Page 21 - North Haven Magazine Issue 22 Winter 2022

Use containers if you don’t have land space.

Companion planting is encouraged and achieves two gardening goals:
1) it is a good way to help deter pests and reduce the need for use of
pesticides, and 2) it places plants that have complimentary physical
demands or needs together so they may help each other.
Marigolds and nasturtiums illustrate this principle quite well. These
plants release an airborne chemical that repels insects, thereby pro-
tecting not only itself but other plants nearby. While discouraging
pests from the garden, these plants are decorative, and children will
enjoy picking the blossoms for a bouquet.

Another example is planting onions between lettuce and cabbage to
discourage rabbits from munching on your crops. Legumes, such as
beans and peas, are nitrogen fixers. They can restore the nitrogen level
so heavy feeders, such as tomatoes and cabbage, can be planted in that
location the following year.
Antagonist Plants.
It is important to know that certain plants are not good companions
to other plants and should not be planted near each other. For exam-
ple, broccoli has many compatible plants that enhance its growth and
productivity. However, strawberries, climbing beans and peppers are
antagonists and should be planted away from broccoli.
Many herbs are great companion plants, but caution must be used
to contain some of them. Herbs can produce many seeds that spread
through the garden and may take over the space. Planting the herbs
in containers can help prevent them from invading, especially if seed
heads are removed before seeds are released.
Resources.
The following resources are available for more detailed information.
The Walden Lab website provides a useful list of companion and antagonist plants. It is
available at: https://waldenlabs.com/the-ultimate-companion-planting-guide-chart/
The Home Garden Companion Planting Ideas chart is another useful resource at
http://leahybeekeeping.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Companion-Planting.jpg
If you are starting a garden with young children, the University of Illinois Extension
Service provides an excellent website at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/firstgarden/
The staff at Bell Nurseries are always willing to answer questions and
recommend plants for local gardens.

Our library has books to guide your planning, and members of the
Daytime Gardeners of North Haven are available to answer question.
Call the Daytime Gardeners at 203-239-1557.

The ideas included here may inspire you to help your child or grand-
child start his first garden. You can be the one to plant the seed for the
child’s mind to grow.

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