Tag Archives: chives

Herbs In Vegtrug

I have the medium vegtrug, which is the largest one they make but looking through their brochure, they actually make a vegtrug herb garden. In fact they make 2 (more later), this got me thinking. It’s time to explore growing herbs in vegtrug. What Is Vegtrug? This company that appears to have bases in the UK and the US, manufacture wooden planters to a high standard. They are easy to assemble and constructed of treated wood that is safe to grow food in. There are a number of different planters available but we’re going to concentrate on their herb garden…. → Read More

Companion Planting Parsley

Most plants either give or receive some benefit from being planted in companion with others. Not all plants, there are some exceptions but generally plants do better when planted together. Companion planting parsley is no exception so read on for what to grow with parsley and what not to grow with parsley. Companion Planting Parsley There are 2 main types of parsley, flat leaf parsley, and curly parsley. There are also 5 main varieties of parsley and all originated in Europe. Parsley is a biennial plant so it will give out it’s benefits for 2 seasons. Don’t just take my… → Read More

Plants That Repel Insects ( How To Keep Pests Away)

Firstly, not all insects are bad for the garden, and we want to attract the good ones. But there are a lot of insects that cause damage, and even death to our plants. So here’s the growing-guides plants that repel insects(the bad ones). Plants That Repel Insects There are many plants that have the reputation of deterring pests, and here’s a few to get us started. So to start let’s look at how plants repel insects, there are some plants that give off an odour to repel insects, and others that exude chemicals to repel insects. Plants That Repel Insects-Flowers… → Read More

Companion Planting Brussels Sprouts

A native vegetable from Europe, the Brussels sprout has been grown since at least the middle ages. It is thought to have been developed from cottagers kale, and is a hardy vegetable, able to withstand harsh winters. Companion planting Brussels sprouts with other plants will help you grow healthier plants. Companion Planting Brussels Sprouts Along with other members of the brassica family, Brussels sprouts do well growing in companion with many other plants. This not only saves space, but also can enhance the health of both plants. So let’s get into the best companion plants for Brussels sprouts. Good Companion… → Read More

Companion Planting Brassicas

All plants growing in the wild, grow in companion to other plants, so it’s ok to do this in your garden. However, there are some plants that do better with others, and some that will be problematic. Companion planting brassicas will give your brassica plants the best companions, and show you what not to grow with brassicas. What Are Brassicas? In easy terms, brassicas are all members of the cabbage family, and so members include:- Cabbage Cauliflowers Broccoli Calabrese Kale Brussel Sprouts Collard Greens There are also some members of the brassica family that might surprise you, like Turnips Kohlrabi… → Read More

Companion Plants For Fruit Trees

In traditional orchards, fruit trees were grown in rows but as stand alone plants and relied on each others blooms to attract pollinators. As amatuer gardeners, we need all the help we can to get things pollinated. So here is a list of useful companion plants for fruit trees. Companion Plants For Fruit Trees The idea of companion planting is not a new concept, in fact there are records dating back 10,000 years of companion planting practises. It’s basically the principle of growing plants close together for the health and improvement of one or more of the plants. Many of… → Read More

Companion Planting Arugula (Rocket Companion Plants)

Learn how to improve your arugula (rocket) by using intercropping and plant association-In other words-Companion planting. Find out what does well with arugula and what not to grow with arugula.

Companion Planting Cauliflowers

Cauliflowers are a member of the brassica family, and like all members of that family they have certain likes and dislikes . To find out more follow me as we learn all about companion planting cauliflowers. Why Companion Plant? Plants do better surrounded by other plants, for instance strawberries do well with certain herbs because the herbs attract pollinators that will also pollinate the strawberries. This is how nature works, but us gardeners don’t like to see randomness in our plots, we like order. Well here’s a newsflash, nature has it’s own order. Look at the hedgerow or woodland and… → Read More

kale companion plants

Kale is a member of the brassica family and has similar growing requirements to others of this plant group. Companion planting is beneficial to plants for a number of reasons, soil and watering compatiblity, health and insect deterrence. The kale companion plants listed below will also be fine to grow with all other brassicas. kale companion plants There are some plants that should never be grown anywhere near kale but more on these later, for now let’s concentrate on the best companions for kale. Just before we start, there are some reports that artichokes make a good companion plant to… → Read More

Weeds As Soil Indicators

There is an old story about a blind man who is looking at a piece of land for his daughter to purchase, he asks the seller to describe the land to him. After a short description he asks for a list of weeds growing on the land and makes his decision to buy based on that description. It’s a nice story and whether it’s true or not it does demonstrate the use of weeds as soil indicators. To be that knowledgeable about how plants grow in certain conditions that you don’t even have to see it to know would be… → Read More