Tag Archives: companion planting

Allotment Ideas For Beginners

I live in Essex and I had to wait nearly 3 years to get my allotment, 3 years of growing in pots and containers. So when my offer for an allotment in my area came through I jumped at it. I soon started to realise how much I didn’t know, what I needed was allotment ideas for beginners. Allotment Ideas For Beginners So here’s my top tips for allotment newbies, some will be obvious and some not so, but I hope they help you on your allotment journey. The first thing I’ll say is you’re in a marathon, not a… → Read More

Marigold Companion Planting

The pretty little marigold with it’s flowers ranging from yellow, through orange, to red, is a welcome sight in any garden. Flowering from Spring and continuing to flower until the first frosts (as long as you deadhead) this annual is a good value, beneficial, cheerful plant. By planting the marigold in companion with other plants you will have a healthier and prettier garden. What Are Marigolds? There are 2 different types of marigold grown in the UK, 3 if you include the “pot marigold”(calendula). The calendula is not really a marigold at all but is still a beneficial plant to… → Read More

How To Get Rid Of Slugs Naturally

The bane of the gardeners life, slugs come in many sizes and colours but all with the same intent, to feed on your plants. There are many articles about the many ways to kill slugs, some conventional and others quite frankly weird. But the organic gardener needs to find out how to get rid of slugs naturally. Natural Slug Repellent There are many slug repellents but by choosing not to use harmful chemicals, you will protect the soil, the environment, and the wildlife. Below are the 30 best methods on how to get rid of slugs naturally. Method #1 Using… → Read More

Companion Planting Tomatoes

There is nothing better than a freshly grown, warm, sweet tomato straight from the vine. The flavour of home grown tomatoes surpasses shop bought, commercially grown tomatoes by far. By companion planting tomatoes with other beneficial plants you will not only improve the taste, but also the health of your tomato plants. Tomatoes originate in hot climates so if like me, you’re in an area prone to frosts then you will have to treat this perennial plant as an annual. It also stands to reason that the majority of companion plants for tomatoes also originate in hot countries. That doesn’t… → Read More

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

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 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