028: A Fresh Approach to Companion Planting: Growing Flowers and Vegetables Together

Send us a Text Message.Let's explore a new approach to companion planting, where we focus on growing flowers alongside your vegetables (and herbs!). It's all about making gardening accessible, enjoyable, and multipurpose.Benefits of companion planting:1. Attract Pollinators: Learn how mixing various flowers can increase pollinators and biodiversity.2. Space Efficiency: Make the most of your garden space with various plant heights and growth habits.3. Aesthetic Appeal: Add beauty and inspiration with flowers alongside your food crops.Easy Guiding Principals for Companion Planting:1. Matching like growing requirements: Choose plants with similar needs. Try themed gardens for easy pairings.   - Italian Garden: Tomatoes, basil, oregano, pepper, eggplant.   - Salad Garden: Nasturtium, lettuce, parsley or cilantro, calendula, cucumber, radish.   - Pickling Garden: Cucumbers, dill, radish, peppers, beets.2. Height Considerations: Mix tall and short plants wisely so each plant can thrive. Avoid letting one plant shade out another, or putting two trailing plants where they'll grow over each other.3. Bloom Timing: Plan to have flowers blooming when your veggies need them for pollination and pest protection.You'll learn to create a vibrant, biodiverse garden that attracts pollinators, maximizes space, and offers fresh-cut flowers and herbs. Plus, download your own Companion Planting Toolkit for expert tips and tested combinations.Happy gardening, Jessica📩 Questions? Email me at jessica@homegrownfoodandflowers.comPlease leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps new gardeners find the show 💚💻 Website and Blog: Homegrown Food and Flowers📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homegrownfoodandflowers/