Tag Archives: companion planting

Companion Planting Carrots

Nothing beats the taste of a freshly pulled carrot, and nothing is more disappointing than pulling a carrot only to find it is riddled with the tracks of the carrot fly. So to help combat this threat I bring you companion planting carrots. Companion Planting Carrots Carrots come in many different shapes and colours. The one constant however is the aroma. They all smell the same and as such they all need disguising. That’s where the companion planting comes in. For more information on growing carrots click the link. Carrot Fly Know Your Enemy The carrot fly lays its eggs… → Read More

Companion Planting Borage

Continuing on with the series, we now come to companion planting borage. Borage is a very helpful plant to grow in the vegetable garden. So what is it? and what to grow it with? What Is Borage Borage is an annual herb that has it’s origins in the Mediteranean, it will grow quite happily in the United Kingdom. Although Borage is an annual it freely self seeds so once sown it will return every year. Companion Planting Borage Borage is a great companion plant, and many plants will benefit from having borage in their proximity. Plants that do particularly well… → Read More

Companion Planting Artichokes

There are of course two types of Artichokes, Jerusalem and Globe. In this post I will cover both types. Companion planting Artichokes is mainly about sheltering other plants, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Jerusalem Artichokes The tubers for Jerusalem Artichokes look similar to root ginger or turmeric, and the flowers look a bit like sunflowers. A word of warning, don’t grow Jerusalem Artichokes unless you want to grow them every year. They will grow from the smallest piece of tuber left in the soil. What Are Jerusalem Artichokes? Not a true artichoke at all but a member of the… → Read More

Companion Planting Basil [Benefits of Basil in the Garden]

The herb Basil comes in many different varieties and all are as good as each other. Companion planting basil with many vegetables will give your plants a boost. Basil is to my mind a super herb. Companion Planting Basil Basil The Super Herb Basil releases an oil that helps other plants to improve on their best, either by deterring damaging insects or by enhancing the flavour of the fruit/vegetable. The aroma of basil is a spicy, aromatic fragrance that makes it so popular with cooks and chefs worldwide. It is that same smell that deters many insects including:- Aphids Whitefly… → Read More

Companion Planting Apricots

Not necessarily something you’d expect to grow in the colder climes of the United Kingdom, but apricots can and are growing in Essex at least. As with most plants, conditions can be improved by companion planting. So in this post companion planting apricots I’ll expand on what will help get the best from your apricot. Companion Planting Apricots In the United Kingdom Apricots do best in South facing gardens. As apricots are self fertile there is no problem growing single trees. Sheltering Trees From Cold Shelter apricot trees with hedging or a wicker fence to protect from winds. If severe… → Read More

Poached Egg Plant Companion Planting

Companion Planting with Poached Egg Plants

There has been a trend recently of people wanting to fight insect infestations by organic/natural methods with the emphasis on companion planting and using Poached Egg Plants in particular. The problem with that as far as I can see is that there doesn’t seem to be much relevant information out there so I thought it was about time to dedicate a post on the subject. What Is A Poached Egg Plant The Poached Egg Plant (Latin name Limnanthes Douglasii) is an annual plant with open flowers that are white around the outside with a yellow middle that resembles a poached… → Read More

Square foot gardening

my square foot garden

If space is at a premium or you don’t want to garden on a big scale but you do want to grow the maximum amount of vegetables in the smallest area, then square foot gardening might be for you. Square Foot Gardening The square foot gardening system was developed in the ’80s by an American architect to maximise the amount grown in the least space and also to save seed wastage and minimise weeding and watering. The system works by taking an area of land and dividing it up into square feet patches. The optimum size is four foot by four… → Read More

Companion planting

poached egg plant with beans

There is a lot to be gained for the organic grower from companion planting which is basically planting something with something else as either a sacrificial crop or as a deterrent to insects or as an attractor for predatory (good) insects. For instance growing nasturtiums alongside brassicas, the insects that attack should go for the nasturtiums meaning the majority of the brassica plants are unscathed. In fact nasturtiums are a good companion to lots of plants including:- all brassicas Potatoes Radishes Turnips Courgettes marigolds are good companion to quite a few plants including Tomatoes Potatoes Lettuces Beans Parsley is good to plant with Asparagus…. → Read More

Environmental matters

I have always tried to keep my carbon footprint light. When I was a greengrocer I tried to source my produce locally and where ever possible from an organic farm/smallholding. So it stands to reason that now I am growing my own, I strive to grow organically. If you consider my shed, it was constructed from second hand or scrap materials. My nets to deter butterfly infestation are made from old scaffolding netting. The supports for the netting are made from parts of an old trampoline base and the rest are from the tubular posts from plastic greenhouses that were to… → Read More