The Importance of Polyculture
Many gardeners are more familiar with the term “companion planting” than the word “guild,” and they have very similar meanings. Companion planting refers to an individual plant’s association with another plant, whereas guild refers to the multiple associations of plants within an ecosystem. Both refer to an embrace of associations of multiple plant species within a diverse, mutually beneficial environment.
These associations create stability and resilience because plants not only have the capacity to help other plants grow, but they also don’t compete for the same nutrients.
Furthermore, the polyculture ecosystem is strengthened by certain plants’ unique ability to repel (or attract) a variety of insects and other wildlife, both beneficial and harmful to the garden ecosystem.
These interspecies associations between different plant species, or polycultures, are based on the principle that the more beneficial interactions between elements in a system we can create, the more stable and resilient that the system will be.
Benefits of Guilds
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Improves pest resilience of plants
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Facilitates sharing of soil nutrients
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Improves soil biodiversity
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