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Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening
If you want to know whether it is kosher to plant onions between cabbage plants, this is the place to look.
-- Oklahoma Today
First published in 1975, this classic companion planting guide has taught a generation of gardeners how to use plants' natural partnerships to produce bigger and better harvests.
Over 500,000 in Print!
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
January 2nd 1998
by Storey Publishing
(first published 1976)
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How have I gone so long without such a must-have, classic book? This rare treasure among a sea of gardening guides? Written originally in 1975 and updated in 1998, Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening, published by the well-respected Storey Publishing, should be the bible which we all refer to when deciding where to thoughtfully place each plant in our garden. Who knew that beans and onions would hinder the growth of one another? And how did Louise Riotte...more
This handy reference gets pulled out and reviewed nearly every time I plant another batch of veggies in my gardens. For those of us who have never seen where a carrot would prefer to grow in the wilds, this book allows us to plant companion plants that help each other out.
I really don't like the idea of adding any sort of sprays or fertilizers to my gardens, especially the vegetable and herb beds. So, compost and companion planting are my personal solutions for most "problems" ...more
I really don't like the idea of adding any sort of sprays or fertilizers to my gardens, especially the vegetable and herb beds. So, compost and companion planting are my personal solutions for most "problems" ...more
I picked this up at the library years ago and actually tried the principles of companion planting. Lots of them worked great! I now always plant marigolds by my potatoes because the scent keeps yucky bugs away.
Some other plant companions I enjoyed were carrots and tomatoes because carrots are a root plant and tomatoes grow above ground; pumpkins planted around the corn--to prevent racoons from wanting to traipse through the stickery vines to eat the corn; and peas, spinach, and oni...more
Some other plant companions I enjoyed were carrots and tomatoes because carrots are a root plant and tomatoes grow above ground; pumpkins planted around the corn--to prevent racoons from wanting to traipse through the stickery vines to eat the corn; and peas, spinach, and oni...more
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I loved this book. It's great. It gave me tons of ideas for my garden next year. The only critique I had was that the poisonous chapter, where she lists poisonous plants, is highly suspect. Strawberries are listed (??) as well as apple seeds, which I ate all through childhood, and other plants that clearly aren't poisonous. This threw all the other information in the book under suspicion, but I am an experimental gardener and don't mind too much if advice isn't 100% accurate. Gardening is ruled ...more
This book was in such high demand at the library, I had to wait six weeks to check out a copy. It is an interesting philosophy of which plants do well together, and which plants you should plant far away from everything else (fennel does not love anything, apparently). It is hard to give the book a rating without having tested out its advice, but I plan to put dill where I harvested radishes, and next year will try some of their suggestions to keep cabbages healthy. A lot of things love tomat...more
This will heading back to the library soon. I have tried to read this several times but I get very impatient with it. It basically reads like a list. The whole book could probably be converted into a very useful chart of what plants should be planted together or kept separate from each other. There are useful details inserted here in there in the text but really. it's mostly like listening to a lecturer who is simply reading their handouts. Dull, even if the topic is interesting.
This was a fascinating book. There were folklore remedies and there was a discussion of plants that I had only read about in historical books that were used for meals. I never fully realized what those plants were until I read about them in Carrots Love Tomatoes. I was also amazed at how it appears that our food choices have dwindled and expanded as the industrial revolution progressed. It's paradoxical!
I had high hopes for this book and although I'm not overly impressed, I'm not disappointed either. It's basically an index for plants and all plant varieties are listed in alphabetical order so information is really easy to find.I looked up everything I plan to grow this spring/summer and jotted down a bunch of notes. Great information - just not a book you can read from front to back cover but worth keeping around as a reference. I'll definitely add this to my personal bookshelf.
I haven't been able to try out the suggestions from this book yet since I read it half-way through the gardening season last year, but I found it very interesting to read. I'm interested in finding out if carrots and tomatoes really do grow better when planted by each other. This seems like a great organic gardening book. I'm planning this year's garden "map" according to what I've learned from this book.
This is an amazing gardening book. I used it to maximize the small amount of space I have by companion planting (interspersing larger plants with smaller, and late-harvested plants with earlier ones), and to get the full beneficial effect that some plants have on others. Also has excellent tips on non-chemical pest deterrents, such as equisetum (horsetail) tea. Readable and easy-to-use.
Great recommendations for companion planting and crop rotation. I don't like using pesticides or herbicides...and this book is great for knowing what to plant to keep aphids off tomatoes (answer: marigolds) and why you need to move your cabbages and broccoli every year (plant beans in the bed the next year to increase nitrogen in the soil). Lots of other ideas as well.
Loved it. Opened the book and before I knew it my pen was in hand marking it up, lots to remember. It does become repetitive in places with items being reused in their companion entries but it is tolerable. It is a fast read and I look forward to the rereading of it to finalize the layout for this springs plantings.
imagine your grandma, or slightly nutty and a little new agey aunt sitting down to tell you all about herbs and natural remedies and coffee substitutes. pretty much, ya. an awesome reference book, it deserves 5 stars for that. readability and to-the-pointness, not so much. i think that's what makes the author endearing though, and the book a classic gardening text in its own right. gardeners should flip through and read about their fav plants.
not sure how i feel about this book when she tells you to pull plantain out of your garden like a weed when actually its a VERY useful plant. the leaves are high in potassium and the seeds when eaten act as natural mosquito repellant... but im sure carrots do love tomatoes. i am reading this a little late in the season for it to be reall y
Interesting reading on arranging compatible plants in the garden, along with other techniques. I only snagged it for the edible plant pairings, so a good deal of the book I simply skimmed over.
definitely more "reference guide" than "sit down reading." a little poorly organized. information is generally good, although not always thorough in my opinion (not enough WHY it works.)
I absolutely love this book! This is the best resource for companion planting and easy enough to understand that even a child can use it. Wonderful resource for any gardener!
I caved and bought this at B&N this weekend when we went. I think it's a good one to keep around as a reference. I am loving this book and am going to try the companion planting method this year in my gardens!
Louise Riotte is amazing.
Be sure to check out the part on how apartment dwelling should have just as much access to aphrodisiacs in the back ;)
Be sure to check out the part on how apartment dwelling should have just as much access to aphrodisiacs in the back ;)
Easy to use reference which gave me some new ideas to try in the garden. (I read an older edition after a long wait on the library waiting list).
Good reference book for what plants to grow with each other to keep pests away and help plants produce better.
A reference guide...mostly anecdotal evidence. Sorted by plant genre, and then alphabetized by plant.
Great information for gardeners trying to use natural ways to enhance productivity the garden.
Love the idea of companion planting...love the casual style of this book as well.
One of the original companion planting books and a very useful and informative guide.
Excellent thorough guide for learning what plants complement one another.
One of my favorite Gardening books that goes with my green life style.
Andrea
marked it as to-read
Because someday I will have a garden; Oh yes, it will be mine.
This has helped me avoid some bad plant productivity combos!
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