News

Jun 15, 2023

Gardener shares unexpected trick for helping your peppers grow bigger and stronger: ‘My new favorite thing’

A TikToker shows off how to easily co-plant two popular foods in your garden, and you’ll not only keep weeds away but have two key ingredients for loads of delicious plant-based recipes. In the video,

A TikToker shows off how to easily co-plant two popular foods in your garden, and you’ll not only keep weeds away but have two key ingredients for loads of delicious plant-based recipes.

In the video, TikToker Planted in the Garden (@plantedinthegarden) shows off an easy trick for companion planting. “Whenever you’re transplanting peppers in seedling pots,” the TikToker says, “sprinkle a couple of seeds of carrots in the same container.”

The user says they planted just two to four carrot seeds in an 8-gallon grow bag along with their pepper plants.

Carrots are a great companion plant to peppers, the TikToker says, because they “help to control weeds, it acts like a living mulch, and will improve the growth of your peppers.”Plus, why not grow two delicious, healthy foods instead of one? Carrots and peppers work well in dishes, including stir-fry, soup, salad, or just roasted for a simple veggie dish.Companion planting is an age-old practice that helps make the best use of your garden space while also helping to reduce pests and weeds — and it can reduce the need for some garden inputs like fertilizers.Planting basil and alyssum alongside your tomatoes, for example, helps keep pests from ruining your precious juicy heirlooms — and, bonus, it makes for a delicious Caprese salad.The “three sisters” is another popular companion planting combo and easily one of the tastiest, too: Beans, corn, and squash love growing together.

“Living mulch is my new favorite thing,” writes one TikToker.

“That’s so interesting,” one user writes. “I’ll have to try that next year.”

Another user notes that they grew arugula in the shade of their peppers. “[A]nd they did so well together it made me want to try other crops, too,” they write.

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