Old wives' tale?

[dexterdoglancashire]

Has anyone heard of this?..........I read in a book recently that "for a bumper crop of broccoli, companion plant it with spinach. The roots of the spinach secrete a growth enhancing hormone into the soil which does wonders for any veg grown nearby"? Answers on a postcard to................... dexterdog

[Snadger]

See, Popeye had it right all along!

He must have used growth hormone's to have arms like that!

[roitelet]

There is a site called companion planting which you may find interesting. Google it! I plant marigolds, french and ordinary and nastursams (can't spell)
with things that are attacked by Aphids and it seems to work also Fennel seemed to keep the aphids off a climbing rose this year. Must be something to do with the number of hover flies that the fennel attracts

[multiveg]

I can vouch for nasturtiums with french beans - tried it and my nasturtiums died from aphid attack. French beans (probably purple queen) were untouched!
Just grab your seed, through it higgledy-piggledy into the plot and hope for the best- you won't know what's there and hopefully the pesties won't know either!
My florence fennel didn't bulb up nicely last year and bolted - had loadsa ladybirds and baby ladybirds.
Perhaps you could grow kamikaze trap crops - say lettuce to attract sluggies off your other fruit/veg/plants. If you go for loose leaf types, you could share!

That's an idea - how about some not very scientific reader trials with companion planting, etc in the mag?!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Have just got a book about general household tips and hints, including gardening tips from bygone days....it has lots of useful ideas. when I get chance, I'll run them by everyone to see what they think, whether they are any good or are rubbish. dexterdog

[pickledtink]

I'm a firm believer in companion planting but had never heard of this one but guess what?
My mini top bed has a few Calabrese, A row of chard, some leeks and a bit of spinach I stuck in to fill out where some salad had been.
The biggest head of Calabrese is right next to the spinach and the next best the one over! Eureka!!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Maybe the old wives tale is true? I've never heard of it......has anyone got any ideas? dexterdog

[Snadger]

I can vouch for nasturtiums with french beans - tried it and my nasturtiums died from aphid attack. French beans (probably purple queen) were untouched!
Just grab your seed, through it higgledy-piggledy into the plot and hope for the best- you won't know what's there and hopefully the pesties won't know either!
My florence fennel didn't bulb up nicely last year and bolted - had loadsa ladybirds and baby ladybirds.
Perhaps you could grow kamikaze trap crops - say lettuce to attract sluggies off your other fruit/veg/plants. If you go for loose leaf types, you could share!

That's an idea - how about some not very scientific reader trials with companion planting, etc in the mag?!

Multiveg thats like saying " My rumation copper bangle works because I haven't got ruematism!"

I have had an excellent crop of french beans with no aphid damage and no nasturtiums in that area!

I do believe in companion planting but thought it was only the variegated nasturtium that repelled aphids? I have also planted nastutiums among my brassicas and had no damage to either, but I still can't say whether this would have been the case with or without the nastutiams!

[JennieAtkinson]

Sadly the slugs can't read - I did point them in the direction of "you can eat this one!" but they didn't oblige!

I always try and companion plant and certainly have had no problem in the polytunnel with nasturtiums and marigolds planted around the place. Garlic by the roses in the garden and the dog to ward off the rabbits and starlings. Works reasonably well. I certainly don't seem to have had any problems with aphids or any other beasties........... and its been a warm summer.