Companion Planting

Companion planting has become one of my favorite aspects of gardening. Through research and my own experiments, I continually learn something new about plants, growing, and soil. It brings a fun challenge to designing and planning the garden spaces. And, it supports my commitment to finding natural, organic ways to garden.

 Although it can be used for all plants, it is especially helpful for edible gardens. Companion planting is a method that puts plants that like each other near one another in the garden and those that are incompatible away from each other. It creates natural ways to repel and deter unwanted pests, attracts helpful pollinators, supports flavor and growth, and creates healthy soil. Sorting out which plants will be planted next to each other in the garden is like putting together a puzzle for each garden and for every growing season.  

In small backyards and edible gardens, like mine, creating enough space for the laundry list of plants I want to grow is a constant challenge, which can end up in an over-packed garden that becomes an attractive place for unwanted of pests to fill their bellies, make their homes, and lay their eggs. Although that sounds like a fun ecosystem, it is generally not one I want because it means chewed up leaves, infested tomatoes, and tunnels through the middle of root crops. When this happens I usually become desperate, frustrated, and the best damn researcher as I investigate natural ways to get rid of cabbage worms or consider purchasing a loveliness of ladybugs to feast on the aphids (yes, a group of ladybugs is called a “loveliness”!).

Critters and bugs in the garden can be a great sign, it means that the garden is healthy and producing plants that look tasty and soil that is fun to plow through. However, ensuring the right kind of critters are showing up and that pests aren’t outnumbering the plants, can make a big difference. Companion planting is a natural method that can help create a happy, balanced environment that keeps the soil healthy, attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, keeps weeds out, and encourages pests to find somewhere else to hang out.

Overtime I have created a companion planting chart which continues to evolve as I continue to learn through my own gardening adventures and research. There are many great resources on companion planting that you can find online, in books, through gardening communities, or at your local nurseries. I have provided links to some of my favorites on the chart.

If you find the chart a bit overwhelming to start with (it’s a long list!), I have highlighted a few of my favorite companion plants that I include in my garden every year. The plants below are some of the first crops I incorporated in my garden when learning about companion planting and have now become regular residents because of the benefits I have found in each one of them. These can be a great place to start!

Marigold: These are all around great companion plant in the garden as they repel beetles, tomato worm, unwanted nematodes, and cabbage worms. They attract beneficial insects and pollinators and can support the growth of plants in the cabbage family, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and squash. Marigolds act as a natural pesticide and are good scattered throughout the garden or acting like a border plant.

Sage: Like marigolds, sage is an all-around great companion plant for the garden and can be grown as annuals or perennials. Sage repels cabbage moth, carrot rust fly, and beetles. It attracts pollinators and can support the growth of plants in the cabbage family, carrots, bean, rosemary, and strawberry. I like to plant this intermittently throughout the garden and late into the summer pick the leaves to dry.

Chive: I have yet to find a plant that does not get along with chives. I have read that beans and peas generally do not like chives, but I have planted them near each other and not yet had an issue. Chives are great garden companions, are perennials, and grow back quickly after cut. They repel aphids, carrot rust fly, and Japanese beetle. They improve the flavor of plants, like tomatoes and celery, and supports the growth of carrots, brassicas, and strawberries. I like to let these go to flower and am learning different culinary uses for their edible flowers!

If you are interested in learning more about companion plants you can view the chart below or click to view and download it. Companion planting is one of my favorite parts of planning my garden, I hope you find the fun, challenge, and benefits of it too!

10 Steps to Building A Galvanized Metal Raised Bed

Raised beds are my favorite way to backyard garden. They create dimension, aesthetics, organization, and design to what might otherwise be a simple piece of grass or dirt. They also provide a way to have more control over your growing area, like being able to alter the pH or work as weed barriers. I continue to experiment with different types of raised bed designs, depending on the area of the yard or what I’m trying to grow.

A few months ago, I attended a seminar where the speaker described the pros and cons of different types of raised beds and containers. He briefly discussed the trend of using metal animal troughs and how they can support soil heat for growing crops that may have a variable success rate in the mild climate that I grow in. Metal beds are said to hold a more even temperature throughout the day as the soil absorbs the heat, and maintain a degree of that even when the temperatures cool down at night. Also, galvanized metal takes a long time before rusting and can be reused if the beds were taken apart. The possibility of more growing possibility with reusable materials hooked me!

Naturally this put me on a search for used animal troughs with the vision of having melons and squash growing in the yard as my motivation. I found there were few new or used to choose from, and they were expensive, so I decided to design and build my own. I chose to use a combination of cedar, for the durability, and galvanized metal, to create the heat bed I am hoping for.

I designed the beds with an open bottom to create an environment where organic matter and little critters can move around in a natural, healthy ecosystem. However, this means that weeds and other plants can creep in to the growing area. To help keep the weeds out, I place cardboard down and then layer with yard compost, nursery compost, and top soil and/or mulch (not bark dust). I use the cardboard because it creates an environment where the weeds can’t survive, and within a growing season it will compost down and support the ecosystem I’m hoping for. I’m not a scientist, but I do know there is some science behind this process that ultimately is in support of the underground world and growing process.

So far, I have transplanted garlic into the smaller beds and am waiting for the starts to grow a little more before I transplant the tomatoes, peppers, onions, and basil in the big beds. I am looking forward to testing out these raised beds in my yard this year and hope you also get to have some fun trying out your own!

Below is a list of materials I used and the steps I took to build my beds. Some of the supplies, like the metal shears, you can find in my Tools list on Amazon. The beds (without any tool purchases) cost around $60 each.

Materials

• Pen

• Measuring Tape

• Level

• Gloves

• Eye Protection

• Sealant (I look for the lowest VOCs possible since water runoff will cause the chemicals to seep into your soil where your plants are growing and down into the reservoirs that eventually make their way out to our rivers and oceans)

• Drill & Shears Attachment

• Nail Gun (a variety of sizes will be helpful like framing, brad, and staple gun)

• Nails and staples

• Miter or Skill Saw

• Shovel

• Post Hole Digger

• Wood (I used cedar for this project because it is one of the strongest woods I can find in my area. If you decide to go with a softer, less expensive wood like hem/fir, make sure to add several coats of sealant to extend its life and durability)

  • 4x4x8 (1 piece)

  • 1x4x8 (2 pieces for the Three Foot Bed, 4 pieces for the Six Foot Bed)

  • 1x2x8 (1 piece for the Three Foot Bed, 2 pieces for the Six Foot Bed)

• Corrugated Galvanized Metal (roof panel style)

  • 3x8 (1 piece for the Three Foot Bed, 2 pieces for the Six Foot Bed)

• Cardboard

• Compostable Yard Debris

• Compost

• Top Soil or Mulch (not bark dust)

INSTRUCTIONS

The instructions below are for a Three Foot Bed, I have made notes of what to pay attention to if you are choosing to instead make the Six Foot Bed. The steps can be followed for any size of bed you want to build, you will just need to adjust the measurements accordingly.

Step One

• Cut the 4x4x8 pieces in 2’ sections (you will have four 2’ sections)

• Three Foot Bed

  • For each of the 1x4x8 boards cut two 3 foot sections and two 1 foot sections (you will have a total of four 3 foot sections and four 1 foot sections)

• Six Foot Bed

  • For each of the 1x4x8 boards cut one 6 foot section and one 2 foot section (you will have a total of four 6 foot sections and four 2 foot sections)

Step Two

• Seal the boards using a low VOC, water repellent sealant (this step can also be done as Step One since the boards will need up to a day to dry)

Step Three

• On the new 4x4x2 foot boards make a mark on each one at 18” (the remaining 6” will be set into the ground to help stabilize and level the bed) and lay them on a level area with the marks facing up

• Nail one 1x4x1 (Three Foot Bed) or 1x4x2 (Six Foot Bed) foot boards to the 4x4x2 foot board, making sure it is flush on all sides

• Line up the base of one of the 1x4x1 (Three Foot Bed) or 1x4x2 (Six Foot Bed) foot boards with the marks you made at 18 inches, making sure they also are flush with the edges of the 4x4x2 foot board and have an equal amount of difference from the top boards, secure these by nailing

• Repeat this process for the other set of 4x4x2 and 1x4x1 (Three Foot Bed) or 1x4x2 (Six Foot Bed) foot boards

Step Four

• Place both of the sections you just created on their sides with the length of the bed between them (3 feet for the Three Foot Bed, 6 feet for the Six Foot Bed)

• Place one of the 1x4x3 (or 1x4x6) foot boards near the top of both sides, make sure it is flush with all edges and secure by nailing

• Place one of the 1x4x3 (or 1x4x6) foot boards flush with the side pieces measured at the 18 inches mark and secure by nailing

• Repeat this process for the other set of 1x4x3 (or 1x4x6) foot boards

Step Five

• Measure the distance of the long ends of the inside part of the bed, for the Three Foot Bed the measurement should be at 26 ¾ inches

• Measure the height of the distance between the top and base 1x4x3 (or 1x4x6) foot boards, this should be at 18 inches for both the Three Foot Bed and Six Foot Bed

• On the corrugated galvanized metal measure two 18x26 ¾ (Three Foot Bed) or 18x62 ¾ (Six Foot Bed) inch areas, marking the space with a marker and using the level to draw out the lines, the corrugated ripples should be horizontal

• Using the metal shears drill attachment (you can find in my Tools list on Amazon) cut the metal

Step Six

• Measure the distance of the short ends of the inside part of the bed, these should be 4 ¾ (Three Foot Bed) or 14 ½ (Six Foot Beds) inches

• You’ve already measured the height that should be 18 inches

• On the corrugated galvanized metal measure two 18x4 ¾ (Three Foot Bed) or one 18x14 ½ (Six Foot Bed) inch area(s), marking the space with a marker and using the level to draw out the lines, the corrugated ripples should be horizontal

• Using the metal shears drill attachment (you can find in my Tools list on Amazon) cut the metal

Step Seven

• Secure each piece of the corrugated galvanized metal to the inside of the 1x4x3 (or 1x4x6 for Six Foot Bed) foot boards using the staple gun (I chose to use staples instead of nails since the wood was not very thick and the metal was thin)

• Don’t worry if a little bit of the metal extends a little longer than your base board, you will be able to dig that area into the ground

Step Eight

• Measure the distance from the bottom of the 1x4x3 (or 1x4x6 on Six Foot Bed) foot top board and top of the base board, this should be around 11 inches

• Cut the 1x2x8 foot board into eight pieces (Three Foot Board) or ten pieces (Six Foot Board)

• Using the brad nail gun, secure these pieces to the outside areas where the galvanized metal meets the 4x4x2 foot boards, this will help secure the metal from bulging once filled with dirt and also adds some curb appeal

• For the Six Foot Beds secure three pieces evenly across the long ends

Step Nine

• Identify the area you are going to place the bed

• Measure the distance between all four 4x4x2 foot boards (legs) and mark the area

• Using a post-hole digger (you can find in my Tools list on Amazon) dig 7-8 inch holes

• Place the bed legs in the four holes and use the level to make sure the bed is balanced, dig deeper or fill in with dirt and rocks to create a level surface

• Once level, fill the holes in with dirt (and rocks if you choose)

Step Ten

• Line the bottom of the bed with cardboard, make sure to remove any plastic tape or labels

• On top of the cardboard layer dried leaves, grass clippings, and other compostable yard debris

• Fill in with a rich compost and top with either top soil or mulch

• At this point you can start placing plants into the bed in the Three Foot Beds as long as you compact down the compost and top soil. For the Six Foot Beds it is best to wait at least a week for the yard debris to beak down and likely cause some extra space to add another layer of top soil or mulch to the top

These steps can be followed for any size bed you want to build, just make sure to put in enough 1x2 reinforcers on the outside of the long end of any bed to provide support and keep from bulging. Remember that these beds will hold in more heat than stone or wood-only beds, so you will want to monitor watering to make sure that the soil does not dry out. Have fun with your new raised beds and for joining me in this gardening adventure...let’s grow together!

Grow One Thing

A good “rule of thumb” is to pick one thing and try growing that.

I believe that everyone can grow something, and that gardens come in all shapes and sizes. I often hear people say that they wish they had a “green-thumb”, like it’s some super power you’re born with. I think that’s a myth. I think everyone has a “green-thumb” if they are willing to put a little time into getting to know what they want to grow. A good “rule of thumb” is to pick one thing and try growing that.

However, I am terrible at taking my own advice, just like I’m good at creating instructions and terrible at following them. I truly believe that if I chose just one item to focus on, then I could have a whole backyard of one great crop. But, I’m greedy and want to grow everything. So instead, I’m focusing on growing one crop (out of the many) well this year and focusing on creating an environment where it will thrive. 

In my first garden, a three-by-three foot piece of dirt that I did my best to turn into a raised bed, I decided to grow corn, cilantro, and zucchini, and likely a few others I’m forgetting. My gardens have evolved in shape and size and currently is spread out on my windowsills, in our guest room, in the green house, and will soon occupy a square of dirt the chickens are fertilizing and tilling.

What I have learned through my garden journey is that it doesn’t matter what size or shape my growing space is, it’s taking time to pause, reflect, learn, and choose one thing to do really well. This year the one thing I’m focusing on doing well is growing borage (I want edible flowers) and creating an environment for my starts to thrive and establish themselves before they are put in the ground. Each year I have to start over with some (if not all) of my seeds and I become worried that the starts won’t have time to gain the strength they need for transplanting. This year has been no exception, but with having this intention I’m more focused on learning what I need and can do now instead of fretting about what is going to happen in two months.

Just as with gardening, I struggle in general to put my focus and intention on one thing. I have files saved on my computer and notebooks full of ideas that will likely remain as ideas. I like to start things and then find something else to start before I finish the first thing I started. Throughout my life I have collected loads of supplies for projects that sounded fun but that I was never going to follow through on. This quality I hold is part of my rose and also my thorn. Gardening has become both the rose and thorn that I can’t shake and is a project I can pour myself into because it may never have an ending. Even now, as I reflect in this moment, I am struck by the longevity and sustainability that I have found in gardening. I chose one thing, I created an intention to focus on it, and (pun intended) it continues to grow.

There are many parallels to life that could connect and mirror this idea to choose a focus, nurture that intention, and then watch it grow. What I have learned in both gardening and life is that it is a choice that comes with guaranteed work, pain, and joy. To develop a “green-thumb” in gardening or in life you must be willing to take the time to create the environment that will support the growth, that takes commitment to be vulnerable within the learning process and okay if it doesn’t work with the first try. I find myself having a lot more grace in this process with my seeds than I give to myself. Maybe someday I’ll learn to have that same grace with my own growing process.

So, if you are new to gardening or, like me, have tried to take it all on, this season pick one item that you want to focus on. This may be picking an herb to grow in a windowsill or tomatoes to grow on a patio or a variety of lettuces in your raised bed. Whatever you choose, take time to learn about that plant and what it needs, what makes it thrive, when to harvest, and how to care for it. I feel confident that if you take the time to put the focus and intention into that one item, it will grow. And, who knows, maybe YOU will grow too!