What is companion cropping?

Companion cropping is the farming practice of growing two or more crop species together in the same field, with the companion crops being planted to help the main cash crop succeed. Companion cropping can be used to maximise land use efficiency, enhance biodiversity, help retain nutrients, improve soil health, and reduce pest and disease pressures.

Who is supporting farmers to establish companion crops?

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is offering farmers £55 per hectare per year for implementing companion crops through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). Eligible areas for these SFI payments include arable land, temporary grassland, and permanent crops/horticulture. Farmers can apply for this action on either the entire SFI available area in each land parcel shown in their application or just a part of that area.

The goal of this initiative is to manage nutrient use efficiently, protect and improve soil health, and provide more habitats for birds and insects.

Why is it beneficial for farmers?

• Disease control – the spread of disease through crops can be halted or slowed if there is a different species mixed in that isn’t targeted by the disease, making it harder for it to spread across crops.
• Utilisation of nutrients – by planting crops with differing root lengths they will seek nutrients in different levels of the soil, allowing the soil to support more variety.
• Soil health – the diversity of root systems and plant leftovers from companion crops add organic matter to the soil as they decompose. This organic matter improves soil structure, water retention, and soil life, creating a healthier soil environment. Additionally, the continuous plant cover provided by companion crops protects the soil from erosion by wind and water.
• Deterring pests – this can work in a few different ways. One is that companion crops can be planted which attract natural enemies of the pests to keep them at bay from the main cash crop. Alternatively, companion crops could be used as a ‘trap crop’, which entails finding out what kind of crop the local pests enjoy even more than your main cash crop and planting that alongside your crop to ensure its safety.
• Protection and support – the companion crop can provide protection and support for main crops in the form of weed control, erosion control, water retention, shade creation, and structural support.
• Fertiliser costs – utilising the natural processes of companion crops, through nitrogen fixing and cycling in the soil and the general improved soil health, will reduce the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers. With record high fertiliser costs seen in recent years, reducing expenses in this area is undoubtedly a significant benefit for farmers.

Which crops should be given companions?

Companion cropping is ideally suited to arable farmers, particularly those without access to other ways of improving their soil.

Oilseed rape works well with companions of species such as buckwheat, berseem clover and fenugreek. The deep root growth of plants like berseem clover can enhance soil structure and aid oilseed rape in establishing more robustly. Additionally, the capacity of these crops to 'trap nutrients' can be highly beneficial in the long term.

Intercropping, where the two crops cultivated are both the ‘main’ crops, can be achieved with legumes and cereals. Legumes and cereals have complementary growth habits due to their different root structures and growth patterns, allowing them to utilise different soil layers and resources more efficiently. They also work well together as legumes fix nitrogen from the atmosphere which enriches the soil for the cereal crops, while saving on nitrogen fertiliser for the farmers.

When is best to plant companion crops?

It is best to plant your companion crops early as they need to be sown with good seed-to-soil contact. For companion crops of oilseed rape, it is best practice to establish the companion crop ahead of the main crop being planted.

If you want to receive SFI payments for your companion cropping, you must plant them each year of the three-year SFI agreement, but it can be rotational, so the fields this option is used in can be altered in each year.

Further information

Contact Duncan Winspear or Jordan Rimmer