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On a cliff in the desert

In my grower diary (http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2018&grower=73021&action=L) I've put several entries on companion plants that I am putting by my patch. If you're having problem with bugs, etc. you might want to plant some companion plants to help your situation.

7/11/2018 11:09:46 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I do plant some marigolds in the garden. But nature provides a bounty of free companion plants. Pig weed, lambsquarter, foxtail, marestail, barnyard and crab grass, galinsoga, rag weed, purslane, chick weed, and about 20 others. Free green manure If I can get it all tilled in. I just need a plant that repels rabbits, deer and coons. The fox, coyote and mountain lion are not doing their job this year. At least the purslane and chick weed are real low growing, not bad competition for the pumpkins and help choke out the bad weeds.

7/11/2018 12:27:01 PM

On a cliff in the desert

In my grower diary, I list Lavender as a deterrent for rabbits and deer.

7/11/2018 1:25:37 PM

Grittyville, WA

I have tried potatoes and garlic with pumpkins. Also had horseradish near the base of the plants last year... It seems to attract hungry bugs so its a bad companion. Garlic might help the pumpkin but it doesnt like any competition so its not doing well plus how would the bulbs get dry next to a pumpkin plant? The only companion that sort of works for pumpkins is potatoes but one extremely small insect likes both and does minor damage to the pumpkin leaves. Thats where I'm at with that experiment.

7/11/2018 2:58:07 PM

Grittyville, WA

I think there are some benefits in soil pests and myco with potatoes. Its a moderately good companion it certainly saves garden space and frankly if i didnt have potatoes under the pumpkins i would have weeds instead. Potatoes are easy to deal with compared to weeds.

7/11/2018 3:16:21 PM

Potatoes sound more like competition than companion. Taking up root space & robbing nutrients

7/11/2018 3:45:20 PM

On a cliff in the desert

Potatoes are not supposed to be grown with pumpkins. You'll find it on the net. Garlic is a good companion plant for tomatoes. Garlic's patch benefits are the same as something else I am using in my patch.

7/11/2018 4:39:21 PM

Grittyville, WA

The top growers should stick with what works...solarization and/or rye or mustard... Potatoes will not give you better results but its one of the better combos i've found... If you really want to try companion planting in your pumpkin patch. Not sure I believe the internet when so much is written by people who get paid to write articles about stuff they themselves have never done.

7/11/2018 5:50:05 PM

Deer won't eat lavender but they will eat the rose bush growing right next to it! Atleast that's how it goes in my yard.

7/11/2018 6:39:39 PM

On a cliff in the desert

You might want to plant some sage, thyme, rosemary, or oregano around your rose bush. Aromatics mess with a deer's olfactory (smell) system.

7/12/2018 1:30:09 AM