The Common Veggie You Should Plant Near Your Peach Tree For A Thriving Garden

Growing flourishing peach trees with consistency and patience is well worth the juicy fruit rewards. Depending on your area and climate, peach trees can grow easily without risk of frost, pests, or disease. But in areas with shorter growing seasons and varying weather, it can be difficult for your peach tree to live its best life. When it comes to pests and disease, you can certainly treat your peach tree with pesticides and fungicides, but sometimes it's better to fight nature with nature. One plant performs exceedingly well next to fruit trees and is actually a companion plant for peach trees. Given garlic's pungent, repellent odor and natural fungicide qualities, it's no wonder your peach tree would benefit from growing nearby.

Garlic is an ally to many plants and trees in your garden. It can enhance the soil by improving the absorption rate of nutrients for adjacent plants. This is beneficial for your peach tree as its roots are near the surface of the ground. Another affliction garlic aids in is warding off aphids, spider mites, and peachtree borers (Synanthedon exitiosa). Peachtree borers are one of the most detrimental pests to your stone fruit trees as their grubs feast on the living tissue of the tree that transports its water and nutrients, sometimes killing young or weakened trees. Thankfully, most of these destructive bugs don't like the smell of garlic and will often avoid any plants within its odorous range. Garlic also releases a sulfuric compound into the ground which can prevent fungal diseases and leaf curls which can wreak havoc on your peach trees.

Fall is the perfect season to plant garlic, but you can also plant it around your peach tree in the early spring, too. The best place to get garlic that grows in your area is a local nursery. They will often carry varieties that are ideal for your climate. To plant the garlic around your peach tree, separate the individual cloves from the garlic bulb. For a smaller tree, you only need to plant around 3 to 5 garlic cloves, leaving on the papery peel. Carefully dig a hole 6 to 12 inches away from the peach tree just a couple inches deep, and place your garlic clove in the hole with the pointy side up and the flat root side down. Cover it with dirt and continue planting your garlic cloves, evenly spacing them around the peach tree. Continue caring for the garlic growing around your peach tree until it's time to harvest in mid-summer.

Along with garlic, there are several other companions that will help your peach tree and garden thrive. These plants include asparagus, chives, clover, geraniums, lavender, nasturtiums, and mint which attract beneficial insects that pollinate flowers and eat pests that can damage your tree. Other plants like comfrey, clover, peas, and strawberries help keep the soil moist around the tree and may supply additional nutrients. Garlic is one plant with a powerful impact on the veggies and trees it grows around, and growing it along with a combination of plants can greatly benefit your peach tree.