In an attempt to eliminate the need for chemical pesticides to protect our food resources, few alternatives seem to be at our disposal. One of the more effective ones is referred to as companion planting. No, I am not referring to burying your spouse under your gardening plot, no matter how full of B.S. you may happen to think they are at the moment.

Companion planting refers to the practice of poly cropping using certain plants that provide benefits that aid other species by invigorating and nourishing the soil, and repelling their pests. For instance legumes ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, to the benefit of it's neighbors. Or the tendency of strongly aromatic herbs to repel pests away from their tasty neighbors. Or deeply rooting plants to draw nutrients up toward the surface, for their more shallow rooted neighbors to enjoy.

At the same time, there are other combinations of plants that, due to their similar traits, compete with or antagonize their neighbors. These combinations are also helpful to be aware of, so that your garden is not hindered by unnecessary competition. Following are some links (or do an Internet search for more) that can teach us which combinations work well, or poorly with each other. Either way, they can save us a lot of extra work in the garden.

http://www.seedsofchange.com/enewsletter/issue_55/companion_planting.asp

http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html