Companion Planting is a topic that seems to generate interest from gardeners wanting to learn how to garden more effectively.

Though there are many suggestions, here are just a few guidelines to keep in mind when planning your garden this year.

One of my personal favorites is what the Iroquois Indians called “The Three sisters.” This entails planting corn, squash & pole beans together for the benefit of all 3 plants. Beans are able to pull nitrogen from the atmosphere and fix it in the soil through their roots, thus providing corn with the extra Nitrogen it needs. The Corn provides the twining Beans with a trellis to climb, and squash provides shade for the roots of both, keeping moisture in the soil & also helping to choke out weeds with their large leaves.

Borage, an herb with a cucumber like flavor, makes a good companion to tomatoes, squash and strawberries, adding potassium, calcium & other nutrients while attracting honeybees. It’s even supposed to deter tomato hornworms and improve the flavor of tomatoes growing near by.

Basil can increase yields when planted with tomatoes & may improve flavor (and they go great together on your plate too!) Basil is also said to drive away flies & mosquitoes, although I must say I haven’t proven that one personally.

Mint is said to repel cabbage moth, aphids and flea beetles, but because mint can be invasive, just sink the pot into the ground to contain it. It also makes a nice addition to your tea (not to mention a nice cool summer Mojito)

Chives & Garlic are said to repel aphids & spider mites, but since garlic has allelopathic qualities, meaning that it deters growth of plants growing near it, I don’t recommend planting it in very close proximity to it’s companions.

Nasturtium are said to keep away potato bug, squash bug & whitefly, and make a pretty addition to your salads.

Radishes are also reputed to discourage cucumber beetle, squash bug and stink bugs. Another tip for radishes – sprinkle Epsom salts in your planting row to deter maggots. Planting them in the same row as your carrots helps the weak carrot seedlings push through the crust of soil, following the fast growing radish, and as you harvest your radishes, you make room for the growing carrot root.

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