Companion Planting - Part 2

This is part 2 in a 2 part series on companion planting.  To view part one click HERE!  I gained an interest in this several years ago and did some extensive research on the subject.  Since then I've implemented what I learned into my own gardens and have been pleased with the results...I will not be able to post on every fruit and vegetable, but will post on the ones that I plant most often.  I will include the best companion plants for a better yield, best companions to fight pests, and incompatible companions for each plant.  Unless otherwise specified, these plants should be planted next to each other.

To keep these articles from being too long I'm not posting the whys and wherefores...you can contact me if you desire this information. (All photos courtesy of Google Image)

Melons

COMPANIONS FOR BETTER YIELD:

corn, nasturtiums, radish

COMPANIONS FOR PEST CONTROL:

radish, marigold, oregano

INCOMPATIBLE COMPANIONS:

none that I could find

NOTES:

For better plants that fight pests naturally, planting seeds directly in the ground.

Onion

COMPANIONS FOR BETTER YIELD:

chamomile, summer savory

COMPANIONS FOR PEST CONTROL:

carrots

INCOMPATIBLE COMPANIONS:

peas, asparagus, bush and pole beans, sage 

NOTES:

most plants benefit from planting next to onions

Pumpkin

COMPANIONS FOR BETTER YIELD:

corn, melons, squash

COMPANIONS FOR PEST CONTROL:

marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano

INCOMPATIBLE COMPANIONS:

potatoes

Spinach

COMPANIONS FOR BETTER YIELD:

peas, strawberry, lettuce, onion, radish

COMPANIONS FOR PEST CONTROL:

none

INCOMPATIBLE COMPANIONS:

potato

Squash

COMPANIONS FOR BETTER YIELD:

beans, corn, mint, radish, sunflower, tansy, nasturtiums

COMPANIONS FOR PEST CONTROL:

nasturtiums, tansy, dill, radish 

INCOMPATIBLE COMPANIONS:

potato, cucumber, melon, pumpkin 

NOTE:

Planting vine plants such as pumpkin, squash, melons, and cucumbers together increase the draw for pests.  I prefer to plant these types of plants in separate sections of the garden.

COMPANIONS FOR BETTER YIELD:

carrot, chive, marigold, pea, petunia, mint, sage, basil, bush beans, cucumber, parsley

COMPANIONS FOR PEST CONTROL:

onion, garlic, chives, basil, marigold, parsley, nasturtiums 

INCOMPATIBLE COMPANIONS:

apricot, dill, corn, fennel, pole bean, potato, pepper

NOTE:

if tomatoes aren't ripening, mix 2T Epsom salt with 1 gallon of water and pour around the roots of the tomato plants

Following are a few extra, helpful notes on other plants:

Peach
I've planted garlic around my peach trees to deter peach borer. Onion also works.

Strawberries
Plant a sage bush amongst or near by to deter pests. Foil pie tins hung with string from posts and allowed to flap in the wind deter birds.

Apricot
Earwigs getting into the apricots are a huge problem in my area. I found sprinkling a thick circle of ashes about 1 foot away from the trunk kills them.

Roses
Planting feverfew, tansy, or parsley around rose bushes keeps aphids away and also gives a nice looking foundation to the unsightly base of roses.