intercropping

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intercropping

agriculture

Also known as: companion cropping

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Intercropping is an agricultural practice where two or more crops are grown simultaneously on the same plot of land. This method can involve planting crops in alternate rows or other arrangements.1

One notable example of intercropping is the "Three Sisters" system, traditionally practiced by Indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica and North America. This involves planting corn, beans, and squash together. The corn provides a stalk for the beans to climb, the beans fix nitrogen in the soil benefiting all three crops, and the squash's large leaves shade the ground, retaining moisture and suppressing weeds.2

Intercropping can offer several benefits, including increased biodiversity, improved soil health through nitrogen fixation by legumes, and better utilization of resources like water and nutrients. It can also help manage pests and diseases by creating a more diverse environment that is less susceptible to widespread outbreaks. This practice is a key component of sustainable agriculture and permaculture.23

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agricultural technology
Mulch tillage
In rainy sections, intercropping extends the protection against erosion provided by mulches. Intercrops are typically small grains or sod crops such as alfalfa or clover grown between the rows of a field crop that reach maturity shortly after the field crop has been established and furnish mulch cover…
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In rainy sections, intercropping extends the protection against erosion provided by mulches. Intercrops are typically small grains or sod crops such as alfalfa or clover grown between the rows of a field crop that reach maturity shortly after the field crop has been established and furnish mulch cover…
Read More

milpa
Planting method
Milpa intercropping most commonly involves sowing the seeds of all three plants together in hills or mounds, but short rows or blocks can also be used. In Three Sisters traditions, corn is considered the eldest sister because it emerges first. The established cornstalks form a natural…
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Milpa intercropping most commonly involves sowing the seeds of all three plants together in hills or mounds, but short rows or blocks can also be used. In Three Sisters traditions, corn is considered the eldest sister because it emerges first. The established cornstalks form a natural…
Read More

tillage
Mulch tillage
In rainy sections, intercropping extends the protection against erosion provided by mulches. Intercrops are typically small grains or sod crops such as alfalfa or clover grown between the rows of a field crop that reach maturity shortly after the field crop has been established and furnish mulch cover…
Read More
In rainy sections, intercropping extends the protection against erosion provided by mulches. Intercrops are typically small grains or sod crops such as alfalfa or clover grown between the rows of a field crop that reach maturity shortly after the field crop has been established and furnish mulch cover…
Read More

vegetable farming
Soil preparation and management
The system of intercropping, or companion cropping, involves the growing of two or more kinds of vegetables on the same land in the same growing season. One of the vegetables must be a small-growing and quick-maturing crop; the other must be larger and late maturing.
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The system of intercropping, or companion cropping, involves the growing of two or more kinds of vegetables on the same land in the same growing season. One of the vegetables must be a small-growing and quick-maturing crop; the other must be larger and late maturing.
Read More