Plants don’t need companions. They need communities.

I know the internet abounds in cute “companion planting” charts showing which plants you should pair with other plants. But you might as well plant by the phase of the moon.

There’s simply no real evidence that carrots have a lasting love for tomatoes, or that garlic knows some special way to make your roses happier. Marigolds might help control a soil pest like nematodes if grown alone, but they’re not likely to control anything if grown as companions to tomatoes or other nematode-susceptible plants.