Sunseed News
Companion Planting
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.