Do you have a version of a companion planting chart that I could print?
Question:
Do you have a version of a companion planting chart that I could print? We have several raised bed planters that can’t be moved (too old) and need to plant various vegetables wisely.
Answer:
It depends on what you mean by companion planting, as the phrase has a long usage and means different things to different people. As you can read in this nice post from the Univ of MT Extension, there is good scientific data and/or reasoning behind elements like intercropping (planting two or more species together to make better logistical or temporal use of garden space) and some plant associations, but very little evidence to support some of the more mystical traditional claims of companion planting. Anecdotal reports, of course, are legion, so I don’t mean to discount any personal experience you may have, but rather simply to note what has been tested and found to have reliable results.
We don’t have a planting chart, per se, nor did I turn up any from other Extension or university sources, but I will point you to the Univ of MN resource “Companion planting in home gardens.” It not only gives a good explanation of the science, but also has a list of documented plant associations at the bottom. That should at least help you pick out some combinations that will work in your space.
Happy gardening.