Find your Vegetable Garden's Besties!

Vegetable Garden's and their best companions!

Welcome back, you Naughty Dog renegades! (better name for you lovely people?... ill keep thinking) It’s time to get your hands dirty and your garden sassier than a terrier chasing a rat. We’re spilling the beans on companion planting (aka your vegetable garden's BFFs), which crops love a shady nook, and how to sneak shade-lovers into your garden if you’re short on shadows. Forget those store-bought veggies that taste like they’ve been on a cross-country road trip in a sweaty gym bag—limp, flavorless, and about as nutritious as a cardboard sandwich. Now that we've discussed how easy it is to start your garden, and a few reasons why store bought it not the way to go.. let’s grow a garden that’s tastier than a farm-fresh feast and more fun than a room full of puppies! (ok probably not more fun than a room full of puppies... but you get the idea)

Companion Planting: Vegetable Garden Besties or, Speed Dating for the Win

Companion planting is like playing matchmaker for your veggies—get the pairings right, and your garden’s buzzing with happy plants. Get it wrong, and it’s like inviting drama llamas to a plant party. Here's a quick guide to those matches made in garden heaven:

• Tomatoes and Basil: These two are the garden’s ultimate power couple. Basil shoos away pests like aphids and whiteflies with its spicy attitude, while tomatoes offer just enough shade to keep basil’s delicate leaves happy. Plant basil around the base of your tomato plants for a match made in Caprese heaven. Bonus: you’re one harvest away from a salad that’ll make store-bought tomatoes cry in shame.

  
  

• Carrots and Onions: This duo’s like the buddy-cop flick of the veggie world. Onions scare off carrot flies with their pungent vibes, while carrots loosen the soil for onion roots. Plant them in alternating rows like they’re holding hands, and they’ll fend off pests like a well-oiled team. Your carrots will be crisp and sweet, not like those store-bought wannabes that taste like sadness.

  
  

• Cucumbers and Dill: Cucumbers and dill are a match made for pickle lovers. Dill attracts pollinators like bees, ensuring your cukes get the love they need to fruit. Plant dill near your cucumber vines, and it’s like throwing a pollination party where cucumbers are the VIPs. The result? Crunchy cukes that make store-bought ones taste like soggy regret.

  
  

• Marigolds, the Garden’s Wingman: Scatter marigolds everywhere—they’re like the sassy friend who keeps pests like nematodes and aphids in check with their fiery scent. Tuck them around your veggie beds for a pop of color and pest protection that says, “This garden’s got swagger.”

  
  

Pairings to Avoid: Don’t plant potatoes near tomatoes—they’re like feuding reality TV stars who’ll spread diseases faster than gossip. Same goes for beans and onions; they’ll bicker over nutrients and leave you with a pathetic harvest. Keep the peace by giving these drama queens their own space.

Shade-Loving Veggies: The Cool Kids of the Garden

Some veggies thrive in partial shade (4-6 hours of sun) like they were born for moody skies. These shade-tolerant crops are perfect for those dim corners under trees or next to your shed where the sun only peeks in like a nosy neighbor. No shady spots? No problem—we’ll sneak them in between taller plants for some DIY shade.

• Lettuce: This leafy diva loves a shady nook, especially in the PNW’s warmer summer moments. It stays crisp and sweet in partial shade, unlike the bitter, bolting mess it becomes in full sun. No shade? Plant lettuce under taller crops like tomatoes or pole beans—their leaves act like a natural umbrella, keeping lettuce cool and happy. Say goodbye to store-bought greens that taste like they’ve given up on life.

  
  

• Spinach: Spinach is the garden’s shy poet, thriving in partial shade with tender leaves that make supermarket bags look like a scam. Tuck it under corn stalks or trellised peas for a shady hideout. It’s perfect for spring or fall planting when the PNW’s cool vibes are in full swing, giving you nutrient-packed greens that laugh at store-bought imposters.

  
  

• Kale: Kale’s the superhero of the veggie world, shrugging off shade and rain like a boss. It’ll keep producing even when slugs are plotting their takeover. No shady corner? Plant kale between sun-loving zucchini or cucumbers—their broad leaves provide just enough cover to keep kale from getting cranky. Your salads will be so flavorful, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with store-bought kale.

  
  

• Radishes: These spicy little firecrackers grow fast and don’t mind a shady spot. They’re perfect for tucking between taller plants like peppers or eggplants, where they’ll soak up just enough filtered light to produce crisp, peppery roots. Unlike those store-bought radishes that taste like wet cardboard, these will add a zesty kick to your dishes.

  
  

Naughty Dog Farm Tips for a Sassy Veggie Patch

• Soil Prep: Our soil can be pickier than a chihuahua sniffing out treats. Mix in compost or aged manure to keep it rich and well-draining. Your veggies will reward you with flavors that make store-bought produce taste like a bad joke.

  
  

• Timing: Spring and fall are your planting sweet spots—cool-weather crops like lettuce and kale love the PNW’s chilly seasons. For summer crops like tomatoes, start seeds indoors in March to get them ready to thrive.

  
  

• Pest Patrol: Slugs, grasshopppers and birds are some of our lovely uninvited guests. Set up beer traps (yep, slugs can’t resist a cheap brew) or sprinkle diatomaceous earth to keep them from munching your greens. add some bird netting and maybe a scarecrow or 2 to be your garden bouncers, keeping those pests at bay.

  
  

• Sneaky Shade Tricks: If your garden’s all sun and no shade, use taller plants like corn, or trellised beans as living parasols for shade-lovers like lettuce and spinach. It’s like giving your crops a VIP lounge to chill in.

  
  

So, Naughty Dog Farm troublemakers, grab your trowels and start planting! With these veggie BFFs and shade-loving superstars, your Pacific Northwest garden will be sassier than a dog stealing your socks. Tuck those shade-tolerant crops between taller plants if you’re short on shadows, and watch your harvest explode with flavors that make store-bought veggies run and hide. Let’s make your garden the tastiest, most mischievous spot in town! Let us know if you have any questions or some of your own tips to add to the naughty dog archives!