Companion Planting

BEANS

Companions: Beet (to bush beans only), cabbage family, carrot, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, pea, potatoes, radish, strawberry. Enemies: Garlic, onion and shallot stunt the growth of beans.

Allies: Marigold deters Mexican bean beetles. Nasturtium and rosemary deter bean beetles. Summer savory deters bean beetles, improves growth and flavor.

BEETS

Companions: Bush beans, cabbage family, lettuce, onion Ally: Garlic improves growth and flavor.

Enemies: Pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth.

CABBAGE FAMILY
(Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, kale and kohlrabi)

Companions: Beet, celery, chard, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potato, spinach. Allies: Chamomile and garlic improve growth and flavor. Catnip, hyssop, rosemary and sage deter cabbage moth. Dill improves growth and health. Mint deters cabbage moth and ants, improves health and flavor.

Nasturtium deters bugs, beetles, aphids. Southernwood deters cabbage moth, improves growth and flavor. Tansy deters cabbageworm and cutworm. Thyme deters cabbageworm. Enemies: Kohlrabi and tomato stunt each other's growth.

CARROTS

Companions: Bean, lettuce, onion, pea, pepper, radish, tomato

Allies: Chives improve growth and flavor. Rosemary and sage deter carrot fly. Enemy: Dill retards growth.

CELERY

Companions: Bean, cabbage family and tomato

Allies: Chives and garlic deter aphids. Nasturtium deters bugs and aphids.

CHARD

Companions: Bean, cabbage family and onion

CORN

Companions: Bean, cucumber, melon, parsley, pea, potato, pumpkin, squash Enemies: Tomatoes and corn are attacked by the same worm.

Allies: Odorless marigold and white geranium deter Japanese beetles. Pigweed raises nutrients from the subsoil to where the corn can reach them.

CUCUMBER

Companions: Bean, cabbage family, corn, pea, radish, tomato Enemy: Sage is generally injurious to cucumber.

Allies: Marigold deters beetles. Nasturtium deters aphids, beetles and bugs, improves growth and flavor. Oregano deters pests in general. Tansy deters ants, beetles, bugs, flying insects.

EGGPLANT

Companions: Bean, pepper

Allies: Marigold deters nematodes.

LETTUCE

Companions: Beet, cabbage family, carrot, onion, radish, strawberry

Allies: Chives and garlic deter aphids.

MELONS

Companions: Corn, pumpkin, radish, squash

Allies: Marigold deters beetles. Nasturtium deters bugs and beetles. Oregano provides general pest protection

ONlONS

Companions: Beet, cabbage family, carrot, chard, lettuce, pepper, strawberry, tomato Enemies: Onions stunt bean, pea.

Allies: Chamomile and summer savory improve growth and flavor. Pigweed raises nutrients from subsoil and makes them available to the onions. Sow thistle improves growth and health.

PARSLEY

Companions: Asparagus, corn, tomato

PEAS

Companions: Bean, carrot, corn, cucumber, radish, turnip

Allies: Chives deter aphids. Mint improves health and flavor. Enemies: Garlic and onion stunt the growth of peas.

PEPPERS

Companions: Carrot, eggplant, onion and tomato

POTATOES

Companions: Beans, cabbage family, corn, eggplant, pea Enemies: Tomatoes and potatoes are attacked by the same blight.

Allies: Horseradish, planted at the corners of the potato patch, provides general protection. Marigold deters beetles.

PUMPKINS

Companions: Corn, melon, squash

Allies: Marigold deters beetles. Nasturtium deters bugs, beetles. Oregano provides general pest protection.

RADISHES

Companions: Bean, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, melon, pea

Allies: Chervil and nasturtium improve growth and flavor. Enemy: Hyssop

SPINACH

Companions: Cabbage family, strawberry

SQUASH

Companions: Corn, melon, pumpkin Allies: Borage deters worms, improves growth and flavor.

Marigold deters beetles. Nasturtium deters squash bugs and beetles. Oregano provides general pest protection.

STRAWBERRY

Companions: Bean, lettuce, onion, spinach, thyme Enemy: Cabbage

Allies: Borage strengthens resistance to insects and disease. Thyme, as a border, deters worms.

TOMATOES

Companions: Asparagus, carrot, celery, cucumber, onion, parsley, pepper Enemies: Corn and tomato are attacked by the same worm. Mature dill retards tomato growth. Kohlrabi stunts tomato growth. Potatoes and tomatoes are attacked by the same blight.

Allies: Basil repels flies and mosquitoes, improves growth and flavor. Bee balm, chives and mint improve health and flavor. Borage deters tomato worm, improves growth and flavor. Dill, until mature, improves growth and health. Once mature, it stunts tomato growth. Marigold deters nematodes. Pot marigold deters tomato worm and general garden pests,

TURNIPS

Companion: Pea Source: North Dakota State University Extension

Farm To Fork Video

Community Gardens for Our Future

When we think about food, we know it's no farther than the local grocery store. For most of us, we have known nothing but a safe, secure and plentiful food supply for our whole lives, but recently things have begun to change. Each week there seems to be a new warning about unsafe products coming from overseas or from right here in our own state. The question is, how can we fix it? This question is especially perplexing for residents of urban areas that may not have the option of growing it themselves. With little debate the only way to do something about it locally is to develop a system of community gardens.

Community gardens have been used with much success in large cities for years. Only recently have they become a hit in smaller urban areas. Small urban areas generally have an advantage that large cities do not, land. Land is normally the biggest issue in starting a community garden. In our larger cities such as Lexington, and Thomasville there are many vacant lots that would make perfect places for well maintained community gardens. The key is to enter into contacts with the owners of these parcels that will limit or eliminate the liability factors involved. Once this is done the rest is downhill.

Generally, once land has been secured, the process of getting people involved is fairly easy. There are many people that love growing vegetables and would love to be able to do it in a social way. Community gardens are extremely effect venues for bringing communities together. This has tremendous effects on the community as a whole and has been known to change the whole dimension of a neighborhood from distant to extremely close.

Community gardens should be in the planning of any urban area and ours is no different. Community gardens bring people together and allow for an additional source of food for those growing and those in need. Giving people a reason to enjoy their community is simply rational thinking and when people create/grow things together, the rewards and benefits are exponential. Davidson County's urban areas have a lot to offer those looking to begin a community garden. Begin with a dream and change a community in the process.