Your Simple Edible Garden - Companion Planting

It's not as difficult as you might think to grow a garden. You need a good spot that has six to eight hours of sunlight - morning is preferred. You need good soil, good seed and a little understanding as to what likes to be planted next to what.  That's called Companion Planting and lucky for you and me there are some wonderful Companion Planting guides that have removed the guess work for us.

I've always worked the guide - except for one spring I ignored the advice. I wondered why my cucumbers just never took off.  After the fact, I checked back with the guide and read that sage and cucumbers do NOT go together. Thus - unhappy cucumbers!

In general, some plants emit chemicals at the root base or they might drop leaves that conflict with the plant next to it. Companion planting is the way to help make sure you have the best potential to have a healthy garden.

If you lack confidence to get started with your spring garden, we've got help for you at The Simple Farm. Anita Paul is an experienced Master Gardener and is available for a consultation and or continued help with your back yard simple edible garden. She can be reached at her mobile at 602.750.9538. 

Here's one of the companion planting guides I use {sorry, I've lost the link}.

Table 1. COMPANION PLANTING CHART FOR HOME & MARKET GARDENING (compiled from traditional literature on companion planting)
CROP	COMPANIONS	INCOMPATIBLE
Asparagus	Tomato, Parsley, Basil
Beans	Most Vegetables & Herbs
Beans, Bush	Irish Potato, Cucumber, Corn, Strawberry, Celery, Summer Savory	Onion
Beans, Pole	Corn, Summer Savory, Radish	Onion, Beets, Kohlrabi, Sunflower
Cabbage Family	Aromatic Herbs, Celery, Beets, Onion Family, Chamomile, Spinach, Chard	Dill, Strawberries, Pole Beans, Tomato
Carrots	English Pea, Lettuce, Rosemary, Onion Family, Sage, Tomato	Dill
Celery	Onion & Cabbage Families, Tomato, Bush Beans, Nasturtium
Corn	Irish Potato, Beans, English Pea, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Squash	Tomato
Cucumber	Beans, Corn, English Pea, Sunflowers, Radish	Irish Potato, Aromatic Herbs
Eggplant	Beans, Marigold
Lettuce	Carrot, Radish, Strawberry, Cucumber
Onion Family	Beets, Carrot, Lettuce, Cabbage Family, Summer Savory	Beans, English Peas
Parsley	Tomato, Asparagus
Pea, English	Carrots, Radish, Turnip, Cucumber, Corn, Beans	Onion Family, Gladiolus, Irish Potato
Potato, Irish	Beans, Corn, Cabbage Family, Marigolds, Horseradish	Pumpkin, Squash, Tomato, Cucumber, Sunflower
Pumpkins	Corn, Marigold	Irish Potato
Radish	English Pea, Nasturtium, Lettuce, Cucumber	Hyssop
Spinach	Strawberry, Faba Bean
Squash	Nasturtium, Corn, Marigold	Irish Potato
Tomato	Onion Family, Nasturtium, Marigold, Asparagus, Carrot, Parsley, Cucumber	Irish Potato, Fennel, Cabbage Family
Turnip	English Pea	Irish Potato