As part of an organic gardening practice, companion planting is used. This is the art of planting certain plants together – because they are good for one another, and avoiding planting certain other plants together, because they don’t grow well together. 

 

As with relationships between people, certain plants like and dislike one another, so we plant certain herbs with vegetables to improve their growth and flavour – and some of the herbs also have strong scents which repel harmful pests or may attract beneficial insects.

 

Some companion herbs & their uses (Herb - Plant with - Uses)

 

basil - tomatoes - Improves growth & flavour
borage - tomatoes - Improves growth & flavour
camomile - cabbage & onions - Improves growth & flavour
chives - carrots - Improves growth & flavour
dill - cabbage - Improves growth & flavour (dislikes carrots)
garlic - roses & raspberries - deters Japanese beetle
hyssop - cabbage & grapes - deters cabbage moth
marigolds - throughout the garden - discourages Mexican bean beetle & nematodes
nasturtium - radish, cabbage, pumpkin family - deters aphids, squashy bugs & striped pumpkin beetle
peppermint - cabbage - repels white cabbage butterfly
rosemary - cabbage, beans, carrots - deters cabbage moth, bean beetles & carrot fly

 

Herbs that are used for medicinal properties

 

Herbal plants are powerful and must be used in small doses. Consult elders or a herbalist if you aren’t sure how to use them. Many herbs are not recommended for use during pregnancy.
 
Below are some handy herbal teas. Generally, take one or two sprigs (2 cm) of a herb, place in a cup of boiling water and allow to stand for 10 – 15 minutes.
 
Catnip: Calming and soothing, especially good for young children and babies. It expels wind, cures hiccups, relieves colic and stomach cramps. It’s an excellent nerve tonic and relieves painful menstruation

Fever few: A mild sedative and a good cure for indigestion. Helps relieves migraines

Marjoram: Use tea for asthma, headaches, rheumatism, sleeplessness, mouth ulcers and inflamed gums. It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, is an antidepressant and, if taken daily, will alleviate anxiety, stress and depression

 

Rosemary: Drink rosemary tea in the mornings for energy and to stimulate creativity. It is also famous as a hair tonic – use a handful of fresh leaves in 2 – 3 cups of water and allow to stand for 30 minutes before using on hair.

 

Peppermint: Relieves indigestion and cramps, and combats sleeplessness. Excellent for over-excitement and shock. Relieves mental depression, cures constipation, relieves heartburn and painful menstruation. Inhale the steam for colds, coughs and hayfever.

 

Sage: Aids digestion, counteracts sore throats, colds, fever and coughs. Also used for shock and stress, and to improve appetite. The leaves are used as a health-giving tonic.

 

Thyme: One of nature’s antiseptics, it strengthens the lungs. Use for asthma, whooping cough, bronchitis, headaches and hysteria. It is also a safe remedy for worms.
 
Garden calendar: January/February

 

€ These are the hottest months, so make sure your garden is well mulched. Any organic material can be used, such as grass clippings, weeds or long grass which you can cut and lay on the soil surface between the plants.

 

€ Make sure your garden has enough water, but don’t waste water by overwatering.

€ Inspect your plants weekly for pests and diseases.

€ You can sow seeds from the cabbage family such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, into seed beds or trays. Keep them in a partially shady area and make sure you keep them moist enough. Do not sow the seeds too thickly.

 

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This information is brought to you courtesy of Jet Club Green Corner by Dave Golding, a founding member of Abalimi Bezekhaya.  Abalimi Bezekhaya is a non-profit organisation focusing on urban agriculture and greening on the Cape Flats in Cape Town.
 
If you have any gardening questions, send them to Dave at: Jet Club Green Corner/Ask Dave, P O Box 16607, Vlaeberg 8018.

Climate change is arguably the most crucial issues of our time and is the biggest environmental challenge that we face. While many of us agree that we must do something, it seems too vast a problem for any one of us to tackle, until now.

 

The Carbon Standard Consortium has been formed to make it easy and affordable for government, individuals, corporations and communities, their office buildings, schools, homes, meetings, events, conferences, celebrations, a business unit, product or brand to offset carbon emissions by planting trees.

There's much more to gardening than just growing vegetables or pretty flowers. There are many benefits that come with growing a garden. What we are doing is bringing nature into our homes and lives. By creating a garden, we develop skills and gain knowledge. We also create a beautiful, peaceful and even productive environment that benefits the health and wellbeing of the whole family or community.

For very little money and effort, you can have the healthiest soil around.  Here¹s how to make lovely compost that¹ll give you prize fruit and veggies.  In our last article "Don't Panic - It's Organic" we gave you a taste of what materials should go into a good compost heap. Now here is the nitty gritty.

Plants get most of their nutrients (food) from the soil. With the help of microorganisms (tiny living particles in the soil), the mineral and organic matter in the soil is processed into a form that plants can use. These nutrients dissolve (break down) in the water in the soil and are taken into the plants through their roots.

Organic gardening is the best way to get the most out of your soil and crops ­ after all, it¹s the way nature designed things! Dave Golding tells you how it works.

Did you know that all life on earth is sustained by only one percent of available water. Isn¹t that a miracle?  While most of the earth¹s surface is covered in water, 97 percent is seawater. Most of the remaining three percent is locked up in ice caps and glaciers, deep underground or suspended as vapour in the air.