My Top 5 Veggies and Companion Planting

This is a quick and easy list of my top 5 easiest veggies to grow and a short description of their companion plants.  I sent our this information in a newsletter.  If you have not yet signed up you can send me a private email to mari_backtonature@yahoo.com with the subject "Newsletter."

Enjoy!

Back in December I asked all of you what YOU would like to see in our weekly/monthly newsletters.  So far I've shared  Container Gardening (part 1 and 2), along with Composting basics and New Arrival announcements. Brand NEW items:  Rosemary,  "Allergy",  Chamomile and "Flashes" Tincture Kits are NOW available! ***Seed Specials and Announcement below!!!*** Companion Planting Made Simple - Top 5 Below is a list of our top 5 varieties.  Companion planting means based around the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted next to, or close to one another. Companion planting exists to benefit certain plants by giving them pest control, naturally without the need to use chemicals, and in some cases they can give a higher crop yield . You can find a complete list of Companion plants at Back to the Basics. Tomatoes Companions-asparagus, basil, bean, Borage, carrots, celery, chive, cucumber, dill, garlic, head lettuce, marigold, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley, pea, pepper, marigold, pot marigold and sow thistle. One drawback with tomatoes and carrots: tomato plants can stunt the growth of your carrots but the carrots will still be of good flavor. Borage deters tomato worm, improves growth and flavor. Enemies- corn and tomato are attacked by the same worm. Kohlrabi stunts tomato growth. Keep potatoes and tomatoes apart as they both can get early and late blight contaminating each other. Keep apricot, dill, fennel, cabbage and cauliflower away from them.  Peppers Sweet Peppers: tomatoes, parsley, basil, geraniums, marjoram, lovage, petunia and carrots, onions. Don't plant them near fennel or kohlrabi. Hot Peppers: Chili peppers have root exudates that prevent root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Tomato plants, green peppers, and okra are good protection for them. Teas made from hot peppers can be useful as insect sprays. Hot peppers like to be grouped with cucumbers, eggplant, escarole, tomato, okra, Swiss chard and squash. Herbs to plant near them include: basils, oregano, parsley and rosemary. Never put them next to any beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or fennel. Lettuce / Greens Companions: beets, broccoli, bush beans, pole beans, carrots, cucumbers, onion, radish and strawberries. Keep lettuce away from cabbage. Chard: bean, cabbage family, tomato, onion and roses. Don't grow chard near cucurbits, melons, corn or herbs. Plant dill and parsnips away from carrots. Spinach: peas and beans as they provide natural shade for the spinach. Gets along with cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, onion, peas, strawberries and squash. Cucumbers Companions: corn and beans, peas, beets, radishes and carrots. Radishes are a good deterrent against cucumber beetles. Dill planted with cucumbers helps by attracting beneficial predators. Nasturtium improves growth and flavor. Keep sage, potatoes and rue away from cucumbers. Eggplant Companions:  amaranth, beans, peas, spinach, tarragon, thyme and marigold. Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family and does well with peppers as they like the same growing conditions.

Have you enjoyed them so far?  If you missed any of them or they were "lost in the mail" just let me know and I'd be happy to send you a copy. Below are all new seeds specials and NEW stuff over at Mary's Heirloom Seeds! Do you have additional questions or suggestions for future newsletters?  Let us know what you think! Sincerely, Mary Mary's Heirloom Seeds

NEW! Have you ever considered making your own herbal remedies? Do you already make your own herbal "medicine"? Brand NEW items: Rosemary, "Allergy", Chamomile and "Flashes" Tincture Kits are NOW available! **Order before March 10th and get a pack of Basil seeds FREE** Seed Specials Feb 26th-March 10th Long Island Brussels Sprouts, Black Beauty Eggplant, Snowball Self-blanching Cauliflower, 5 Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard, Tom Thumb Lettuce and Emerald Green Tomatoes. *Linking up HERE and Wildcrafting Wednesday*