After last years Courgette disaster - (round ones from some pumpkin/courgette cross contamination), because I thought they would be ok together, I have been thinking about mixing up some of my veg/herbs/flowers again but actually researching what growing goods are good for each other, aswell as those that don't like each other.
So after some research on various websites, I have decided to companion plant some of my vegetables for the following reasons:
1 - To make my plot prettier and more interesting (lame I know!)
2 - To attract the bugs I WANT on my plants
3 - To deter the bugs I DO NOT want on my plants
4 - To save on space (this is not my reason as I have quite a large plot but is a good one)
So, my plan from information gathered the last couple of days (all yet to be tested!):
I will scatter some flowers (MARIGOLDS, COSMOS, CORNFLOWER, LIMANTHES, NASTURTIUMS, BORAGE ) around the plot, as these attract the bees and butterflies - for pollination and are a nice splash of colour on your plot. They keep away the aphids - green flies, white flies etc... I think some attract predatory insects like hoverflies that eat the aphids too. But I don't need to know about all of that at the moment!
Plus, you can eat the leaves and flowers on the Nasturtiums and the petals from Marigolds in a salad - I haven't tried this. Apparently the petals can be used to colour rice as well.
Near my TOMATOES: as said above some BORAGE, MINT and BASIL. Mint smells nice and repels Aphids. Borage is said to improve tomato growth and make them taste better so we shall see! Basil said to improve tomato growth and flavour too.
Near CABBAGES: MINT and THYME (will prob put this in between Toms and Cabs), as it also repels Cabbage White Butterflies/Worms. SAGE aswell as this repels Cabbage Moth and Slugs (ooh I hate them!) and OREGANO, (anything to save my cabbages from a holey mess - I will surround them!) again, deters Cabbage Butterflies.
With BROCCOLI, CAULIS, SPROUTS, KOHL RABI and KALE (all the Brassicas): OREGANO because as said above deters Cabbage Butterflies (hopefully making them extinct by 2012).With CARROTS: SAGE and CHIVES. To help fight off Root Fly and Slugs. I will also sow carrots inbetween my SPRING ONIONS as Carrot Fly do not like onions.
It may seem a bit hectic but will start adapting my plan I think to see what is best next to each other, which will make it seem less confusing I am sure... Might not do it all but looking forward to seeing how it goes!!
I will welcome any suggestions from other allotmenteers too!
Can definitely recommend the marigolds. I put African marigolds in and around my brassicas as they are supposed to be the smelliest, and I reckon I cut down the whitefly by at least 90%.
ReplyDeleteOf course, could have been a fluke, but I'll be trying it again this year!
You're probably going to do it anyway, but I plant all the stuff that is susceptible to whitefly together, to stop it spreading if they do show up.
Good luck!
African Marigolds ey, I will have to check which ones I have!
ReplyDeleteYes I am yet to do my plan but will think about all the white fly stuff together thanks! :)
I planted my shallots today but some were mouldy which was a shame.