Tag Archives: potatoes

Companion Planting Sweet Potatoes

Despite their name, sweet potatoes are not really potatoes at all, they are in fact members of the same family as morning glory and bindweed. The leaves and tubers of sweet potatoes are edible and they are relatively easy to grow. Companion planting sweet potatoes not only saves space but can also be beneficial to both plants. Unlike conventional potatoes, sweet potatoes do not grow from a tuber, but from the roots of a “slip”. A slip is a small plant with roots that can be purchased from all good suppliers. Alternatively you can grow your own from shop bought… → Read More

How To Make A Healthy Leek And Potato Soup

There are many recipes out there for leek and potato soup but most use additional ingredients that are not necessary. As well as being unnecessary they are usually unhealthy. So join me as I show you how to make a healthy leek and potato soup. How To Make A Healthy Leek And Potato Soup I could just as easily called this how to make a simple leek and potato soup, because not only is it healthy, it’s also easy to make. With no additives at all it is the healthiest and easiest soup recipe I know. Which suits me as… → Read More

Companion Planting Celery [What To Grow With Celery]

Not the easiest of vegetables to grow, but so satisfying when you get it right and the taste of home grown is far superior. As with most crops, celery will benefit from being grown with helpful neighbours. Companion planting celery with the following will be good for one or both of them. Companion Planting Celery As with all plants when looking for suitable companion plants we need to look at plants that are compatible. Not only with each other, but also with the sunlight and soil conditions needed for growing celery successfully. So what does celery prefer? Celery originated in… → Read More

Amaranth Companion Plants

Grown extensively throughout South America as a cereal crop, amaranth grows well in the UK during Summertime. The leaves and seeds are edible and the plant is decorative enough to grow in the flower bed. Most plants do better if grown with other, helpful plants, read on to benefit from amaranth companion plants. Amaranth Companion Plants In it’s native lands, amaranth is a perennial plant but here in the UK it only grows as an annual. This gives us a short season between frosts, so it’s companions will also be warm weather crops as well. Amaranth companion plants include:- Cucumbers… → Read More

What Grows Well With Raspberries

Always expensive in the shops,raspberries make a great fruit for desserts and just to eat fresh. Raspberries are not that difficult to grow and are fairly undemanding to maintain. As with all plants they will do better with certain companions so what grows well with raspberries? What Grows Well With Raspberries The principles of companion planting are well known, some plants repel pests, some attract beneficial insects either to pollinate or as predators on the bad bugs. Some are sacrificial, taking the bad bugs away from your crop plant. Others share beneficial compounds through the soil whilst others do the… → Read More

What Can You Plant With Potatoes

One of the most popular vegetables grown by the home gardener along with tomatoes. Also like their cousin the tomato, they have preferences when it comes to neighbours. So what can you plant with potatoes? What Can You Plant With Potatoes In the UK potatoes are generally sown from March and depending on type are harvested from June through to October. In all cases potatoes should be lifted before frosts return to your area. There are many plants that can be grown as companion plants with potatoes, below is a list of some of the best ones. Potatoes and Celery… → Read More

Companion Planting Foxgloves

Foxgloves are found in woodlands up and down the country and they thrive in those conditions. There is so much more to this stately looking flower. By companion planting foxgloves you will reap many benefits not least of which is this pretty flower. Thompson and Morgan have a great post on how to grow foxgloves click here to see it. Companion Planting Foxgloves I’ll have to start with a word of warning, foxgloves are poisonous to people and animals, that said they contain digitalis which is a steroid which exerts a powerful action on the heart . For my top… → Read More

Companion Planting Parsnips

The benefits of growing plants together are well documented and have been used for thousands of years. Companion planting parsnips will improve the health and flavour of your parsnips and save space. Companion Planting Parsnips All of the following plants will enhance the health of your parsnips if grown in companionship with them. Parsnip companion plants include:- Onions and Parsnips Due to their strong aroma, onions help to disguise parsnips from the so called carrot root fly. The root fly maggot attacks the roots of carrots, parsnips, and celery and in the case of parsnips and carrots renders them inedible…. → Read More

Watermelon Companion Plants

I live in the UK and I have dabbled at growing melons in my unheated greenhouse a few times over the years, with mixed results. This year however, I have found a UK based seed company that offers watermelon seeds for the UK climate. So I’m looking at watermelon companion plants and I’ll share them with you here. What Are Watermelons? Watermelons are members of the curcubit family which includes pumpkins, squash, melons, cucumbers, and gourds. They are sweet flavoured and as the name suggests, very juicy. Watermelons develop differently to other members of the same family. They have less… → Read More

Winter Squash Companion Plants

All plants benefit from growing in companion with others, and winter squash are no exception. Below are the best winter squash companion plants I have found to increase yield, health and vigour of your plants. Although they are called winter squash, this relates to their storage ability and not to when they should be grown. Winter squash are grown at the same time as summer squash ( zucchini, patty pans, courgettes etc…) but can be saved to consume during the winter. Whereas summer squash will not store because their skin does not harden enough to keep the inside fresh. So… → Read More