grow well when planted alongside potatoes. The bean plants will shade the soil and keep it moist as potato plants reach the end of their growing season.
Potatoes also benefit from the nitrogen bush bean plants add to the soil, so you are likely to produce larger and better-tasting potatoes when they’re grown near bean plants.