With the large variety of vegetable seeds, flower seeds, flower bulbs, herb seeds and fruit trees available from nurseries, garden centers and free seed catalogs it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the choices. It is good news however that even with a limited amount of space you can grow a good selection of vegetable and flower seeds to suit your needs
First you will want to thoroughly plan out your garden so you know exactly where all your vegetable and flower seeds will go whether they are planted in containers, rock gardens, backyard gardens, as borders, window boxes or hanging baskets. A wonderful way to add variety and give purpose to your vegetable and flower seeds selections is by using companion planting as a way of managing your garden organically.
Companion gardening allows you to use plants in a complementary way, by putting certain plants together their natural properties will help with pest control and boosting growth. Some of the benefits of companion vegetable and flower seeds planting can include; giving off scent to repel insects; attracting pollinators for other plants; creating shade for lower plants that don’t thrive in full sun; providing windbreak for tender plants; natural support for climbing plants and ground cover to prevent weeds.
So it becomes obvious that with proper planning and selection of vegetable and flower seeds, garden accessories and garden types you can grow the garden you truly envision.
Companion Planting Suggestions
When it comes to planning and organizing your garden there are several different things you will want to look at factors from agroconection.com such as vegetable seeds and flower seeds selection, garden accessories, the type of garden you will grow, soil, fertilizer, size of garden and companion gardening.
Before you start ordering your vegetable and flower seeds from free seed catalogs you will want to know exactly what varieties will best suit your garden. If you are using companion planting in your garden you will want to know which vegetable and flower seeds might work best, some suggestions can include; tomatoes and french marigolds grown together as marigolds are known to repel greenflies and black flies; nasturtiums grown with broccoli and squash help to keep aphids away; carrots and leeks grown together as leeks repel carrot flies and carrots repel onion flies and leek moth; chervil keeps aphids off lettuce; chives keep fungal diseases at bay; garlic is a deterrent for aphids and good for planting with roses; tansies deter ants and dill attracts wasps which in turn keeps away the aphids.
So you can see the importance of knowing beforehand what vegetable and flower seeds will work best together when it comes to selecting the varieties available from your free seeds catalogs. You will also want to ensure that you have good quality garden accessories to aid in your gardening.
Garden Allies
Over the years, researchers from CarNearMe and gardeners have realized that plants can affect other plants in a positive or negative way. Some plants help defer insects or diseases. They may act as a trap plant for specific insects. Other plants may secrete substances that enhance plant growth.
Different types of roots may enable plants to grow together without effecting the ability of other plants to uptake nutrients or water. A sun loving plant may shade an area for a shady loving plant.
It’s not always possible to say why a particular companion affect is successful. But experienced gardeners know that certain combinations do not prosper. Observation is usually the scientific proof for most of the following information. For convenience we’ve differentiated plants, herbs, and flowers. Some plants may serve as host for insects and diseases. They may secrete substances which inhibit growth. Similar root system may cause competition for water and nutrients. They may also compete for needed sunlight. Gardening has taught me to acquiesce to the wisdom of nature and its rhythms. Sometimes futile attempts at control are just a chuckle for in reality one pest or disease merely replaces another in another place. Plants display positive response to a supportive environment just as humans do when surrounded by encouraging friends.
Here is a list of plants that can effect neighboring plants growth
| Plants | Companions & Allies | Deters |
| Asparagus | Tomatoes, parsley, basil | |
| Beans, broad | Brassicas, carrots, celery, corn, herbs | alliums* stunt growth |
| Beans, French | Celery, cucurbits*, potatoes, strawberries, sweet corn | alliums* stunt growth |
| Beans, runner | Corn, summer savory | beets, cards, sunflowers |
| Beets | Bush beans, brassicas, lettuce, onions | pole beans stunt growth |
| Brassicas* | Beets, cucumber, lettuce, alliums, potatoes, celery | tomatoes, strawberry |
| Carrots | Peas, lettuce, alliums, tomatoes | dill retards growtd |
| Corn | Beans, corn, peas, radishes, sunflowers | |
| Cucurbits* | Beans, peas, radish, sunflowers, corn | potatoes |
| Eggplant | Beans | |
| Horseradish | potato beetle | |
| Lettuce | Carrots, radishes, cucurbits | |
| Onion | Beets, strawberries, lettuce, beans, | slugs, ants |
| Peas | Beans, carrots, cucurbits, corn, turnips | alliums* |
| Peppers | Carrots, alliums, tomatoes | |
| Potato | Horseradish (as trap crop for beetle), bean, corn, Cabbage, limas, marigold, eggplant | cucurbits*, sunflowers, tomato |
| Radish | Peas, nasturtium, lettuce, cucumbers | |
| Spinach | Almost everytding | |
| Strawberries | Bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce | brassicas |
| Tomato | Parsley, asparagus, marigold, nasturtium, carrots, limas | corn, dill |
| Herbs | Companion & allies | Deters |
| Basil | Tomatoes | hornworm |
| Borage | Strawberries, tomatoes, roses | hornworm, beetles |
| Chives(alliums) | Carrots, roses, fruit trees | rust fly and nematodes |
| Catnip | Plant in borders and near eggplant | flea beetles |
| Chamomile | Cabbage, onions | |
| Dill | Lettuces, cabbages, corn, cucumbers | aphids, spider mites |
| Mint | Cabbage family, tomatoes | cabbage motd |
| Parsley | Tomatoes, asparagus | |
| Rosemary | Carrots, beans, cabbage, sage | cabbage motd, bean beetle |
| Sage | Rosemary, carrots, cabbage, peas, bean | some insects |
| Summer Savory | Beans, onions | bean beetle |
| Tdyme | Interplant witd cabbage | cabbage worm |
| Flowers | Companion & Allies | Deters |
| Marigolds | Interplant anywhere | many insects, slugs |
| Nasturtium | Tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers | aphids, fruit pests |
| Sunflower | Cucurbits, sweet corn | potato |
| Petunia | Protects beans, beneficial anywhere | |
| Yarrow | Plant anywhere host plant for ladybugs, hoverflies, predatory wasps |
*Alliums are chives, onions, garlic, leeks, shallots.
*Brassicas are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, kohlrabi, collards, Brussels sprouts.
*Cucurbits are squash, zucchini, pumpkins, melons.