But some plants placed together may harm each other's development. For example, tomatoes do not like wet soil but watercress does, so you would probably want to keep them separated.
Some kinds of produce should be kept apart even after being harvested. This is because of ethylene gas. Ethylene is a plant hormone that can cause some foods to ripen too quickly. Apples release ethylene gas. Apricots, melons and tomatoes also release a lot of ethylene. Some vegetables are easily affected by ethylene, including asparagus, broccoli, cabbage and cucumbers.
This risk of ripening too soon is why markets often separate high ethylene-producing foods from those that are sensitive to the gas.
But if you put an apple in a bag with a green banana, the ethylene from the apple will make the banana ready to eat sooner.
What about peaches, plums and nectarines? These kinds of fruit do not need any help from an apple, they release enough ethylene to ripen themselves. But that does not mean there is no way to get the job done faster.
Growers suggest placing the fruit in a fruit bowl or in a paper bag with the top folded over. Keep the fruit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Once the fruit is soft enough, either use it or put it in the refrigerator to keep it from getting too ripe.
