companion planting Archives - Mother 2 Mother Blog

Best Companion Plants for Cabbage

May 29, 2021 by Rhonda Gales Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing beginner gardening tips on companion plants for cabbage. Are you wondering what companion planting is? When I first started gardening, I was unknowledgeable about companion plants and their benefits too. However, I soon learned that plants need help just like humans.

What Is Companion Planting:

Companion planting is when you grow different plants close to each other. The two plants help repel harmful bugs/pests, they can also attract beneficial insects, and help provide shade, support or even improve soil.

Native Americans mastered companion planting with The Three Sisters. The Three Sisters are corn, pole beans, and squash. The corn provided a support for the beans to climb and the squash leaves provided shade to help retain moisture for the plants. Companion plants for cabbage will work in a similar way.

So, I plant sunflowers and cucumbers together. The sunflower stalks are perfect for the cucumbers to wrap themselves around and the leaves of the cucumbers help shade the ground. This helps the soil retain water. And, makes these two plants great companions.

Using Flowers as Companion Plants

Tomatoes and marigolds are good companion plants as well as tomatoes and basil. Lots of marigolds in your garden will bring insects that will eat pests in your garden. Furthermore, those insects will enjoy the nectar or pollen of the flowers that you plant.

So, petunias, zinnia, cosmos, and sweet peas are great flowers to plant in or around your vegetable garden too. Get creative. Plant them in circles around the base of your vegetable plants, make borders, use containers that sit close to the companion plants or intersperse flowers in your garden rows. Those that produce clusters or trumpets are excellent choices to attract pollinators.

Companion Plants for Cabbage

Dill
Chives
Beets
Yarrow
Mint
Geraniums
Sage
Oregano
Thyme
Onions
Marigolds
Mint
Celery
Basil
Calendula
Peas
Nasturtium
Bush or Pole Beans

Avoid Using These Plants with Cabbage:

Tomatoes
Grapes
Strawberries
Garlic

I hope that my list of companion plants for cabbage will help you make a decision on what additional vegetables you want to add to your garden. Also, adding companion flowers will make a lovely and colorful addition to your garden and backyard. Last, the companion plants will help increase your yield and keep your produce disease free. You may also like Understanding Companion Planting.

Filed Under: Vegetable Garden Tagged With: backyard vegetable gardens, cabbage pests, companion planting, growing cabbage

Saving Marigold Seeds From Your Backyard Garden

November 7, 2019 by Rhonda Gales 7 Comments

Saving marigold seeds is a fun and frugal way to enrich your garden the following gardening season. Today, I’m sharing flower garden tips on how to save marigold seeds from your backyard garden plants. French marigolds find a place in my vegetable garden and backyard containers each year. I companion plant marigolds with my tomato plants. But, I also love them in containers on my deck paired with a sweet potato vine.

There are actually 50 varieties of marigolds; however, three are the most popular. Marigolds have a daisy or carnation flower that are produced as a single flower or in cluster. They are natives of Mexico and prefer sunny locations. They should receive at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day.

Here are the three varieties of marigolds:

French – Plant throughout the spring and summer. Dwarf only growing about a foot.
American – Plant in the spring. Tall, usually grows to about 3 feet.
Signet – Plant throughout the spring and summer. Flat and look like daisies.

The French marigolds are more compact than the American or Signet varieties. I love them planted among my tall tomato plants. You can direct sow marigolds in the spring when all signs of frost has past or start them inside. If you direct sow, preparing the soil by removing rocks and debris and adding compost to the soil will help you grow a healthy and hardy garden full of marigolds.

Here’s a few benefits on why you should plant marigolds in your garden:

They’re easy to grow and be can direct sowed in the garden.
Repel pests.
Companion plant with tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, snap beans, squash, onions, and garlic.
Marigolds can be dried for flower arrangements.
Comes in a variety of colors like white, yellow, orange, or bi-color.
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators love to feast on the nectar in the blooms.

Saving marigold seeds from you backyard garden:

Pull marigold plants from your garden and containers at the end of the growing season. I plant yellow and orange marigolds for the most part. However, I did plant a bi-color this year too.

Pull the dead/dried pods from the plants. You will harvest the seed from these pods. If you have flowers or pods that aren’t completely dry, place the plants in a bag and allow them to dry completely. You can remove the seeds later.

Remove the top from the dried pods. A simple twist should remove the top. Once the top is removed, open the pod to expose the marigold seeds.

Also, the marigold seeds are long with a black tip. You will want to separate the seeds from the pod and tips. Once you have the seeds separated, place them into an airtight container, plastic envelope or paper envelope. Mark the container with 2019 and the type of seed that you saved. For example, 2019 Yellow French or 2019 Bi-Color Signet.

So, saving marigold seeds from year to year will save you money on flower purchases from the garden center or your local nursery. You will find that the marigold plants will reward you with plenty of seeds. You will have enough to share with neighbors, family or friends for years to come. Plant them in containers, baskets and in your vegetable garden and borders. You can never have enough marigolds in your wildlife habitat and gardens.

Finally, you may also like Why You Should Winter Sow Seeds. If you would like a package of free marigold seeds, please contact me at rhonda@mother2motherblog.com.

Filed Under: Flower Gardens Tagged With: backyard gardening tips, companion planting, marigolds in the garden, seed saving

How To Companion Plant In The Vegetable Garden

January 31, 2015 by Rhonda Gales

Companion planting is the pairing of flowers and vegetables or compatible vegetables. It’s one of the best backyard vegetable gardening tips I can offer. It’s a must in my garden, so I wanted to share the flowers I use in the garden and how I pair them with vegetables. Furthermore, December and January is a good time to start winter sowing vegetable seeds for your kitchen garden. So, start planning your seed purchases so you can transplant them in your garden. March is a good time for indoor seed sowing.

Next, I purchase the majority of my flowers from the local garden center off the clearance rack. Flowers don’t have to go into your garden immediately, which will allow you time to find bargains on what you want to plant. Just save a spot in your garden for them and start looking for sales around Memorial Day or the clearance racks around early or mid-June.

Here’s my list:

Marigolds (scented) – The number 1 flower in my kitchen garden. I plant a combination of scented yellow and orange marigolds with my tomatoes and throughout the garden.
Petunias – Great with tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers and beans.
Cosmos – Great for attracting bees, which you need for pollination. I usually find a good deal on Cosmos at my local nursery.
Sunflowers – These are a must in my garden. I plant them to feed the Gold Finch, but they are also great for pollination. I use them as a trellis for my cucumbers too. The cucumbers will grow up and wrap themselves around the stalk of the sunflowers. Direct sow your cucumber seeds at the base of your sunflowers when the soil is warm enough. I winter sow my sunflowers. Also, see my post How To Make Bottle Greenhouses.
Sweet Pea – These are climbers and are great to plant with pole beans.
White Geraniums – Great with tomatoes, corn, peppers and cabbage. They keep Japanese Beetles away, so place them randomly in your garden.
Basil – Although Basil is not considered a flower, it can planted with tomatoes. I actually plant basil with my tomatoes plants as well as in my herb garden each season. Using basil in my sauces and in my chili is a part of my recipes, so I must have plenty. I also freeze it in ice trays. So, it’s a must in my garden. I can never have enough.

Likewise, I also do companion plant with my vegetables, especially tomatoes. In addition, planting compatible vegetables help ward off insects that can destroy one or the other plant. Most importantly, make the most of your space and make use of your plant’s ability to help the other grow. Here’s my list:

Tomatoes – Plant with basil, carrots, chives, garlic, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, or peas. Do not plant cabbage, kale, collards, cauliflower, broccoli or turnips with your tomatoes.
Peppers – Plant with basil, cucumbers or eggplant. (See the Do not plant list above).
Squash – Plant with bush beans or peas. Do not plant with potatoes.
Cabbage – Plant with melons, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, spinach, or tomatoes. Do not plant with sage or peppers.
Cucumbers – Plant with peppers or sunflowers. Do not plant with potatoes.
Bush Beans – Plant with or near cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, potatoes, or strawberries. Do not plant with garlic, onions or any vegetables in that family.
Garlic – Plant with cabbage or tomatoes. Do not plant with peas or beans.

Last, you can plant your companion plants together or in the same vicinity. As a result, consider the pairs when you’re planning your garden layout. Also, if you have questions about this list or other gardening questions please send an email to The Mailbox using rhonda@mother2motherblog.com.