Companion planting is the practice of creating a healthy garden environment by putting certain plants near and others away from each other. These techniques are used by organic gardeners to ensure a healthy harvest.
Different plants thrive in different conditions. Some like sweeter soil, others prefer acidic. Some plants attract bugs that will improve the garden or eat parasites. Plants affect other plants via the nutrients they take and the by-products they deposit into the soil. Create a healthy garden by putting plants that help each other together.
Good Neighbors
Tomatoes are an easy and extremely popular crop to grow among amateur organic gardeners. When tomatoes are planted next to carrots, onions, or asparagus both crops are likely to do well. Tomatoes and parsley are also good neighbors.
Carrots do well next to peas and lettuce.
Lettuce crops like radish, strawberries, and cucumber as well as carrots.
Spinach and strawberries are good to each other. Spinach and cabbage are good neighbors, but cabbage and strawberries are not (see below.)
Peas and beans are good neighbors.
Potatoes and cabbage family plants, such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts like to be next to each other.
Bad Neighbors
Tomatoes do not thrive when planted near anything in the cabbage family. This includes broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Potatoes are also better kept away from tomatoes.
Peas and beans do not like onions.
Cabbage and strawberries do not get along.
And if you want to plant sunflowers, keep them away from the potatoes.
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
Tomatoes and corn are eaten by the same bugs. It is advisable to keep them far away from each other, because if one crop becomes infested you will lose both crops if they are close to each other.
Slugs and snails love beer. If you place shallow bowls of beer in your garden, slugs and snails will drown themselves in it.
Sunflowers attract bugs that eat aphids.
Many bugs that destroy squash and squash plants avoid nasturtium; plant nasturtium flowers around your squash rows.
Asparagus beetles do not like tomato, which is yet another reason to plant asparagus and tomatoes next to each other.
Onions deter potato bugs.
Rosemary, Sage, Thyme and Nasturtium are relatively good all-purpose pest deterrents. Try planting them around the perimeter of any vegetable garden.
And if you are bothered by mosquitoes, try planting basil and garlic.
About pH Levels
Lowercase "p" stands for "potential," and uppercase "H" stands for "Hydrogen." So, the soil's pH level refers to the plants' ability to attract Hydrogen ions, which everything needs in some amount to survive.
Alkaline soil is "sweet" soil, and has a high pH balance. Plants, such as tomatoes, that thrive in sweet soil need lots of Hydrogen. Acidic soil has a low pH balance. Plants, such as evergreen trees, that thrive in acidic soil need less Hydrogen.
Levels of pH in soil are measured on a scale of 0 to 14. 0 is the most acidic, and 14 is the most alkaline, or sweet. Most vegetables like a pH level of anywhere from 4.5 to 8. You can buy kits at garden supply stores to test the pH levels in your garden.
If your soil is too acidic and you want to make it sweeter, try mixing lime or wood ashes into the soil in the fall, in preparation for next growing season, or early spring, before planting. Lime can be also be purchased at garden supply stores.
If you want to make your soil less sweet, purchase either aluminum sulphate, for immediate results, or sulphur to be mixed into the soil in late fall, in preparation for next growing season. Warning: both of these compounds will burn plants with which they come in direct contact. Do not use them in areas where you currently have plants growing.
For more information, read Louise Riotte:
Different plants thrive in different conditions. Some like sweeter soil, others prefer acidic. Some plants attract bugs that will improve the garden or eat parasites. Plants affect other plants via the nutrients they take and the by-products they deposit into the soil. Create a healthy garden by putting plants that help each other together.
Good Neighbors
Tomatoes are an easy and extremely popular crop to grow among amateur organic gardeners. When tomatoes are planted next to carrots, onions, or asparagus both crops are likely to do well. Tomatoes and parsley are also good neighbors.
Carrots do well next to peas and lettuce.
Lettuce crops like radish, strawberries, and cucumber as well as carrots.
Spinach and strawberries are good to each other. Spinach and cabbage are good neighbors, but cabbage and strawberries are not (see below.)
Peas and beans are good neighbors.
Potatoes and cabbage family plants, such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts like to be next to each other.
Bad Neighbors
Tomatoes do not thrive when planted near anything in the cabbage family. This includes broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Potatoes are also better kept away from tomatoes.
Peas and beans do not like onions.
Cabbage and strawberries do not get along.
And if you want to plant sunflowers, keep them away from the potatoes.
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
Tomatoes and corn are eaten by the same bugs. It is advisable to keep them far away from each other, because if one crop becomes infested you will lose both crops if they are close to each other.
Slugs and snails love beer. If you place shallow bowls of beer in your garden, slugs and snails will drown themselves in it.
Sunflowers attract bugs that eat aphids.
Many bugs that destroy squash and squash plants avoid nasturtium; plant nasturtium flowers around your squash rows.
Asparagus beetles do not like tomato, which is yet another reason to plant asparagus and tomatoes next to each other.
Onions deter potato bugs.
Rosemary, Sage, Thyme and Nasturtium are relatively good all-purpose pest deterrents. Try planting them around the perimeter of any vegetable garden.
And if you are bothered by mosquitoes, try planting basil and garlic.
About pH Levels
Lowercase "p" stands for "potential," and uppercase "H" stands for "Hydrogen." So, the soil's pH level refers to the plants' ability to attract Hydrogen ions, which everything needs in some amount to survive.
Alkaline soil is "sweet" soil, and has a high pH balance. Plants, such as tomatoes, that thrive in sweet soil need lots of Hydrogen. Acidic soil has a low pH balance. Plants, such as evergreen trees, that thrive in acidic soil need less Hydrogen.
Levels of pH in soil are measured on a scale of 0 to 14. 0 is the most acidic, and 14 is the most alkaline, or sweet. Most vegetables like a pH level of anywhere from 4.5 to 8. You can buy kits at garden supply stores to test the pH levels in your garden.
If your soil is too acidic and you want to make it sweeter, try mixing lime or wood ashes into the soil in the fall, in preparation for next growing season, or early spring, before planting. Lime can be also be purchased at garden supply stores.
If you want to make your soil less sweet, purchase either aluminum sulphate, for immediate results, or sulphur to be mixed into the soil in late fall, in preparation for next growing season. Warning: both of these compounds will burn plants with which they come in direct contact. Do not use them in areas where you currently have plants growing.
For more information, read Louise Riotte:
No comments:
Post a Comment