Tag Archives: walnuts

Companion Plants For Fruit Trees

In traditional orchards, fruit trees were grown in rows but as stand alone plants and relied on each others blooms to attract pollinators. As amatuer gardeners, we need all the help we can to get things pollinated. So here is a list of useful companion plants for fruit trees. Companion Plants For Fruit Trees The idea of companion planting is not a new concept, in fact there are records dating back 10,000 years of companion planting practises. It’s basically the principle of growing plants close together for the health and improvement of one or more of the plants. Many of… → Read More

What Not To Grow With Walnut Trees

For nearly 2,000 years there has been documented evidence of what not to grow with walnut trees. Pliny the Elder, the famous historian wrote “The shadow of the walnut tree is poison to all plants within its compass”. This allelopathic property is a toxin that helps to preserve the walnut tree from competitors. Back in the 1800s scientists discovered the compound juglone was responsible for killing near by plants. This compound is found in the leaves, branches, fruits, and is also excreted from the roots. Not all plants are bothered by juglone, but those that are will suffer from yellowing… → 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