Organic Vegetable Gardening

Plant Families for Organic Vegetable Gardening

A healthy plant that can naturally defend itself against insects and disease is the goal of every organic gardner. A healthy plant also means a higher yield.

One way to have the healthiest plants is to make sure that the plants that are planted together don’t hinder each others growth. Basically, were talking about good neighbors or plants form the same plant families.

Unlike some real life families, most plants get along with other plants from the same family. The only exception to this rule is in the tomato family.

In the tomato family the Jerry Springer relationship is between tomatoes and potatoes, they just don’t do well together.

Now lets look at some of the plant families:

Plant Family——-Vegetable/Herb

Beet——-Spinach, swiss chard

Buckwheat——-Red orach, rhubarb

Cabbage——-Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, horse radish, kohlrabi, mustard, pak choi, radish, rutabaga, turnip

Carrot——-Celery, cilantro, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley, parsnip

Cucumber——-Gourd, melon, summer squash, winter squash

Grass——-Corn

Mallow——-Okra

Mint——-Basil, marjoram, oregano, sage

Morning Glory——-Sweet potato

Onion——-Asparagus, chive, garlic, leek, scallion

Pea——-Bean, peanut

Sunflower——-Artichoke, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, radicchio, tarragon

Tomato——-Egg plant, peppers, potato (remember exception), tomatillo

This list is by no means all inclusive, but gives you a general idea to get you started with your organic planting. For more information on plant families or a specific plant not listed here, do a little research at your local library or on the Internet.

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