GOOD NEWS - Borage is tomato and pepper friendly and great pollenator- it repells the dreaded horn worm- they hate it. 👍🏻 love all your tips. thank you.
Perfect, thanks Brian! I found your book a while back and now I don't know where I put it.... Ugh ridiculous! Have a blessed day 🙏💞p.s. found the book! 🎉🎉🎉
That was amazing and absolutely explains what happened to my tomato plants. We cut back a black walnut tree because we thought it was blocking the sun. It was, but now I know that's not all it was doing. 😠 I've learned so much from your channel. Thank you!!
Brian, I haven't had an AH HA moment like this in years. When you said that the roots of cucumbers produce a substance that prevents weed seeds from even germinating, All the bells and whistles went off at the same time LOL. I never knew that. Thank you for that GEM of knowledge. 👍
Are you planting beit alpha cucumber or another type of greenhouse cucumber this season? I remember you weren't too happy with them because of seeds but I sent you a message on Instagram one time explaining they are "gynoecious" and should be isolated or covered with a insect net to keep them from being cross pollenated. I'm doing that this year to see if it works like I've read in articles. Hoping for better results. If so I'll continue with this method.
What about leaf footed bugs? They are DESTROYING my tomato crop! There are tons of them. There are some stink bugs too but I don’t see nearly as many of them.
I have 2 of the biggest Black Walnut trees I have ever seen, in my yard. Canopy on both is well over 20'. For this reason( plus the voles & moles) growing peppers, tomatoes, carrots, beans, and strawberries in a "growpot garden". So far, so good. However, the birds & /or squirrels have dug up two bags of carrots? Going to sow carrots a third time and cover them with hardware cloth, we'll see. You did NOT mention Marigolds, old wives myth?
@HappyTrucker1946 46 seconds ago (edited) I had some sweet potaoes go bad from the store, dug a hole in my garden through them in and buried them, now the vine is going crazy. Should I wait for leafs to yellow and see what I get? I also have one growing in a container as you instructed, it's looking great.
I have had a terrible time with tomatoes. I have lost 25 plants this year from some kind of wilt. I planted them in my raised beds and directly in my flowers bed. Out of 30 plants, 5 have survived and they were planted in pots. I’m about ready to give up on tomatoes. I live in the Florida Panhandle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks so much brother!! I’ve been gardening for 10+ years but seriously for 5. Just getting into tomatoes more seriously as my primary plants are super hot peppers. I’ve learned so much from your videos about tomatoes especially. 😀
Fascinating! Have any tips that may work for my blueberries? I've been growing tomatoes successfully, but these little worms keep invading my blueberries.
Last year I planted two eggplant as an experiment to see if I might like them as I had never eaten eggplant. I didn't get any to harvest but the flea beetles loved the plants yet not one noticeable on my tomatoes just a few feet away. Mind you, this is just one seasons experience so YMMV.
Question, I have been using Aspirin spray on tomatoes and peppers every 14 days. Should I continue this while plants are flowering? Will spray gum up pollen and reduce fruit yield?
Thanks Brian. Another interesting and useful video. Now I know what to plant together. Two years ago I planted tomatoes and potatoes in the same raised bed. Everything grew well but the harvest was less than I wanted. The potato plants were a lush 3 feet tall and the tomatoes were alright just didn't get the harvest I expected. My guess poor soil quality. Thanks again and bless you.
Wow, this is amazing. Thank you sweetheart. I usually grow marigolds and other wild or field flowers with toms. This year I put in parsley because I want to eat more and hadn't much space. I will try your other tips. So far in UK I have never seen a hornworm but with climate change, you never know.
I can't wait to build my homesteading library and your book on companion planting is already in my Amazon cart! I'm just waiting for my hubby to get a job. The IT job market is crazy competitive right now and he has been out of work since Nov. I bet you are so glad to be out of the grind and into the garden! Have you considered doing classes or even short paid internships on your property? Or even online? I would LOVE to do a week (or just a weekend) on your property, helping to work on projects and learning from you in person. I have so many ideas that I've even considered starting a channel to document my journey or doing workshops because of how many people approach me for help or advice while I work in my front yard urban garden. Gardening has lit a passion inside me that I can't explain and am using it as PT in hopes that I can get back into a career, likely combining my Interior Design & Space Planning skills with gardening. I learned about and even did a few small Landscape Design jobs....but I never imagined that I'd want to help others to create beautiful, functional outdoor spaces with urban gardens.
I have a notebook with all your suggestion, plus I have your book too. I love watching your videos, I've been a fan for 2 or 3 years now and my notebook is getting filled up!
I live here in California. I have 3 tomato plants in a large container, in which I've also planted basil, marigolds, and allisium. I've had one "monster" horned tomato worm. It decimated one tomato plant before I got it off. It was a fatty. Since then, free and clear and the one tomato is recovering quite nicely. And of course, they're covered now.
QUESTION: Has anyone ever heard of sunflowers stunting tomato plants? I planted a row of chocolate cherry sf's behind my tomatoes to hopefully provide a little afternoon shade but the tomatoes right next to the sf's are all really stunted or dead already and did not produce anything. My other row of tomatoes that is about 5 ft away from the sf's has done great. You can see a massive difference between the 2 rows of tomatoes.
I noticed you didn’t mention marigolds. What’s your thoughts about them planted with tomatoes? I’ve seen a lot of videos that show them growing next to their tomatoes.
I tried it once and the marigolds got infested with spider mites, with them moving on to my tomatoes soon after. Marigolds do help with nematodes, but only where they grow, so it"s best to plant them on mass (if you have a nematode problem).
I'd heard about basil, and it happens to be my absolute favorite herb. So I bought some cheap from the supermarket and now have a large bunch of basil in front of my toms in my polytunnel, along with marigolds and nasturtiums - and have had a record lack of any pests this year. I grow a lot of different types of basil, but will give some of those other plants a try as well. Many thanks for your video.
I bought tomatos and basil had a sidewalk sale in May and let the basil go. As well as basil noticed I don’t have a lot of mosquitoes. I also have lavender and green onion growing all over Maya my backyard, Tony problem I had so far was a pets on one eggplant, I took care of that with some spray
I've planted basil, marigolds, sweet asylums, garlic and chives in a raised bed for 2 celebrity tomatoes. I'm on the fence of trying to fit in radish seeds which I just bought. However, if I plant any more companion plants I'm not going to have room for my tomatoes 😂.
Have you tried growing in straw bales? I hear plants grow healthier, quicker and more disease resistant than in soil. Never tried but next year I will. Only thing is to keep it moist as it dries out quicker.
Hi dear Brian, regarding the repellent plants you mentioned in the video, I know that eucalyptus repels germination, in my opinion you can use a mulch of fresh eucalyptus chips to prevent weeds from germinating around the vegetable plants. What do you think?
Very interesting - I didnt know about Hairy Vetch, so will try that this coming spring. And its great to know which plants attract what particular insect.
brilliant wisdom to know and apply in the garden, using many of them now and learned a few more for next season... Thanks Again for sharing the light and tools😀
Last year I followed your companion planting tips and my tomatoes were great so I've done it again this year. I dont like radish so allowing them to flower is no problem for me. It also allowed me to harvest seed to use this year. I even had a few volunteers pop up in different spots and I'm allowing them to grow where they are. I have a question about the alliums and basil though, how many plants do I need and how close should they be planted to the tomatoes? I guess the same question for the dill. Thanks for all your hard work in putting out all these great videos!!
I don’t like eating radishes- but I like the seed pod! I eat the seed pods before they get tough. Lots of health benefits- when I bring a bug bowl of radish pods to potluck people want to know what kind of bean or pea they just ate. It’s always a big hit.
My nasturtium plants have aphids (as they should) wondering if i should treat the plant to remove the aphids? Or leave it be? Im not sure if treating the plant will stop the aphid attracting properties of the nasturtiums? Please clarify for me. Thanks
I got your book and started reading it immediately. Love your info videos. Just really started companion planting these last couple of years. Still learning . Thank you again
Excellent video! I have laid out my raised bed garden with companion plant considerations. I got my info by googling, but I think I need your book to get it done correctly.
EeeK! EeeK! I had a volunteer potato plant come up next to my Brandywine tomatoes. Oh well, I'll just keep on top of any early signs of disease. My organic beds are planted in a high-density manner, so I observe and tend to them like a lifeguard watches and tends to beachgoers.
Brian, my brócolis plants and the collards greens was so beautiful looking very healthy and suddenly the collard greens started curling the baby leaves and I found out it’s full of insects. The brócolis too. Also they are eating the leaves. Is it better to trough away everything or is possible to have a chance to save them? My first time growing organics 😞
I grow basil with my tomatoes and still get hornworms. Once we begin to see them, we check daily. Probably helps but doesn’t seem to completely stop them
Try cutting some basil off. The basil smells good, and all that, but I noticed that when I started trimming mine down the scent got stronger and stronger. I have a thing a 5 gallon pot with basil and I think it’s three basil plants. But it’s hard to towel and I have not noticed a mosquito in my yard all summer flies only come out when the when the dog poop is in cleaned up and I think it’s all basil, so give it a cut and see what happens
@@tompatchak8706 thanks for the tip. I'll try that. I've just been letting it grow and go to seed etc. I was thinking the flowers would bring in pollinators as well. Maybe the wrong approach
@@justinoffutt the flowers will bring pollinators, but if you want to keep it growing bigger and bushy or do you have to cut it down. When plants like basil and other herbs, go to flower and they think their job is done and then will stop growing or won’t grow as big. There are other things you can get in your yard to bring pollinators such as potted plants sunflowers and many many other things. I have a giant basil plant in my backyard that I cut off and give pieces to people every month or so because it’s getting so big.
I found a horn worm on a tomato plant last night. I thought it was a regular chicken caterpillar. But it had a Little things on it and I figured out that those are parasitic wasp eggs. I felt bad for the caterpillar/hornworm so my daughter and I pulled all the eggs off and put it on the fence. Fathers away from my tomatoes. It was gone 20 minutes later. Simon probably eat it.
Great information Brian! For some reason I still get hornworms even when planting basil with my tomatoes! At least they are pretty easy to get off the plants.
Could I just take pieces of Onions and sprinkle them around the plant? I have onions in a pot, and it’s not close to the onions but I haven’t seen anything
Sorry o say but basil has no effect on the horn worms here in Florida, we have them planted all around our tomatoes and the horn worms keep on eating. lost two tomatoes last night including the tops of the plant.
I wish i could post a picture i had 12 tomatoe horn worms on my tomatoe plants im so glad i found them within 1 or so bc i would have lost my plants completely
I read somewhere that borage is a good companion plant for tomatoes. Is that true? We put one borage at the end of the tomato bed. We haven't had any horn worms this year so far.
