Gardening can be a wonderful and fulfilling activity for older adults in retirement homes “near me.” It provides plenty of benefits. It’s an enjoyable way to keep physically active. You get to hone your motor skills. Additionally, being surrounded by plants and greenery reduces stress levels and helps you relax.
However, it’s all fun and relaxing until you see a lot of browning, discoloration, and even pests on your plants. It can be difficult to figure out what’s causing these issues. One factor that may not be the first to cross your mind is plant competition.
Building Harmony in your Garden
Did you know that, just like animals, plants can also compete with each other? They can compete for various resources like space, water, nutrients, and more. When planning out your garden, it’s important to think about which plants you want to put right next to each other.
Plants can thrive better when teamed up properly with the right companion. Companion planting is when plants can benefit one another when planted together or near each other.
Building a garden in your retirement residence this summer? Here are some winning plant combinations to remember for a more harmonious garden.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes and basil don’t just go together in pizza and pasta. Basil helps tomatoes increase their yield and repels flies and mosquitos. It’s best to plant them 10 inches from each other.
Tomatoes are also best planted with carrots, cucumbers, and lettuce.
Cucumbers
When planting cucumbers, it’s good to have marigolds and nasturtiums nearby. These plants help repel aphids and beetles. Other excellent companion plants for cucumbers include celery, dill, and peas.
Lettuce
Lettuce is prone to slugs and aphids that feed on the leaves and deep inside the plant. To prevent this from happening, it’s best to plant mint or chives among your lettuce crops. Marigold is another effective companion plant as it attracts ladybugs that eat aphids.
Roses and Geraniums
Roses are prone to diseases and are eaten by aphids and other beetles. When geraniums are nearby, their smell helps keep pests away from roses.
Tulips and Hyacinths
Both spring-blooming flowers go great together. Hyacinths attract many pollinating insects which are great for tulips to bloom. Both also prefer neutral, dry soil. Moreover, they complement each other aesthetically. Mixed with tulips, hyacinths provide more texture to your garden.
Marigolds
These are one of the plants that can be paired with almost any other plant. Marigolds have no known foes. Other plants can also greatly benefit from marigolds. This is because it’s said that their roots repel root-attacking nematodes. They can be combined with both flowers and vegetables.
Affordable Retirement Communities in Ontario
Searching for the right retirement home near you? Livita Retirement Residences offers premium facilities and services for active seniors. However, we are more than a place for you to live, we’re a thriving community.
We offer various programs that keep our residents active and engaged. Whether you’re into gardening, arts, culture, volunteering, or more, we always have meaningful activities for you.
Join our community today! Contact us to learn more or book a tour of our various locations.
