Here is another blog from the Good Companion Book by Bob Flowerdew, A Guide to gardening with plants that help each other. These blogs have been the most popular. So thanks for reading.
Chives
One of the Alliums tribe and probably the best to grow to keep fungal diseases down. Use it against black spot on roses and scab on apples, but be patient, as it will be three years before it takes effect. Chives discourage aphids on chrysanthemums, sunflowers and tomatoes and benefit carrots. Chive sprays have been used against downy and powdery mildew on cucumbers and gooseberries. As they are beneficial to us as well, the can be planted in many places to ensure a continuous supply.
Courgette would you know what this is? I didn't but it is zucchini
These are marrow9squashy plants bed to produce lots of little fruits. They like the same conditions as the other cucurbits, rich, warm and moist. Grow courgettes with sweet corn, peas or beans, which all get on well together; the legumes give nitrogen while the corn provides support and the courgettes keep the soil moist and shaded.
Cucumber
Like courgettes, these are closely related to melons and squashes, so they need warm rich, moist conditions. Ridge cucumbers do well under maize or sunflowers in their light shade. Similarly they like peas and beans, beet or carrot. Dill may aid the plants with root secretions and by attracting predators. Cucumbers trailing up and over sweet corn and beans make a happy trio.
Day-lily
these grow almost anywhere: the flowers and buds are edible. They go well with irises in sunny spots where little else will grow, but in rich moist conditions will give a feast of flowers.
Dill
This annual herb is reputed to attract bees, thought I find hoverflies and predatory wasps like it more. Dill aids cabbages and may help onions, sweet corn and cucumbers by repelling aphids and spider mites, it goes best of among lettuces.
Kohlrabi
A rough and disease resistant crop much like a turnip, but more drought tolerant, and not as hot as to taste. It does well intercropped with onions and beets.
Lettuce
Sow a little and often. these do best among cucumbers, carrots, radishes and strawberries, as they create a humid environment that all enjoy. Lettuce can be protected from aphids with chervil and dill, which always does well in among the lettuces and attract many predatory insects. If it is hot, sow lettuce on the shady side of these companions, as they will not germinate in temperatures above 65 degrees F.. Lettuce is one of the plants that has been shown to take up natural antibiotics from the soil, which may be of use to other plants and use.
More later till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa
Chives
One of the Alliums tribe and probably the best to grow to keep fungal diseases down. Use it against black spot on roses and scab on apples, but be patient, as it will be three years before it takes effect. Chives discourage aphids on chrysanthemums, sunflowers and tomatoes and benefit carrots. Chive sprays have been used against downy and powdery mildew on cucumbers and gooseberries. As they are beneficial to us as well, the can be planted in many places to ensure a continuous supply.
Courgette would you know what this is? I didn't but it is zucchini
These are marrow9squashy plants bed to produce lots of little fruits. They like the same conditions as the other cucurbits, rich, warm and moist. Grow courgettes with sweet corn, peas or beans, which all get on well together; the legumes give nitrogen while the corn provides support and the courgettes keep the soil moist and shaded.
Cucumber
Like courgettes, these are closely related to melons and squashes, so they need warm rich, moist conditions. Ridge cucumbers do well under maize or sunflowers in their light shade. Similarly they like peas and beans, beet or carrot. Dill may aid the plants with root secretions and by attracting predators. Cucumbers trailing up and over sweet corn and beans make a happy trio.
Day-lily
these grow almost anywhere: the flowers and buds are edible. They go well with irises in sunny spots where little else will grow, but in rich moist conditions will give a feast of flowers.
Dill
This annual herb is reputed to attract bees, thought I find hoverflies and predatory wasps like it more. Dill aids cabbages and may help onions, sweet corn and cucumbers by repelling aphids and spider mites, it goes best of among lettuces.
Kohlrabi
A rough and disease resistant crop much like a turnip, but more drought tolerant, and not as hot as to taste. It does well intercropped with onions and beets.
Lettuce
Sow a little and often. these do best among cucumbers, carrots, radishes and strawberries, as they create a humid environment that all enjoy. Lettuce can be protected from aphids with chervil and dill, which always does well in among the lettuces and attract many predatory insects. If it is hot, sow lettuce on the shady side of these companions, as they will not germinate in temperatures above 65 degrees F.. Lettuce is one of the plants that has been shown to take up natural antibiotics from the soil, which may be of use to other plants and use.
More later till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa
