with in-laws that do and don’t get along with each other. For example, tomatoes and basil do well together. Bibb lettuce and spinach are friends. So are lettuce, carrots, and radishes. And, to continue the dining metaphor, that’s just the first seating; subsequent seatings, (typically referred to as crop rotations or suc- cessive plantings) take into account “heavy feeders,” “heavy givers,” and “light feed- ers.” For example, veggies such as tomatoes, squash and lettuce are considered heavy feeders and take lots of nutrients, especially nitrogen, from the soil. So to return nitrogen to the soil, one ideally subsequently grows heavy givers such as peas, beans, alfalfa, and fava beans. Then, one ideally plants a light feeder such as root crops. And then back to heavy feeders.


For the first few years of having my own garden, I set out with the best intentions and carefully mapped out where everything would go in the garden. I had diagrams and spreadsheets cross-referenced with my biodynamic calendar. Then the season would hit and I would get the big items in (peas, squash, tomatoes, and a few sections of beets, greens and carrots), and then squeeze every- thing else in the ground wherever it could fit and roughly made sense. I now accept that as my gardening style. The garden always meets me wherever I’m at and whatever I do. I learn something new each year – both what works for the garden and works for me. I’m not condoning this method; rather I share this as a license to not get too paralyzed about which plants can go next to each other in space and time, and just do what works for you, your taste buds, your time and your space.


TIP: With that context, here’s a list of common garden vegetables and their com- panions and antagonists (Organic Gardening and Farming, February 1972, p. 54).


Now get out there and have yourself a garden party with the right temperature, light- ing, soil composition, and attendees.


Meredith Sorensen is the Director of Communication for Harvest, a company that fuels a more sustainable world where organic resources are harvested, not wasted. Harvest


New England (http://www.harvestpower. com/ne | 860-674-8855 x101) provides top quality soils, mulches and custom blends in Connecticut at our Fairfield, Farmington, Ellington, and Wallingford locations, and via delivery. See ad on this page 9.


tsachsmd.com www.NaturalNutmeg.com 23


Companions Beans Beets


Cabbage family (cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli)


Carrots Corn Cucumbers Lettuce Onions (and garlic) Peas


Spinach Squash


Tomatoes


Potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, cabbage, most other vegetables and herbs


Onions, kohlrabi


Aromatic plants, potatoes, celery, dill, chamomile, sage, peppermint, rosemary, beets, onions


Peas, leaf lettuce, chives, onions, leeks, rosemary, sage, tomatoes


Potatoes, peas, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash


Beans, corn, peas, radishes, sunflowers, lettuce


Carrots, radishes, strawberries,


cucumbers, onions


Beets, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, leeks, chamomile (sparsely)


Carrots, turnips, radishes, cucumbers, corn, beans, most vegetables and herbs


Strawberries Nasturtiums, corn


Chives, onions, parsley, asparagus, marigolds, nasturtiums, carrots


Peas, beans


Onions, garlic, gladiolus, potatoes, chives


-- Potatoes


Kohlrabi, potatoes, fennel, cabbage


Antagonists


Onions, garlic, cladiolus, chives


Pole beans Strawberries, tomatoes, pole beans Dill -- Potatoes, aromatic herbs --


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