I’ve been prepping since before it was cool. Long before reality shows and survival YouTubers with million-dollar bunkers, I was squirreling away supplies, learning to start fires in the rain, and convincing my wife that yes, we really did need another solar battery charger. And for the most part, I felt ready. I had food, […]
The post A Prepper’s Worst Nightmare appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
Have you ever made hot cross buns? These are so easy to make and perfect for your Easter weekend meal. They are typically served on Good Friday, but we make them on Easter Sunday. I love having traditions; this is one of my favorite dinner roll recipes.
When my girls were growing up, Easter Sunday was special for Easter dresses, cute hats, and little white gloves. So, when I was blessed with granddaughters, I did the same thing for them. We would talk about the meaning of Easter and enjoy a special homemade dinner to celebrate as a family.
I don’t usually discuss anything religious or political on my website, but I want to share this special recipe today. Hot Cross Buns are dinner rolls made with the same ingredients as regular rolls, but you add cinnamon, vanilla extract, and Zante Currants. Then, they are glazed with apricot jam and topped with frosting crosses.
Gather your ingredients so you’re ready to make the hot cross buns.
Mix and knead the dough for about ten minutes using a mixer. I’m using my Zojirushi bread mixer today. I added water, cinnamon, and sugar to the mixing bowl.”
Then I added the yeast, dry milk, vanilla, and salt.
After that, I added the flour, shut the lid, and followed the instructions below. It kneaded the dough and let it rise. Although I could have, I didn’t bake in it.
Add the dried currants to the dough. Let the dough rise, covered with buttered plastic wrap.
This happens when you forget to add the Zante Currants to the dough before letting it rise. No worries; I mixed it in. Roll the dough out, then roll it up again to slice it into 12 sections.
Roll or mold the rolls so the rough edges are folded under and the tops are smooth.
Let them rise with buttered plastic wrap on top until double in size.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Remove the plastic wrap when the rolls have doubled in size. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked through.
Mix the apricot jam and powdered sugar while the hot cross buns bake. While they are warm, glaze them with a pastry brush.
When they cool, use a tube of white frosting gel to make the “crosses” on top of the buns. I wish you could smell my house; it smells so good! Enjoy.
We store them in a Tupperware-type container or in a baggie on the countertop.
Yes, they can be frozen after baking and then thawed on the countertop the night before. I would glaze them at this time and make the “cross” on top, if desired.
I quote Wikipedia: “In 1592, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, the London Clerk of Markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of hot cross buns and other spiced bread, except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas. The punishment for transgressing the decree was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the some people.”
They are called Easter Buns. Bakeries will start selling Easter Buns or Hot Cross Buns a few weeks before Easter.
I quote Wikipedia: “The bun marks the end of the Christian season of Lent, and different parts of the hot cross bun have a certain meaning, including the cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him at his burial. It may also include orange peel to reflect the bitterness of his time on the Cross.”
They are typically a yeasted bread recipe filled with spices and fruits such as raisins, currants, or other candied fruits. They usually have a glaze drizzled on them, and a white cross representing the crucifix is decorated on top. Some people use bread dough to make the cross or a tube of frosting, like I used today.
Dried currants are called Zante Currants, or in other words, very tiny dried grapes. They are seedless grapes that take up to three weeks to dry properly. They taste just like raisins because they are raisins, but they are about half the size.
I hope you try making my hot cross bun recipe, whether you put the cross on them or not. It’s another recipe to teach our kids and grandkids how to cook from scratch. May God bless this world, Linda
The post Hot Cross Buns appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
Prepping doesn’t have to be expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, you can still build a solid emergency food stockpile by spending as little as $20 a month. The
The post Prepping on a Ramen Budget: How to Stockpile Food for Under $20 a Month first appeared on Apartment Prepper.
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
I'm always shocked at how many new gardeners don’t know about companion planting. It's one of the first things you learn when starting a garden.
For those who don't know, companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together so they can help each other thrive. It's also important to keep certain plants apart so they don’t hurt each other.
If you want your plants to grow faster, stronger, and produce more, this is a game-changing strategy. And if you’ve been struggling with disappointing yields or mystery pest problems, it might be because you’ve accidentally placed bad companions side by side.
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Some plants form little garden alliances. Others? Not so much. Here's why some plants make great neighbors—and why others don't:
Below, we’ve listed 40 of the most common vegetables, herbs, and fruits that gardeners like to grow—along with the best and worst companions for each. We've carefully chosen only the companions that have active, proven benefits or harm, not just plants that happen to tolerate each other.
We left out the following four plants, even though they’re technically edible, because they don’t pair well with anything and will actually harm most other plants they’re grown near:
These are best grown on their own, far away from everything else. We explain why in more detail at the bottom of the article.
| Plant | Best Companions: | Worst Companions: |
|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Basil, Comfrey, Marigolds, Parsley, Tomatoes | Beets, Garlic, Onions, Potatoes |
| Basil | Chives, Lettuce, Oregano, Marigolds Peppers, Tomatoes | Cucumber, Rue |
| Beets | Bush Beans, Catnip, Garlic, Lettuce, Onions | Mustard Greens, Pole Beans |
| Broccoli | Bush Beans, Carrots, Chives, Dill, Garlic, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Onion, Rosemary, Sage, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Thyme | Peppers, Pole Beans, Squash, Strawberry, Tomatoes |
| Bush Beans | Carrots, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Radishes, Savory, Swiss Chard, Strawberries | Chives, French Marigolds, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Peppers, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
| Cabbage | Celery, Chamomile, Dill, Garlic, Nasturtiums, Onions, Sage, Thyme | Eggplant, Grapes, Peppers, Pole Beans, Strawberries, Tomatoes |
| Carrots | Chives, Leeks, Lettuce, Onion, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage | Bush Beans, Celery, Cilantro, Dill, Parsnips, Pole Beans, Tomatoes |
| Cauliflower | Beans, Carrots, Chives, Cucumber, Dill, Garlic, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Onion, Rosemary, Sage, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Thyme | Corn, Peppers, Squash, Strawberry, Tomatoes |
| Chives | Carrots, Parsley, Tomatoes | Asparagus, Beans, Peas, Strawberries |
| Cilantro | Basil, Lettuce, Sage, Spinach, Thyme, Tomatoes | Carrots, Dill |
| Corn | Dill, Melons, Parsley, Pole Beans, Squash | Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Celery, Eggplant, Tomatoes |
| Cucumber | Bush Beans, Corn, Dill, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Onion | Melons, Pole Beans, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Sage, Rosemary |
| Dill | Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumber, Lettuce, Onion | Carrots, Cilantro, Peppers, Tomatoes |
| French Marigolds | Carrots, Melons, Peppers, Tomatoes | Bush Beans, Peas, Pole Beans |
| Garlic | Broccoli, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Strawberry, Tomatoes | Asparagus, Bush Beans, Peas, Pole Beans |
| Green Beans (Bush) | Beets, Carrots, Corn, Swiss Chard, Radishes | Chives, French Marigolds, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Peppers, Tomatoes |
| Green Beans (Pole) | Celery, Corn, Lettuce, Radishes, Savory, Squash | Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chives, Garlic, Leeks, Marigolds, Peppers, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
| Leeks | Beets, Carrots, Celery, Onion, Spinach | Bush Beans, Peas, Pole Beans, Turnips |
| Lettuce | Carrots, Cucumber, Dill, Garlic, Onion, Spinach, Strawberry, Tomatoes | Parsley |
| Marigold (Not French) | Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Melons, Peppers, Tomatoes | – |
| Melons | Corn, Marigold, Nasturtium | Cabbage, Cucumbers, Kale, Potatoes, Squash |
| Nasturtium | Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Melons, Tomatoes | – |
| Onions | Carrots, Lettuce, Radishes, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes | Asparagus, Beans |
| Oregano | Basil, Marjoram, Peppers | – |
| Parsley | Asparagus, Carrots, Chives, Onion, Tomatoes | Lettuce |
| Peas | Carrots, Corn, Cucumber, Radishes, Spinach | Chives, Garlic, Leeks, Onion, Pole Beans |
| Peppers | Basil, Carrots, Oregano, Rosemary, Swiss Chard | Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale |
| Pole Beans | Corn, Marjoram, Radishes, Squash | Broccoli, Cauliflower, Chives, French Marigolds, Garlic, Kale, Leeks, Onions, Peppers, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
| Potatoes | Bush Beans, Catnip, Cilantro, Horseradish, Marigolds, Nasturtiums | Asparagus, Carrots, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Peppers, Pumpkins, Squash, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
| Rosemary | Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower | Basil, Cilantro, Parsley |
| Sage | Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Kale | Basil, Cilantro, Cucumber, Rue |
| Spinach | Broccoli, Cauliflower, Leeks, Lettuce, Peas, Radishes, Strawberries | Cilantro, Corn, Melons, Potatoes, Sunflowers |
| Strawberry | Bush Beans, Garlic, Lettuce, Onion, Spinach, Thyme | Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Peppers, Pole Beans, Tomatoes |
| Summer Squash (+ Zucchini) | Borage, Bush Beans, Corn, Dill, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Radishes, Yarrow | Cucumbers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
| Sunflower | – | Beans, Cabbage, Kale, Peas, Potatoes |
| Sweet Potatoes | Bush Beans, Dill, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Thyme, Yarrow | Corn, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Squash, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
| Swiss Chard | Beans, Onion, Peppers | Corn, Potatoes, Spinach |
| Thyme | Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Strawberries | Basil, Celery, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Parsley |
| Tomatoes | Basil, Chives, Garlic, Lettuce, Marigold, Nasturtium, Onion, Parsley, Peppers | Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Corn, Dill |
| Winter Squash (+ Pumpkin) | Borage, Corn, Dill, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Pole Beans, Radishes, Yarrow | Cucumbers, Melons, Potatoes, Sunflowers, Tomatoes |
Let’s break down the good and bad companions for each plant and explain why they work—or clash.
Good companions: Asparagus thrives with fragrant herbs like basil and parsley, which help repel pests such as asparagus beetles. Marigolds also provide pest control, while tomatoes and comfrey enhance the overall ecosystem by improving soil health and offering natural insect deterrents.
Bad companions: Avoid planting asparagus near beets, garlic, onions, or potatoes. These plants compete for underground space and nutrients, which can stress asparagus roots and reduce vigor over time.
Good companions: Basil is famous for improving the flavor and growth of tomatoes and peppers. It also works well with oregano, chives, and marigolds, all of which help deter pests like aphids and whiteflies. Lettuce also enjoys the partial shade basil provides in hot weather.
Bad companions: Keep basil away from cucumbers and rue. Cucumbers can compete for water and grow too aggressively, while rue can chemically inhibit basil’s development.
Good companions: Beets pair well with bush beans, which add nitrogen to the soil. Garlic and onions repel beet pests, while catnip helps deter flea beetles. Lettuce makes a great low-growing companion that doesn’t compete for root space.
Bad companions: Avoid planting beets near mustard greens and pole beans. Mustard can suppress beet germination, and pole beans may chemically inhibit beet development.
Good companions: Broccoli benefits from pest-repelling herbs like dill, rosemary, and thyme, which keep cabbage moths and aphids at bay. Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and Swiss chard make good neighbors, and bush beans help enrich the soil.
Bad companions: Steer clear of planting broccoli near tomatoes, peppers, squash, strawberries, or pole beans. These plants either attract similar pests or compete for nutrients, making broccoli more vulnerable.
Good companions: Bush beans thrive alongside carrots, corn, cucumbers, radishes, and Swiss chard. These plants don’t compete for space and benefit from the nitrogen beans add to the soil. Savory is also a great herb to repel bean beetles.
Bad companions: Avoid planting bush beans near alliums like garlic, onions, leeks, and chives, which can inhibit nitrogen fixation. They also don’t get along with French marigolds, peppers, sunflowers, or tomatoes due to competition and pest overlap.
Good companions: Cabbage thrives when planted with aromatic herbs like dill, thyme, sage, and chamomile, which repel cabbage moths and aphids. It also benefits from celery, onions, garlic, and nasturtiums, which help deter pests and improve the microclimate around the cabbage.
Bad companions: Avoid growing cabbage near eggplant, grapes, peppers, pole beans, strawberries, or tomatoes. These plants either attract pests that plague cabbage or compete heavily for nutrients and water.
Good companions: Carrots grow well with alliums like chives, onions, and leeks, which help repel the dreaded carrot fly. Parsley, rosemary, and sage are also helpful for masking the scent of carrots, making them less attractive to pests. Lettuce is a low-growing, non-competitive neighbor.
Bad companions: Keep carrots away from bush and pole beans, which can inhibit their development. Also avoid celery, dill, cilantro, parsnips, and tomatoes, which either attract shared pests or compete in the same root zone.
Good companions: Cauliflower loves the company of pest-repelling herbs like dill, chives, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard, along with carrots and lettuce, make great underplantings that won’t compete for space. Beans help boost soil fertility.
Bad companions: Avoid corn, peppers, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes near cauliflower, as they compete for nutrients or attract harmful pests like aphids and beetles.
Good companions: Chives are excellent at repelling aphids and other pests, making them ideal companions for carrots, parsley, and tomatoes. They also help improve flavor and deter fungal issues in the garden.
Bad companions: Don’t plant chives near asparagus, beans, peas, or strawberries. They can disrupt beneficial soil bacteria (especially in legumes) and may stunt growth if overcrowded.
Good companions: Cilantro grows well with lettuce, spinach, thyme, basil, sage, and tomatoes. These herbs and greens enjoy similar conditions and benefit from cilantro’s ability to attract beneficial insects like hoverflies.
Bad companions: Avoid planting cilantro near carrots and dill. These relatives compete for similar space, attract the same pests, and risk cross-pollination or bolting issues.
Good companions: Corn shines in traditional “Three Sisters” planting with pole beans and squash. It also pairs well with dill, parsley, and melons, which benefit from its shade and structural support. These companions help attract beneficial insects and improve overall resilience.
Bad companions: Avoid brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and also celery, eggplant, and tomatoes. These plants compete with corn for nutrients and may share pests like corn earworms or aphids.
Good companions: Cucumbers benefit from nitrogen-fixing bush beans, and pest-repelling herbs like dill and onion. Lettuce and nasturtiums grow well nearby without competing, and corn can offer helpful partial shade if managed properly.
Bad companions: Steer clear of melons, pole beans, potatoes, pumpkins, rosemary, and sage. These plants either share diseases and pests or have different moisture and space needs that clash with cucumbers.
Good companions: Dill is a magnet for beneficial insects, making it an excellent partner for brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. It also grows well near corn, cucumbers, lettuce, and onions, helping control pests and attract pollinators.
Bad companions: Dill should not be planted near carrots or cilantro due to shared pests and cross-pollination risks. It also negatively affects peppers and tomatoes, especially when allowed to flower and mature.
Good companions: French marigolds are fantastic at repelling nematodes, aphids, and beetles, making them great companions for carrots, melons, peppers, and tomatoes. Their strong scent masks nearby plants from insect detection.
Bad companions: Avoid planting French marigolds near bush or pole beans and peas. Certain varieties release chemicals that can inhibit the growth of legumes, especially in close quarters.
Good companions: Garlic is a powerful pest deterrent, making it an excellent companion for tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and strawberries. It helps repel aphids, spider mites, and fungal diseases while thriving in similar growing conditions.
Bad companions: Avoid planting garlic near asparagus, bush beans, peas, and pole beans. Garlic can inhibit nitrogen-fixing bacteria in legumes and compete heavily for root space with asparagus.
Good companions: Bush beans grow well with root crops like beets, carrots, radishes, and shallow leafy greens like Swiss chard. These plants don’t compete and benefit from the nitrogen beans add to the soil.
Bad companions: Keep bush beans away from alliums such as garlic, onions, leeks, and chives, which can hinder nitrogen fixation. Also avoid French marigolds, peppers, and tomatoes due to competition and pest issues.
Good companions: Pole beans pair perfectly with corn and squash in the classic Three Sisters planting. They also benefit from radishes and savory, which help deter pests and enhance growth.
Bad companions: Avoid planting pole beans near brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and alliums like onions, garlic, and leeks. Also keep them away from marigolds, peppers, sunflowers, and tomatoes, which either compete or disrupt beneficial soil microbes.
Good companions: Leeks thrive with carrots, beets, celery, onion, and spinach. These companions don’t interfere with each other’s roots and benefit from leek’s pest-repelling abilities.
Bad companions: Don’t plant leeks near beans or peas (bush or pole), which conflict with leeks’ sulfuric compounds, or turnips, which compete heavily for space and resources.
Good companions: Lettuce pairs beautifully with carrots, onions, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and strawberries. These companions help deter pests and create a cool, moist microclimate perfect for lettuce.
Bad companions: Avoid parsley, which can grow aggressively, bolt early, and attract hoverflies that may shift to attacking nearby lettuce.
Good companions: Standard marigolds are excellent companions for broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, melons, peppers, and tomatoes. They repel many pests and improve garden biodiversity.
Bad companions: None—regular marigolds are safe to plant widely and don’t exhibit the growth-inhibiting effects of some French marigolds.
Good companions: Melons love being near corn, marigolds, and nasturtiums, which help attract pollinators and repel beetles and aphids. These companions also help manage the large, sprawling space melons require.
Bad companions: Avoid planting melons near cabbage, kale, potatoes, squash, or cucumbers. These either compete for space and nutrients or share pests and diseases that can spread quickly.
Good companions: Nasturtiums are fantastic trap crops that lure aphids and beetles away from broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, melons, and tomatoes. They also attract pollinators and thrive in tough conditions.
Bad companions: None—nasturtiums are non-invasive and beneficial to most plants, making them an all-around good neighbor in the garden.
Good companions: Onions do well with carrots, lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard, and tomatoes. Their strong smell deters pests like aphids and carrot flies, making them excellent border plants.
Bad companions: Avoid asparagus and all types of beans and peas, as onions interfere with their nitrogen-fixing ability and stunt their growth.
Good companions: Oregano is a low-maintenance herb that helps protect peppers, basil, and marjoram by repelling pests and improving overall garden resilience.
Bad companions: None—oregano is well-behaved in the garden and plays nicely with most herbs and vegetables.
Good companions: Parsley makes a great companion for asparagus, carrots, chives, onions, and tomatoes. It helps attract beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps, which prey on aphids and other soft-bodied pests.
Bad companions: Avoid planting parsley near lettuce. It can bolt early, grow aggressively, and crowd out tender lettuce plants, especially in small spaces.
Good companions: Peas thrive with carrots, corn, cucumbers, radishes, and spinach. These companions don’t compete for nutrients and benefit from the nitrogen peas add to the soil.
Bad companions: Avoid alliums like chives, garlic, leeks, and onions, which inhibit nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Pole beans are also a poor choice, as they compete for trellis space and light.
Good companions: Peppers benefit from being planted with basil, oregano, carrots, rosemary, and Swiss chard. These companions help repel pests, improve flavor, and share similar growing conditions.
Bad companions: Keep peppers away from beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. These plants compete for nutrients or attract overlapping pests that can stress out your pepper plants.
Good companions: Pole beans do great with corn, squash, radishes, and marjoram. These companions help complete the Three Sisters trio and create a well-balanced growing environment.
Bad companions: Avoid brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, as well as alliums and peppers. Also skip French marigolds, sunflowers, and tomatoes—these interfere with growth or compete heavily.
Good companions: Potatoes grow well with bush beans, catnip, cilantro, marigolds, horseradish, and nasturtiums. These companions help repel beetles and other pests while improving soil and pollinator activity.
Bad companions: Keep potatoes away from carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, pumpkins, squash, sunflowers, and tomatoes. These plants compete for nutrients, share pests, or increase the risk of disease.
Good companions: Rosemary is a great pest deterrent for carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. It thrives in dry soil and repels a variety of insects with its strong scent.
Bad companions: Avoid pairing rosemary with basil, cilantro, or parsley. These herbs prefer more moisture and richer soil, which clashes with rosemary’s dry, Mediterranean vibe.
Good companions: Sage thrives when planted near broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and kale. It helps deter cabbage moths and flea beetles with its aromatic oils.
Bad companions: Avoid planting sage near basil, cilantro, cucumber, or rue. These herbs either compete for different growing conditions or inhibit each other chemically.
Good companions: Spinach grows well with broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, peas, radishes, and strawberries. These companions help manage pests and don’t crowd spinach’s shallow roots.
Bad companions: Avoid cilantro, corn, melons, potatoes, and sunflowers. These plants either create too much shade, compete for nutrients, or increase pest pressure.
Good companions: Strawberries thrive with bush beans, garlic, lettuce, onions, spinach, and thyme. These companions help deter pests and improve soil structure while staying low to the ground.
Bad companions: Keep strawberries away from broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, pole beans, and tomatoes. These compete heavily for nutrients or bring diseases strawberries are susceptible to.
Good companions: Summer squash grows well with borage, bush beans, corn, dill, marigolds, nasturtiums, radishes, and yarrow. These companions attract pollinators, deter pests, and enrich the soil.
Bad companions: Avoid planting squash near cucumbers, potatoes, pumpkins, sunflowers, or tomatoes. They compete for space and attract many of the same pests and diseases.
Good companions: Sunflowers don’t have many true companions, but they can attract pollinators to the general area, which may benefit nearby flowering crops if spaced properly.
Bad companions: Avoid planting sunflowers near beans, cabbage, kale, peas, or potatoes. They are mildly allelopathic and compete for light, space, and nutrients, which can stunt the growth of nearby plants.
Good companions: Sweet potatoes thrive alongside bush beans, dill, marigolds, nasturtiums, thyme, and yarrow. These companions help deter pests like nematodes and beetles, attract pollinators, and create a healthy, pest-resistant environment.
Bad companions: Avoid planting sweet potatoes near corn, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, sunflowers, or tomatoes. These plants either sprawl into the same space, attract the same pests, or compete for key nutrients.
Good companions: Swiss chard grows well with beans, onions, and peppers. These plants don’t compete for root space and help keep pests away, especially when interplanted.
Bad companions: Keep Swiss chard away from corn, potatoes, and spinach. These can overshadow, compete for nutrients, or overcrowd its growing space.
Good companions: Thyme is an excellent pest-repelling herb for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, and strawberries. It helps deter worms, moths, and beetles with its strong scent.
Bad companions: Avoid planting thyme near basil, cilantro, parsley, celery, or cucumbers. These prefer wetter soil and more shade, which doesn’t mesh with thyme’s dry, sunny habitat.
Good companions: Tomatoes grow best with basil, chives, garlic, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, onions, parsley, and peppers. These companions deter pests, improve growth, and help manage fungal diseases.
Bad companions: Keep tomatoes away from beans, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, and dill. These plants either compete heavily, share pests, or disrupt tomato growth chemically.
Good companions: Winter squash pairs beautifully with borage, corn, dill, marigolds, nasturtiums, pole beans, radishes, and yarrow. These plants support pollination, deter harmful insects, and balance out the squash’s nutrient needs.
Bad companions: Avoid planting winter squash near cucumbers, melons, potatoes, sunflowers, or tomatoes. They attract similar pests, compete for sprawling space, or create too much shade.
Now you know just how powerful companion planting can be. It's not just garden folklore—it's backed by biology, chemistry, and centuries of observation. With this chart in hand, you can plan a thriving garden full of healthy herbs, bountiful veggies, and sweet fruits—all working together.
Print it. Bookmark it. Share it with your gardening friends. And most importantly: Use it. Happy growing!
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The post Companion Planting Chart & Guide: Best and Worst Companions appeared first on Homestead Survival Site.
Peanut butter is a vital ingredient to have at home. While you may have it sitting in the pantry without paying much attention to it, it can come in handy when you need something flavorful and full of protein.
Mark reminded me of a famous man, George Washington Carver, who was often called the “Peanut Man.” He grew up in the South and went from being enslaved to one who earned his doctorate and became well-known worldwide.
Although he is known for developing over 300 peanut plant products, he was also an inventor and helped the economically starved southern states through some tough times. You can learn about his peanut products by visiting the website of Tuskegee University.
Storing peanut butter is a must in my household. I like to stock up on it while it’s on sale and keep it in the pantry until I’m ready to use it. If you missed Harry’s comment, he puts his peanut butter jars in FoodSaver bags and seals them before placing them in the freezer. It extends the life of the jars, and they taste great.
There are a few good reasons to store it. If you’re unsure why you should have this kitchen staple at home, continue reading to learn more. In case you missed this post, here’s the link: The Best Peanut Butter Bar Recipe
When it’s not opened, you can keep your peanut butter in the pantry for nearly a year before opening it and using it. The shelf life isn’t as long when you open it, giving you about three months to finish using it. However, it’s still a longer shelf life compared to many other foods once they’ve been opened.
Peanut butter can stay fresh in an airtight container with a seal and lid attached. I know I can stock up on peanut butter, place it in the cabinet, and leave it there until we need to open a new one.
In my household, we run through peanut butter like nobody’s business because everyone enjoys it. But with just the two of us, we buy small jars, and I can’t eat rancid peanut butter.
While peanut butter tastes great, there is more to it than its great flavor. One thing you might like about peanut butter is that it’s an excellent source of protein. Getting protein from other sources, such as peanut butter, is essential if you don’t eat meat.
Even if you eat meat, you may still want to increase your protein intake by consuming peanut butter daily. With enough protein, you can feel energized throughout the day without relying solely on caffeine to keep you alert.
Although this post is about peanut butter, I wanted to add the picture above as a reminder that almond butter is a similar product with many uses and benefits, including beneficial nutrients galore. If you haven’t used it before, give it a try. You’ll find it’s a great addition to your pantry inventory.
Many people don’t realize that peanut butter contains antioxidants, which are good for the body. Consuming foods that contain antioxidants is good for your heart health. They can improve the condition of your heart and help prevent severe conditions, including heart attack and the development of heart disease.
While it’s good for the heart, the antioxidants in peanut butter may also prevent different forms of cancer from developing. Who knew that peanut butter could be so beneficial to your health?
Now that you know it’s an excellent source of protein and antioxidants, you may look forward to buying more of it.
Peanut butter comes in different variations, giving you plenty of opportunities to find your favorite. While the most straightforward options are creamy or crunchy, other versions contain white chocolate chips, cinnamon, and even raisins.
It’s easier to find impressive peanut butter varieties now than ever before. So, if you want peanut butter with a touch of honey or a cinnamon and raisin touch, you can find what you’re looking for at the grocery store or online.
Peanut butter is an excellent ingredient at home because you can do so much with it. It’s not uncommon for me to grab a spoonful and eat it just like that because it tastes fantastic, but that isn’t the only thing you can do with peanut butter when you want to eat it.
There are many ways to get creative with it, such as using it as an ingredient to add flavor, protein, antioxidants, and nutrients to your meal.
Peanut butter can be used to make all kinds of sandwiches. To prepare traditional peanut butter and jam or jelly sandwiches, spread peanut butter on one side of the bread and then add jam or jelly to the other.
However, peanut butter tastes excellent with other spreads, including marshmallow fluff, honey, or Nutella hazelnut. It all depends on what you like to eat with your peanut butter. Most importantly, you can switch it up and always make something new and different using peanut butter.
Spread peanut butter on crackers for a quick and delicious snack. Peanut butter goes great on all kinds of crackers, including buttery Ritz crackers, soda crackers, and even saltines. So, no matter what you have at home, you can spread your peanut butter on top and enjoy a quick, easy, and delicious meal.
Did you know that you can even make cookies with peanut butter? You can combine a tablespoon or two of peanut butter with flour, sugar, and other ingredients to prepare the most delicious peanut butter cookies you’ve ever tasted.
And if you don’t feel like baking cookies, you can prepare no-bake cookies using peanut butter, oats, chocolate, honey, and other ingredients. The no-bake cookies are an excellent source of protein, so you can eat them as a pick-me-up in the middle of the day when you need a bit of extra energy.
These aren’t the only things you can do with peanut butter. Some people like to spread it on English muffins, some want to use it for apple slices, and others like using it in some of their favorite baked goods, including banana bread with chocolate and peanut butter. You can find hundreds of recipes containing peanut butter as an essential ingredient.
Ray reminded me about using peanut butter to catch mice and rats. How did I forget that one?!?! Mouse Traps, UltaSonic Plugins, and Rat Traps.
Here’s the deal: Peanuts and most nuts are oily and will become rancid very quickly if they sit on your pantry shelf. This is why I always recommend storing nuts of any kind in your freezer. Therefore, I recommend looking at the brand of peanut butter or almond butter you purchase and looking at the “best if used by this date.”
Now, this doesn’t mean you will need to toss that jar in the trash the next day —of course, it doesn’t. But a year later, I would question the quality of the peanut butter. If the jars are open, I would eat the product within 2-3 months. Almond butter will depend on the brand.
In my household, peanut butter is a staple. None of us have an allergic reaction to peanut butter, so we eat it as often as possible. Not only is it nutritious, but it’s also a great source of protein that is easy to use to make different meals.
If you’re not storing peanut butter, you should consider it. You can buy peanut butter containers on sale to save money and keep them in your pantry until you’re ready to use them. Just check the dates. May God bless this world, Linda
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