Author Archives: Steve Jones

Companion Planting Rhubarb

Many people grow rhubarb, and according to gardening books it needs a lot of space. By companion planting rhubarb you can make the most of that space and enhance your plants. By growing more plants in a small space you reduce the risk from weeds taking over the area. In days gone by, they used to grow Rhubarb and Strawberries together, it makes sense, they’re both harvested at about the same time. They also both benefit from being dressed with straw. I can find no actual benefit for growing rhubarb and strawberries together, maybe Grandad was wrong… More than likely… → Read More

Companion Planting Peas

All peas including snow peas are members of the Legume family, they all fix nitrogen from the air. This gives us gardeners two main advantages, firstly at the end of their growing season they add nitrogen to the soil (making it available for the following crop). Secondly when companion planting peas with other plants there is no competing for nitrogen. Companion Planting Peas The best plants to grow with peas are plants that thrive in the same environment with peas and have the same watering and nutritional needs. These include:- Carrots Sweet Corn Radishes Beans Celery Tomatoes Peppers Aubergines Parsley… → Read More

Companion Planting Square foot Garden

Some time ago I wrote a post on Square Foot Gardening and briefly touched on companion planting. I now feel it’s time to share with you my companion planting square foot garden experiences. What is Square Foot Gardening? Square Foot Gardening is A system of gardening which allows you to grow much more in a small space than would otherwise be possible. Developed in the 80’s by Mel Bartholomew, you can take an area of 4ft x 4ft and turn it into a grid of 16 square feet. Each square foot is treated as an individual patch and is planted… → Read More

How to freeze broad beans without blanching

So you’ve grown enough broad beans to last you throughout the rest of the year, but you don’t want to spend the time blanching them before freezing. And I get it, I mean – who really wants all the hassle and a house full of steam? You want a quick and easy way to freeze broad beans without spending almost an hour blanching them. And here’s how you do it… How to freeze broad beans without blanching First and most important, remove the broad beans from their pods. They should be clean as they have been completely encased in the… → Read More

Companion Planting Peppers

Often expensive to buy in the shops, peppers whether green, yellow, orange or red are relatively easy to grow in the home garden. By companion planting peppers with other helpful plants you can certainly give them a much better chance of success. Companion Planting Peppers Peppers are a member of the same family as Chillies, Aubergines, Tomatoes and Potatoes so they need to be included in your rotation plan. Plants that will help peppers grow include:- Alliums (Chives, Onions and Leeks) Beans and Peas Basil Dill Parsley Marjoram, Rosemary and Oregano Tomatoes Radishes Petunias, Marigolds and Nasturtiums Chard, Lettuce and… → Read More

Companion Planting Grapes

For centuries growers have been companion planting grapes to improve their crops. The Greeks and the Romans too, so if it’s good enough for the classics then it’s good enough for me as well. Companion Planting Grapes Grapes are not just a good source of fibre, they also contain many vitamins and minerals. But that’s not why they were popular in ancient times, no that was because they make great wine. That’s still true today but as with all plants the flavour, health and yield can be improved upon with companion planting. What To Companion Plant With Grape Vines There… → Read More

The Health Benefits Of Tomatoes

Most gardeners grow tomatoes, they are relatively easy to grow and reward us with tasty, juicy fruit.Tomatoes are also packed full of vitamins and minerals. The health benefits of tomatoes should not be over looked. The Health Benefits Of Tomatoes Tomatoes are 95% water with the other 5% being mostly carbohydrates and fibre, 85% of this fibre being insoluble. This is only part of the story though. These tasty fruits are the main source of lycopene an anti oxidant linked to the prevention of heart disease, stroke and cancer. Not too shabby so far, but there’s so much more… Up… → Read More

The History Of Companion Planting

Companion planting is not a new concept, some people say it started in the 1970s with the rise of the organic movement. It’s true, there was a resurgence of using plants in various combinations to assist growing or protecting crops during the ’70s, but the history of companion planting stretches way beyond last century. The History Of Companion Planting Having looked into the history of companion planting for quite a while now, I can honestly say that companion planting is at least 2000 years old and possibly much older. The ancient Greeks and Romans both practised a form of companion… → Read More

Companion Planting Rosemary

Rosemary is a well known herb that is used with great success in the kitchen. Most people whether gardeners or not will recognise Rosemary probably by it’s leaves but definitely by it’s aroma. What is not so commonly known is the benefits of companion planting Rosemary in the vegetable patch. Companion Planting Rosemary Companion planting rosemary in your garden brings numerous benefits to the plants around it, making it one of my favourite herbs to grow. When you put all the hard work and effort into growing plants in your garden, there is nothing more soul destroying than having them… → Read More

Companion Planting Mint

No garden is complete without a patch of mint, the colour, the smell, the taste. These are all very attractive reasons for growing mint. Another reason is discovered by companion planting mint. Companion Planting Mint Mint is a perennial plant that has many varieties and varied culinary uses and is commonly used to flavour drinks, food etc… Mint is also an excellent companion plant known to deter:- Ants Fleas Flea Beetles Cabbage White Butterflies Aphids Rodents Earwigs Mealy bugs Spider mites Grow mint close to Cabbages and Tomatoes to improve both health and flavour. As mint deters Cabbage White Butterflies… → Read More