With the right neighbors, you can ensure healthy pumpkin plants and a high-yield harvest. So that you can create a mixed culture productively, 15 good neighbors are introduced to you in this article.
5 good vegetable neighbors
amaranth(Amaranthus caudatus)
- Effects: Protection against pests, possible climbing aid, protects the soil from drying out
- Growth height: up to 150 cm
- Required space: 30 cm
- Light requirement: full sun to partial shade
- Location and soil: sheltered from the wind, deep, loose, nutrient-rich, permeable
- Harvest time: leaves throughout the season (leafy vegetables), September to mid-October (seeds)
- Central Eater
Kidney bean(Phaseolus vulgaris)
- Effect: improves soil quality, supplies nitrogen
- Growth height: runner beans 200 to 400 cm, French beans up to 60 cm
- Required space: 20 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: warm, sheltered from the wind, humic, deep, loose
- Harvest time: around 10 weeks after planting
- Low to medium consumers
garlic(Allium sativum)
- Effect: protects against pests
- Height: 50 cm to 100 cm
- Required space: 15 cm to 20 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: warm, sheltered from the wind, loose, humic, permeable
- Harvest time: from July
- Central Eater
Corn(Zea mays)
- Effect: suitable as a climbing aid, improves soil quality
- Growth height: 60 cm to 600 cm (depending on the variety), usually 150 cm to 250 cm
- Required space: 30 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: deep, loose, nutrient-rich, permeable
- Harvest time: August to mid-October
- Heavy Eater
Radishes(Raphanus)
- Effect: protects against pests and weeds
- Height: depending on the species
- Required space: 20 cm to 25 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: moist, deep, loose, humic, well-drained, loamy
- Harvest time: 8 to 15 weeks after sowing (depending on the species)
- Low or medium-consumption consumers (depending on the species)
- Radishes are also one of them
Note: Pumpkins, along with corn and haricot beans, are part of the Milpa Mayan farming system. Known as "Three Sisters", the species together have an ideal effect on mutual growth.
5 ideal herbal neighbors
lavender(Lavandula)
- Effect: attracts pollinator insects
- Height: 30 cm to 100 cm
- Required space: 30 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: warm, poor in nutrients, permeable
- Harvest time: July to August
- Weak eaters
marjoram(Origanum majorana)
- Effect: improves pumpkin taste,
- Height: 50 cm to 100 cm
- Required space: 20 cm to 30 cm
- Light requirement: full sun
- Location and soil: humus, loose, nutrient-rich, well-drained
- Harvest time: summer to autumn
- Weak eaters
oregano(Origanum vulgare)
- Effect: improves health, protects against pests
- Height: 15 cm to 50 cm
- Required space: 20 cm to 30 cm
- Light requirement: sunny to partially shaded
- Location and soil: warm, calcareous, sandy, poor in nutrients, well-drained
- Harvest time: May to the end of the season
- Weak eaters
peppermint(Mentha piperita)
- Effect: protects against pests
- Growth height: up to 100 cm
- Required space: 30 cm
- Light requirement: light shade to partial shade
- Location and soil: humic, loamy, sandy, nutrient-rich, well-drained, fresh and moist
- Harvest time: mid-May to early October
- Central Eater
hyssop(Hyssopus)
- Effect: attracts pollinator insects and beneficial organisms, protects against pests
- Growth height: 20 cm to 80 cm
- Required space: 30 cm to 40 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: sheltered from the wind, permeable, calcareous, dry
- Harvest time: June to August
- Central Eater
Tip: The tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is also a good neighbor. The worm herb works effectively on numerous lice and even repels mosquitoes and other stinging insects.
5 decorative flower neighbors
Camomiles(Matricaria)
- Effect: improve soil quality, absorb lime from the soil, attract pollinator insects
- Height: 50 cm to 60 cm
- Required space: 15 cm to 30 cm
- Light requirement: sunny to partially shaded
- Location and soil: deep, dry, undemanding
- Flowers can be used (e.g. for tea)
- Weak eaters
Nasturtiums(Tropaeolum)
- Effect: protects against pests, attracts pollinator insects
- Growth height: 20 cm (without tendrils), up to 300 cm (tendrils)
- Space requirement: depending on growth habit
- Light requirements: sunny (preferred), tolerates shade
- Location and soil: protected, loamy, sandy, moderately humic
- Leaves, flowers and seeds usable and edible
- Weak eaters
Marigold(Calendula officinalis)
- Effect: promotes growth, improves pumpkin taste
- Height: 30 cm to 80 cm
- Required space: 15 cm
- Light requirement: sunny
- Location and soil: moderately moist, rich in nutrients, rich in lime, sandy, loose
- Harvest time: leaves throughout the season (leafy vegetables), June to mid-October (flowers)
- Weak eaters
Sunflower(Helianthus annuus)
- Effect: climbing aid, attracts pollinator insects
- Height: 150 cm to 300 cm
- Required space: 50 cm
- Light requirement: full sun
- Location and soil: nutrient-rich, moderately heavy, moist, nutrient-rich
- Harvest time: from mid-September, about a week after the flowers have wilted
- Heavy Eater
Marigold(Tagetes)
- Effect: protects against pests and parasites, improves soil quality, protects against weeds
- Height: 20 cm to 110 cm (depending on the species)
- Required space: 15 cm to 30 cm (depending on the type)
- Light requirement: sunny to partially shaded
- Location and soil: sandy, loose, loamy, humic
- Harvest time: leaves throughout the season (leafy vegetables), flowers (June to mid-October), seeds after flowering time
- Weak eaters
Note: Bad pumpkin neighbors include dill, cucumber, zucchinis and potatoes. They have a negative effect on root growth and the vitality of the pumpkin plants.
