Onion sets and peas????

[mandyballantyne]

Hi All,

I am short of space and have a lot of onion sets to plant out today. Just wondering if it would be possible to grow peas up canes inbetween or would this cause problems?

Or is there anything else that I could put in to climb?

Thanks, Mandy

[Eyren]

I know beans don't like to be near onions, so peas might not be a good idea either. Tomatoes like members of the onion family (I have garlic growing all round the bed where my toms will go) so a cordon variety would fit in there, or you could intercrop a bit of lettuce or radish. Can't think of anything else climbing that wouldn't swamp your onions - sorry!

[zazen999]

Hi
Eyren is right; if you go by companion planting rules, peas/beans don't like onions. They will still grow; but very very slowly.

I would also recommend some toms in there once the weather improves.

Or; block plant the onions [keeping them to one side] and plant the beans on the other in a circle, and put something in between...it is the roots apparently that give off some non-bean friendly vibes.

Not sure what your space is like, but that might work!

Incidentally; whenever I have decided to put them together, the beans weren't worth it at all; a handful of harvest and pitiful specimens.

[mandyballantyne]

Hi Eyren, Zazen.

Thanks for your replies. I thought there might be an issue and new you lot would know! just trying to cram to much in I guess

Will try some toms in there.

Thanks, Mandy

[bluemoon]

If you block plant the onions you could always pop some sweetcorn in there too.

[jackie j]

I am very confused about this onion and bean / pea growing together. In Andi Clevely's The Allotment Book on page 34 he talks about crop rotation and in Bed A to plant legumes and onion family.
I have planted my onions in rows then behind them is my broad beans then I'm going to put my runner beans then i have peas etc. Is this wrong ? too late to change it now but might next year.