November 23, 2019

Companion planting with tomatoes

It’s fun to sit and reflect on our last growing season. The good and the bad. This year we really focused on companion planting, and I feel like it made a difference in our garden.

One thing we really noticed was our basil. Our basil plants were amazing this past year. This was the first year we planted many varieties in our raised bed planter boxes. We had Sweet basil, Opal basil and Thai basil (my favorite) and it grew in the same bed as our tomatoes, peppers and carrots. Those beds did very well. I’ve heard that when you plant tomatoes and basil together, they are suppose to improve the tomatoes flavor. Hmmm…..

Well, I think it might be true? It’s hard to truly know, because homegrown tomatoes are always good! But they were delicious!!

I’m already thinking about spring and it’s not even winter yet. Well kind of…If you count the few flakes we’ve had. But really If your a gardener you understand the excitement when spring does come!

It’s exciting but it can also be a tad bit stressful! Buying plants is definitely the fun part. Knowing where to put them is the hard part. Being prepared and having a plan helps!! I’ve actually drawn pictures when I’m in planning mode. I guess that’s one reason I wanted to give companion planting a try. It gives you an idea to follow.

One thing I would recommend is keeping a gardening journal, and also planning ahead of time. Gardening is all about trial and error. You might find the perfect place but it also depends on the weather. Taking notes will help you for years to come.

Think of companion planting as planting friends together. They will help support each other. Improving soil and keeping pests away.

Here’s some information for companion planting with tomatoes. And what to avoid.

Tomatoes

•Plant with: Basil, carrots, parsley, mint, peppers, garlic, marigolds, collards and asparagus

Avoid planting with: Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, corn and potatoes

I’m sure there are more….