When do you start companion plants

bwaynef · March 7, 2013

I'm trying to do my part to attract good guys & pollinators (not that they're NOT good guys) to my garden. I've got lots of Marigolds, Nasturtiums, ....and several other flowers that I plan to plant in/around my garden this year.

My question is for those of you that do something similar, how soon before planting out (say) your tomatoes do you allot for having companions that are big enough to plant?

Redbaron · March 7, 2013

I personally try to delay the planting of companions slightly in most cases. In most cases there is a fine line between a companion that helps your crop and a companion that crowds it out like a weed.

So as a general rule of thumb I try to make sure my main crop will be the dominant plant by giving it a good head start.

There are exceptions of course and thousands of possible companion crop combinations, but that is a general rule.

Good example. 3 sisters...corn, pole beans, squash....

You plant the pole beans 2 weeks after planting the corn, and you plant the squash a week after that.

The corn starts and grows fast...becomes dominant.....while it does that for 2 weeks it now has a stalk big enough for the beans to climb......they sprout and start climbing......once they have climbed enough to get their share of the sun the squash sprouts and grows big wide leaves which shade the soil and prevent other weeds from growing. Then the corn will begin to finish and its leaves start to brown and drop, freeing more light for the beans and squash. To me it is like music! More like art than science and very beautiful when you get the timing right.

Another example is cilantro in peppers....cilantro grows fast and peppers slow as a general rule.

So you plant the cilantro much later if it is being used in you peppers. (I generally start cilantro every 2 weeks for a while to get it both early and late)

The peppers get full sun with little to no competition in the spring. Then when the heat starts I plant some cilantro between them. It grows fast but starts out below the peppers only helping with the micro climate......then the cilantro bolts in the really hot dog days of summer...bolting cilantro leaves are very lacy and let a lot of light through..almost like shade cloth and will temporarily help shield the peppers from the worst of the summer sun..then it dies off. Again if you get the timing right it all comes together like music!

Keep in mind though. I am a witness that it is certainly possible to get it wrong!

I have screwed up many times and ended up with quite a mess!

One little piece of advise. Try to get in your mind what is your primary crop and what is your companion. If your companion begins acting like a weed, cut it down or at the very least prune it severely!

You would be amazed how many people miss this obvious advise. As gardeners we get so focused on making things grow, we sometimes forget that. Many times I have heard people say..I grew such and such as a companion (like marigolds) and they took over got very huge and leggy, turned my garden into a nightmare jungle, never again.....and I always have to chuckle at that because marigolds are VERY easy just to take pruning shears to them.

Take the flowers and give them in a bouquet to your sweetheart!

It is especially funny when they say it about basil or some other herb! Prune it and put it in your cooking! That's what herbs are for! Or if it is even too much for that, dry it and put it in jars for cooking later!

whistech · March 7, 2013

Redbaron, what other companion plants, hopefully other herbs besides cilantro could be planted with peppers?

Deborah · March 7, 2013

I don't know much about companion planting because I'm a container gardener. But the one time I planted basil and parsley in with a tomato, I'd never seen such beautiful plants and great harvests.

Redbaron · March 7, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by whistech

Redbaron, what other companion plants, hopefully other herbs besides cilantro could be planted with peppers?

Basil, mint, tarragon, marigolds, oregano, marjoram, geraniums, petunias (never tried oregano, marjoram, geraniums, petunias but that's what the book says)

whistech · March 7, 2013

Thank You Redbaron!

March 7, 2013	#1
bwaynef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Clemson SC Posts: 143	When do you start companion plants I'm trying to do my part to attract good guys & pollinators (not that they're NOT good guys) to my garden. I've got lots of Marigolds, Nasturtiums, ....and several other flowers that I plan to plant in/around my garden this year. My question is for those of you that do something similar, how soon before planting out (say) your tomatoes do you allot for having companions that are big enough to plant?

March 7, 2013	#2
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	I personally try to delay the planting of companions slightly in most cases. In most cases there is a fine line between a companion that helps your crop and a companion that crowds it out like a weed. So as a general rule of thumb I try to make sure my main crop will be the dominant plant by giving it a good head start. There are exceptions of course and thousands of possible companion crop combinations, but that is a general rule. Good example. 3 sisters...corn, pole beans, squash.... You plant the pole beans 2 weeks after planting the corn, and you plant the squash a week after that. The corn starts and grows fast...becomes dominant.....while it does that for 2 weeks it now has a stalk big enough for the beans to climb......they sprout and start climbing......once they have climbed enough to get their share of the sun the squash sprouts and grows big wide leaves which shade the soil and prevent other weeds from growing. Then the corn will begin to finish and its leaves start to brown and drop, freeing more light for the beans and squash. To me it is like music! More like art than science and very beautiful when you get the timing right. Another example is cilantro in peppers....cilantro grows fast and peppers slow as a general rule. So you plant the cilantro much later if it is being used in you peppers. (I generally start cilantro every 2 weeks for a while to get it both early and late) The peppers get full sun with little to no competition in the spring. Then when the heat starts I plant some cilantro between them. It grows fast but starts out below the peppers only helping with the micro climate......then the cilantro bolts in the really hot dog days of summer...bolting cilantro leaves are very lacy and let a lot of light through..almost like shade cloth and will temporarily help shield the peppers from the worst of the summer sun..then it dies off. Again if you get the timing right it all comes together like music! Keep in mind though. I am a witness that it is certainly possible to get it wrong! I have screwed up many times and ended up with quite a mess! One little piece of advise. Try to get in your mind what is your primary crop and what is your companion. If your companion begins acting like a weed, cut it down or at the very least prune it severely! You would be amazed how many people miss this obvious advise. As gardeners we get so focused on making things grow, we sometimes forget that. Many times I have heard people say..I grew such and such as a companion (like marigolds) and they took over got very huge and leggy, turned my garden into a nightmare jungle, never again.....and I always have to chuckle at that because marigolds are VERY easy just to take pruning shears to them. Take the flowers and give them in a bouquet to your sweetheart! It is especially funny when they say it about basil or some other herb! Prune it and put it in your cooking! That's what herbs are for! Or if it is even too much for that, dry it and put it in jars for cooking later! __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

March 7, 2013	#3
whistech Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Between The Woodlands and Spring, Texas Posts: 553	Redbaron, what other companion plants, hopefully other herbs besides cilantro could be planted with peppers?

March 7, 2013	#4
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	I don't know much about companion planting because I'm a container gardener. But the one time I planted basil and parsley in with a tomato, I'd never seen such beautiful plants and great harvests.