Vegetables need friends too! Nature works in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways, and with a little know-how you can harness the powers of nature to boost and protect your crops as well as wildlife. Ben reveals some of his treasured secrets in this week’s episode.
Our team of passionate plant nerds have been hard at work for many many months, thoroughly researching the science behind beneficial plants, bringing you tried and tested Evidence-Based Companion Planting methods.
All of this in depth information and more is available on our online Garden Planner software. See the link below.
To watch our video about how to grow perfect lettuces every time, see this link: https://youtu.be/fB4VDwbSu80
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
https://www.GrowVeg.com
https://gardenplanner.almanac.com
https://gardenplanner.motherearthnews…
and many more…
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If you’ve noticed any pests or beneficial insects in your garden lately please report them to us at https://BigBugHunt.com
31 Comments
Long ago I bought books on how to companion garden. HOWEVER, I really didn't have time to completely learn and remember the information. That's why I'm totally loving the garden planner. I'm going to add many more companion plants and see what happens. Last year I focused on the soil. My beds (4ft high) have been mostly just compost that I add each year. I saw this video about biochar and added it, along with mulch, to all my beds. Little did I know my plants would love the first-year application as much as they did. My garden exploded and became totally unmanageable. This year I'm using the planner to get organized and spaced out. One thing though, I'm a bit confused about, is I also watched videos on how to trim potato plants and tomato plants. Once I began trimming my tomato, it got higher and bushier and so heavy nothing could hold it. Can you give us a video on trimming and how to keep large plants under control? Thank you for what you do, and I really enjoy every video.
Would be intrigued about the research behind this. Have done some searching with some mixed results; so, should anyone have some research paper names, let me know.
Brilliant Ben, thank you so much, this is an area of gardening I'm really interested in. I wonder do you have the transcript of this and many other videos?
Really enjoy your videos. I live in North America and we also use marigolds as a companion plant to our tomatoes but basil is a new one on me. It is traditional here to plant, corn beans and squash together. It is called the three sisters not sure what all the benefits are to each other but it is a tradition. Also due to native or indigenous person traditions, we plant three corn seeds together with a little fish in the bottom of the hole. I don’t know if it’s the heat from. The fish, decaying or what or just the dead Fish is a good starting fertilizer, but I have some of the best corn when I do this. Anyhow, thank you again for all your beautiful enlightening videos.
Bump
By happy accident, I used companion gardening without knowing it until I started watching videos like yours. 😊Thank you! I planted nasturtiums by the arugula and the arugula spread like crazy and did very well. I had quite a big crop and was able to share with friends and family last year. It was so healthy I was able to harvest it until November. I live in upstate New York in the USA and most harvesting ends in October so it was a real treat to be able to continue adding fresh arugula to my salad! I am enjoying your videos and they are so helpful. Keep them coming!
Natural defence beats its con job cancer causing retail equivalent.
Native Americans figured this out centuries ago, but there now has to be a “proven body of research” 😂 Thanks to all Indigenous Americans, North, Central, and South, for all the wonderful vegetables and legumes they cultivated.
Wow I love that garden planner makes life so much easier giving time to sit back and enjoy all of your hard work …thanks so much
I have all these seeds. My garden will be gorgeous this year. I'm from Wyoming USA. Zone 4. Last frost date is end of March. First frost date is in September.
Thank you for your enthusiasm, its infectious. I have brought flower seed to compliment and assist the vegetable plants.
New sub! TY so much.
Good stuff! I am starting with peas and will go from there. I was hoping you would cover peas in this video lol
Could you explain how best to plant flowers around beds like you’ve suggested? Should I plant one nasturtium and trail it along the side, or multiple?
Sorry quite new to this
I tried to find the app and failed. Could anyone point me towards the garden planner site?
not only do I companion plant, I also under plant companion plant .. all in square foot gardening.
SO BEAUTIFUL.. TX Ben..not all marigolds are created equally..some are more useful companions than others, i read.
Hi Ben, you can grow cosmos near garlic and onions .
I am going to try to grow strawberry with rhubarb it says it makes the strawberry taste sweeter also borage can bee grown near strawberry too
I love companion planting and seesing flowers amongst mu crops
Thanks! Can you include the names of the flowers and plants on screen too? Had a hard time trying to search for certain flowers
How come nature knows the best? Not only is basil great for tomato health, they are a fantastic combination on food plate, perhaps one of the best.
I plant geraniums near my 🍅
Great vid, companion planting is one thing I've not got much knowledge of. What was the flowering plant called that attracts the hornets? We have a big slug problem and planning the beer traps now the weather is warmer, but when it comes to aphids all I do is go round with a paint brush and spend hours removing them 😂
I've found ur videos incredibly informative but I just went to ur website for ur garden planner app and I'm sorry to say it's out of my price range. Looks amazing tho
👍👍🇺🇸
Definitely..😆
I have 2 raised beds about 3.5 ft x2.5 ft and 30 inches tall. I have tomato’s on a string trellis in one along with bush type zuchini and squash and the other has squash peppers Pak choy along with of course nasturtium and onion,and calendula In both. I started a flower bed in ground this year, with plenty of cosmos, nasturtiums, phlox, zinnias, allysum, snapdragons, and many others! I also started a small in ground garden plot where I put my brassicas. I have lettuce, radishes, carrots tucked in into many spaces in all the beds. I have a smaller container with turnips, beets, peas and Swiss chard. I planted many grow pots with several types of peppers and tomatoes as well as plant towers with herbs, another with all bush beans, and another with strawberries. I have okra (wish me luck) planted along the fence that faces the road (chicken wire and wood) in with morning glories to climb the fence. In another corner I’ve just planted corn, sunflowers, and made a new obelisk with cucumbers and (new to me) lemon cucumber, with spaghetti squash a few feet away on one side, and acorn squash on the other. This is a rock bed, however I moved all the rock, amended the soil, planted everything , and then added the rock back. I’m probably over reaching my abilities but I love planting everything from seed and “playing in the dirt”. I enjoy working in the garden every day and am hoping for a bounty of flowers, birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects as well as a great continual vegetable harvest all year! I am going to try to succession plant this year, as many of my crops were all started at different times. I really enjoyed this video, thank you! I have borage around the perimeter of the yard along with other flowers as well! I’m so excited for everything to grow more! Doing my best for companion planting too!
I have to say Ben, I am, as the name suggests, a bit on the wrong side of young and sprightly. I have minimal gardening, and vegetable growing, experience but I am about to move house (1st July) and there is a reasonable sized yard which is split between concrete slabs are and lawn. I am really eager to get started on growing and I am particularly keen on the raised bed method. I also hope to build a pretty basic greenhouse over the coming weeks (or months).
I tripped over one of your videos and I absolutely adore your down to earth and enthusiastic style. I will be buying your book, but I feel the garden planner is a tad expensive for my pension. I will probably have to forego that privilege.
Hopefully, I can get a bed or two organised for a late season of growth this year, but I am looking forward to having a plethora of raised beds and hanging containers ready for spring 2024 – Probably with a couple of arches at least as well.
Thanks for a great video Ben. I've just found you, and am working my way through your back catalogue.
I've recently turned my garden into a more productive area since building a "dead hedge" around the perimeter (to offer some protection against vicious coastal winds in north west scotland). I planted nasturtiums at the base of the dead hedge, just to brighten it up as it scrambles through. I'm so glad it was also a beneficial thing to do!
I've also just been reading about planting Mexican Marigold (tagetes minuta) to help deal with persistent perrwnial weeds, such as ground elder, bindweed, and couch grass. Have you any experience of this? Also wondering if it might have a detrimental effect on non-weeds?
Just one other thing – could you mention in your videos where you are situated, and what the date is, as this will help make sense of what you are doing, and when. Thanks.😊
I'm a beginner, ❤
I need something to deter those dang flea beetles.
I am new to gradening i have just started growing my own food this year and i am going to be adding more flowers round my garden next year as i think this is most not only to get good crops but to help the beneficial bugs and out just as much as they help us and i feel i am picking alot up from watching your channel with some other i watch as well so thank you very much for helping us with tips and hints