Planting borage with your tomatoes

[hippywife]

really, really does work to repel horn worms. We have been planting it with our tomatoes the past two years now and it's a great organic way to protect your 'maters! :hi:

[lizziegrace]

1. Borage??

We need to talk this fall and winter so I can plan my gardens right next year!

[hippywife]

3. This will help give you an idea

about what to plant and what not to plant with what. There are a couple of links that take you to lists of companion plants and repellent plants. :hi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting

[bvar22]

2. Thanks!

I see Borage in our future.

We currently us the "Pick em off and throw en to the chickens" method of Hornworm control.
I Googled "Borage" and came up with this:

"Borage also has a reputation of aiding the growth of bush beans, spinach, and strawberries. Planted with strawberries it will attract bees. Some gardeners use Borage as a compost with their strawberries to reduce black rot."

http://back2theland.com/Back2theLand/Gardening-Borage-a-Companion-Plant.html

Tomatoes, Bush Beans, Spinach, Strawberries.....most of my favorites.

How are your Strawberries doing?

I had to "top" (trim to the ground) all of our Everbearings (Arkansas Beauties I think) due to out of control Black Spot last week.



Bizarre weather this year. We had July in June, and now we are getting June in July.
Acceptable levels of rain, and cooler temps. Low 60s at night. Very pleasant.
Whats up with THAT? :shrug:

[hippywife]

4. Hi, B.

Our everbearing didn't hold up well but the June bearing are really going great guns as far as foliage. Never planned on having fruit this year but looking forward to next year. Bill planted some borage in the box with it, too.

I would have been more forward with the information on the borage sooner but I wanted to try it one more time to make sure it truly did work. And by all appearances it does. The box of volunteer tomatoes is being attacked but the one we planted with the borage is not.

Good things to know!

Yeah, really weird weather. I for one am just glad the temps have lowered. Whew! :hi:

[japple]

5. So that's what it's good for? I planted some after a friend told me

how tasty it was, and the plants are beautiful, esp. the flowers, but I never developed a taste for it, not even sauteed in butter and garlic. I guess I could just plant them for the beneficial pesticide effect, though, as well as the ornamental.

[hippywife]

6. Definitely!

I never eat it or brew it as a tea but the chickens adore it. After reading more about it, I may plant it as a border around every single raised bed next year! And I'm not kidding. :thumbsup:

[lizziegrace]

7. What part doe the chickens like?

the flowers?

I'm sorry to be so clueless. I'm a child of the suburbs who will never go back.

[hippywife]

8. I think they were mostly

eating the leaves last year. The flowers were gone by then if I remember correctly so not sure if they would eat those as they have been permanently banned from the garden. Never believe anyone who tells you that chickens will not bother the plants in your garden once the plants are large and well established. It's not true. LOL

[morningglory]

9. Do you plant borage seeds when you plant tomato seeds? nt

[hippywife]

10. Yes.

And as a matter of fact, after more reading, we've decided to plant a little in each of our boxes next year. It seems to be beneficial for everything!

:hi:

Edited to add that they grow pretty fast and last quite a while.