This becomes a nutrient-rich mulch at the base of my fruit trees. The minerals (N, P, K and Ca) that are absorbed by comfrey’s tap roots are eventually found in the leaves they drop in autumn. Some types of deep-rooted plants bring nutrients from far below the soil, like comfrey. They stand at the garden’s edge, ready to spring on the next caterpillar I toss their way!) Add Nutrients and Minerals into Your Soil
Garden layout companion planting free#
They’ve munched away on far too many of my tomatoes over the years! (Though my chickens always like the free lunch they get when I remove hornworms by hand. These lay eggs in living caterpillars that like to eat up your garden! Though the thought is gruesome to most, I feel these wasps provide a much more natural way to fight tobacco hornworms. Other herbs such as yarrow and dill attract beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps.
Garden layout companion planting Patch#
In addition, the beautiful flowers in my zinnia patch are perfect for drawing the busy little bees that are harvesting in autumn. I eventually harvest the calendula to make healing salves and soaps, and borage is delicious in salads! Bee balm and echinacea help attract bees, and can be used in herbal medicines. Most plants flower at some point in their leafy lives, but certain flowers and herbs attract much-needed pollinator friends! For example, I plant calendula and borage to help attract springtime honeybees. (This also makes it easier to place them where they are needed!) Attract Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects So, maybe you’ll want to plant your mints in pots to stop them from spreading throughout your vegetable beds. I like its scent, and it helps to deter those darn mosquitoes that find me delicious while I’m sweating away in my garden. Personally, I think there are far worse “weeds” to pull out than mint. Most will spread like crazy if given the chance! I will send out these words of warning to any gardeners using mint as a deterrent: be cautious when planting any members of the mint family in your garden. They all have scents that specific garden pests dislike, which will them off elsewhere to find a snack. There are many other fragrant herbs that work this way, like mint, lemon balm, onion, marigold, lavender and rosemary. (The sheer size of an elephant garlic bulb is a big delicious bonus, though any variety of garlic works!) I’m careful not to plant near autumn peas or beans, however, as it slows their growth. I like to plant elephant garlic in my own garden to deter pesky cabbage moths from my tomatoes and kale. According to a study done by researchers in Brazil, garlic has proven effective in reducing spider mites when planted amongst strawberries. Many aromatic herbs help to deter pests away from your crops, such as our good friend, garlic.
Bee balm, echinacea, and lemon balm are invaluable homestead medicine allies for making healing salves and tinctures.Īs an added bonus, controlling garden pests with beautiful plants beats out spraying chemicals on your edibles! Basil, borage, and rosemary, for example, are ideal dual-purpose herbs for both garden and kitchen. I try to plant herbs that function well symbiotically with different plants in my garden, but are also useful when prepping meals. There are many different reasons for choosing to grow companion plants in your garden. Otherwise, the bean and squash plants will shade it out if it isn’t tall enough yet.) (A word of advice from my own experience: get the corn started first. The pole beans climb up the corn, while the squash sprawls out over the ground, helping to shade out most weeds below. As you may remember from grade school, the Native Americans used to plant “The 3 Sisters”: pole beans, squash and corn. Planting your garden symbiotically is not a new idea by any means.
Wouldn’t it be nice to get to choose to live next to a handyman? Or maybe your favorite relative, your babysitter or a cheap mechanic? Well, you may not get to ever choose whom you live near, but you can help your plants have good neighbors that they will enjoy and benefit from as well!
Imagine if you could choose your neighbors. Vegetable companion planting is the practice of purposely growing edible plants near each other to help create a symbiotic relationship.
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