An Introduction to Companion Planting - Jackie Anstis
AN INTRODUCTION TO COMPANION PLANTING
Companion planting has been practiced for as long as man has been deliberately cultivating food crops. With hunger to sharpen lateral thinking it wasn’t long before those early farmers noticed that some plants were healthier and more productive when grown under certain conditions. These observations would have covered all aspects of cultivation – watering, feeding, seasons, sun or shade, shelter, crop rotation – and what plants grew happily together or the reverse.
Companion planting at its best and simplest mimics what would happen in nature – a seemingly random mix of plants growing vibrantly together. Tall plants protecting smaller from wind and sun, deep-rooted plants, as well as breaking up clay soils, bringing up nutrients that the shallow-rooted plants can’t reach, plants especially attractive to bees and other insects drawing pollinators to the less attractive, plants with strong essential oils disguising or repelling pests from neighbouring plants, root secretions from one plant benefiting another and promoting more vigorous growth or repelling soil borne pathogens. If plants are allowed to self-sow they will select a site suitable for them and flourish, sometimes to the gardener’s chagrin.
Companion planting is a mixture of myth and reality – under the correct conditions most will work. By this I mean if your gardening practices are poor – not enough nutrients, water and general care – then planting companionably will have minimal effect or none at all. The resurgence in organic gardening practices during the last sixty (?) years has brought with it both a practical and a scientific interest in companion planting.
BORAGE is attractive to bees so plant with tomatoes and strawberries
CARROTS interplant with leeks, also lettuce, sage, chives, peas, viola and rosemary
CHAMOMILE will revive ailing plants and increase plant growth generally and in particular, cabbages & mint
COMFREY being deep rooted acts as a barrier to grass, and is also a compost activator
CORN grows well with early potatoes, cabbage, broad beans, pumpkin and lettuce
FENNEL will inhibit growth of nearby plants – however, dill, feverfew and eau-de-cologne mint cope with it
FEVERFEW has insect-repellent properties and has an attractive daisy flower as well
GARLIC will help to protect peach and apple trees, tomatoes and roses; but don’t plant too close to strawberries, cabbages, peas or beans
NETTLES (Urtica dioica) promote strong growth and protect against aphids, black fly and mildew, and are particularly helpful under fruit trees and with potatoes
PELARGONIUMS and grapes grow well together
POTATOES don’t mind sunflower, cucumber, green beans, peas or broad beans; tomatoes are Ok close by but not growing next to
PUMPKIN with corn and citrus trees (acts as a living mulch) but not with potatoes
ROSEMARY grows well with sage, cabbage, beans and carrots but not with potatoes or tomatoes
THYME is a good neighbor generally and helps to repel cabbage worm
TOMATOES grow well with asparagus, parsley, beans and cabbage and, of course, basil
YARROW increases plant health and vigour and is known as a plant doctor
These are just a few of the multitude of possibilities for companion planting in your garden. Give it a go.
Listed below are just some of the books available with further information on this subject:
Jackie French’s GUIDE TO COMPANION PLANTING IN AUSTRALIA & N.Z.
A-Z OF COMPANION PLANTING Pamela Allardice
COMPANION GARDENING IN AUSTRALIA Judith Collins
Penny Woodward’s AN AUSTRALIAN HERBAL
ORGANIC GARDENING IN AUSTRALIA Jackie French
SUCCESSFUL ORGANIC GARDENING David Murray
HERBCRAFT Nerys Purchon & Dhenu Jennifer Clary
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HERB |
LIKES |
DISLIKES |
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Tomatoes, asparagus, parsley, apricots, |
rue |
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Improves growth/flavour of strawberries, squash, tomatoes, pumpkin |
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Anything; promotes better onion crops; tea minimizes damping off; improves growth/flavour of cabbages |
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Radishes, dill, coriander |
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Roses - repels aphids; parsley, cucumbers, carrots; under apple trees - minimises scab |
Peas, beans, legumes |
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Anise, dill, chervil, cabbages, carrots. Assists growth/formation of anise plants |
fennel |
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Celery, cucumber, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, coriander, chervil, carrots |
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Dill. Inhibits growth of most plants - isolate. |
Coriander, wormwood |
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Fruit trees - increases resistance to disease; potatoes, tomatoes; stren hens other lants |
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Rosemary, apple and peach trees; increases fragrance of roses when rown nearby |
Peas, beans, cabbages, strawberries |
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Potatoes, fruit trees |
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Grape vines, cabbages |
radishes |
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Garlic, silverbeet; plant near vegies as it improves their flavour |
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Fruit trees. Benefits nearby plants |
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Chives; improves vegetable crops planted nearby |
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Beans, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes. Plant randomly throughout the garden (Calendula officinalis) |
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Has a good effect on plants around it - especially vegies. Improves most flavours. |
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Cabbages, tomatoes. Use clippings as a mulch around cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli - repels catepllars |
Parsley |
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Apple trees, radishes, cabbages, cucumbers, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, fruit trees generally |
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Cabbages, cauliflower, grape vines; aids all vegies generally |
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Chives, roses, tomatoes, asparagus |
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Grape vines |
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Strawberries |
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Rue, tansy |
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Sage, garlic, cabbage, beans, carrots |
Potatoes, tomatoes |
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Roses, raspberries |
Basil, sage |
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Rosemary , carrots, cabbage |
Rue, cucumber |
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Roses |
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Improves flavour/ growth of beans and onions |
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Cabbages; fruit trees - cleaner, healthier fruit |
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Fruit trees, cabbages, roses, raspberries, grapes. Concentrates potassium in the soil. |
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Benefits most plants |
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Cabbages, most plants |
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Radishes |
Fennel, sage, caraway, young plants |
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Benefits all nearby plants and vegies. Make a tea and pour around ailing plants. |
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Download the document
| an_introduction_to_companion_planting.pdf |