Companion planting and the benefits of growing your own vegetables

Companion planting and the benefits of growing your own vegetables

PPZ3C Summative by Thomas

Certain herbs, vegetables and flowers benefit other crops when planted in close proximity to them. This is the main idea behind companion planting. Some of the benefits some plants can bring include:

- Physical protection: Hardier plants can provide shade and protection from harsh weather for more delicate plants.

- Nitrogen fixation: Some plants, such as legumes, peas and beans, take nitrogen out of the atmosphere and add it to the soil. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for the growth all plants.

- Pest control: Some herbs repel insects that are pests for other plants. Planting these herbs next to vegetables will reduce damage from pests. For example, thyme repels many pests such as cabbage moths.

- Positive Hosting: Growing the right plants can attract pollinators and predatory insects that benefit the whole garden.

- Improved taste: Some plants improve the taste of others when planted side by side. For example, basil improves the taste of tomatoes

I helped plan and plant herbs and vegetables in Banting’s garden as part of my project. As of June 21, 2017, this is our garden plan:

items with a ✔ have been planted

Bed 1 (closest to school entrance)

  

Heirloom tomato ✔	Heirloom tomato ✔	Sweet one million tomato ✔
Heirloom tomato ✔	Heirloom Tomato ✔	To be planted tomatosphere group H
To be planted tomatosphere group G	To be planted tomatosphere group G	To be planted tomatosphere group H
Basil ✔ Oregano ✔	Nasturtium ✔	Chives✔  & Garlic Chive; Parsley✔
Egyptian Onion ✔	Onion Winter✔	Onion Winter✔
Cucumber ✔ - good with kale, onion, radish, peas	Beets ✔	Lettuce ✔
Cucumber ✔	Beets ✔	Lettuce ✔
Spinach ✔	Spinach ✔	Spinach ✔

Bed 2

Peas - planted ✔	Beans - planted ✔	Beans - planted ✔
Kale ✔	Kale ✔	Kale ✔
Kale ✔	Kale ✔	Kale ✔
Nasturtium ✔	Winter squash ✔	Radish ✔
Reseeded lettuce + beets planted ✔	Winter squash ✔	Carrots - nantes ✔
Lettuce ✔	Radish ✔	Radish ✔
Swiss Chard ✔	Swiss chard ✔	Kale?
Peas ✔ + space for more - ran out of seeds	Peas +  radish - reseeded ✔	Peas +  radish - reseeded ✔

Bed 3

corn	corn	corn+???
potatoes	Cilantro ✔	???
potatoes	Cilantro ✔	potatoes
potatoes	Cilantro ✔	potatoes
potatoes	Beans ✔	potatoes
potatoes	Beans ✔	potatoes
potatoes	Beans ✔	potatoes
4 garlic pants ✔ - cut scapes end of  June -harvest bulbs in August	2 garlic plants ✔ - cut scapes end of June -harvest bulbs  in August	potatoes

Bed 4 (near daycare)

kale✔+thyme✔	kale+✔thyme✔	kale✔+thyme✔
kale✔+thyme✔	kale✔+thyme✔	kale✔+thyme✔
carrots✔	carrots✔	carrots✔
carrots✔	carrots✔	carrots✔
peas✔+lettuce✔	peas✔+lettuce✔	peas✔+lettuce✔
peas✔+lettuce✔	peas✔+lettuce✔	peas✔+lettuce✔
Mixed greens✔+radish✔	Mixed greens✔+radish✔	Mixed greens✔+radish✔
Mixed greens✔+radish✔	Mixed greens✔+radish✔	Mixed greens✔+radish✔

Bed 5 (parallel to daycare walkway) Squash bed

nasturtium✔	squash✔	nasturtium✔
zucchini✔	zucchini✔	pumpkin✔
zucchini✔	zucchini✔	pumpkin✔
zucchini✔	zucchini✔	pumpkin✔
zucchini✔	zucchini✔	pumpkin✔
zucchini✔	zucchini✔	pumpkin✔
squash	squash	pumpkin✔
spinach✔	spinach✔	spinach✔

Nutrition value of vegetables

The vegetables and herbs we are growing in our garden are good sources of essential vitamins and minerals. Below are some examples:

Kale is an excellent source of vitamin K - Just 20 g of kale contains the daily recommended amount of vitamin K. It is also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and manganese.

Spinach is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, iron and folate

Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin K and vitamin B6

Cilantro is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, manganese and iron

Thyme is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, iron and magnesium

Pumpkin flesh is a good source of vitamin A

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein, magnesium, iron, and potassium, but beware, they are very high in fat

Benefits of Growing Vegetables

There are many benefits of growing your own vegetables. First of all, you get the freshest vegetables possible. Many of the fruits and vegetables in a grocery store are picked days or even weeks before they are ripe so that they do not spoil, giving them less flavor and nutrients. If you pick your vegetables from your own garden, you can pick them only when they are perfectly ripe. Growing your own vegetables also means you can avoid pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals sometimes used on farms. Growing your own vegetables can also save a lot of money! Seed packets are very cheap and usually contain dozens or hundreds of seeds. I found growing herbs to be especially good for saving money. When you buy herbs at the grocery store, they are not cheap, and you often have to buy an entire bundle, when you really only needed half or a quarter of the bundle. The rest goes bad in just a few days. I found that a few large pots in a south facing window can supply enough herbs to fix this problem!

Planting and caring for a vegetable garden does more than just produce cheap, tasty, pesticide-free vegetables. It encourages you to go outside and get some mild exercise and sunlight - two things most people could use more of these days. Most people also find it relaxing, so it can be used to manage stress and improve mental health. It can also be a great activity to do with family and friends!

I also found one unexpected benefit when I grew my own vegetables and herbs at home. I can be very lazy, so if I have to go grocery shopping to get vegetables, I’ll often choose not to. I often find myself just snacking on whatever was most convenient, rather than considering which foods are healthier. With a supply of fresh vegetables and herbs right in my own backyard, I found myself adding them to my meals or making salads more often. When all I had to do was walk out my back door to get herbs and vegetables, I would add them to anything I could! By making kale, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, peppers, mint, chives, and radishes more convenient, I improved my diet without even making a conscious effort!