Mixed potato cultivation: good neighbors for planting

Potatoes can be combined with various plants in the bed. We give tips on mixed culture, good neighbors and crop rotation after potatoes.

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is grown in more and more gardens for self-sufficiency. One Mixed culture with other vegetables and herbs imitates a natural, species-rich cultivation and has significant advantages for gardeners and nature compared to a monoculture in the bed. This often increases the yield and prevents harmful organisms. Below are tips for creating a mixed culture with potatoes and good neighbors. We also explain the benefits of crop rotation and which crops can be grown after potatoes.

Mixed culture in potatoes: is mixed culture worthwhile?

Mixed potato cultivation has a number of advantages. The combination of the nutrient-hungry potatoes with more frugal species protects the soil and prevents soil fatigue. Some cultures even hold up

Potato pests shade the ground and thus reduce evaporation. The soil structure and microorganisms also benefit from natural, diverse planting. In the long term, the fertility of the soil is preserved and in some cases even increased.

Good neighbors for potatoes

At a glance: which plants go well with potatoes?

• Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
• cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)
• broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
• Broad beans (Vicia faba)
• Strawberries (Fragaria)
• Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus)
• garlic (Allium sativum)
• Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)
• Corn (Zea mays): Sugar, grill or Popcorn corn
• mint (Mentha)
• spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
• savoy (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. sabauda)
• onion (Allium cepa)

In general, the high-eating potatoes should be combined with vegetables that have a lower nutritional requirement in order not to leach out the soil. In a mixed culture, as many different plant families as possible should be placed next to each other. Close relatives run the risk of spreading diseases quickly and compete for the same nutrients. You should therefore not use the nightshade family (Solanaceae), and thus neither aubergines (Solanum melongena) nor paprika (Capsicum annuum) or tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) next to potatoes. Also zucchini (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo convar. giromontiina) do not go well with potatoes as they have a similarly high nutritional requirement. Potatoes should also not be planted together with root vegetables, as they dispute each other's underground space.

Flat-rooted vegetables such as spinach or strawberries are the best choice here. This is a good way to plant potatoes and beans together, as the latter also develop flat roots. A special combination is the planting of a bed in Mixed culture of potato, pumpkin (Cucurbita), Beans and corn. All of these cultures come from South America and have been planted in this combination of deep-rooted, steeply upright, climbing and climbing plants for thousands of years. The beans climb up the maize plants, while the pumpkin plants the space between the plants and the potatoes predominantly thrive underground. Types of cabbage (Brassica) also get along well with the tuber-forming plants. If you plant potatoes and garlic together you can Voles (Arvicolinae) hold off. Peppermint and nasturtiums are said to be deterrents Snails (Gastropoda) and various insects, as well as the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa ​​decemlineata), works.

Crop rotation in potatoes: what to plant after potatoes

Potatoes are good preliminary crops themselves, which means they prepare the ground for other species. The potato is particularly important as a previous crop on heavy soils, as its large root system loosens the soil. Potatoes are followed by medium-eating root vegetables, such as carrot (Daucus carota), parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), Salsify (Scorzonera hispanica) as Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and Turnips (Brassica napus subsp. rapifera). In the following year, low-eating leafy vegetables like Salads, radish (Raphanus sativus), peas (Pisum sativum) or planted spinach. The following year, i.e. the third year after the potato, is used to build up humus. One Green manure serves to replenish organic matter for soil organisms, at the same time provides food for insects and covers the soil. This prevents dehydration and erosion. Oil radish (Raphanus sativus), mustard (Sinapis alba), Bee friend (Phacelia tanacetifolia) and cress (Lepidium sativum) are just a few of the many possible green manure plants.

Once a suitable area has been found in the garden for growing potatoes, next year at the latest the question arises: Can potatoes always be planted in the same place? Potatoes are basically self-tolerating, so they can theoretically be grown according to themselves. However, some potato diseases are soil-borne, which means that they sometimes survive in the soil for many years and can infect the plants again and again from there. Potatoes and their close relatives should therefore only be planted in the same area every 4 to 5 years.

Would you also like to be successful Growing potatoes? We give 10 useful tips on everything from choosing a site to planting, caring for and harvesting and storing the nutritious tubers.