In the garden, the close coexistence of plants cannot be avoided. But raspberries are picky and do not go well with every crop. However, some neighbors turn out to be true benefactors.
Mixed culture is useful
Raspberry plants, botanically Rubus idaeus, spend their entire lifespan in one place. They leach out the soil on one side, making it increasingly easier for diseases and pests to spread. Practical experience with these berry plants has shown that they do one with some other plants Can form beneficial mixed cultures, which alleviate the aforementioned problems or not at all can arise.
What should you watch out for when choosing a plant?
Raspberries should have neighbors who have different nutritional needs, otherwise they will become competitors. In addition, they are shallow-rooted, spreading their roots close to the surface of the earth, up to 1 m around their base. Neighbor roots should not get in the way if possible. As a forest plant, the raspberry gets along well with other forest plants, but also with some vegetables and flowering plants. The best neighbors are listed below in alphabetical order.
Good plant neighbors
French beans - (Phaseolus vulgaris var. nanus)
French beans grow low so that the long raspberry canes can develop unhindered. From May they can be sown in free spots in the raspberry patch. Not only do they quickly provide us with edible pods, they also promote the health of the raspberries. When their lifespan is over in autumn, leave the roots in the ground. They are enriched with nitrogen which, when decomposed, replenishes the soil reservoir.
peas - (Pisum sativum)
What has already been said for French beans applies to peas. However, be careful to choose low-growing pea varieties so that they do not take away light from the berry plants.
Ferns - (Pteridophyta)
With their pretty fronds, these forest dwellers are also extremely decorative in the garden. But their real benefit for the raspberries is incidental and unnoticed: They drive away the dreaded raspberry beetle. Ferns are perennial and hardy, so they are suitable as long-term companions.
- find a partially shaded place
- Plant about 50 cm away from the raspberry
garlic - (Allium sativum)
Flies, lice, beetles and mites are afraid of garlic and its essential oils. Although it is a shallow root, it remains so close to the surface of the earth that it barely touches the raspberry roots. It is also said to improve the aroma of the berries.
lily of the valley - (Convallaria majalis)
As low-growing plants, lilies of the valley are ideal for underplanting raspberries. The long rods give them the shade they want while they keep the raspberry beetle and thus its harmful worms away.
Note: Lilies of the valley are highly poisonous. They are therefore only suitable for a garden in which responsible handling of this poisonous plant is ensured at all times. If you have small children and pets, you should do without them.
Marigolds - (Calendula officinalis)
Those who have marigolds in the immediate vicinity do not have to fear mites, lice or any other parasites. Although marigolds are so abundant and beautiful in bloom, they are humble nutrient consumers.
Tip: Marigolds not only set orange accents. Its flowers are sought after in naturopathy because of their active ingredients. Some health products can also be easily made at home.
yarrow - (Achillea)
Yarrow supports the fertility of the raspberries, flowers beautifully and is also edible. These weeds are indestructible and can spread widely without our intervention. It may therefore become necessary every now and then
to shoot.violet - (Viola)
The wonderfully fragrant violets can accompany raspberries throughout their entire lifespan. Initially planted sporadically here and there, over time they weave a thick carpet. This prevents the soil from drying out too much. This has a beneficial effect on both the growth and fruiting of raspberries.
forget Me Not - (Myosotis)
The small blue flowers are popular with romantics, but not with pests such as the dreaded raspberry beetle. The weakly consuming plant is suitable as a long-term companion. If you let the dead flowers stand, they will sow themselves and cover the ground around the berry plants in no time.
Onions - (Allium cepa)
Onions effectively drive away aphids, which can threaten the fruiting of the berry plant. Although they are also heavy consumers, they seek their nutrients closer to the surface of the earth. As neighbors, however, they are only available for one year and have to move to other beds for the following four years.
Bad neighbors
Unfortunately, some of the plants most commonly grown in the home garden have proven to be bad neighbors for Raspberries proved because with their presence they wilt the spread of the dreaded Verticillium favor.
These are in particular:
- Eggplant
- Strawberries
- potatoes
- paprika
- tomatoes
Tip: The plants listed are not only unfavorable for a mixed culture. Also, avoid planting raspberry beds in places where those bad neighbors stood the year before.