An In-Depth Companion Planting Guide

One of the most important things I did was apply dolomite and limestone to my soils, I already do the square foot garden in raised beds full of rabbit compost, but plants lose minerals through successive harvests, and calcium should be 68% of the soil minerals, and magnesium should be 12-20% of soil minerals for optimal growth, Dolomite is Ca/Mg and limestone is Ca/60 minerals. Joel Wallach advocates spreading wood ashes on the garden but forgot to mention, to do this AFTER you leach out the lye (which you can then use to make liquid soap>) I learned this the hard way as I killed a tree. But wood ashes are likely to have more of the minerals we so need. But in his books, Rare Earths Forbidden Cures, and Epigenetics, and Immortality, he has a huge listing of the 60 minerals, what research has shown some of them to do, and what rocks had the best amounts, ---limestone was one of the top rocks. Now it wouldn't be too helpful for us, but the microbes in a good compost help the plants to uptake these minerals in their roots, and their availability allow the plants to make a better quality protein, more vitamins, the minerals in the crop of course and help them make hormones that resist insects and the ability to resist disease.

I'm planning for next season, suggestions what to plant in a 15 ft. X 30 ft garden

Looking through the listings I saw potatoes, radishes and nasturtiums linked with squash. My German neighbor used to talk about bohnenkraut (bean herb) to plant with beans. I can't remember if that was for growth or for seasoning the cooked beans. I think that it was summer or winter savory I don't know which.Any information on the bean/ beanherb combo

I see nothing for squash plants Why?

I saw 1 thing on squash, but does not say what is companion plants to should be.

I see nothing for squash plants Why?

I have a small raised bed garden (3" x 5"), I have a tomato plant that was held over from last fall. I planted pole beans in the same bed, They would not germinate. I planted the beans 4 times and they just wouldn't germinate. I have grown beans in this bed before and had good luck. Could the tomato's be an enemy plant?

Is it harmful to Rhubarb if it's planted within 4 feet of azaleas?

Great site, great information. I've bookmarked you for future reference. As far as your list of companions they are pretty much the same companions I have found at various sites. I have also found more companions than you have listed and I have found companions on your site I don't find on other sites. I don't believe there is a comprehensive list anywhere because there are variations of compatibility. We might as well put out just what not to plant with any particular plant, then I guess we could just say Rue. All in all I love your list as you list herbs nobody else does. Thanks.

I believe there is sound science in companion planting. The problem I am having is the variance of information from one site to another. An example is growing tomatoes near corn or dill. I have read that they should not be planted together, yet there is no reference to tomatoes near corn or dill here. I have found quite a few variances and at this point, I"m not sure how to lay out my garden. This year I'll be planting almost every type of veggie I can think of. Any thoughts/advice?

I know there is sound science to companion planting. The problem I am having is the information on this varies from one site to another. For example, in multiple other places I have read that tomatoes should not be planted near corn or dill, yet there is reference to that on this site. Any thoughts on this?

Myth? I doubt it. Plants are chemical production factories and do impact each other. I majored in plant science, and very little is known about plant chemical interactions, but each research paper adds a little bit. I have hardened fifty years, and mix plants all the time, use no pesticides. I did study the plant-soil interface, and quit using fertilizers, they kill soil microbial life. I tuck beans and peas arround everything. Interplant herbs with vegetables. Edge it all with onion, garlic, nasturtium, calendula. I plant nothing in rows. Polyculture is healthier than monoculture. I have lizard housing all around, they keep pests down. I have penstemons to bring in hummingbirds, which eat their weight in insects every day.

Plants are miniature chemical warfare organisms. They impact each other in ways we haven't completely studied. If I have a plant reacting poorly, I move it quickly! Saves most of them. I do plant my perennial herbs sprinkled throughout the garden, avoid row planting, and edge with onions, garlic, nasturtium, and calendula. I like a large variety of food, and never have fields of predator inviting monoculture. Pesticides are a byproduct of monoculture.

What does tomato late blight look like? My tomatoes are doing great but lots of leaves have spots and even dead looking branches. The tomatoes look fine but a couple of days after picking many get spots mostly on the top around the stem end.

What does tomato late blight look like? My tomatoes are doing great but lots of leaves have spots and even dead looking branches. The tomatoes look fine but a couple of days after picking many get spots mostly on the top around the stem end.

Can't wait to put this in action in my city garden!

Here's a really good example of how intercropping marigold with tomatoes can prevent tomato early blight. "We found that intercropping with marigold induced a significant (∗P<0.05) reduction in tomato early blight caused by A. solani, by means of three different mechanisms. One was the allelopathic effect of marigold on A. solani conidia germination, as it was shown in vitro conditions; while pigweed did not have any of this inhibitory effect in conidia germination. The second way was by altering the microclimatic conditions around the canopy, particularly by reducing the number of hours per day with relative humidity ≥92%, thus diminishing conidial development. The third mechanism was to provide a physical barrier against conidia spreading. When intercropped with tomato, pigweed plants worked also as a physical barrier and promoted reductions in the maximum relative humidity surrounding the canopy, but to a lesser extent than marigold." It's true that this is the internet: there's bad information out there. I think the world would be better if everybody was brave enough to read journal abstracts directly.

to normg: Companion planting principles are *absolutely* not a myth.

Have scallions that over took the garden over the winter and know I need to move some strawberry plants that they decided to grow around. I didn't ruin those strawberries already did I?

Hello, I was wondering if I can put my herb garden containers on the edges of my above ground garden and get the same results as planting them in the garden? Thank you.

Problem with section on Cabbages and Cauliflower!! Never plant a plant near a plant from the same family. "Doing so weakens you plants and makes them susceptible to invasion by pests and diseases." http://homeguides.sfgate.com/not-plant-near-cucumbers-33318.htm

Last year I planted my pole beans in the same small 4x4 raised bed as my kohlrabi and I got great yields of both. I still have a few freezer bags of green beans left and at one point we were getting buckets of beans from less than 15 plants. So I think the article are good suggestions but there is no real proven science to some of the do not grow nears. I do take some of the suggestions and ideas I find online but I also think that just trial and error in placing different things near each other is the best way to find out what works. Everyone's environment is just a little different so other things can be influencing a plant rather than just what is nearby.

There is scientific evidence that nitrogen fixing plants such as legumes can benefit other plants that can not do so through soil interaction, as well as trap cropping for pests. The Three Sisters planting method is merely using a planting that benefits and saves space. Allelopathy is also scientifically proven. So I would not go so far as to say most of it is myth. I happen to be writing a research paper on "companion planting" which is somewhat of an anthropomorphic term. Look up trap cropping, intercropping, allelopathy, polyculture, "plant associations" for ecological readings.

You may say myth, but I've had some experiences that were tragic! Don't plant hot peppers (jalapeno, poblano, etc.) near green beans.  One year I had them next to each other and I got about 4 beans off of 15 plants.  I keep them well separated and now I get more beans than I know what to do with.  And, marigolds almost totally killed my oregano...I'd never heard of this one, but I had marigolds lining my garden area and my one thriving oregano almost totally died.  I pulled the marigolds from within 4 feet and it came back...go figure.  I suspect a lot of companion planting may not be as devastating as these, but I would consider it when plotting my garden...it's hard enough keeping an organic garden going without veggie rivalries.

dafydd9; don't worry about it too much.  Most of the "companion planting" guidelines are steeped in myth and conjecture with very little documented scientific support.  It's fun to plant a variety of plants, and it is interesting to plant marigolds or thyme or whatever with this or that crop.  But whether next to, surrounded by, adjecent, dense, or sparse; any "companion" planting is mosty myth.  What is important is considering crops that are impacted by the same diseases or pests.  For example, both potatoes and tomoatoes are susestiptable to late blight, so they say to keep them apart.  But since late blight can sweep across a whole county in a matter of a few days (or even overnight), I am not sure how much validity there is even to that.  Oh...for the record I have been a serious veggie gardener for about 20 years and I have completed basic horticulture classes.

when you say, keep away from, how far away are you talking??

when you say, keep away from, how far away are you talking??