Companion planting is the concept of growing different varieties of plant together to encourage growth, prevent pests and diseases, attract beneficial insects and make more efficient use of space. It is a holistic way of growing.
Studies have shown that certain combinations are beneficial and others should be avoided.
(Above you see tomatoes with nasturtiums with basil about to be planted)
Sunseed Gardens have a number of companion combinations including:
Basil with Tomato: supposedly improves the flavour and growth of tomatoes, repelling some insects
Three Sisters (Corn, Beans, Squash): Corn provides a pole for the beans to climb; beans fix nitrogen on their roots, improving the fertility of the soil; shallow-rooted squash become a living mulch, shading out weeds and preventing soil moisture from evaporating. The plants also complement each other nutritionally, the corn providing carbohydrates, the beans protein and the squash vitamins from the fruit and oil from the seeds.
Borage: is used as a companion plant for tomatoes, squash and strawberries. It deters tomato hornworm, attracts bees and wasps, adds minerals to the soil, increases growth and disease resistance etc.
French marigold (Tagetes Patula): In two of our gardens we found root-knot nematode had infected tomato plants. French marigolds exude a substance from their roots that kills nematodes in the immediate area.
Nasturtiums: a great companion to many plants especially the cabbage family, deterring aphids, squash bugs and improving flavour and growth. We have masses of these beautiful flowers in all the gardens.
(Above you see tomatoes with nasturtiums with basil about to be planted)
Sunseed Gardens have a number of companion combinations including:
Basil with Tomato: supposedly improves the flavour and growth of tomatoes, repelling some insects
Three Sisters (Corn, Beans, Squash): Corn provides a pole for the beans to climb; beans fix nitrogen on their roots, improving the fertility of the soil; shallow-rooted squash become a living mulch, shading out weeds and preventing soil moisture from evaporating. The plants also complement each other nutritionally, the corn providing carbohydrates, the beans protein and the squash vitamins from the fruit and oil from the seeds.
Borage: is used as a companion plant for tomatoes, squash and strawberries. It deters tomato hornworm, attracts bees and wasps, adds minerals to the soil, increases growth and disease resistance etc.
French marigold (Tagetes Patula): In two of our gardens we found root-knot nematode had infected tomato plants. French marigolds exude a substance from their roots that kills nematodes in the immediate area.
Nasturtiums: a great companion to many plants especially the cabbage family, deterring aphids, squash bugs and improving flavour and growth. We have masses of these beautiful flowers in all the gardens.
Plantando de Companero es un metodo de agricultura organica que consiste en crecer plantas juntas para impulsar el crecimiento, prevenir plagas, atraer insectos beneficisos y usar el espacio de formas mas eficiente. Es una manera de crecimiento holistico.
Estudios han demostrado que este tipo ciertas combinaciones son provechosas, mientras que otras deben ser evitadas.
(Arriba puedes ver tomates con capuchinas con albahaca a punto de ser plantadas)
Las huertas de Sunseed tienen algunas de estas combinaciones de plantas y vegetales, incluyendo:
Albahaca con tomate: en teoria, este mejora el sabor y el crecimiento de los tomates, repeliendo a los insectos. Tres hermanas (maiz, alubias, calabaza): el maiz proporciona un poste para que las alubias escalen; las alubias guardan el nitrogeno en sus raices, mejorando de la fertilidad de la tierra; la calabaza con raices poco profundas hacen una capa de hierba viviendo, sombreando alas malas hierbas y evita que la humedad del suelo se evapore. Tambien, las plantas se complementan una a otra nutricionalmente, el maiz proporciona hidrato de carbono, las alubias proporcionan proteina y la calabaza proporciona vitaminas de la fruta y de las semillas. Boraja: se utiliza como planta de companero para los tomates, la calabaza y las fresas. Disuade plagas y atrae abejas y avispas, anade minerales a la tierra, aumenta el crecimiento y la resistencia a los enfermedades etc. Calendula Francesa: en dos de nuestras huertas, hemos encontrado que un nematode habia infectado nuestras plantas de tomates. Las calendulas francesas rezuma una sustancia de sus raices que mata los nematodes inmediatamente. Capuchinas: un gran companero a muchas plantas especialmente la familia de la col, desalenta afidos, bichos y mejora el sabor y el crecimiento. Tenemos un monton de estas hermosas flores en todas las huertas.
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Our group was the Pita, named after the Agave Americana source of ropes for shipping in the age before oil, and the ingredient of Tequila. Our first Workshops was with Ana, the Sustainable living coordinator making toothpaste with herb teas and clay from the river.
Next was up to the Appropriate Technology Workshops at Isabela’s where Paco had a cookstove using pyrolosys to boil water efficiently and cleanly, the only waste being charcoal or biochar which is inerte and so can be added to soil to lock carbon away. The fuel is the local caña which is plentiful and fast growing.
The last activity was looking at local mediterranean plants with the Drylands coordinator Eugenio. He described the adaptations that plants have made to the environment like storing water in they leaves, or growing with long roots to reach water far below the surface.
The children and teachers seemed to have a great time, enjoying the activities and the time out of their classroom, and said they would love to come back again for a repeat visit.
It was a great day for all volunteers and staff at Sunseed. We could share what we do at Sunseed with kids from the area and experience a beautiful team working day. The kids were also very inspired to meet the volunteers from so many places in the world like Irina from Russia and Tiffanys from Hong Kong!Visita del Instituto las Norias, 23 de Mayo 2013
por Jona Aal, ex- coordinador de Tecnologias Apropiadas visitando Sunseed con sus hijas Cala( 8 )y Nancy (6).
Ayer 46 niños y niñas del Instituto las Norias del Egido vino a visitar Sunseed para experimentar un poco todo los que esta ocurriendo aqui. Primero, dieron un pequeño tour, para saber donde estaba el agua potable ( cocina) y sobre todo muy importante como usar los wateres secos! Tenían ente 13 y 15 años.
Hicimos cuatro grupos y cada uno tenia un nombre de las plantas de zona semiarida donde esta Sunseed: Pita, chumba, el olivo y la retama. Cada grupo estaba con dos voluntarios que les guiaban por el valle hacia las diferentes actividades. Los departamentos de Tecnologías Apropiadas, Vida Sostenible, Regeneración de la Cubierta Vegetal y en los Huertos Orgánicos.