Some species are planted together because they help each other. If plants compete for the same resources, separate them and replant their own beneficial guilds.
It has also been observed that plant families often exhibit the same tendencies regarding their interactions with the environment, so that when guilds are created, family members can be placed in similar circumstance. Also, depending on the nature of the climate, you will find that summer plants generally grow well together and winter plants grow well together, but summer and winter plants conflict if placed in the same area. Thus by planting plants during the appropriate season; conflicts over resources among elements can be avoided.
A simple way of looking at companion planting is that some plants are light feeders (onion), others are heavy feeders (maize, pumpkin), while others are heavy givers (legumes i.e. beans). Always put heavy givers with heavy feeders such as planting beans with maize.
Crop Companions
Melon Corn, peanut and sunflower
Plum Horseradish
Raspberry Tansy
Strawberry Beans, spinach, borage and lettuce
Asparagus Tomato, parsley, basil, nasturtium and marigold
Beans Carrot, cauliflower, savory, cabbage, beet, borage, maize, marigold, squash, strawberry, tomato, nasturtium, potato, cucumber, collards and sunflowers
Beet Onion and kohlrabi
Broccoli Beans, nasturtium, oregano, potato, celery, dill, chamomile, sage, mints, rosemary and onion
Brussels Beans, nasturtium, potato, celery, dill, sage, mints, rosemary and hyssop
Cabbage Beans, nasturtium, oregano, celery, dill, chamomile, sage, mints, rosemary, lavender, beet, onion, tansy, tomato, chickweed and morog.
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Peas Carrot, maize, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, radish, spinach, tomato and turnip
Peppers Basil, carrot, lovage, marjoram, onion and oregano Potato Beans, corn, cabbage, marigold, lettuce, onion, petunia,
radish, flax, lima, horseradish and dead nettle Pumpkin Maize, cowpeas and clover
Radish Peas, nasturtium, lettuce and cucumber Soybean Grows with anything and helps everything
Spinach Strawberry, cabbage, celery, eggplant, onion and peas Squash Nasturtium, corn, beans, mints and radish
Tomato Onion, parsley, asparagus, carrot, basil, cabbage, peas, sage, chive, marigold, nasturtium, lima and sow thistle
Turnip Peas
Carrot Peas, onion, leek, rosemary, sage, tomato, lettuce, chive, beans, radish and wormwood. Cauliflower - Beans,
nasturtium, oregano, celery, dill, chamomile, mints, lavender, beet, onion, hyssop and radish
Cauliflower Beans, leek, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower and onion Celery Beans, leek, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower and onion
Cucumber Beans, peas, radish, corn, sunflower, broccoli, celery, lettuce, tomato, marigold
Eggplant Beans, peas, clover, tarragon and thyme
Onion Beet, strawberry, tomato, lettuce, clover, cabbage, carrot, potato, savory, beans and sow thistle
Flax Carrot and potato
Leek Celery, carrot and onion
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Herbs and Flowers Companions
Anise Beans and corriander
Basil Tomato, beans and cabbage
Bee Balm Tomato
Borage Tomato, strawberry and squash
Caraway Peas
Camomile Onion, cabbage, mints and cucumber
Chive Carrot, grape, parlsey, tomato and fruit trees
Coriander Peas
Dill Cabbage, carrot, lettuce and onion Garlic Rose, carrot, tomato and raspberry
Mints Cabbage family and tomato
Nasturtium Tomato, radish, cabbage, cucumber and fruit trees
Oragano Cucumber
Parsley Tomato, asparagus, carrot, onion
Petunia Beans
Rosemary Carrot, beans, cabbage and sage
Rue Rose and raspberry
Sage Carrot, cabbage, rosemary, peas, beans, marjoram, strawberry and tomato
Savory Beans and onions
Southernwood Cabbage
Sunflower Cucumber
Tansy Fruit trees, rose, raspberry, peppers and potato Yarrow and Garlic Enhance essential oil production in herbs
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Vegetables Competitors
Asparagus Onions
Beans Chive, fennel, garlic, leek and marigold
Beet Beans
Broccoli Lettuce, strawberry, tomato and rue Cabbage Grape, strawberry, tomato and rue
Carrot Dill and anise
Cauliflower Strawberry and tomato Cucumber Rue, sage and potatoes Kohirabi Beans, peppers and tomato
Leek Beans and broccoli
Onion Beans and peas
Peppers Fennel and kohirabi
Potato Apple, pumpkin, tomato, raspberry and rosemary
Pumpkin Potato
Radish Grape and hyssop
Squash Potato
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Fruits Competitors
Apple, apricot, peach, plum and pear
Potato, lucerne, clover and cowpeas, nasturtium, wild garlic, stinging nettle, comfrey
Fig Rue, lucerne, clover
Grape Cabbage, lucerne, clover and radish Raspberry Potato, lucerne, clover
Strawberry Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lucerne, clover and Brussels sprout
Herbs Competitors
Anise Carrot
Basil Rue
Caraway Fennel
Chive Beans and peas
Coriander Fennel
Dill Carrot and tomato
Fennel Beans, caraway, coriander, dill and tomato Garlic Beans, peas and strawberry
Hyssop Radish
Mint Parsley
Parsley Mint
Rosemary Potato, basil, cabbage and sage
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Conclusion
In this unit you will have learned about the reasons for, and the best ways of, combining different types of plants in order to get the most out of them and to minimize negative effects that they might have on each other. This should enable you to plan and manage your garden effectively.
Reflection points
• What are the advantages of growing plants in guilds?
• What kind of plants should not be grown in the same guild and why?
• Find out the kind of plants that tend to grow together in nature and share this information with others. Suggest reasons why they grow well together.
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Unit 11: Propagation of plants
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this Unit the reader will have learned about:
• How to raise plants using sexual and asexual methods
• Growing fruit crops
• Strategies to improve seed germination
• Nursery establishment and management
Introduction
This is a very important module. It will take you through various processes in plant propagation. You will be introduced to processes which will enrich your understanding about Permaculture practices. The module will empower you with tools of how to raise plants from sexual and asexual methods for own use and for sale. Propagation is the planting and caring of plants. Plant propagation begins with seed or vegetative
reproduction (cuttings) and it ends with harvesting. There are many steps in between. The most suitable place for plants to be propagated is in the nursery where there is a safe sheltered space for young plants to grow. Seedlings need shelter and protection, food and water, time, a safe space and careful and gentle attention. A nursery is a place that can fulfil some of these needs. The gardener needs to fulfil the rest.