Homegrown tomatoes and peppers simply taste better than their supermarket counterparts. Since both vegetables thrive in this country, the question arises as to whether they get along well in the immediate vicinity.
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mixed culture
A certain variety in the vegetable garden not only brings variety to the menu, but also increases harvest yields if cared for properly. However, this assumes that you plant vegetables (and herbs) in the right composition. Because in the mixed culture , care is taken to ensure that only those types of vegetables are planted next to each other that do not negatively affect each other.
Which vegetables get along or not is commonly described as “good” or “bad” neighbors. In general, a “good neighbor” has at least one of the following two characteristics:
- defense against pests
- different levels of nutritional needs
Thus, heavy feeders are alternately combined with medium and light feeders so as not to tire the soil. Theoretically, it is possible to plant weak eaters next to each other, but this is not usually practiced, as the garden bed would then not be used optimally.
Plant tomatoes and peppers together?
Planting tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and peppers (Capsicum) together is judged differently. However, according to the concept of mixed culture, you should not plant the two vegetables next to each other. In addition, there are other arguments that speak against a neighborhood .
Same plant family
A basic rule says that vegetables from the same plant family are bad neighbors. Since tomatoes and peppers belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), they do not get along.
nutrient competition
As heavy consumers, tomatoes and peppers have high nutritional requirements. In addition, because of their kinship, they compete for the same nutrients. Therefore, the following developments can occur:
- take care of both types of vegetables
- only one vegetable thrives
In contrast, the proponents of a neighborhood argue that the nutrient competition can be balanced by regular (organic) fertilizer application.
diseases and pests
The relationship of the two vegetables is also problematic in terms of diseases and pests:
- attract the same pathogens and animal pests
- Infestation or disease spreads rapidly to both crops
Similar to the need for nutrients, the arguments of the proponents are aimed at care and cultivation. These should reduce the risk of diseases and pests with greater effort.
space requirement
Tomato and pepper plants have in common that they need a lot of space for optimal development:
- large distance between the rows of the two cultures necessary
- leads to the loss of cultivable area in the bed
If you do not have the two types of vegetables next to each other, you save space. You can use this for a good neighbor, such as basil for tomato plants.
warmth
Since both nightshade plants love warmth, they fit together in the bed from this point of view. Supporters of “good neighbors” argue that the taller tomato plants warm the shorter pepper plants. However, it can only be certain tomato varieties, probably stick tomatoes. In the case of bush or vine tomatoes, this is difficult to imagine due to their height.
frequently asked Questions
Yes. Place the tomato plants at the edge of the raised bed. The plants then climb downwards and you save space. For reasons of space, you should choose a compact variety for growing peppers and plant them in the middle of the raised bed. This planting also has the advantage that the two vegetables do not grow directly next to each other.
In the tub culture, you should separate the two vegetables, as the supply of nutrients is limited. If you place the tubs next to each other, you should make sure that diseases cannot be transmitted and pests cannot migrate from one plant to the next.
