3. Brassica and Allium Companion Planting
Companion planting is a time-tested organic gardening technique that is particularly effective in small spaces. By pairing mutually beneficial plants together in a single raised bed, you can deter pests, maximize space, and improve overall crop yields. For the fall season, combining brassicas (such as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts) with alliums (like garlic, onions, and shallots) creates a highly efficient and self-protective ecosystem that fits beautifully into a compact backyard layout.
Brassicas are heavy feeders that require rich, fertile soil, which is easy to maintain within the controlled confines of a raised bed. However, they are often targeted by pests like cabbage moths and aphids. Alliums, with their strong, pungent scent, act as natural deterrents, masking the smell of the brassicas and keeping destructive insects at bay. Plant your garlic cloves and onion sets around the perimeter of the bed, and place your structural broccoli or cabbage starts in the center. As an added bonus, garlic planted in the fall will overwinter in the bed and be ready for harvest the following summer, making this a highly efficient use of limited garden real estate.