PlantCompanion(s) and Effects
AsparagusTomatoes, parsley, basil
BasilTomatoes (improves growth & flavor); said to dislike rue; repels flies & mosquitoes
BeanPotatoes, carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, cabbage, summer savory, most other veggies & herbs
Bean (bush)Sunflowers (beans like partial shade, unless you live up north, sunflowers attract birds & bees for pollination), cucumbers (combination of heavy and light feeders), potatoes, corn, celery, summer savory
Bee BalmTomatoes (improves growth & flavor).
BeetOnions, kohlrabi
BorageTomatoes (attracts bees, deters tomato worm, improves growth & flavor), squash, strawberries
Cabbage Family (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi)Potatoes, celery, dill, chamomile, sage, thyme, mint, pennyroyal, rosemary, lavender, beets, onions; aromatic plants deter cabbage worms
CarawayLoosens soil; plant here and there
CarrotPeas, lettuce, chives, onions, leeks, rosemary, sage, tomatoes
CatnipPlant in borders; protects against flea beetles
CeleryLeeks, tomatoes, bush beans, cauliflower, cabbage
ChamomileCabbage, onions
ChervilRadishes (improves growth & flavor).
ChiveCarrots; plant around base of fruit trees to discourage insects from climbing trunk
CornPotatoes, peas, beans, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash
CucumberBeans, corn, peas, radishes, sunflowers
Dead NettlePotatoes (deters potato bugs)
DillCabbage (improves growth & health), carrots
EggplantBeans
FennelMost plants are supposed to dislike it.
FlaxCarrots, potatoes
GarlicRoses & raspberries (deters Japanese beetle); with herbs to enhance their production of essential oils; plant liberally throughout garden to deter pests
HorseradishPotatoes (deters potato beetle); around plum trees to discourage curculios
HyssopCabbage (deters cabbage moths), grapes; keep away from radishes
Lamb's QuartersNutritious edible weeds; allow to grow in modest amounts in the corn
LeekOnions, celery, carrots
Lemon BalmHere and there in the garden
MarigoldThe workhorse of pest deterrents; keeps soil free of nematodes; discourages many insects; plant freely throughout the garden.
MarjoramHere and there in the garden
MintCabbage family; tomatoes; deters cabbage moth
NasturtiumTomatoes, radish, cabbage, cucumbers; plant under fruit trees; deters aphids & pests of curcurbits
OnionBeets, strawberries, tomato, lettuce (protects against slugs), beans (protects against ants), summer savory
ParsleyTomato, asparagus
PeaSquash (when squash follows peas up trellis), plus grows well with almost any vegetable; adds nitrogen to the soil
PetuniaProtects beans; beneficial throughout garden
PotatoHorseradish, beans, corn, cabbage, marigold, limas, eggplant (as a trap crop for potato beetle)
Pot MarigoldHelps tomato, but plant throughout garden as deterrent to asparagus beetle, tomato worm & many other garden pests
PumpkinCorn
RadishPeas, nasturtium, lettuce, cucumbers; a general aid in repelling insects
RosemaryCarrots, beans, cabbage, sage; deters cabbage moth, bean beetles & carrot fly
RueRoses & raspberries; deters Japanese beetle; keep away from basil
SageRosemary, carrots, cabbage, peas, beans; deters some insects
SoybeanGrows with anything; helps everything
SpinachStrawberries
SquashNasturtium, corn
StrawberryBush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce (as a border)
Summer SavoryBeans, onions; deters bean beetles
SunflowerCucumber
TansyPlant under fruit trees; deters pests of roses & raspberries; deters flying insects, also Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs; deters ants
TarragonGood throughout garden
ThymeHere and there in garden; deters cabbage worm
TomatoChives, onion, parsley, asparagus, marigold, nasturtium, carrot, limas
ValerianGood anywhere in garden
WormwoodAs a border, keeps animals from the garden
YarrowPlant along borders, near paths, near aromatic herbs; enhances essential oil production of herbs
Resource: The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, J.I. Rodale (editor) 



from http://www.seedsofchange.com/enewsletter/issue_55/companion_planting.aspx
It takes a lot of courage to call people on craigslist to buy their stuff but when you do it, it could turn out great! Like today, I called the number on an ad for apple bushel crates and got to speak to Tina who was super accommodating and helpful when I explained that I wanted the crates for planting potatoes in. We arranged for me to drop by after work today and pick out the ones that I thought were suitable - slates that are close together and sturdy (this was her idea). After I dropped off the wooden pallet that I got from Lowe's and picked Bubba up from home, I drove over to her home which was 10 minutes away. Tina was super nice and I picked out 6 home-made crates for $30. Each crate is about 1 x 1 x 1 which would be perfect for potatoes. And the vines would look super pretty overflowing from the crate. I'll probably only use three or four of them, maybe the other ones could be turned into outdoor stools.

I also bought a packet of borage seeds so now I just need marigold and maybe another flower :)

Last but not least, I would like to rant about the lack of peat moss alternatives in Charlottesville. I checked SouthernStates, Snow Garden, The Garden Spot and Lowe's and none of them have any coconut coir or could suggest any other alternatives. It looks like I'm going to have to spend $40 to avoid peat moss. Le sigh.
especially without a small pry/crow bar. It took me 3 hours to take apart two 3x4 pallets using a hammer, a flat-head screw driver and a ginormous crow bar. This included taking each individual plank off and removing all (almost, some broke) the nails in them.

And unfortunately, I'm going to need at least one more pallet to make two raised beds that's at least 6 inches high. Here is a break down of the material I have as of now:
4" x 4' - 6 each
3" x 4' - 7 each
4" x 3' - 6 each

The length of each piece is actually a few inches shorter so I'm actually going to plan the 4 x 4 beds as a 3 x 3 so only nine squares each. And then I'll add an additional bed that's 3 x 3 (planned as a 2 x 2). With this new configuration, I would need 9 + 2 = 11 cubic feet of "soil" to fill all three beds up to 6 inches.  Of that "soil", I only need the peat moss or coconut coir now. But I still need to find one more pallet that's 3 x 4 that's a yellow-brown color to match the other two. If I can't find any, I guess I can just buy pine boards from Lowe's which should be fairly cheap... :( but still it's the principle of the matter.
I can't. But this week has made me want one. My first stop was at Market Square about a week ago in response to a Craigslist ad about free wooden pallets. All the pallets were 4 by 4s and would not fit into my Mazda Protege so I drove home empty-handed (or empty trunk).

My next stop for free pallets was at SouthernStates and they gave me one 3 by 4 thing that was not in very good shape. But at least it fit!

Then I stopped by the Habitat Store who also posted about free pallets and they had two 3 by 4s and I managed to squeeze both in by putting the seats down, one through the trunk and the other upright on the floor of the backseat.

The problem with the 3x4s is that each plank is not as wide as the 4x4s, which would mean that I would have to get creative in making my bed the right height. So at each of those stops, I think to myself, 'Man! This would be so much easier if I had a pick up truck and I could get as many pallets as I want instead of just one... or two' And that brings me to my next point which is that I would really like to get maybe another 3 or 4 more pallets to make a compost bin and to use as a platform to put hay for the guinea pig and bunny that we will eventually have.

But at least wooden pallets are in abundant supply and I have sources that are willing to give them away. So slow and steady, Audrey. No need for gas guzzling pick-up trucks.
Some days I feel ready to have a garden this year, but other days I feel really discouraged and worried that I've bitten off more than I can chew. Today is one of the "other days". First of all, I find out that if I'm going to go the eco-friendly way, I'll have to pay $30 for coconut coir instead of $10 for peat moss. The $30 is the cheapest from Amazon for 4.5 cubic feet of the coir after it has expanded. So I then tried to search for coir at local stores including Lowe's and fail at finding coir but found super cheap compost ($1-$3/2 cubic feet) when I had just paid about $5 for one cubic-feet of compost from Ivy Nursery and SouthernStates. Then I figured I could return one of those compost bags that I bought but of course, I couldn't find the receipt. How am I supposed to plan a garden when I can't even keep track of my receipts?

<continued on Saturday 2/25/12>

Second, I found out that the variety of Marigold that I wanted to plant, the "Snowball" was the correct seed packet from Burpee that I was looking at SouthernStates and decided against it because I thought I wanted "Snowdrift". Other stores that carry Burpee seeds, The Tractor Supply and Lowe's had the other white varieties but not "Snowball" which means that I have to go back to SouthernStates again to get that particular variety. And for some reason, Borage does not seem to be a popular plant even though it's supposedly really beneficial for repelling bad bugs.

Well, at least I have a supportive husband who doesn't mind being dragged to the Tractor Supply Store and Lowe's to look at seeds and diatomaceous earth and compost and a pitch fork. I'm definitely getting closer and closer to having a garden this Spring.
I just planted 8 sets of leek seeds into one of those blue containers that mushrooms come in. And this is balanced rather precariously on the hot water thermos that will serve as a heating mat until the seeds germinate. I'm still debating whether to buy eggplant seeds or to just get a plant later in Spring.
CropStart Seeds IndoorsMoon-favorable DatesStart Seeds in the GroundMoon-favorable Dates
BeansApr 7-21Apr 21
BeetsMar 17-Apr 28Mar 17-21
BroccoliFeb 10-24Feb 21-24Mar 17-24Mar 22-24
Brussels sproutsFeb 10-24Feb 21-24
CabbageFeb 10-24Feb 21-24Mar 31-Apr 14Mar 31-Apr 6
CarrotsMar 2-17Mar 9-17
CauliflowerFeb 10-24Feb 21-24Mar 31-Apr 14Mar 31-Apr 6
CeleryFeb 10-24Feb 21-24
CornApr 21-28Apr 21-28
CucumbersMar 9-24Mar 22-24Apr 14-21Apr 21
LettuceFeb 24-Mar 9Feb 24-Mar 8Mar 31-Apr 21Mar 31-Apr 6
MelonsMar 9-24Mar 22-24Apr 21-28Apr 21-28
Onion setsMar 9-17Mar 9-17
ParsnipsMar 17-Apr 7Mar 17-21
PeasFeb 24-Mar 9Feb 24-Mar 8
PeppersFeb 10-24Feb 21-24
Potato tubersApr 7-21Apr 7-20
PumpkinsMar 9-24Mar 22-24Apr 14-21Apr 21
RadishesMar 31-Apr 14Apr 7-14
SpinachFeb 24-Mar 9Feb 24-Mar 8
Squash, summerMar 9-24Mar 22-24Apr 14-21Apr 21
Squash, winterMar 9-24Mar 22-24Apr 14-21Apr 21
TomatoesFeb 10-24Feb 21-24

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