GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

12-03-2006, 03:49 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

wrote:

I've been reading about companion planting. It makes sense and I plan
to try it.

I'm more concerned about the bad companions. They say beans and onions
don't like each other, but beans and carrots do (as well as carrots and
onions). I plan on planting a row of pole beans (along a fence line for
support), with a row of carrots beneath them. If I planted onions on
the other side of the carrots (so the carrots are between the beans and
onions) would that put the beans and onions far enough apart? The beans
and onions would be a foot or two apart with carrots in between.

--------------------------- Fence
B B B B B B B B B B B B B B Beans
C C C C C C C C C C C C C C Carrots
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Onions

Also, how close do good companion plants (like tomato and basil) need
to be to gain benefits from each other? Does the magic happen
underground (root level, stuff exuded into soil) or it is only related
to the fragrance of the plants?

Thanks!

You have to remember than companion planting is mostly a practitioner
concept-not a scientific one. People find certain combinations seem to
do better, but it could simply be that they share a need and both
benefitted from that need being met that season (similar light, heat,
soil ph, watering pattern, bugs present, worms, lack of common pest)

There are some science-based items like using nitrogen fixing legumes
to replenish nitrogen then planting greens there afterwards to
benefit. Sadly there isn't enough info on the actual uptake and
release of different elements from each plant family--then we could
understand how they help eachother.

So there are no hard fast rules as to how many inches things need to
be away from eachother.

Consider root spread, leaf spread and runoff--assuming one of those is
the transmission method for whatever is good/bad. Some companions have
to do with bleed over of taste--which could simply be from the odor of
the plant. Marigolds' scent is attributed with its ability to keep
pests away. As is it's root system which encourages good nematodes.
Onions and garlic also have strong scent-based benefits. I've used
all three as edgings to other plants.

Until the scientific community thinks it is of important to understnad
the hows and whys the fruits and vegetables, which have sustained our
race on the planet for 100,000 years, grow we'll have to make due
without proof or exactness.

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
4th year gardener
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/royalf...=/2055&.src=ph