Companion Planting 2

 
End of Season Report

 

It seems like only yesterday that we embarked on another spring’s planting, full of grand ideas on companion planting and the usual detailed plan of what to plant in which beds. Then – the greenhouse, full of companion seedlings, fell over; slugs attacked in force our marigolds and tagetes; a cold snap did its worst and our beautiful cherry tree (thank you again Angela and Chris) lost its blossoms. Still we persevered with the survivors, bought some marigolds and ended up with a number of projects, including; marigolds amongst the tomatoes at home, onions amongst the lettuce (few lettuce, many onions), peas, corn and pumpkin.onionsoval

 

Of course we had a bumper crop of everything which didn’t demand constant watering so the tomatoes towered over the marigolds, the lettuce was prolific (although I think the slugs were using them to shelter from the sun), our onions cropped magnificently, the corn went well (humans 11, badgers 4), but the peas gave up and the pumpkins grown in that bed were disappointing.

 

Now we are feeding the ground with copious quantities of well-rotted manure, leaf and kitchen compost and will be seeding our root crop bed with green manure. Next years projects include catnip to keep flea beetle away from our radishes, more flowers with everything and slug repellent copper rings. We may even consider a sturdier greenhouse- happy gardening!

 

by Daniel & Kylie Bartlett