Chef’s garden

Discover the world of companion planting, edible flowers and how to make your own yummy fruit ‘leathers’

Companion planting revolves around the idea that certain plants can benefit nearby crops, usually by detering pests or offering themselves as a sacrifical alternative. Strongly fragrant leaves (eg alliums, sage and mint) are a good distraction, helping to divert a pest attack. It’s generally agreed that growing a single crop as a monoculture makes those plants an easy target for pests. Instead, aim to grow fewer plants of multiple crops. This not only adds variety to your veg patch, but also, hopefully, disrupts and confuses crop-specific pests and you’ll still get a decent harvest even if one of those crops is damaged. Companion planting has other benefits too, such as attracting beneficial insects (such as hoverflies, ladybirds and lacewings) that feed on pests, or luring pollinators in to help improve fruit set. Sow a few phacelia, borage or buckwheat plants among your crops and they’ll look pretty and act as pollinator magnets.

Other good companions include:

• Tomatoes with borage or tagetes (marigolds)

• Runner beans with nasturtiums

• Leeks with lavender or carrots

• Carrots with mint or chives

• Cabbages with sage or mint

• Calendula with beans