Companion planting has been going on for centuries and as the science behind the value is revealing a deeper understanding of the benefits, one of the main reasons companion planting has been used is for protection from pests. I do remember my father planting tomatoes and carrots on the same side of his garden bed for a reason, but I did not really know why. I am sure it is something he learned from either experience or gardening friends, as I don’t recall him reading a gardening book. Today, there are so many gardening books on the market and I own more than my fair share. A friend recommended Carrots Love Tomatoes and I want to pass it on to you. This easy to follow reference book written by Louise Riotte helped me organize my planting beds this fall.
So not only do carrots love tomatoes, onions love lettuce. Onions also like beets, strawberries, tomatoes, summer savory and camomile. Since I love fresh picked lettuces, I am planting many different kinds in the same bed as red and white onion starts.
A six or eight pack of onion starts contain about 8 small onions per section. I found it difficult to get them apart without injuring the roots until a master gardener shared the following technique.
To get started, fill a bowl with water and remove one section of the six or eight pack at a time.
Drop the bunch of onions into the water and let it stand for a minute while the soil softens.
Swirl the onions until most of the dirt has been left in the water.
Now that most of the soil is removed, split the bunch in half and pull slowly. The onions should separate easily. Continue to split the onions in half and pull apart until they are all separated like the following photo.
Plant onions about 4 inches apart in rows. Maturity is about 115 days.
