Companion planting for bio diverse gardening.

What are Companion plants

Companion plants are ones that when grown together, or near by each other the resulting harvest seems to have larger and better quality crops.

Planning for a 'happy' garden bed family.

Basically there are two types of gardens. Be the growing area aimed at being a direct vegetable garden or a 'flower or herb bed'. As you work out how and where your growing area/s will be [ or in the case of a developing garden bed where they will end up being] the type of long term planting arrangements will affect how you lay out your plants. For instance some people have set areas within a garden bed for one type of plant... lettuces go here in rows, and carrots in that area. Other people take a bio diverse approach. Kind of like a little of this, mixed with some of that and a touch of those.

As carrots are more a neutral plant [ that is they are happy planted near sage, chives, onions leeks, lettuce and peas and basically are not 'bad companions o other plants the carrots are planted within , amongst or between rows of other vegetables. Peas do not like Garlic onions and shallots. peas like carrots though So between the peas and onions go the 'rows' of carrots. Now all three will grow in 'harmony' with a buffer between them.

Understanding that the plant roots extend over a wider area than is observed from above it is possible that plant roots may react with each other. Peas replace nitrogen for instance back into the soil, So plants that enjoy a Nitrogen rich source may well respond because of the nitrogen from the peas. Where as Lilies tend to make the soil more acid. Again the result will be either a stimulation or hindering of the plant at harvest time.

As the planting area available per family decreases in size due to

a) size available,

b) crop intensity,

c) other cost effective measures

people are incorporating greater biodiversity within their planting plants. A side effect of the biodiversity is the use of plants that deter certain insects - usually due to the strong scents.

The benefits of Companion planting are....

Taking into account that as humans we cannot control outside influences upon the growth of vegetable matter we humans can only assist in the growth. Thus the major impacts are not human but out of our control.

Many centuries and life times have come together with local 'folk laws' and gardners tips regarding campaign plants. Believe or do with the knowledge as you wish. Be it noted though that these are the main benefits of campaign planting: