Companion planting with potatoes

 Companion Planting with Potatoes

Let's think Companion Planting then grow Potatoes & Horse radish root this year. That’s what I’m doing. Horseradish has long leaves & pretty white flowers. When growing horseradish, keep the roots contained as it's invasive. Horseradish is advisable as a companion plant for every garden as it cleans certain soil contaminants. Plant around the perimeters of potatoes not intermixed or it will change taste of potatoes,

& it will increase disease resistance in potatoes & protect against potato bugs.

Potato bug (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

Other companion plants for potatoes include beans, corn, eggplant, cabbage, peas, & parsnips. Basil near potatoes deter potato beetles.

Marigold Tagetes spp deter nematodes. Nasturiums repel potato bugs, aphids,

Aphid 

white fly, Mexican bean beetles

Mexican Bean Beetle (Epilachna varivestis)

& squash bugs.

Squash bug with eggs

In turn, potatoes are a good companion crop for beans, because they repel Mexican bean beetles. Potatoes are good for cabbage & peas by helping with growth.

But don't plant the following near potatoes: turnips, pumpkins, cucumbers, rutabagas, sunflowers, tomatoes, squash and raspberry.

Back to the horseradish.

Horseradish plant 

You can create a simple horse radish tea as a preventative anti-fungal spray. The horse radish spray has proven effective against against brown rot in apples & cherries.

Process horseradish roots in a food processor till a coarse paste.

Dilute 1 part paste with 4 parts water. Steep for 24 hours. Strain off the liquid, discard pulp, mix liquid with 1 qt. water & 1/2 cup white vinegar & put into spray bottle. An effective bug spray for plants.

Companion planting requires a great deal of study & placement strategies.

Can you imagine how pretty a potato patch will look with colorful Nasturiums,

Nasturtiums

Basil

Marigold 

Marigolds, and Basil guarding them all summer with their powerful properties? I love learning about companion planting. It really works, but you have to do a lot of homework to plant the correct compatible plants next to each other.