What Is Companion Planting?

One of the most effective methods that is used in organic gardening is companion planting. It is a great way to eliminate pests without the use of harmful chemicals that can actually kill off  beneficial insects.
 When you strategically plant your vegetables next to each other, they act as a natural pest control.  In the following video, they discuss some effective methods of companion planting that you can incorporate into your veggie garden.

If you know what you want to plant in your garden, then you can find out what companion plants work best for those types of plants and then plan accordingly. Furthermore, it is good for the environment and for your health. You will not harvest veggies that have any harmful chemical residues. In the following article titled "An In-Depth Companion Planting Guide", they discuss some basic companion planting that you can use:

Basil

Plant near: most garden crops
Keep away from: rue
Comments: improves the flavor and growth of garden crops, especially tomatoes and lettuce. Repels mosquitoes.

Carrots

Plant near: cabbage, chives, early potatoes, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, rosemary, sage, salsify, wormwood.
Keep away from:
Comments: onions, leeks, and wormwood repel carrot flies

Lettuce

Plant near: beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, strawberries
Keep away from: cabbage family
Comments: lettuce tenderizes summer radishes.

Marigolds

Plant near: all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments: stimulates vegetable growth and deters bean beetles, aphids, potato bugs, squash bugs, nematodes, and maggots.

Having a plan before you plant your veggies is a good first start. By using companion planting guides and knowledge, your garden will be more earth-conscious and you will save money. Furthermore, your garden will thrive ore because you will not be killing off beneficial insects that your garden needs. Insecticide is not capable of differentiating between good and bad insects and so usually it is just a toxic methods that eliminates all pests.