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Apr 11, 2010 3:29 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
Many herbs are really great companions to other plants growing in the garden.

Lots of herbs have strong scents that can be used to confuse pests that will identify their targets through smell.

Planting rosemary near your cabbage is a good way to deter the white cabbage butterfly. Right now I have my rosemary plant all by herself in the herb garden. hmmm

Borage is a good companion planted w/ tomato, squash, strawberries. It's one of the best bee attracting plants. Borage adds trace minerals to the soil and is a good addition to the compost pile. I have planted some this year and hope to find out if it really is a benefit to most any plant growing next to it by increasing resistance to pests and plant diseases.

Chives is known to improve the growth of carrots & tomato. And a good bug deterent for roses & fruit trees. The scent of chives will deter many pests. Planted among apple trees, it helps prevent scab but apparently only after about three years of planting.
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Jun 6, 2010 3:37 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
As I have mentioned in other threads ~
Basil is a perfect companion to tomatoes! Not only for eating but, in the garden basil will improve the growth and flavor of your tomatoes. Basil planted near peppers is also good.

Bees and butterflies will love your basil in bloom.

Thumb of 2010-06-06/wildflowers/9bca20
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Jun 6, 2010 7:17 PM CST
Name: Stephanie
Fort Worth, TX (8a)
Charter ATP Member Cat Lover Seed Starter Region: Texas Region: United States of America Vegetable Grower
I have borage planted with my strawberries, comfrey planted near some of my tomatoes, and several different types of basil planted among some other tomatoes.
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Jun 7, 2010 7:44 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
Hope everthing is going well in your garden, stephanie.

Is this your first year growing strawberries? Like other fruits, I know you should wait until the second year to allow the fruits to grow. I grew them many years ago but never tasted one ~ the birds knew exactly when they were ready!! LOL Guess I should have netted them if I wanted a taste.

I have three kinds of basil growing this year and they are all doing wonderful. The tomatoes are coming along nice and slow!! Fruits are just now starting to develop on some varieties, but they are all heirlooms and I know they are slower, especially when you start them from seed yourself!
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Jun 7, 2010 9:06 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
Comfry, Symphytum officinale is another great herb companion for the garden, plant with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers. Add it to your compost, it will make a great fertilizer. This herb didn't make it into the garden this year. For sure next year! It's a very hardy perennial and should come back year after year. Just keep it in check.
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Jun 7, 2010 9:17 PM CST
Name: Stephanie
Fort Worth, TX (8a)
Charter ATP Member Cat Lover Seed Starter Region: Texas Region: United States of America Vegetable Grower
This is the first year I've had herbs in the garden. I sowed 10 comfrey seeds, but only 2 germinated! The borage is taking off and going like crazy! The maters are S-L-O-W!! Mine are also heirlooms started from seed. I should have a great haul in the fall! Rolling on the floor laughing

This is the 2nd year we've had these strawberry plants. They are enjoying the shade of the okra and did great there last year. They survived the snow, too.
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Jun 8, 2010 6:12 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
I'm thinkin' the same thing about the maters here! Hilarious!

that's great about the strawberries...
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

Avatar for leaflady
Jun 10, 2010 2:16 PM CST
Name: leaflady
planet earth
Love the sinner, hate the sin
Charter ATP Member
My tomato plants are so small but are trying to bloom already. The man who gave them to me had his in the ground about a week before I got mine and his are 3 times the size of mine. I amended the soil because I felt the excess rain had leached out so many nutrients but it doesn't seem to have helped. I have basil in there too. They are also small.

Easy on the number of comfrey plants you have, They can become so populace the they will rot the roots of many other plants. At least that is what we think happened to the rhubarb we had close to it. I moved what was left of the rhubarb & it's doing fine now. Comfrey leaves bruised or torn along with equal(?)parts of plantain leaves soaked in really hot olive oil make a great oil for skin sores. Let the leaves set in the oil for a few hours before straining off the oil. For a salve, reheat the oil and add some beeswax, melt and let cool.

GOD bless and keep each of you.
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Jun 10, 2010 2:32 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
Thank you for the info ladyleaf. It's so nice to hear from you.

I have read that the plantain leaves are good for skin conditions. I have some to my SIL when she was here a couple of months ago but didn't ask her if it worked.

My maters are slow growing this year too; I have just a few small fruits coming along.
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

Avatar for drewtoby
May 5, 2012 8:50 PM CST

Chives grew good last year... too good!
Our Future Store: etsy.com/shop/drewtoby
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May 6, 2012 6:26 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
Hi drewtoby! welcome. Welcome!

The wild chives that grow here, grew even better this year!! They were tasty too.

But the chives I tried growing from seed this year, nothing! Guess I'll have to try again!

p.s. sending some acorns your way! Smiling
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Feb 10, 2014 8:39 AM CST
Name: Reid
North Branch, MN (Zone 4b)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level
I have herbs scattered throughout my veggie garden. I planted borage three years ago and haven't needed to plant it since, as it self sows joyfully. Speaking of joy, that it how the bees must feel about it. It is covered in them!
When it gets too big, I cut it off at the base and lay it on top ov the soil or add it to the compost. I also heard squash bug won't cross it.

Bergamot is also scattered among my veges. I don't have a problem with lack of fruit set. I grow chives just to cut and scatter around the base of all my plants. Although not an herb, nasturtiums seem to confuse bugs.

I have all the basic herbs scattered about. It is jumbled, messy, rambunctious, but very productive. No two plants are the same next to each other. I don't want to set up a convenient buffet for the pests. If they have to work too hard to find food, they will go find a conventionally planted garden.

Variety is the spice of life!
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Feb 10, 2014 8:43 AM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
I agree I agree
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Feb 21, 2014 10:26 PM CST
Name: Reid
North Branch, MN (Zone 4b)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level
@lovemyhouse

I was first introduced to this mixing of plants from "The Vegetable Gardeners Bible" by Ed Smith.
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Feb 21, 2014 10:37 PM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Thank you, Reid. I checked my library and all the branches have a copy, so I'll be looking for it. Smiling
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Feb 22, 2014 7:20 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
I thank you too, Ried. I garden much the same, with things just randomly growing here and there and always trying to confuse the pests. Every year is a new adventure.
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Feb 22, 2014 8:41 AM CST
Name: Reid
North Branch, MN (Zone 4b)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level
My philosophy: Let the garden take the lead.
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Feb 23, 2014 8:52 AM CST
Name: Carole
Clarksville, TN (Zone 6b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Plant Identifier I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Avid Green Pages Reviewer
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Garden Ideas: Master Level Cat Lover Birds Region: Tennessee Echinacea
I agree. I plant them wherever they will grow and tuck them in everywhere I can. Luv herbs! nodding
I garden for the pollinators.
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Feb 23, 2014 6:22 PM CST
Name: Caroline Scott
Calgary (Zone 4a)
Bulbs Winter Sowing Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Peonies Lilies Charter ATP Member
Region: Canadian Enjoys or suffers cold winters Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
I like the mixed up garden! I agree
Avatar for risingcreek
Feb 28, 2014 11:27 AM CST
Name: kacee
sun city and banning californ (Zone 9a)
Charter ATP Member
You will probably have to click on this to be able to read it, would like to know if this is a good chart to go by...


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