companion planting thoughts

[forgetmenot]

This year is the first year I have been able to grow on my allotment as I got it too late to start it off in time for summer last year (had everything in pots on my balcony instead).

I decided to do a spot of companion planting, having seen others do it. I planted sunflowers, french marigolds and french / dwarf beans all together and was quite happy with that. In another bed I planted runner beans and beetroot (for the leaves not for the root).

I was then pointed in the direction of a companion planting chart by another allotment holder who (rightly according to the chart) showed me that these combinations are said not to work.

I duly went off to research it on the internet and was met with lots of conflicting advice. The thing is, my mum plants marigolds and beans together and I have successfully grown beets and runners together in the past. Despite the internet saying that sunflowers and beans don't do well together, so far mine seem to be looking quite happy.

So is everyone on the internet wrong or have i just been lucky not to mess up the veg in the past? Clarification would be most welcome!!

[Penellype]

I've never grown sunflowers, and french marigolds get annihilated over night by slugs here, but I have grown calendula near beans and peas with no ill effects. Does any of the advice you have read give a reason why they don't work well together?

I find nasturtiums go well with beans - they seem to be preferred by the blackfly so the beans are less infested than they would otherwise be.

[forgetmenot]

apparently beets and runner beans dont work as they stunt each other's growth but it doesn't seem clear on why this is. I have two theories:-
1 its because beets want lots of food in the ground whereas runners with too much food may be all leaf and no bean or
2 because the shade cast by the runners will stop the beet from growing too much.

As for the whole marigold thing, I'm assuming its because french / mexican versions have something in them which can inhibit growth of some herbs, but again its very unclear.

I have no idea about the whole sunflower / bean incompatibility, couldn't seem to find an explanation for that one either.

Why is the internet full of contradictions?!

[1Bee]

Eeeek. Was going to put sunflowers next to runners....

[Bigmallly]

Why is the internet full of contradictions?!

Because GYO isn't an exact science. My advice is try it & if it works for you in your growing conditions then that's all that matters.

[Martin H]

Why is the internet full of contradictions?!

Because companion planting is far from an exact science. I believe as long as the plants aren't fighting for the same limited resources (space, light, water) then they aren't going to harm one another. If there are any mutual benefits to the companions, so much the better.

Anyway, the blackfly will find the nasturtiums whether they are right next to the beans or a couple of yards away. They are mean that way. Also when they've fattened and multiplied on the nasturtiums they will have a little explore to find what else there is to eat... and find the beans.

So my advice is, don't get wound up about it, mix stuff up and enjoy the flowers.

[veggiechicken]

I duly went off to research it on the internet and was met with lots of conflicting advice. The thing is, my mum plants marigolds and beans together and I have successfully grown beets and runners together in the past. Despite the internet saying that sunflowers and beans don't do well together, so far mine seem to be looking quite happy.

So is everyone on the internet wrong or have i just been lucky not to mess up the veg in the past? Clarification would be most welcome!!

If its worked for you and your Mum, why believe the "internet"?

If you ask a question here on the Vine you'll often get several different answers, not because we are "wrong", but because we usually speak from experience - and our experiences differ.
I'm a great believer in sticking with what you know works for you.

[muddled]

French Marigolds are said to exude something that legumes don't like. Pot marigolds, as far as I'm aware, don't. Also, pot marigolds are edible and the french ones aren't.

Runners need lots of water and manure...which beets don't like.

I always grow sunflowers with beans and with corn and have never known any reason not to.

The oft quoted 'carrots and onions' doesn't work. The carrot fly is an awesome pest and no amount of onions will keep it away plus, onions are greedy feeders and carrots fork in rich soil so they are incompatible.

Nasturtiums are just lovely...and tasty too. They do get covered in blackfly and like Martin, I suspect that the black fly move on to whatever tasty plant is nearby. However, they do assault the nasturtiums first which is when I pick affected stems and feed them to my chickens

I grow mint with peas and basil with toms purely because I often pick both at the same time. Sage with brassicas is s'posed to deter whitefly. Not sure if that works but it certainly doesn't hurt and lends a softness to an otherwise rather stark looking bed!

This year I'm trying dwarf beans with spuds...more as a catch crop than anything but apparently they are good companions. I'll have to see.

I have noticed (entirely by accident) that strawberries near spuds do remarkably well and cape gooseberries and cucumbers seem to make each other happy so I'm doing that again too.
I personally grow everything all jumbled up except onions (which don't tolerate shading) I like the polyculture approach.
So I would say, with the exception of french marigolds with legumes and carrots with onions, plant for convenience and beauty...note what works and repeat.

[Small pumpkin]

I like companion planting it seems to work for me. I haven't got my book to hand at the moment and can't even remember the name of if ( but it is quite early ).
There is another thread about this somewhere ( I'm rubbish at finding and linking threads too )
But like has been said, if it works for you keep doing it