Herb of the Week - Companion Plants

I've written on companion planting before, but I came across several new articles and resources on the subject, that I thought some updated info would serve everyone.

For a while it was believed that Companion Planting was only folklore and had no basis in science, however experts now call the interaction of plants allelopathy or "growth inhibition as the consequence of the influence of one organism on another."  The scents or air interactions as well as root excretions of certain plants will effect others.  Here are some examples of what I mean:

1. Legumes, such as peas and beans take nitrogen from the air and fix it for their own use, which will in turn benefit neighboring plants.
2. Some plants exude chemical from the root that repel insects, like the African marigold. This plant will give off a chemical called thiopene which repels soil nematodes.
3. Other plants may attract beneficial insects which in turn keep pests in check, like mint that attracts hoverflies.

Herb Companions

I have always known that tomatoes and basil enhance each other, so this year in my community garden I planted three varieties in the tomato bed to see which one has the best effect.

basil planted between the two rows of tomatoes

Chamomile, German variety (Matricaria chamomilla) improves the flavor of cabbages, cucumbers and onions.  The plant also accumulates calcium, potassium and sulfur which it returns to the soil.  These minerals are good for lowering the pH of the soil (making it more acidic) which vegetables like.

chervil

Chervil improves the growth and flavor of radishes and keeps aphids off lettuce.  Good to plant near dill and cilantro too.

chives 2014

Chives will improve the flavor and growth of carrots and a tea made from chives can be used to treat downy mildew on cucumbers.  I tried it on my rosemary for the same issue and it worked!

Geraniums will repel Japanese beetles and are a nice low growing addition to a rose garden.

Mint deters white cabbage moths, aphids and ant.  It improves the health of tomatoes and cabbages when grown near them.  It also attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps, but keep it away from your parsley.

Nasturtiums by tomatoes in cages.

Nasturtiums with work on wooly aphids, whiteflies and cucumber beetles.  Whitefly is a bug that likes lemon verbena, so I often plant nasturtiums in my lemon verbena pots. If I had known about the cucumber beetle thing, I think I would have ringed my community garden with nasturtiums before I planted anything.  As it is, I set in some seed only after the cucumber beetles ate alot!

purple sage

Sage is used as a companion for broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary and cabbage and carrots as it will deter moths and beetles because of its strong scent, but don't place it too close to the cucumbers.

marigolds encircling tomatoes

Scented marigolds (sometimes called Mexican or French marigolds) are the best at repelling soil nematodes, but remember a dense planting is needed, not a random plant here and there.

scented marigolds

Stinging Nettle helps neighboring plants to grow more resistant to spoiling. It also increases the essential oil in other herbs.  And a tea made with the leaves can be sprayed on plants to help them grow strong stems.

nettle

Summer Savory should be placed near the beans and onions to improve the flavor. I just discovered a midget variety that I think will work great around these plants.

Midget Summer Savory (Saturejus hortensis 'midget')

Tansy will keep away leaf borers and is very good companion in the fruit orchard or among the grape vines.

Resources: 

The Practical Organic Gardener by Brenda Little

How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons

The Essential Herbal magazine - several recent editions from 2013 and 2014

Tansy - Herb of the Week

This week’s Herb of the Week is Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

Tansy is a well known older herb that was used as a strewing herb which means in medieval times it was strewn on the floor to be walked upon as it was believed the scent would clean and purify a home.  Historically Tansy was used for culinary purposes and many old recipes can be found in household receipt books (old recipe books.)  It was especially popular in puddings, cakes, and egg dishes.  It has a bitter flavor, but was still popular in cakes and puddings, especially those made with eggs and cream that were served on Easter Sunday.

This herb is found in many older plant texts like Thomas Tusser’s One hundred Points of Good Husbandry of 1577. What I found interesting about this herb was that newly written books still like to quote all the old books which detail its historical uses, like “I have heard that if maids will take wild Tansy and lay it to soake in Buttermilk for nine days and wash their faces therewith, it will make them look very faire.”  (James Braunschwyke, The Virtuose Boke of Distillacion 1527).

To grow

A perennial that spreads from the rhizome, Tansy is a tall herb growing as much as three to four feet in height.  It has dark green, feathery foliage which is pungently aromatic.  At the tops it will grow button-like bright yellow flowers in the summer.  It grows well in dry, stony soil preferring much sunlight.  You can grow it from seed, division or cutting.

To Use

Having a bitter flavor and insect-repellent properties, it is still commonly used in moth repelling sachets.  Historically it was taken internally for intestinal worms, but is not used medicinally much anymore as it is deemed to be toxic.  It is a good companion plants as it tends to ward off aphids.    

Despite a wealth of books giving cooking recipes using Tansy, it has an unpleasant bitter taste so is not commonly used this way anymore although historically it was used as a substitute for mint in sauce for lamb.

Please be aware that women who are pregnant are not supposed to eat anything with tansy.

Recipes

The only recipes I could find were old ones, but I thought the first was fun and the second useful!

Tansy Pudding

Ingredients

•   5 ounces of grated bread
•   1 pint of milk
•   5 eggs
•   a little nutmeg
•    juice of tansy and spinach, to your taste
•   1/4 pound of butter
•   some sugar
•   a little brandy

Directions

1. Put it in a saucepan, and keep it stirring on a gentle fire till thick.
2. Then put it in a dish and bake it; when baked, turn it out, and dust sugar on it.

Source:  The Lady's Own Cookery Book (1844).

Moth Sachet

As mothballs are toxic, try this old fashioned, natural remedy to keep moths out of stored clothing, woolens and furs.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup each rosemary and mint
• ¼ cup each tansy and thyme
• 2 Tbls. powdered cloves

Directions:

1. Mix all together and put into organza or muslin bags that can often be found at hobby shops. Keeps moths away and fabrics smelling fresh.

The Backyard Patch makes moth repelling sachets with tansy and other herbs, if you are interested check out our e-store - http://stores.ebay.com/Backyard-Patch-Herbs

Every Wednesday  is Herb-of-the-Week day where  I feature a blog on a special herb, detailing its uses, growing habit and some recipes for using the herb.  As promised, not all herbs are truely culinary and this old-fashioned herb is definitely one whose uses are not for eating!