Please help me out again. I've read and read and read about companion planting. But of course I'm still or more confused. They say don't plant such and such near others plants, but never say how close is to close. Examples Don't plant tomatos near potatoes Don't plant marigolds near beans Don't plant onions near peas Never plant hot peppers near beans ect, ect, ect. If I'm being to analytical please tell me. I just don't want to put all the work, time and money into a garden that does not grow and produce. And your advice is gold in my book. Thanks again, Donna
Donna, all those "don'ts" are daunting. I've found it much easier to concentrate on what does go with what (like planting radishes in with lettuce to help the flavor of both). I have a book Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte that gives great pairings, and even threesomes of vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals. Great book with good information! As to the "don'ts" there are several reasons for not planting some things near others. One, root competition as in carrots and beets. Two, shading, as putting corn where it will shade your jalapenos. Three, cross-pollination, as in hot and sweet peppers if you plan to save seed. And four, one plant attracts an insect that is also harmful to another, like tomatoes with their fruitworm and corn with the identical earworm. I guess you just have to take into consideration which of the reasons you are dealing with and plant accordingly. Hey, if gardening were easy with hard-and-fast answers, we'd all be green thumbers!
All these and just blows my mind I have always just kept my in the past. Must try planting with all this in mind from now on.
Donna, there ought to be a copy available on Alibris, which is an on-line used book site. I get a lot of gardening books there--the books are in good to excellent shape (at least until I get my muddy fingers on them) and very reasonably priced. Uncross your fingers, at least. One cannot plant well with crossed fingers (or eyes!).
Hi Donna. I tend to agree with MG; however, I will say one thing in the case of toms and potatos: The primary reason that they say this is that toms and spuds are in the same family and the the major disease that effects them both is Phytophthora (blight). One is advised not to plant these two plants close because how super-easy one can infect the other with air-borne spores. One can devastate the other...totally. If I would plant these two plants, I would either plant as far away from each other as possible, or as I must do: plant one outside and the other in a greenhouse. In terms of the remaining three examples that you have asked about-- I would think that 1½ - 2 yards would be adequate. I have done this and not noticed any poor crop yields. What I do pay attention to is crop rotation. I do not plant a type of plant where a contraindicated plant was planted the preceding season.
Jane, found used copy of book on amazon for $6.99. It was shipped in less then two hours. Thanks. Sjoerd, I read about Phytophthora. Is 25 - 30 foot enough space. If not, I will give up the potatoes, but not my tomatos. The 1 1/2 - 2 yards is good. I can do that. Thanks for advice.
I ignore it all with no problem. Do not overthink your garden. Takes all the fun out of it. Sometimes I have a row between potatoes and tomatoes, sometimes not. Did get blight on tomatoes one year but it didn`t affect potatoes. I would rather spend time planting and growing than worrying about what or how I am or am not going to plant and grow. Only thing I try to do is alternate above ground producers and underground producers. Short plants and tall plants, wide vs narrow so all get proper sun.
One year I planted nasturtium near my squash or zucchini (I think...it was a while ago) and marigolds near my tomatoes. I'm not sure I really noticed that they did anything, but it certainly didn't hurt and sometimes it is nice to see the flowers in with the veggies. Oh...they were supposed to help repel insects.
Hi Betsy and welcome to the Stew. I have heard that but they say the same thing about planting basil with the vegetables,,couldn`t tell it helped me either.
Donna I also follow a do and don't plant scheme in my garden. I also rotate my plants from one end to the other end of my garden. I had been having a problem with the bad nematodes in my soil. My poor carrots would get double and triple roots. I have bought the good nematodes from Gardens Alive. But I still had problems. Then I read a companion planting article online that said that you should plant marigolds between your rows of carrots. The roots of marigolds give off some chemical that gets rid of those bad little todes. So last year I did just that. :-D Wow-not a deformed carrot in the whole planting. They were cheap and beautiful to look at to boot. I also planted them between my other root crops to help keep away bad bugs. It worked pretty well. But this last year the Gold finches at all of my beet leaves. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I guess they need a little salad to. But my poor beets looked just that. Really beat up. I also take some of the soil where my pea's where planted last year. Then work it slightly into the ground in the spring where I will be planting my new rows of peas. Pea roots develop some kind of microbes that help the new pea plants to grow better. Why not plant your potatoes in large flower pots. Mine turned out really great. Well I'm off to finish undecorating my tree.
Bug repellent plants. Been making a list. And these plants are supposed to help with insects. Some surprised me, but I think its worth the effort to see if they work. Woodworm is the only one I have never grown. So info about it would be great. Also like the suggestion of planting marigold between root crop rows. And laying borage leaves in garden for fertilizer. Will be doing both this year. Thanks. How many borage plants do I need to plant? Radishes - repel most insects. Plant lots and in different areas. Petunias - repel aphids tomato worms, Japanese beetles, Mexican beetles & leaf hoppers. Borage - Deters worms and makes great fertilizer. Alyssum - attracts hoverflies which eat aphids. White geraniums - kill Japanese beetles Woodworm - attracts lady bugs, repels animals. DO NOT plant with food crops. Yarrow - repels insects. Zinnias - Trap Japeneses beetles and draw hummingbirds which eat whiteflies. Sunflowers - Ants on sunflowers will draw aphids to them which will attract hummingbirds and hoverflies. Marigolds - repel most bugs above and below the ground, but they must scented. (French marigolds, T.patula etc.) Nasturiums - repel whiteflies and squash bugs & cucumber beetles. ( plant in pots and set around gardens.
Donna, do you mean "wormwood"? If so, it is artemisia and grows and invades readily. It is a pretty plant, greyish and varieties from 1' to 4' tall. We have it in the flower beds. It will take heat, drought, and no insect I've ever met eats it. It also isn't picky about soil types or fertility. Artemesia absinthium was the prime ingredient in absinthe, which was a liqueur much favored in French cafe society until it was discovered that drinking absinthe caused blindness and madness. Maybe that's why it is not to be planted with food crops!
Jane. I just checked them out and they are the samething. It's an herb. And I think your right about why it's not planted with food. When I saw picture of it I knew what it was and have planted it before. If they had called it artemesia I would have know. I remember the birds snipping it off to nest with and I had to put a wire cage over it to protect it. What kind of bread are you making? I'm dehydrating onions outside. It smells wonderful on the deck. Bet the neighbors are all hungry.
Donna, I'm making absinthe bread (just kidding!). I have 12 loaves of French bread cooling, and the Parsley/Onion bread is rising. I think I'll make rolls of it rather than loaves.
