Tag Archives: cabbage

Companion Planting Geraniums

Companion Planting Geraniums

Geraniums have a distinctive smell, some people hate it but more importantly so do some plant pests. By companion planting geraniums your garden will benefit from less insect infestations. Companion Planting Geraniums The strong scent of the geranium repels many damaging insects Including mosquitoes, Cabbage white butterflies, Japanese beetles, rose chafers, and leaf hoppers. Mosquitoes might not cause problems to your garden, but they definitely cause problems to this gardener! Cabbage whites are the bane of the brassica grower, both Japanese and rose chafer beetles do considerable damage to roses and leafhoppers damage a wide range of plants. What to… → Read More

What to Plant After Onions

What to Plant After Onions

This is not as straight forward as it seems, because there are some plants that don’t get on with onions. Depending which type of onions you grow will determine how late in the season you have this problem. Over wintering onions are lifted earlier than spring sown, so what to plant after onions depends on many factors. What to Plant After Onions As I said earlier, time is the main problem here, and this is where forward planning is needed. If you have some winter squash, Pumpkin, Swede, Winter Cabbage, Chilli or Tomato plants in pots, these can be planted… → Read More

Companion Planting Rhubarb

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

The History Of Companion Planting

The History Of Companion Planting (2)

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

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

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