Best Companion Plant For Olive Tree

The olive tree is one of the many species of plants or trees belonging to the genus Olea. It is an evergreen plant with an ancient-looking trunk that is so beautiful with its gnarled silvery leafed boughs which appear ever so graceful.

The olive tree also possesses non-fruiting species which is best suited for individuals who do not want to attract rodents into their gardens. Although there are also many other species with very delicious fruits. The olive tree has been known to reach a life span of as long as 1500 years and attaining a massive height of about 100 feet at maturity.

Another quality of the olive tee is that it is able to survive severe weather conditions such as dry conditions and it is very tolerant to drought. It also provides shade in a garden which could serve individuals for generations to come due to its long life span.

The Idea Of Companion Tree Planting

Companion planting is a type of agricultural plant cultivation in which different kinds of crops suitable to grow side by side are cultivated with the aim of managing and making the best use of the available space and providing enough nutrients, giving shade and support, control and eradication of pests, raising the productivity of the crops planted by drawing insects which are beneficial for the growth of the plants for the sake of pollination.

This concept of companion planting involves an ongoing process of cohabiting and learning with nature as well as increasing the biodiversity of our planet to support a sustainable ecosystem.

Tress used for companion planting usually have the plants they are to be accompanied with planted all around them. This arrangement ensures that the nutrients and water and shade they need or require from the tee is evenly distributed.

The plants to be planted as companions should include plants that attract pollinators such as herbs and flowers, plants insects love to be around such as yarrow and artichoke, nitrogen or nutrient accumulating plants like comfrey, ground covers like nasturtiums or sweet potato, and finally, green manure plants which legumes are an example.

Plants Best Used As Companions For Olive Tree

When olive trees have some Mediterranean shrubs as well as ground covers planted beneath them, both the olive tree and the smaller plant cultivated tend to do very well. Grass lawns would have been a great choice as well, but these need a lot of water which an olive tree can either not provide or prevent from getting to them. But that does not mean there are not ground covers that are suitable for planting alongside the olive tree. It is important to remember that when cultivating another plant beneath an olive tree, the quantity of water the smaller plant will need should be taken into consideration and how easy it will be for it to get adequate water to grow well.  Do not plant your favorite, delicate shrub that will be crushed while you are picking olives.

Some very good and recommend plants to cultivate alongside olive tree include but are not limited to:

  • Lavender
  • Thyme
  • Bunch grasses
  • Oregano and
  • Bulbs

Significance And Benefits Of Companion Planting

The benefits of planting plants side by side abound. It ranges from improving the taste and flavors of some crops to an increase in productivity and so forth. For example, based on an improvement in taste and flavor, it is well known that tomatoes taste better when planted together with basil. Apart from that, harvesting them to make a lovely salad is easy, because they are located next to each other.

Some other major benefits of companion planting include:

#1. Companion planting is a form of ancient traditional art that might seem easy but requires a lot of planning to achieve the maximum benefits. This planning is worth it because it helps in gaining a very good harvest and returns at the end of the day or planting season. Companion planting is also beneficial since it supports plant diversity that is of great significance and importance to the soil, the ecosystem, and the farmer himself. Plant diversity provides insect diversity and decreases the number of parasites in the garden.

#2. Many plants have been studied and confirmed to produce the best outcomes when planted together. For example, when tomatoes and carrots are planted together in a garden, it results in a very nutritious combination which is a very intelligent choice.

#3. Companion planting also enhances the productivity of plants and crops cultivated. It does this by assisting in pollination and control of pests by repelling bugs and mosquitoes. It also ensures that the best use of the available space is made. In recent times, many farmers who grow crops in large quantities usually opt for a monocropping type of planting system.

This method seems easier since they focus on just the nutritional and water requirements of just one plant but a lot of chemicals will be required to control pests of the crops. Meanwhile, if companion cropping is used, some crops planted alongside others might have the ability to repel such pests.

#4. In bushes and forests where plants grow as they wish, they grow mixed in every manner of varieties. This indicates that nature actually knows what it is doing best. Companion planting is nature’s way of planting crops and then several varieties are planted at a time and produce amazing results with wonderful tastes and flavors.

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