Well its mid-May and things are happening in the garden! After getting our soil ready, making a garden plan, and planting some cool weather crops, it’s time to think about the next step in raised beds and your garden plot, some companion planting.
Companion Planting is described as the idea that certain plants benefit from each other when planted in close proximity. In other words, putting plants together, that do well together. It is commonly used as a sort of pest control for your garden, as mixing in some flowers and herbs can make it more difficult for those bugs to find your plants or in some cases actually deter them. The use of some flowers and herbs can also work to attract beneficial insects to your garden.
Elspeth and I did our Facebook Live from Wile’s Lake Farm Market this week and discussed what we can be planting this long weekend in May, companion planting and an update on my tomato transplants.
Here are a few herbs and flowers to consider if you want to try some companion planting this year…
Basil, Parsley and Marigolds work well next to tomatoes….
Catnip or hyssop do well as a companion with broccoli and cabbage…
Lavender seems to work well as a deer deterrent, and here on the South Shore we have lots of gardeners who struggle with visiting deer. So perhaps try planting some all around the corners of your garden.
Eggplant is a good companion plant to potatoes…
Wile’s Lake Farm Market currently has some, Horseradish, which isn’t always easy to find, and also works well at the corners of your potato patch.
Planting radishes around your cucumbers seems to help with cucumber beetles.
Be sure to think about what your plants are going to look like as far as size and space when companion planting. There seems to be a fair bit of trial and error when it comes to companion planting so take some notes this year in your garden journal and see what works for you in your space.
For more information on Companion Planting you can check this companion planting guide from Burpee…
It’s helpful to think of building good plant communities when planning your garden. This is the most important concept behind companion planting. Time-tested garden wisdom holds that certain plants grown close together become helpmates. (See the list at the bottom.)
Source: Companion Planting Guide – Growing Tips Article at Burpee.com
On this the third weekend of May, it is still a bit cool to put some of the plants and herbs we mentioned as companion plants, in your garden. If you have your cool weather crops in and are really hankering to do some more planting, why not plant a nice pot of pansies? The flowers are edible and can be mixed in with your lettuce when it’s ready as a nice salad. Fun!
I’m excited to try some companion planting this year and seeing if it makes a difference? Are you doing any gardening this long weekend? Leave a comment and let me know. 🙂
“Grow with Me and Wile’s Lake Farm Market” is sponsored by Wile’s Lake Farm Market located in Wileville. They carry all kinds of seeds and transplants to get you started in your garden and to assist with companion planting. Their knowledgeable staff is also available to answer any questions you might have.
