seedkeeping:

It’s the time of year when many of our plants are growing up close and personal with each other. Some of these “companion” plantings were intentional, and some were not. The first couple photos are the male (tassel) and female (silk) flowers of Sehsapsing corn, which we planted alternating with vining Lunga di Napoli (fruit pictured at base of corn) and bushy Kusa squash, so the corn could grow up and the squash under and across. In each squash row we planted a trap crop of Golden Red Amaranth to distract the cucumber beetles. Not pictured are the beans planted along the fences surrounding the corn/squash/amaranth. A 2017 planting of White Gem Parsnip was in this section already, so we planted around it, which attracted lots of lady bug activity. We will finish harvesting the seeds just about the time when the parsnips get swallowed by squash vines. Tulsi volunteered from seeds dropped by last year’s planting in what was supposed to be a path between dahlias. We left it for herb harvest. Finally, we are attempting to grow white velvet okra between rows of sweet potatoes to see if it’ll work to use the horizontal and vertical space (like squash and corn). So far so good! The lettuce in the row next to the sweets will soon go to seed and be harvested just as the sweets are ready to fill in that space with vines. #companionplanting #milpa #fivesisters #threesisters #seedkeeping #whitevelvetokra #sehsapsing #lungadinapoli #sweetpotato #whitegemparsnip