Choosing companions for your garden
Planning your garden before planting is the first step in achieving success. Similarly, observing and interacting with your garden as it grows and develops will help to maintain success and you will learn what combinations work best. Be brutal, if an association does not work, remove it and try something else. Start out small and gradually build up your companion garden as you gain confidence.

• List the edible plants and trees you would like to grow (or what is already in your garden), keeping in mind their suitability to your garden and situation, and how they fit into your overall garden design.
• List the functions you need to support your plants, such as feeding, mulching, pollinating, protecting, pest and disease control, support, etc.
• Choose suitable companions to your plants that also suit your design and microclimate.

Designed gardens use
Well designed gardens that incorporate companion planting aim to:

• Minimise pest and disease attack
• Minimise maintenance
• Minimise weed invasion
• Minimise stress
• Maximise yield
• Maximise efficiency
• Maximise enjoyment
• Build diversity
• Improve overall health and vitality of the garden
• Build and condition soil
• Reduce or eliminate our reliance on artificial (organic or otherwise) sprays and remedies.

More Companion Plants

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) – Indicates fertile soil, intensifies essential oil production, provides rich mulch, excellent compost and weed tea additive

Bracken (Pteridium species) – Indicates nitrogen deficiency in soil, can be used to repel stinkbugs in citrus trees, take care where it is planted as it is known to be allelopathic.