Planning Your Garden, Part 1: Companion Plants
“I planted peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and zucchini,” a neighbor told me. “The tomatoes aren’t growing at all, and the cucumbers are really struggling. How do you get your vegetables to grow so full and productively?”
I hear these questions often. There are some basics that might seem obvious: a spot with enough sun and soil, the proper amount of water. But there are many more elements that contribute to a successful garden that many of us might not be aware of. In permaculture gardening, we talk about designing a site that makes the best use of nature, and ideally, every action serves multiple purposes. For example, I grow my grapes in an east-west facing. They get the advantage of almost the full day of sun. I also planted them on an open wire fence. The fence provides support, and its openwork structure allows the sun to come through. As the plants grow throughout the season, they form a bit of a hedge that offers privacy and cuts down wind blowing from east to west. In the ground is some clover, and nearby are oregano, basil and beans, all companion plants to grapes.
What is a companion plant, you may be wondering? Well, think about how much better we do in our lives when we are supported by companions – friends, family, colleagues. Think about some of the roads you have walked in your life and how much harder it would have been (or was) walking them alone. Companion plants serve much the same purpose. One plant gives off something in its roots, for example, that the other feeds on. Or a plant might help deter bugs or nematodes. Knowing which plants like which others (and don’t like – there are poor companions as well, and if you set that same basil plant by your cucumbers, or stick them near a potato field, watch out!) is one of the keys to happier and more productive food plants.
So I might ask that neighbor, “Did you place the basil near the cucumbers?” and if he says, “Yes,” I’ll suggest he move them from that spot and place them closer to the tomatoes. Perhaps he can then add beans by the cucumbers, and have a symbiotic garden family.
Companion plants are one of the many factors we take into account when In the Gardens designs a garden. Whether for a community or school, a business or a private home, we work with a variety of factors to help you grow the garden of your dreams with as little work and as much success as possible. From patio and small space gardens to raised beds and even extensive yards and fields, we can help you get the most out of your project. Contact us for more information!
Happy Gardening!
Rabbi Robin Damsky