Vegetable and Herb Companion Plants

"Stole" this link from a cottage gardens thread

http://www.tinkersgardens.com/vegetables/companionplanting.asp

Great timing! Thanks!

Kathy ~ nice link. Gives me great guidance for the potager, which should be planted within the next few weeks (just waiting for the freezes to end~).

I'm so looking forward to seeing that grow!!

It should be well underway by the time of the planning party...or at least planted and growing a little bit. I got a bunch of June-bearing strawberries from Holly when I delivered the swap plants to her and they have been planted in a box by themselves since that weekend. They seem to be doing really well with lots of new growth. Hope everything else will do as well. . .anxiously waiting (tapping foot, tapping foot, tapping foot...)

I was unprepared for how well strawberries grow. I've had them grow out of the pot and into the lawn. LOL. You can grow them in hanging planters, too (maybe on a shepherd's hook hanger by the potager). Come to think of that, it would look nice for anything, squash, opomea (I got a discount last year on a magenta petunia in a pot with the chartreus opomea in a hanging pot. I will do that combo again this year - it's hot. Maybe even add some orange as in a nasturtium.)

Anyway, the islands are known for strawberries - I believe it's been the small Japanese-descent farmers who have been growing them since the early part of the century. So the climate must be perfect for them. I don't have enough hot sun, so I tend to get more leaves than fruit, but I'll bet yours will be perfect. Just gotta harvest before the critters do. LOL

Katie---My father grew up on Bainbridge Island. He passed away last year at 94. But he used to tell stories about all the strawberry farms on the island, owned by the Japanese. They were very particular and very good gardeners. He told the story of he and a couple of friends went sneaking into a field to eat strawberries and How much trouble they got into. A Japanese farmer grabbed them and took them back to the farm house. His mother had to come and get him. Oh My. Many years later he tried in vain, in Florence, OR, to grow good strawberries like those on the Island but was disappointed year and year. He even burned the leaves around the plants at the end of the season, saying that is what they did. And, he wouldn't have anything to do with day length or everbearing. Only June bearers. And, I remember my grandmothers yummy strawberries from her patch on Bainbridge. Guess they just have the right soil and temps for them.

The very best strawberries come from Spooner Farm outside of Olympia. They sell here in Shelton every year.

Orange County in So Cal, where we come from, is also famous for strawberries. We had a fire station in Lake Forest which was bordered on 2 sides by a huge strawberry field. The owners gave the firefighters permission to pick at their pleasure and believe me, every overtime I worked at that station I GORGED on berries. Have loved them all my life and am sure I will continue. I hope these new babies give me a few to enjoy!

LOL Keep some antihistamine nearby. Strawberries are notorious for causing an allergic reaction "all of a sudden", even if you've been eating them all your life. Although, IMO, a few hives is no reason not to eat them.

I also remember the strawberry fields on Bainbridge from the forties. The nursery the Japanese owned then is still around only smaller. It is a beautiful nursery. Can't think of the name right now.

Spooner Farm? Wonder if that's where I used to go to U-pick with my aunt and cousins when I was growing up. They lived in Olympia. Yummmmmmy!!

I'll bet it is. It's out on the Yelm Hwy.

We have icy snowy hailish stuff on the ground this morning--all white everywhere, and it is Cold out there. However, I can see my raised strawberry bed from the kitchen window and they seem to be fine. Peas, too. Hardy, hardy PNW plants!!!
I hope to have enough berries this year to make jam and lots of shortcakes. It will be warm and sunny by then and things will be growing like mad. Did anyone hear me say Warm and Sunny??? Oh-h-h I can't wait. Warm and Sunny......

Hey Bee ~ there's a bright orb in the sky here in the "rainshadow" today! Of course, it's not warm, but we're batting .500!

Hey Bee - make sure there's enough for munching. Oh, and a PNW taste-test as well.
You did say Warm & Sunny - none of that here. But I do have 1" of rapidly melting white all over. My tough babies that are out there are not pleased in the least...nor am I.
Can we send all this yuk to California? They may be in dire need of moisture - I think an exchange would be fair. I have weeds to pull! And my Zuke babies are looking like little Crocodile heads!

I believe this weather belongs in Alaska. They aren't used to sunny and warm.;o)

Send that orb this way, Sheri. This snow just seems to be sitting. I can hear it dripping from the trees, but it's taking too long.

It's on its way as we speak. Ran our errands and while out it clouded up and has been raining for the past hour or so. ICK! Thought it was going to be decent at least. Didn't get diddley done outside except move a little dirt from this pile to that. HARUMPH!

And it helped. But now it's dark and has snowed another inch. Harumph is right.

double Harumph from my corner!

HEY-it was MY turn to see that bright sunny orb.I had 2 neighbors mowing their lawns today that 2 days ago were covered with snow.Quits raining here people go crazy.

Got nothing done today and to be honest I needed a break. I picked strawberries at Barringer farms in Marysville when I was just a kid. A few weeks of picking for $100 was good money for a 10 yo. Ate about 1/4 that I picked so never packed a lunch, but boy was my back sore!! Now they have pickers you ride on, must be nice! WAY to old to do it again. Did however get my bowlingball up. I Tim Taylored it and its 7' in the air with a hydrangea seemani climbing up. And by the way it is pink!! Gotta get a pic and show you IF it stops snowing!!!

Ned - you gotsta take yer mowing chances when you can. My neighbors mowed last weekend, but I just wanted to dig. Now I'm wondering if I'll ever to mow again.

Gordon - 7 feet? I gotta see that. Where did you get the ball or is it one you already had?

The amazing farm of everything worthless and useful. This has been a dumping ground for my family since the 70s. Looking for an old milk jug, or a window from a fishing boat, or a few dozen windows? We should do a late summer plant swap here on the farm. Oh no! Now its in print!!

oh gee, i wonder who will be the chef????

Sounds pretty great to me, Gordon!

Gordon - with all that chef talk, I think you'll get 100% participation at your late-summer swap. It's on my calendar. :-)

Do you ever watch television. On the public television channel there's a show called Antiques Roadshow in which experienced people from the various antique houses evaluate the treasure people bring in. Sometimes what they bring isn't worth much, sometimes it's amazing and worth thousands. One way or the other, you learn a lot about world and U.S. history, furniture and art.

Maybe you should select some things to take to the next local roadshow.

Gordon. . .I'm good for a swap (flea market) at your place. Post the date early, though, cuz summer's pretty busy for me and I certainly don't want to miss THIS one! Can never have enough fleas, ya know!?!?! And I would LOVE to see a picture of the 7' pink bowling ball! You could probably become a tourist attraction if you were so inclined. You know..."the Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota," "the World's Largest Flying Jackalope," "the Tallest Pink Bowling Ball in the PNW!" People may pay. . .

This message was edited Mar 30, 2008 2:29 PM