Topic: Companion planting

[barleychown]

This year I am trying out companion planting, as well as a form of square foot gardening, all in raised beds.

Here is what I have so far:

Bed #1


Starting with closest to bottom, chinese cabbage, regular cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard greens, beet greens, and peas. Mixed in are red onions.

Bed #2


Again starting at bottom, peas, swiss chard, celery, eggplant and peas.

Bed #3


All mixed together...Peppers, leeks, radishes, and flowers

[barleychown]

Bed #4


Tomatoes, carrots, pickling onions, radishes, and borage.

Beds #5 & #6


Same as #4

Bed #7



Green onions, shallots, radishes, broccoli and cauliflower

[Triss]

It looks like it is all doing so well.  Was everything started from seed?

[Penny]

Great job so far Sarah.......cant wait to see what it looks like when its filled out more..........i cant wait to plant here...seems like its taking forever.

[barleychown]

And now for the late summer update...


Bed #1 - All harvested and replanted with beans

Bed #2




Bed #3



Bed #4



Beds # 5 & 6



Bed #7 - All harvested and replanted with beans

[Dianna]

Looks great, Sarah!

What is that tree/bush with the red fruit on it in the last picture? Is that a cherry tree?

[Tina]

I really love your tomato towers and the colors in there, Sarah.

[barleychown]

Dianna, that is a mountain ash tree.

Tina, thank you! I really like them too.  Why shouldn't a veggie garden have some spunk? 

[Dianna]

Does the mountain ash make a lot of mess underneath it that you have to clean up? It sure is pretty...

I love the towers, too...

[barleychown]

It really doesn't. The birds eat most of the berries, and they are not a dense tree, so there really are not many leaves to clean up.

[Dianna]

I googled it and loved the pictures. Especially the leaf color change during the fall. That is a beautiful tree...

I hope if we have a garden next year that Jim will make us some towers like that. I would love to see some bright colors in the garden like that.

Your gardens look so healthy. Sure wish ours had done well this year...

[johnnie]

Well you picked a nice small tree to like. The Genus name is Rowan (Mountain Ash). I call this tree a doer because it delivers throughout spring, summer autumn. Don't forget this tree also gives you abundant blossom along with autumn colour, it not only comes with red berries but also white or yellow. A yellow variety is Joseph Rock but there are others. Once the berries mature the birds love them. This tree will grow under most conditions except the extremes.

[barleychown]

I really enjoy the little trees. I bought them because they were on clearance...sometime during that growing season they had fallen over in ther pots and had a 90* turn in their growth. It didn't seem to slow them down at all, and they have settled into their new home nicely.  If you look closely in some of my pictures, you can see the two ash trees actually form an arch over the walkway because of the bends in their trunks.

I do wish the flowers smelled a little better, but they flower for only a short time.

[Triss]

Beautiful Sarah, everything is so healthy and full.  I am amazed that you have any room to walk around back there.

[bestofour]

I love your cages too.

Did you ever tell me what you do with borage?  And what do you do with all that cauliflower?

[Bonnie]

You never cease to amaze me. Everything you do turns out great. I like the tree too.

[barleychown]

Beautiful Sarah, everything is so healthy and full.  I am amazed that you have any room to walk around back there.

I don't!   I go through the walkways every day and trim off what's poking out and feed it to the goats...and still I have a hard time getting around in there. It's a good problem to have.  

I love your cages too.

Did you ever tell me what you do with borage?  And what do you do with all that cauliflower?

I grow the borage with the tomatoes because it is said to help the tomatoes in various ways, including making them taste better. Works for me! The cauliflower gets used in several forms...fresh, steamed, stir fried, baked, grilled and frozen for later use.

You never cease to amaze me. Everything you do turns out great. I like the tree too.

Oh, no Ma'am! Should I start a thread on my various faliures? It would likely be the longest on this site!   But, as long as I'm learning, it's alright with me.

[barleychown]

It looks like it is all doing so well.  Was everything started from seed?

I missed this question months ago...sorry! 

About half was started by seed, the other half I had to purchase because we were on vacation during the time they should have been started. Hopefully this coming year all will be by seed.

[Tina]

 
Oh, no Ma'am! Should I start a thread on my various faliures? It would likely be the longest on this site!  But, as long as I'm learning, it's alright with me.

Yes, when people walk around and talk 'green thumbs' I tell everyone I have killed at least as many plants as I have growing. I do also think that 'kill' list is growing faster than the healthy  plant one. I will turn that ratio around soon I hope.

[bestofour]

Yep, people say I have a green thumb too but I think it's just a matter of planting and replanting sometimes.  If one thing doesn't work well I'll try until I find something that does.

I do love those tomato cages though.