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Feb 5, 2010 9:39 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
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This year I am going to try planting Borage with my tomatoes, cucumber and squash; I have read it will deter the tomato horn worm! Of course basil and marigolds will also be planted nearby.

Here's a few other basic companions to help you get started with your gardenscape plans.

A beginner "goes good with" list:


Dill: cabbage, lettuce, onion, sweet corn, cucumer

Eggplant: Amaranth, beans, spinach, thyme, marigold

Geranium: Tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, beets

Kohlrabi: cucumber, onion chives, beets

Hot Peppers: cucumber, eggplant, tomato, basil, okra, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

Avatar for leaflady
Feb 6, 2010 8:53 PM CST
Name: leaflady
planet earth
Love the sinner, hate the sin
Charter ATP Member
I like borage because it is pretty but I'm not sure it deters anything. I've raised it off and on for years.

I do little planning with my yarden. My squash ramble thru the flower beds or all over the bird house cleanings. Peppers use to grow in with the various perennial flowers and shrubs.

Remember that dill is a huge favorite of the Swallow Tail Butterfly larvae. So is parsley. They can strip a plant in a day.

My real planning is in how many tomatoes and of what kind to grow since I only need a few. I only want cherry or plum size except for one for sandwiches. I plant lots of basil and marigolds in with the tomatoes. My Rue lived with them for 5 or 6 years. I need to get a new one this year. I also need to decide how many of the small eggplant I want/need. I love those little eggplant. Just large enough for one serving.

GOD bless and keep each of you.
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Feb 7, 2010 8:14 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
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Borage is also edible, although I haven't tried it yet it will be interesting since it seems to be a bit hairy. lol Borage is also known to encourage the growth of strawberries and improve flavor.

I need to get my gardening plans together, although I will probably make changes, it's good to have some sort of plan!
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Feb 7, 2010 4:24 PM CST
Name: Heidi
Indianapolis, IN
Zone 5b
I'm thinking about growing borage for the first time as well. The suggestions I've read says to eat the smaller new growth.

Last year, I had a huge success with deterring hornworm, but I'm not sure what did it. Here's the situation. I took over my brother and sister-in-law's garden, where they'd planted some tomatoes but not much else. Of course, I want to grow everything, so I planted something like 15 different herbs, several different vegetables, and a few different flowers. My sister-in-law kept saying, "Watch out for the nasty worms. I don't see them yet, but we always get them on the tomatoes." And when she described them to me, I knew that she was talking about hornworms.

The thing is - they never showed up! No hornworms!

I planted basil with the tomatoes, and onions nearby, and some other herbs not too far from that, and flowers and cucumbers and pumpkin . . . lots of stuff packed into less than 300 square feet. I saw lots of different kinds of wasps, so I'm thinking that maybe some of them carried off the hornworms while they were still small, before I ever even noticed them.

Or - and this is my primary theory - I suspect that birds perching on the playhouse/teepee I made from scrub trees cut out of the fenceline swooped down and ate them. You can see in the picture that my tomatoes are supported with bamboo, but I didn't often see birds perching on them. More often, they were on the taller structure with cucumbers and other stuff growing on it.

I think I'll do a similar structure this year to make sure that the birds have a place to perch so that they can eat all the bugs they want.

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Avatar for leaflady
Feb 7, 2010 7:03 PM CST
Name: leaflady
planet earth
Love the sinner, hate the sin
Charter ATP Member
WOW!! you people have beautiful pictures of your gardens.
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Feb 8, 2010 5:20 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
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that is wonderful dividedsky! did you plant the different veggies and herbs as companions? Or did it just happen to work out perfectly?

The nasturtiums look so happy sitting beneath the cucurbit. Everything looks healthy.
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

Avatar for leaflady
Feb 21, 2010 10:37 PM CST
Name: leaflady
planet earth
Love the sinner, hate the sin
Charter ATP Member
A bit hairy you say of borage? Try covered with stiff hairs that are very uncomfortable in your mounth no matter how young the leaves. I've heard that cooking them helps but so far I haven't been that desperate. I just think it is a pretty plant with cute little blue flowers. I do like the cucumber smell of the leaves.

GOD bless and keep each of you.
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Mar 11, 2010 9:07 PM CST
Ontario, Canada (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tropicals Plant and/or Seed Trader
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I've always wanted to try borage. I need to pick it up if I see it this year!
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Mar 12, 2010 3:20 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
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I "Wintersowed" some Borage seeds, planted them in January and they have now sprouted. Yay! It is a little bit of encouragement when things sprout as planned!

Last year I had so many of those tomato horn worms ~ it will be interesting to see if the Borage does anything.

Ladyleaf, it sounds like you have the kind of garden I like ~ I would love to see pictures of your garden!
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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