This series will be comprised of information based on my knowledge and experiences and information from Kellogg Garden Products. As many of you know I don’t recommend many products or company’s in the agriculture industry. However, as a dirt maker when Kellogg Garden Products came on my radar I did some digging.
This family business is unlike companies that use, (IMHO abuse) the term organic. No Ladies and Gentlemen Kellogg Garden Products, a company of 95…let that sink in..95 years, something we very seldom see in this day of monoculture GMO farming. I wish to thank the Kellogg Garden Products company and their family business for allowing me to use their material and reprint with their permission some of their written literature.
If you’re a business and you’re looking to increase your inventory selection of organic gardening products I highly recommend you look into the Kellogg Garden Products company line of organic fertilizers, organic soils and education products as they are second to none in the industry.
And now for the reason you stopped by let’s talk companion planting…
COMPANION PLANTING
There are endless benefits to companion planting. It is important to note that
companion planting does not replace the need for proper garden preparation
and maintenance. Any successful garden thrives best with regular watering,
regular feeding, essential light requirements, and nutrient-rich soil.
Remember that healthy soil means healthy roots for your plants, so it’s best to
put the time in to amend the soil in your garden before planting your
companion garden to give it the best beginning. Raised bed mixes are available at your local garden center, which can be used to quickly fill your raised beds with the essential organic soil formula.
You can utilize your knowledge of companion planting in any garden method.
Container gardening, backyard gardens, and raised beds are all ideal locations to implement this practice. The more you learn about what works well together, the more fun that you will have working to get the very best out of your overall garden.
Give your plants the best possible environment to grow by implementing companion planting in your vegetable garden. Companion planting is an excellent way to improve the health and fruitfulness of your plants. Planting compatible plants near each other is mutually beneficial your crops, as they can reap the rewards from each other’s attributes.
In addition to adding benefits to your plants, companion planting makes for
more efficient use of garden space, organically deters harmful pests, and acts as a living mulch to protect and feed the soil of your garden bed. The bio-diversity that companion planting provides is also excellent for pollinators, wildlife, and overall soil health.
Potted Herb Beginnings
Many of us have received those adorable windowsill herb garden kits as holiday
gifts or have simply been experimental countertop herb growers for years, but
did you know there can be a method to the madness of herbs in pots?
Before you have trails of thyme taking over your kitchen and choking out the
delicate dill it is potted with, consider some of these points and tips as you plan
your potted herbs.
Before you start to map out who lives where in your herb pots, whether you
plan to place the pots outdoors or indoors, keep these basics in mind. While most herbs prefer slightly arid soil, some are water lovers.
For the majority, a layer of rock or other drainage material in the bottom of
your pot before topping it with a quality organic potting soil is essential to
maintain optimal moisture levels. Those that love moisture won’t like being
planted with dry loving herbs.
Herbs, especially the culinary ones we are most likely to plant, are sun lover. While you plan to place your pots on a shady back deck, your outcome won’t be as successful as full sun exposure. Likewise, if you are planting your potted herbs indoors, look for your most sun-drenched window areas.
Potted Herb Companion Plants
Taking into consideration the size of your containers, planting two to five
varieties in the same container can not only lead to wonderful, fresh, ready to
use herbs for cooking, but can also add a beautiful aesthetic to your home or
planter garden.
Herbs that tend to prefer moist soil over arid are:
Chives, Cilantro, Lemon Balm, Mint,Thyme, Sage, Savory, Hyssop, Curry
Herbs that tend to prefer dryer soil include:
Caraway, Rosemary, Marjoram, Oregano
You can see videos I have published here on this subject matter
When thinking about herb pairings, you will want to plant herbs together that
not only have the same soil requirements, but that also tend to vary in height.
In other words, plant herbs that grow taller with those that tend to bush out a
bit and/or trailing herbs.
Excellent pairings for this approach could include:
Potted Herb Companion Plants
Really, the pairings largely depend on what you want to grow and the soil
content. The sky is the limit once you know what you want and will use.
Creeping Thyme, Rosemary, Sage
Basil, Italian Parsley, Chives
Oregano, Lemon Thyme, Savory
Cilantro, Parsely, Lemon Balm
Culinary tip
You want to become a Wiz in the kitchen and really impress people, all the above-mentioned herbs are very complimentary in your salads. You can use the leaf part of them in your salads to give a nice accent, also your Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano is very good to add to oil and vinegar your basic ingredients in what is it known as Italian dressing.
TIPS…..
Most Mint varieties have a tendency to take over a pot, and therefor may do
best potted alone. Miss will also take over a growing area in your dirt I have often created Planters specifically for mint spearmint peppermint or just regular Mountain mint and then I’d make them huge I’ve made them 6 by 4 ft by 6 by 10 ft and the mint within a 1-year growing. Will take over that area.
GROWING/USING MINT TIP
Remember when it comes to mints you can use them as a form of rodent control to divert rabbits or various squirrels from eating your crops the effervescence in the leaf burns their eyes and they will not come around once they get a get their eyes burn they will not come around so I always use mints as a form of rodent control to push the rodents in a different direction this way I don’t have to poison them are trap them and try to fight with them.
Consider flavor profiles when companion planting. Common sense prevails
here. A great rule of thumb is: If you would not combine them in cooking, don’t
plant them together either.
Harvesting your potted herbs only as you need them will help your herbs
continue to grow. Think of it like pruning. As you cut what you need, new
growth ensues. If you begin to notice one herb choking out its neighbors, cut
the overzealous herb back by at least half in order to prevent a takeover.
Potted herbs can last through more than one season if properly cared for. In
warmer climates, many potted herbs will last outdoors year round, as several
are somewhat frost tolerant. If grown indoors, many varieties can last for two
years or more, depending on care.
HERBS AND CARROTS
Rosemary
Rosemary is an herb that also has a strong scent. This aromatic plant can mask the smell of carrots in the garden and make it harder for carrot flies to mask carrot plants to lay their eggs on.
Sage
Sage is another one of those herbs that emits a strong odor and has also been
successful in masking the sweet scent of carrots in the garden, making it more difficult for carrot flies to find carrot plants.
Chives
Chives are a herb that does double the work of most companion plants. Not
only can growing chives in close proximity to your carrots improve their flavor,
but they also shield carrots from unwanted destructive pests.
Potatoes????
While basil and parsley already made the list previously, several other flowers
and herbs make the cut when it comes to companion planting for potatoes.
Often, a variety of nearby herbs and flowers attract helpful bugs and repel
harmful ones (isn’t Mother Nature brilliant in that way!). The best flower and
herb options near potatoes are:
Best Herb & Flower Potato Companion Plants
Not only will these companion flowers and herbs aid in a healthy and bountiful
potato crop, they will add visual appeal and several savory herb options to your garden.
Another consideration for excellent onion partnerships are herbs. Adding herbs to any garden elevates neighboring plants. When it comes to onions, the list of herbs that play nicely next door is certainly more extensive than those that don’t.
Chives are also not advised near onions. Chives are close relatives of the
onion/garlic family and for the same reasons other members of the family aren’t good neighbors, chives fall into that category as well.
That said, there are many popular and easy to grow herbs that thrive with
onions.
Herb Companion Plants
Dill, Savory, Parsley, Chamomile, (yes, those delicate, sweet chamomile flowers love living with onions!) are all excellent choices for your onion beds.
I will end here today and then start part 2 where we will discuss different vegetables that grow well together and show how to maximize your land use in food production for your garden’s family needs. In part 3 we will discuss the advantages of companion planting and how to compost your season’s crops at fall time and how rotate crops in the springtime and why that’s important to good soil health.
As always ladies and gentlemen let’s have a great day and let’s all be safe out there.
Until Next Time…
Happy Gardening
Photographs by Aaron Aveiro
Sources Kellogg Garden Products Companion Planting PDF, in addition to my own experiences…
ABOUT KELLOGG GARDENING PRODUCTS…
Kellogg Garden Products, family-owned and operated since its establishment in 1925 by our founder, H. Clay Kellogg, now spans four generations. The company continues its success as a steadfast business, guided by Mr. Kellogg’s original core values: innovation, loyalty, experience, commitment, and generosity.
These values have led our company to seek the highest level of organic rigor in all its branded products.
In 2012, Kellogg Garden Products committed to strictly follow the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines for manufacturing all Kellogg Garden Organics and G&B Organics branded soils and fertilizers.
Every ingredient and every process used to produce our branded products has been verified 100% compliant as organic, all the way back to the source, meeting all federal guidelines.
All our branded products are approved b. the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s stringent Organic Inpan Materials (OIM) program, as well as the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)— the leading independent review and accredited by the USDA NOP.
Kellogg is still the first and agency manufacturer to have all our branded
organic soils and fertilizers OIM approved and OMRI Listed, making Kellogg the first to offer Proven Organic soils and fertilizers that build life in the soil. Since 1925, we continue to strive to be the leading organic source helping people grow beautiful and healthy gardens –organically…
- Remembering Ronnie - May 6, 2024
- Acclaimed trial lawyer Brent Wisner lauds ‘tremendous result” in reaction to today’s $175 million verdict against Monsanto-Bayer - October 27, 2023
- Breakfast Grub…. - August 19, 2023