Same goes for plants. Some combinations work wonders, boosting growth, repelling pests, and even improving the flavour of your crops. It's a clever way to make the most of your garden, and it's all done naturally, without resorting to harsh chemicals. So, let's dive in and see how you can create some happy plant partnerships in your own patch.
What Exactly Is Companion Planting?
At its heart, companion planting is simply about planting different species of plants close together for mutual benefit. These benefits can take many forms:
- Pest Deterrence: Some plants release chemicals or odours that repel common pests.
- Attracting Beneficial Insects: Certain plants attract insects that prey on garden pests, providing natural pest control.
- Nutrient Cycling: Some plants can help make nutrients more available in the soil. For example, legumes fix nitrogen from the air, enriching the soil for other plants.
- Physical Support: Tall, sturdy plants can provide support for climbing vegetables like beans or peas.
- Weed Suppression: Dense, ground-covering plants can help smother weeds.
- Improved Pollination: Certain flowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, which are essential for fruiting vegetables.
- Shade and Shelter: Taller plants can provide shade for more delicate plants that prefer cooler conditions.
- Improved Flavour: Some combinations are believed to improve the flavour of certain vegetables.
Understanding Plant Relationships
Before you start randomly sticking plants together, it's important to understand how they interact. There are generally three types of relationships:
- Beneficial: Both plants benefit from the partnership. This is what we're aiming for!
- Neutral: The plants have no significant impact on each other.
- Antagonistic: One or both plants suffer from the partnership. These are the combinations to avoid.
The key is to do a bit of research and find out which plants are known to be good companions.
Top Companion Planting Combinations (With Step-by-Step Guides)
Right, let's get practical. Here are some of the best companion planting combinations, along with step-by-step instructions on how to make them work in your garden:
1. Tomatoes and Basil: This is a classic combination. Basil repels tomato hornworms and whiteflies, and it's also said to improve the flavour of tomatoes.
- How-To:
- Step 1: Plant tomato seedlings in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, spacing them about 60-90 cm apart.
- Step 2: Once the tomato plants are established, plant basil seedlings or sow basil seeds between the tomato plants, spacing them about 20-30 cm apart.
- Step 3: Water regularly, and prune the basil plants to encourage bushy growth.
2. Carrots and Onions: Onions repel carrot root flies, while carrots repel onion flies. It's a win-win!
- How-To:
- Step 1: Prepare a bed with well-drained soil, ensuring it's free of stones.
- Step 2: Sow carrot seeds in rows, spacing them about 5-7 cm apart.
- Step 3: Sow onion sets or onion seeds between the carrot rows, spacing them about 10-15 cm apart.
- Step 4: Water regularly, and thin the carrots and onions as needed.
3. Cabbage and Mint: Mint repels cabbage moths, cabbage butterflies, and flea beetles, all of which can wreak havoc on brassicas.
- How-To:
- Step 1: Plant cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, or other brassica seedlings in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, spacing them according to the plant's mature size.
- Step 2: Plant mint in containers near the brassicas, as mint can be invasive if planted directly in the ground. Alternatively, plant mint in a designated area and harvest it regularly for tea or cooking.
- Step 3: Water regularly, and monitor the brassicas for signs of pest damage.
4. Beans, Corn and Squash (The "Three Sisters"): This is a traditional Native American combination. Corn provides support for the beans, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash (planted around the base) provides shade and suppresses weeds.
- How-To:
- Step 1: Plant corn seeds in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, spacing them about 30 cm apart in rows.
- Step 2: Once the corn seedlings are about 15 cm tall, plant bean seeds around the base of each corn stalk, spacing them about 10 cm apart. Use climbing bean varieties like runner beans.
- Step 3: Plant squash seeds around the perimeter of the corn and beans, spacing them about 60 cm apart. Use squash varieties that have sprawling growth habits.
- Step 4: Water regularly, and provide support for the beans if needed.
5. Marigolds and Almost Everything: Marigolds are a great all-around companion plant. They repel nematodes, aphids, whiteflies, and other pests.
- How-To: Simply plant marigolds throughout your vegetable garden, spacing them about 30 cm apart. They're particularly effective near tomatoes, beans, cabbage, and cucumbers.
6. Nasturtiums and Brassicas: Like marigolds, nasturtiums are a good general companion plant, attracting aphids away from other crops (a "trap crop") and deterring cabbage white butterflies.
- How-To: Plant nasturtium seeds or seedlings near brassicas like cabbage, broccoli, and kale. They're also effective near tomatoes and cucumbers.
7. Dill and Cabbage: Dill attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs, hoverflies, and lacewings, which prey on aphids and other pests that attack cabbage.
- How-To: Plant dill seeds or seedlings near cabbage, broccoli, and other brassicas. Let some of the dill plants flower to attract more beneficial insects.
8. Garlic and Roses: This might seem like an odd combination, but garlic repels aphids and other pests that often plague roses.
- How-To: Plant garlic cloves around the base of rose bushes, spacing them about 15 cm apart.
9. Rosemary and Cabbage: Like mint and dill, rosemary repels cabbage moths and a variety of other garden pests.
- How-To: Plant rosemary near cabbage, broccoli, and other brassicas. Rosemary is a relatively slow-growing herb, so it can be planted directly in the ground or in containers.
10. Borage and Strawberries: Borage attracts pollinators to the strawberry patch and is thought to improve the flavour and pest resistance of strawberries.
- How-To: Plant borage seeds or seedlings near strawberry plants, spacing them about 30 cm apart. Be aware that borage can self-seed readily, so deadhead the flowers if you don't want it to spread.
Plants to Avoid Combining
Just as some plants are great companions, others are best kept apart. Here are a few examples of antagonistic relationships:
- Fennel and Most Vegetables: Fennel inhibits the growth of many vegetables, so it's best to keep it isolated.
- Cabbage and Strawberries: These don't get along at all. Cabbage can stunt the growth of strawberries.
- Onions and Beans: Onions can make it difficult for beans to grow.
- Potatoes and Tomatoes: Both are susceptible to the same fungal diseases, so planting them together can increase the risk of infection.
General Tips for Success
- Observe Your Garden: Pay attention to how your plants are interacting. If you notice that one plant is struggling, try moving it to a different location.
- Do Your Research: Not all companion planting combinations work in every garden. Do some research to find out what works best in your climate and soil conditions.
- Start Small: Don't try to implement too many companion planting combinations at once. Start with a few simple pairings and gradually expand your knowledge.
- Don't Rely on It Entirely: Companion planting is a helpful tool, but it's not a substitute for good gardening practices. Make sure to provide your plants with adequate water, nutrients, and sunlight.
So there you have it, a good rundown on companion planting. It's an ancient art, really, and a great way to create a thriving, self-regulating garden ecosystem. By carefully choosing your plant pairings, you can boost your garden's health naturally and enjoy a bountiful harvest without relying on harmful chemicals. Get experimenting and enjoy the results!
Questions after the interview:
At the end of an interview there is usually an opportunity where you can ask any questions you might have. This is a great opportunity to show the interviewer that you are interested in the position as well as the company. It is a good idea to prepare a few questions before the interview – this can be done while you are doing research on the company.
Your questions should show the interviewer that you are a good candidate for the position. Try and avoid questions that are based on your personal needs and preferences, for instance:
- How much leave will I get in a year?
- Will I be considered for promotion in my first year?
- When will I get an increase?
- What time can I leave in the afternoon?
These questions are inappropriate at this stage and will probably raise concerns on the side of the interviewer. Should you be the successful candidate then all these questions will be answered in your letter of appointment so don’t waste this opportunity by asking these basic questions.
If the position is an entry level job or very junior then you are welcome to ask questions in line with the position, for instance:
- Why did the previous person leave the position?
- What would the successful person be tasked to do in a typical day?
- How does this position fit into the department and / or company?
- Could you explain the company structure to me?
- Is there any further education assistance or support?
If the position is more senior then you can prepare question around the following themes:
- current issues that will face the successful candidate;
- inter-personal challenges in the department;
- any process, technology or people challenges that needs to be attended to urgently;
- key result areas that need urgent attention in the first few months;
The above information should get you started. Prepare a few questions so that you can show your worth. Good luck with your interview!
