Companion Planting

[Shawn]

Burpee has an Article about Companion Planting (Click here for article).

The article explains plant relationships and also those that do not get along.   Below you will find a picture chart but it does not have all the items listed in the link above.

Click chart below to see in full size

[Shawn]

From Hudson Valley Seed Email

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Sow a companion plant now for healthier crops.  Just like us, plants have their "besties." Companion planting involves growing at least two crops side-by-side to benefit one or both. Plant partnering can:

    - reduce weed pressure;
    - attract pollinators and other beneficial insects;
    - fix nitrogen in the soil;
    - act as "traps" or decoys for insect pests;
    - or, add shade, a trellis, or a windbreak.

The hard science isn't in on all plant partnerships, but many of these plantings have had the benefit of empirical, reproducible studies. We know, for example, that both peas and beans fix nitrogen in the soil–to the benefit of surrounding plants through an underground mycorrhizal network.   Nasturtium, another fast-growing companion crop, acts as a trap crop for aphids, squash bugs, and cabbage worm. Read more about companion plants below, all of which you can sow now for a mature crop by fall!

Gold Rush Yellow Wax Bean:  Prolific plants with scrumptious pods. Beans improve nitrogen levels in the soil. 75 days.

Sugar Daddy Snap Pea:  Sweet and crunchy snap peas. Nitrogen fixing. Compact, determinate vines. 60 days.

Borage:  Edible blue flowers! A traditional companion to strawberries and tomatoes. 50 days.

Variegated Nasturtium:  Edible leaves and flowers. Acts as a trap crop for aphids and cabbage worm. 60 days.

Lemon Basil:  Basil with citrusy notes. Repels thrips and disorients hornworm moths. 60 Days.

Bouquet Dill:  Potent dill flavor! Attracts ladybugs which eat aphids and spider mites. 65 days.

[campingcorgis]

Interesting!  I remember when i did a lot of outside gardening, I used to plan Marigolds as a sacrificial plant, of sorts.  Marigolds attract snails and slugs, such that they tend to just go after them and not my other plants.  

[Sher]

I wish  I had known that lemon basil disorients hornworm moths when I was growing tomatoes outdoors!