The document discusses companion planting for fruiting plants, providing general guidelines and specific plant companions for various fruits. It recommends planting flowers that attract beneficial insects to control pests. Certain plants like tansy, rue and nasturtium repel insect pests. Proper planning is important for permanent plantings like trees to ensure soil preparation, siting, and protection. The document lists specific fruiting plants available from Bowood Farms and their beneficial companion plants.

1. C OMPANIONS
F OR A F RUITFUL G ARDEN
Nasturtium drawing by Jean W. Ingles
THE ANCIENT AND ANECDOTAL “SCIENCE” OF COMPANION PLANTING
One can imagine some concept of Companion Planting existing ever since the early days of
plant cultivation. Experienced in observing nature from their hunter/gathering days, early
farmers must have noticed how certain plants benefitted and supported each other when planted
together. In the same way, they found some plants did not grow well in close proximity. The
practice of Companion Planting developed alongside agriculture and was well entrenched by
medieval times and reached its peak in the cottage gardens of the Elizabethan era (the 16th – 17th
century). These smaller plots of land were owned and cultivated by peasants as sources of food
and medicinal herbs for their families. With no room to spare, these gardens were of necessity
crowded. Knowing how to maximize productivity was important. Herbs and flowers that
attracted pollinating bees and beneficial insects, repelled or discouraged harmful pests, and/or
enriched the soil and promoted strong growth were planted alongside vegetable, fruit, and berry
crops.
Eventually the lore of Companion Planting, passed on from one generation to the next, was
collected and written down and new generations of gardeners that didn’t have time or space to
make observations on their own carefully followed Herbals, books of folk remedies, and
Farmer’s Almanacs. Much of this knowledge and practice was set aside with the inexorable
march of farming towards giant agribusiness. But what is old is always new again: from the
back-to-the-land movement of the sixties, the permaculture communities of the seventies, and
continuing into organic gardening practices of today, Companion Planting is one of our best
allies to have a garden free from pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and full of healthy,
bountiful vegetables, fruits and herbs.
FRUIT SUPPORT: WHERE TO BEGIN?
The practice of Companion Planting will lead to greater yields and healthier plants in every part
of your garden. Vegetable gardens and annual flower beds are able to bear intensive planting
practices because crops are rotated and the soil is renewed each year. Consequently, tucking in
helpful companions here and there between your main plantings is a snap. This flexibility also
lends itself to experimenting and finding out what works in your own micro-environment.
Fruiting plants, however, will definitely benefit from the time spent on planning. Permanent
investments such as fruit and nut trees, berry and bramble bushes, grape and strawberry vines
need: careful soil preparation; proper siting and installation; attentive care as immature plants;
and protection as fruiting plants. On the next page are specific suggestions for companions to the
fruiting trees and plants available from Bowood Farms. Here are some general points about
Companion Planting to keep in mind when planning your fruiting garden:
• Flowering plants from the Umbelliferae family – herbs such as dill, cilantro, fennel, parsley
and leaf celery – will attract ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and predatory flies.
These beneficial insects are attracted by the nectar and stay to feed on pests such as aphids,
thrips, caterpillars, and the eggs of other insects. Members of the mint family and the onion
family (chives, garlic chives, leeks, onions) are also good attractants for these beneficials.
• Bees and other pollinating beneficials will be attracted to these umbelliferae herbs; and
mints and onions as well. Other bee plants are: alyssum, basil, bee balm, borage, coreopsis,
cosmos, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, mints, summer savory, sunflowers, thyme, zinnias.
• All-around tonic plants for the fruiting garden are: borage, chamomile, geraniums, and
lovage. Other essential companions are: nasturtium, garlic, leeks, onions, tansy, valerian.
• Tansy, rue, and nasturtium are mentioned most often as repellants to insect pests. Catnip
www.bowoodfarms.com and chives join nasturtium especially to fight aphids. For plants susceptible to Japanese
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beetles (apple, peach, apricot, plum, cherry, grape, and red raspberry) catnip, garlic, white
geraniums, rue, and tansy are repellants; datura, four o’clocks, and castor bean kill them!

2. BOWOOD FARM’S BEST BETS: FRUITS & THEIR COMPANIONS FOR YOUR HOME GARDEN
Companion Plants in Italics are currently being grown at the Heartland Harvest Garden, Powell Gardens*
Fruiting Plant Companion Plants Available at Bowood Farms Other Companion Plants/Comments
White Clover, Single/Wild Roses, Fra Dagmar
Apple/ Malus Hartopp Rose, Rosa. arkansana, Rosa.
Chives, Anise Hyssop, Lemon Balm,
‘Granny Smith’ setigera, Mullein
Strawberries, White Rugosa Roses, Foxglove,
‘September Wonder’ Fuji Leeks to improve growth; Chives to deter
Garlic, Lavender, Leeks, Marigolds, Nasturtiums,
‘Starkspur Arkansas Black’ Apple Scab; Garlic, Lavender, Nasturtium and
Onions, Peas, Sweet Woodruff
Combo 4 on 1 Espalier Southernwood to deter codling moth and
wooly aphids
Pear/ Pyrus pyrifolia Apple/Curly/Citrus/Ginger Mints, Pennyroyal
Chives, Bronze Fennel, Peppermint, Spearmint,
‘Shinseiki’ Garlic, Lavender, Nasturtium and
Mountain Mint, Bee Balm, Garlic, Lavender,
‘Barlett’ Southernwood to fight codling moth and
Nasturtiums, Onions
Combo 4 on 1 Espalier wooly aphids
Garlic Chives, Roman Chamomile, Strawberries,
Peach/ Prunus persica Chives, Garlic, Nasturtiums, Onions,
Garlic, Dill, Borage, Marigolds, Perilla,
‘Carolina Belle’ Southernwood and Tansy to deter peach
Asparagus, Basil, Grapes, Hyssop, Onions,
‘Bonfire’ borers
Petunias, Rue
Chinese Apricot/ Anise, White Clover, Buckwheat
Prunus armeniaca Dill, Fennel, Basil, Chives Do not plant Brassica or Solanum family
‘Chinese’ plants near Apricots
Plum/ Prunus domestica White Clover attracts beneficials
Same list as for Peach – especially Garlic
‘Italian Prune’ Garlic to control plum curculio
Cherry/ Prunus cerasus Plant bee plants near to help with pollination;
‘Blackgold’ ‘Whitegold’ Garlic, Nasturtiums, Onions Datura, Four O’Clocks, Castor Bean kill
‘North Star’ Japanese beetles
Damask, Hybrid Tea, and David Austin Roses,
Grape/ Vitis labrusca Tansy
Blackberries, Chrysanthemums, Daisies,
‘Eastern Concord’ ‘Suffolk’ Chives to fight Aphids; Garlic accumulates
Feverfew, Hyssop, Lavender, Mustard, Basil,
‘Mars’ ‘Lakemont’ sulfur to make a natural fungicide; Datura,
Beans, Chives, Garlic, Geraniums, Nasturtiums,
Vitis vinifera Four O’Clocks, Castor Bean kill Japanese
Oregano, Peas
‘Purpurea’ beetles; Petunias and Geraniums as a trap crop
for Japanese beetles.
Borage strengthens resistance to insects and
Strawberry/ Fragaria
Borage, Beans, Chrysanthemums, Lettuce, diseases and improves flavor; Onions help
‘Guardian’
Marigolds, Onions, Peas, Spinach, Thyme fight disease; Do not plant Cabbage near
‘Ozark Beauty’
them; Allium family plants to deter rabbits
Raspberry/ Rubus Tansy, Rue, Marigolds, White & Pastel
‘Canby Red’ ‘Heritage’ Zinnias, and White-flowered Geraniums will
‘Caroline’ ‘Fall Gold’ deter Japanese beetles; Berry plants in flower
‘Cumberland’ attract bees so are helpful planted by the
Blackberry/ Rubus fruticosus Dill, Fennel, Cilantro, Rue; Bee Balm and all bee fruiting trees which flower at the same time;
‘Triple Crown’ ‘Chester’ plants Garlic accumulates sulfur to make a natural
Blueberry/ Vaccinium fungicide for Raspberries; also to control plum
‘Blueray’ ‘Patriot’ curculio; Put up a wren nesting box to deter
‘Northblue’ other birds in the Blueberry patch and plant
‘North Sky’ ‘Top Hat’ members of Allium family to deter rabbits
Tropical Fruiting Plants Available at Bowood Farms Companions for Tropical Fruiting Plants/Comments
Fig/ Ficus: ‘Brown Turkey’ ‘Peter’s Honey’ ‘Kadota’ ‘Mission’ Dill, Fennel, Caraway and all Umbelliferae family plants for
Pomegranate/ Granatum ‘Granatum Nana’ ‘Wonderful’ pollination; All plants which attract beneficial insects to control
Lemon/ Citrus x ‘Improved Meyer’ mealy bugs, mites, and aphids; Rue is highly recommended as a
Lime/ Citrus aurantifolia ‘Bears Seedless’ companion for Figs
*Bowood Farms has found inspiration for this Gardening Tip Sheet from the Heartland Harvest Garden, Powell Gardens,
Kansas City, and the garden’s horticulturist, Alan Branhagan, who provided us with the list of Companion Plants currently
being used in this 12-acre edible landscape. We encourage you to visit and become inspired! http://powellgardens.org
www.bowoodfarms.com
This information may not be physically or electronically copied, printed or otherwise distributed
314/454-6868
without specific permission of Bowood Farms and Kathie Hoyer.
kh

3. BOWOOD FARM’S BEST BETS: FRUITS FOR YOUR HOME GARDEN
Pollinizers and other Information
Fruiting Plant Recommended Pollinizers Comments
Apple/ Malus
‘Granny Smith’ ‘Red Delicious’ ‘Red Rome Beauty’ ‘Golden Delicious’ Pick in early-November
‘September Wonder’ Fuji ‘Grand Gala’ ‘Granny Smith’ Pick in mid-September
‘Starkspur Arkansas Black’ ‘Red Delicious’ ‘Granny Smith’ ‘Jon-A-Red Jonathan’ Pick in October
Combo 4 on 1 Espalier Combo = ‘Gala’ ‘Red Fuji’ ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Red ‘Gala’ late August, ‘Red Fuji’ late
Delicious’ so they will cross-pollinate October, ‘Delicious’ late September
Pear/ Pyrus pyrifolia
‘Shinseiki’ Partially self-fruitful in warmer climates Pick in late August
‘Barlett’ Needs another pear for cross-pollination Pick in late August
Combo 4 on 1 Espalier Combo = ‘Comice’ ‘Anjou’ ‘Bartlett’ and ‘Red Bartlett’ ‘Comice’ early October, ‘Anjou’ late
so they will cross-pollinate September, ‘Bartlett’ &‘Red Bartlett’
late August
Peach/ Prunus persica Carolina Belle is dwarf, freestone,
‘Carolina Belle’ Peaches are self-fruitful and don’t need another peach white fruit, pick in mid-August,
‘Bonfire’ tree to bear fruit Bonfire is natural dwarf, small fruit
Chinese Apricot/
Prunus armeniaca Apricots are self-fruitful and don’t need another apricot Semi-dwarf; medium-sized, sweet
‘Chinese’ tree to bear fruit fruit; very cold hardy
Plum/ Prunus domestica
This European plum is self-fruitful Mid-to-late season, free-stone
‘Italian Prune’
Cherry/ Prunus cerasus Semi-dwarf, dark-red/yellow sweet
‘Blackgold’ ‘Whitegold’ Unlike most sweet cherries, these are self-fruitful cherries that ripen mid-June
‘North Star’ All sour (pie) cherries are self-fruitful Tart cherry that ripens mid-June
Regular pruning is essential for fruit
Grape/ Vitis labrusca
production: remove all suckers from
‘Eastern Concord’ ‘Suffolk’ Grapes are self-pollinating and cross-pollination is not
the base of leaves after the end of
‘Mars’ ‘Lakemont’ essential. Some hybrids may have non-viable pollen so 2
June; remove ends of canes 2 -3
Vitis vinifera or more varieties would be recommended
leaves past the last fruit cluster;
‘Purpurea’
remove all non-producing canes
Strawberry/ Fragaria Strawberries are self-pollinating. Cross-pollination Guardian is June-bearing
‘Guardian’ produces stronger plants so planting more than one plant Ozark Beauty is ever-bearing – early
‘Ozark Beauty’ is recommended season until frost
Ripening varies depending on cultivar
Raspberry/ Rubus
so plant several varieties to have
‘Canby Red’ ‘Heritage’
Raspberries are self-pollinating raspberries from June to September;
‘Caroline’ ‘Fall Gold’
Raspberries need well-drained soil
‘Cumberland’
and space to expand
These are thornless varieties – much
Blackberry/ Rubus fruticosus
Blackberries are self-pollinating easier to pick and eat! Ripen in late
‘Triple Crown’ ‘Chester’
July to early August
Blueberries do not require cross pollination but bigger
Blueberry/ Vaccinium berries and higher yield will result from cross pollination Soil pH must be between 4.0 – 5.5;
‘Blueray’ ‘Patriot’ ‘Northblue’ so planting at least 2 different cultivars is recommended; Keep well-watered and well-mulched
‘North Sky’ ‘Top Hat’ ‘Blueray’ is the premier pollinator for other highbush to preserve moisture
blueberries
Tropical Fruiting Plants Available at Bowood Farms Comments
Fig/ Ficus: ‘Brown Turkey’ ‘Peter’s Honey’ ‘Kadota’ ‘Mission’
Pomegranate/ Granatum ‘Granatum Nana’ ‘Wonderful’
Figs, Pomegranates, and all Citrus are self-pollinating
Lemon/ Citrus x ‘Improved Meyer’
Lime/ Citrus aurantifolia ‘Bears Seedless’
www.bowoodfarms.com
314/454-6868
kh