| |
|
Being a gardener in Lubbock is a greater challenge than I imagined, but each year is getting better.
Come follow my progress as I get my hands in Texas soil.
Joy Blooms
. . .
with veggies, flowers, birds, butterflies, & creatures
This page last updated: 05/08/2016 08:07 AM
|
|
|
Good & Bad Neighbors in the Garden
(Notes to myself) |
Asparagus
- Parsley & Asparagus increases the vitality of the each
other
- Tomatoes protect Asparagus against that awful asparagus
beetle.
-
|
|
Beans More about Beans
- Beans planted with Carrots & Cauliflower are mutually
beneficial.
- Marigolds planted with beans helps to repel the Mexican
bean beetle. They are pretty & perky too.
- Pole Beans are great neighbors to corn. The vines
anchor the corn. Really good here in windy Lubbock.
- Grow Pole Beans on an "inverted-V" Trellis and plant
radishes underneath. The radishes will appreciate the shade.
- INHIBITED BY all members of the Onion Family
- Compost the spent plants or turn under to enrich the
soil.
- Summer Savory improves their growth & also deters bean
beetles.
- Tansy is a good neighbor to beans, cucurbits (cucumbers,
squash, etc), corn, roses. It wards of flying pests. Plant in pots - it is invasive
& ugly.
- Sage deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
- Less likely to suffer from beetles if
petunias also planted alongside.
|
Beets
- Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are
composed of 25% magnesium making them a valuable addition to the compost pile if you don't
care to eat them.
- Keep away from Runner or pole beans. They tend to
stunt each other's growth.
|
Brassicas (Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage,
Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Turnips)
- Herbs such as hyssop, rosemary or sage help repel pests
with their distinct aromas.
- Sage deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
- Brassicas are heavy feeders. Be sure to supply
plenty of compost or decomposed manure. They need lime, phosphorus & potash to
excel.
- Place peppermint in pots at the corners of Brassicas
bed. Mints are invasive and can be contained in pots.
- Plant Chamomile & Celery with cabbage as it Improves
growth and flavor. Plant Chamomile & Celery sparingly.
- Dill improves the growth and health of cabbage and dill
blossoms attract honeybees.
- Plant spinach at 6 to 12 inch intervals amongst broccoli
to reduce bug damage.
- Thyme deters to white flies & cabbage worms.
- Don't plant tansy because it actually attracts cabbage
worms.
|
Carrots
- Sweeter tasting carrots result from a sufficient level
of lime. Be sure to supply plenty of compost or decomposed manure.
- Rosemary will repel carrot flies
- Intercropping onions and leeks with your carrots
confuses the carrot and onion flies!
- Chives improve the flavor of carrots.
|
Celery
- Nasturtium improve radish growth and flavor.
- Celery improves the growth of nearby plants.
- Celery repels cabbage butterflies.
|
Chives
- Planting chives with carrots will improve both the growth and flavor of
your carrots.
- Grapes benefit from chive's ability to repel aphids.
- Beets and carrots are good companion plants for chives. When chives are
planted near carrots that have been allowed to bloom, it confuses both onion and carrot
flies.
- Asparagus, beans, peas and spinach are all bad companion plants for
chives.
|
Corn
- Peas & Pole Beans add nitrogen to the soil, which the
corn needs. As they vine up the corn plant, they anchor the corn.
- Crops left to vine on the ground (cucumbers, melons,
squash) like the shade provided by the corn stalks. Also cucumber allowed to grow up the
corn stalks help to anchor the stalks.
- Marigolds repel the Japanese beetle. They munch on
the marigolds instead of the corn silk.
- Nasturtiums planted around corn will help fight corn
borers
- Planting Sunflowers with corn is said by some to
increase the yield of corn.
- Tansy is a good neighbor to beans, cucurbits (cucumbers,
squash, etc), corn, roses. It wards of flying pests. Plant in pots - it is
invasive & ugly.
- Pumpkin or melon vines at the base of corn smothers the
weeds & helps the corn retain moisture in its roots.
|
Cucumbers
- Icicle Radishes planted among Cucumber vines will drive
away harmful insects such as cucumber beetles.
- Nasturtium improves growth and flavor of cucumbers
- Dill planted with cucumbers helps by attracting
beneficial predators.
- Tansy deters flying bugs, cucumber beetles, ants, flies,
squash bugs & Japanese beetles.
|
Eggplants
- Mulch during the heat of the summer to prevent wilt
disease.
- Plant with
Bush Beans to repel the Colorado potato beetle which like to munch on eggplant.
|
Kohlrabi
- Needs plenty of water & best grown in soil with lots of
compost. It prefers filtered light.
|
Leeks
- Leeks chase away carrot flies & carrots help leeks grow
and enhance flavor.
- Leeks are very heavy feeders; planting in well-rotted
manure is best.
|
Lettuce
- Lettuce is a cool weather crop. It needs plenty of
water. Plant in the spring and fall - will not do well in the heat of the summer.
- Plant under the trellis tents of cucumbers to avoid the
hot sun.
- Plant radishes with lettuce to enhance the flavor of the
radishes.
- Lettuce grows well in the shade under young Sunflowers.
- Dill and lettuce are a perfect pair.
- Keep lettuce away from cabbage. Cabbage is a deterrent
to the growth and flavor of lettuce.
|
Melons
- Don't plant melons, cucumbers or squash (cucurbits)
where the other cucurbits grew the previous year.
- Melons & cucurbits will not have many pests if planted
in the spring or fall.
- Morning Glory is thought to encourage the germination of
melon seeds.
- Elevate the growing melons to discourage invasions of
worms. Placing of several layers of waxed paper works too.
- Melon leaves add calcium to the compost pile.
|
Okra
- Okra is a warm weather plant that needs lots of water.
Plant in rows with a trench in the middle to collect water.
- Plant lettuce around your okra plants and they will
shade the lettuce in the summer giving you some more growing time
|
Onions
- Onion maggots move from plant to plant. To out
smart them, scatter onions willy-nilly throughout the garden.
- Planting chamomile and summer savory with onions
improves their flavor.
|
Parsley
- Parsley will drive away carrot flies, so plant parsley
among carrots.
- Roses appreciate parsley's ability to ward off the rose
beetle.
- Parsley adds vitality to both tomatoes & asparagus
|
Peas
- Add the spent pea plant to the compost pile or turn
under. The pea plant is an excellent source of nitrogen.
|
Peanuts
- Peanuts are great soil builders.
- Consider planting in succession after an earlier crop
has been harvested
- Encourages growth of corn and squash.
|
Peppers, Bell
- Okra plants will act as a wind break for the brittle
pepper plants
|
Potatoes
- Don't plant Tomatoes near potatoes. It makes the
potatoes vulnerable to potato blight.
- Interplant watermelons with potatoes. The
Potatoes will appreciate the "living mulch" of the vines.
- Horseradish, planted at the corners of the potato patch,
provides general protection.
- Alyssum makes a perfect living mulch for potatoes.
|
Pumpkins
- Marigold deters beetles.
- Dill may help repel squash bugs.
|
Radishes
- Do not rotate radishes with Brassicas.
- Plant with cucumbers, melons, & squash to ward off the
striped cucumber beetle.
- Plant with tomatoes to discourage the two-spotted spider
mite.
- Summer planting of leaf lettuce with radishes makes the
radishes more tender.
|
Raspberries
- Plant Tansy with fruit trees, roses and raspberries
keeping in mind that it can be invasive and is not the most attractive of plants.
|
Roses
- Parsley increases the fragrance of roses
when planted around their base
- Alyssum flowers attract hoverflies whose
larva devour aphids.
- Tansy is a good neighbor to beans,
cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, etc), corn, roses. It wards of flying pests.
Plant in pots - it is invasive & ugly.
|
Spinach
- seems to do well with strawberries
|
Squash
- Icicle Radishes planted among Squash
vines will drive away cucumber beetles & rust flies. Don't harvest the radishes.
- Nasturtiums repel squash bugs.
- Plant early spring and in the fall to
avoid having bug problems.
|
Strawberries
- Borage and strawberries help each other.
Scatter Borage in strawberry bed to enhance the fruits flavor and yield of the berries.
- Onions planted with strawberries help the
berries fight disease.
- Bush Beans and Strawberries do well
together.
|
Sweet Potatoes
- Summer savory helps to confuse and
perhaps repel the sweet potato weevil.
|
Tomatoes
- Once you have found a home for Tomatoes,
plant them there each year. Tomatoes like to grow in the same place.
- Always water Tomatoes plants from BELOW
and water deeply.
- Don't plant Tomatoes near potatoes.
It makes the potatoes vulnerable to potato blight.
- Don't plant dill near tomatoes.
Dill attracts the tomato horn worm.
- Basil & Bee Balm (Monarda) reportedly
increases the growth & improves the flavor of Tomatoes. Basil is also said to repel
tomato hornworms.
- Tomatoes grow better with carrots, but
may stunt the carrots' growth. Plan not to harvest the carrots.
- Chives improves the flavor of tomatoes.
|
Turnips
- Do not plant turnips where any member of
the Brassicas family was planted the previous year.
- Peas are good companions for turnips.
Peas fix nitrogen in the soil.
- Do not plant potatoes, radishes or other
root vegetables near your turnips. These vegetables compete for nutrients; resulting in a
diminished turnip crop size.
|
Watermelons
- Watermelons need lots of sun. Be
careful not to shade them with taller plants.
- Interplant watermelons with potatoes.
The Potatoes will appreciate the "living mulch" of the vines.
- Nasturtium helps to deter bugs and
beetles.
|
|
Bean Family–beans, peas, peanuts
Carrot Family–carrots, dill, fennel, celery, parsley,
cilantro
Cabbage Family–cabbage, brussels, bok choy,
cauliflower, kohlrabi, broccoli, collards, turnips, radishes, kale
Corn Family–corn, wheat, oats, rice, other cereal
grains
Daisy Family–lettuce, artichoke, Sunflowers, daisy,
asters , marigold
Goosefoot Family–spinach, beets, chard
Gourd Family–squashes, melons, cucumbers
Lily Family–asparagus, onion, shallots, garlic,
chives
Mint Family–oregano, mint, basil, rosemary, sage,
lavender, thyme
Nightshades Family–tomato, petunia, potato, peppers
Rose Family–roses, strawberries, blackberries,
apples, pear, raspberries |
|
- Companion Plants that repel
pest insects and/or disease are: Marigolds, Lavender, Wormwood, Basil, Chamomile,
Chives, Mint, Rosemary, Parsley, Hyssop, Thyme, Catnip and Garlic
- Companion Plants that
attract beneficial insects and/or birds are: most members of the Daisy Family (Compositae)
such as Cosmos, Coreopsis, Sunflowers, Tansy, Goldenrods, Black-Eyed Susan’s, Purple
Coneflowers, Asters and Gay feathers while non daisy members include Dill and
Fennel. Many native Ohio trees, shrubs, perennials and grass that bear fruit or seed
will help to attract birds to ones gardens.
- Companion Plants that enrich
garden soils with nitrogen and biomass are: most legume crops and members of the
Papilionaceae Family such as Sweet peas, Pole Beans and Peanuts. Other
nitrogen rich plants include Lupines, Lespedeza, False Indigo, Clover and Black
Locust.
- Companion Plants that trap
pest insects include: Radishes, Nasturtiums, Collards, Borage, Mustard, Lantana and
Tomatoes (plant Trap Plants near desirable plantings, and be sure to remove them once
they become infested with pest insects)
|
|
Herbs :
Parsley is a multi-purpose herb.
Planted among tomatoes and asparagus, it wards off beetles and attracts hoverflies
that eat pest insects. Let some go to seed to attract tiny parasitic wasps that can
take care of all your hornworm problems. Parsley also increases the fragrance of
roses when it is planted around their base.
Mint (any flavor) deters aphids,
white cabbage moths, flea beetles, fleas and ants. Bees and other beneficial insects
and pollinators, however, love mint. Earthworms are also attracted to mint
plantings. Since once established, mint is a prolific plant, you can cut off the
tops to use as mulch around plants that you want to protect from critters. Basil
planted with tomatoes will improve growth and flavor. Basil can be helpful in
repelling thrips. It is said to repel flies and mosquitoes. Do not plant near rue.
Marjoram improves the flavor of
vegetables and herbs when planted near them. Comfrey accumulates calcium,
phosphorous and potassium and redeposits these in the soil and in compost if added
to the pile. Also deposits minerals if used as a mulch. It likes wet spots to grow
in, is a traditional medicinal plantand a good trap crop for slugs.
Chili Peppers have a root exudate
that prevents root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Plant where you have had these
problems. Teas made from hot peppers are useful as insect sprays.
Chives improves growth and flavor of
carrots and tomatoes. A tea of chives may be used on cucumbers to prevent downy
mildew.
Dill improves the growth and health
of cabbage, onions and cucumbers, but doesn't like carrots at all. Keep them apart,
but plant near lettuce. Dill attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps. It can be
planted away from your tomatoes to attract hornworms. It also is a favorite food for
the swallowtail butterfly larvae.
Garlic will repel aphids, and garlic
sprays are used to get rid of all sorts of pests, including deer. Used as a soil
drench, the plants take up the garlic and become hardier and more pest repellent,
but do not begin to taste like garlic! Many fruit and rose growers surround their
plants with garlic to protect them from pests and encourage healthy growth.
Horseradish can be an invasive
plant, but it is good for keeping away the Colorado potato bug. Plant in containers
in the potato patch. You can also make a tea from the root that has antifungal
properties and works as an insect spray as well.
Lavender repels fleas and moths.
Flowering lavender nourishes many nectar-feeding and beneficial insects.
Lemon Balm has citronella compounds
that deter bugs. Dried and made into a powder and sprinkled around the garden, it
will keep many pests away. Rub the leaves on your skin to keep mosquitoes away.
Rosemary is a good companion plant
to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage.
Tansy deters flying insects,
Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants and mice. Tie up and
hang a bunch of tansy leaves indoors as a fly repellent. Plant with fruit trees,
roses and raspberries.
Veggies:
Beans and peas enrich the soil with
nitrogen captured from the air. In general they are good company for carrots,
brassicas, beets, and cucumbers. Great for heavy nitrogen users like corn and grain
plants. Pole beans, sweet corn and melons are a good combo. Keep beans away from the
alliums. Beets are good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed of
25% magnesium. Companions are lettuce, onions and brassicas. They also are good for
loosening compacted soil.
Brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli,
cabbages) benefit from chamomile, peppermint, dill, sage, and rosemary. They need
rich soil with plenty of lime to flourish.
Flowers:
Flowering plants encourage
beneficial insects and pollinators to the garden. Mix in flowers to keep your garden
beautiful and lively. Four O'Clocks draw Japanese beetles like a magnet. They dine
on the foliage and it poisons them on the spot. Be careful that your kids know they
are also poisonous to humans.
There are lots of other plant
partners that will make your garden more vigorous and pest resistant. This
fascinating study has been going on for years as gardeners observe the combinations
that work well in their own gardens. Watch yours and see what works!
Sacred Sisters
The term "Three Sisters" or "Sacred
Sisters" emerged from the Iroquois creation myth. It was said that the earth began
when Sky Woman who lived in the upper world peered through a hole in the sky and
fell through to an endless sea. The animals saw her coming, so they took the soil
from the bottom of the sea and spread it onto the back of a giant turtle to provide
a safe place for her to land. This "Turtle Island" is now what we call North
America. Later Sky Woman buried her daughter in this new land and from her grave
grew three sacred plants - corn, beans and squash. These plants provided food for
succeeding generations.
For centuries many Native American
tribes have cultivated corn, beans and squash together. This ancient style of
companion planting has played a key role in the survival of all people in North
America. Grown together these crops are able to thrive and provide high-yield,
high-quality crops with a minimal environmental impact. Corn, beans and squash have
a unique symbiotic relationship in an American garden. Corn offers a structure for
the beans to climb. The beans, in turn, help to replenish the soil with nutrients.
The large leaves of squash and pumpkin vines provide living mulch that conserves
water and provides weed control.
Corn, beans and squash combine to
create a nearly perfect meal loaded with essential vitamins and minerals. In
addition to its nutritional values, all Native American tribes that grew corn
considered it a sacred and spiritually valuable plant.
|
|
Planning, Preparation, Caring,
Harvesting, Canning |
Please
e-Mail me your
ideas or comments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|