1000 Flowers for the Planet - #303 Companion Plant
Companion planting is used by organic gardeners
for many reasons, not least of which is the benefit of reducing the number of
pests which may destroy your crop. Some plants emit a strong smell which serves
to cover the smell of another plant and therefore confuse any insects which may
wish to feed on your crop. Conversely, some plants attract the right insects.
Another reason is that some plants have deeper growing roots which aerate the
soil, allowing other plants to grow better. There doesn’t seem to be an exact
science related to companion planting, but plenty of websites will provide a
list of suited plantings and further discussion.
In relation to the planet, though, learning to
companion plant will reduce the amount of chemicals used to grow crops at home
or keep beautiful garden beds, and keeping chemicals out of your garden means
they’ll stay out of the water systems, keeping our drinking water clean and
looking after all marine and bird life. It would produce healthy gardens
containing good insects, attract bees (the reason for this art project) and
provide healthy food for you and your family to eat. If you love your garden
(and the planet), then give companion planting a go.
1 comment:
Apparently wine-grape growers have been companion planting for years - it seems that roses are affected by similar diseases/bugs as the vines are, so by planting rose bushes at the ends of the rows, the grower gets an "early warning" if there's a problem in his vineyard. Apparently marigolds are also good companion plants for many gardens - keeps the aphids away, maybe??
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