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Spinach Companion Planting
Spinacia oleracea
Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) -- cool season
2 beneficial companions
0 antagonistic relationships
Good Companions for Spinach
Fava BeanVicia faba
BeneficialNutrient SharingSupported
Fava beans fix substantial nitrogen (up to 200 kg/ha in favorable conditions). Interplanting with spinach provides N-rich soil environment for the leafy crop. Both are cold-tolerant, enabling early-season intercropping.
Plant favas in fall or very early spring. Sow spinach between fava rows.
Sources
- Nitrogen fixation and transfer in intercrop systems with faba bean -- Field Crops Research (2010)
LettuceLactuca sativa
BeneficialPhysical SupportSupported
Both are cool-season leafy greens with compatible growth rates and shallow root systems. Interplanting maximizes bed productivity during the cool-season growing window.
Mix lettuce and spinach in the same bed for diverse harvest. Both tolerate light frost.
Sources
- Season extension and intensive cropping strategies for small-scale growers -- HortTechnology (2012)