Let's Talk About Companion Planting with Mushrooms
For over 3,000 years, Indigenous peoples across North America have practiced the Three Sisters method—growing corn, beans, and squash together in a mutually supportive system. Corn provides a structure for beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen into the soil, and squash shades the ground to reduce weeds and retain moisture. This ancient method fosters both productivity and ecological resilience.
Building on this legacy, gardeners are now exploring fungi as garden companions. Shaded by your plants and vegetables, mushrooms can thrive in underused spaces. Oyster mushrooms can be grown in mulch around garden beds to break down organic matter and suppress pests, while Wine Caps thrive in wood chips and straw, enhancing soil structure and nutrient availability. These fungi not only support healthy soil but are also delicious.
Have you tried growing mushrooms alongside your veggies? Share your experiences or questions—we’d love to hear how companion planting works in your space!
Hey so I made Winecap beds last summer, the mycelium expanded and I spread it to new piles. Had a few mushrooms in the fall. This spring I was like woah that’s a lot of winecaps - gave them to ppl, ate them etc… and now they aren’t stopping - way to many mushrooms plus once the first generation ages there’s little maggots in the new ones idk kind of a mess tbh but cool at first - wish I could turn them off for a little.