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The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting by Josie Jeffery

Source: Blogging for Books
Hardcover, 104 pages
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The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting by Josie Jeffery is a reference guide that not only helps first-time gardeners understand the principals of companion planting, but also explains basic botany.  Included in the guide is information about the parts of plants — to help pair certain plants together in the most beneficial way — and soil elements so that gardeners know to test their soil and ensure the right nutrients are available for flowering and vegetable plants.  At the very beginning is an explanation on how to use the directory section of the book that helps gardeners pair their plants effectively.  However, this explanation would have been better served right before the directory to keep all of that information in one place and after all of the explanations and background on companion planting.

While planting season has for the most part already started in the Washington, D.C., area, this guide will come in handy for next season.  The information about composting and rainwater use were very insightful, and some of the companion plants talked about were new to me.  Marigolds are one plant that makes a good companion because bugs tend to stay away from plants in the same area.  The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting by Josie Jeffery is more than just a guide to companion planting.  It offers beginners some background information on the basics and provides some innovative ideas to recycle products that are no longer being used, including hanging CDs in the garden to scare away birds and using cans around seedlings to keep out pests.

40th book for 2014 New Author Challenge.

Comments

  1. I hope you’ll give us an update next year to let us know if the book was actually helpful.

  2. I’ve never even heard of companion planting so I’d need a book like this if I ever decided to try it.

  3. For me, gardening books are like dieting books – full of good ideas, but I can’t make any of them work! :–)

    • I will be trying this out next year, since this came too late for this year’s planting season. I am open to trying new things because I’ve only started doing my own veggie garden. And I know we have rabbits, birds, and squirrels in the garden.