Irish Soda Bread

I got this one from link below, sure want to try this in a Dutch Oven over an open fire.    With some gravy and ribs, sounds awesome.

 http://www.paratusfamiliablog.com/2013/03/quintessential-survival-bread.html

 Easy Bread

At its core, survival depends upon efficient, simple and effective methods for dealing with the necessities of daily life.  Food is no exception.  Although you can store yeast (for finite periods of time), make yeast from a starter and even cultivate new yeast, there are times when making yeast bread is too time consuming or altogether impractical.  Enter the quintessential survival bread - Irish Soda Bread.  This bread requires nothing but the most basic of pantry essentials - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar and buttermilk (easily made with powdered milk and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar), making it tremendously practical as well as delicious.  One of its strongest attributes is that it requires absolutely no fat in the form of butter, shortening, lard or oil!  How's that for survivability?

Soda bread is really nothing but a glorified biscuit in bread form, however, being in bread form renders it infinitely flexible.  It is extraordinarily quick, requiring almost no kneading, rolling or even cutting into shapes.  It bakes in cast iron, so no special cookware is required and it lends itself to wood cook stove cooking admirably.  Because Soda bread requires no yeast, it is the perfect starting point for the inexperienced cook and the experienced baker will appreciate its no-fuss approach to bread-making.  It is also the perfect answer to hearty bread in minutes rather than hours.  Soda bread is equally comfortable sopping up gravy drippings as it is being smothered in jam or honey.  Basically, soda bread is one versatile bread.

This bread is really good warm, however, once cold, you can slice it thinly and make sandwiches with ease.  Grilled Cheese on Soda bread is the perfect rainy Sunday afternoon repast, especially if you add a hot cup of tea!

In survival situations, sometimes the right answer is the quick answer.  And that is where Irish Soda Bread comes into its own....

Irish Soda Bread
4 C flour (white, wheat or a combination)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 T sugar
2 C buttermilk (preferably room temperature)

Preheat oven to 375°

Sift (or not) the flour, soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.  Add sugar.  Stir with a fork.  Add buttermilk (I use regular milk with a bit (splash) of lemon juice or vinegar added or even powdered milk mixed with warm water and a little vinegar or lemon juice) and stir until it forms a ball.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes (do not knead for more than 2 minutes - it will make the bread tough).

Form dough into a ball and place in a well-buttered 8" cast iron skillet (if you don't have cast iron, you can use a cake or pie pan).  Press down slightly and cut a cross in the top of the loaf.

Bake at 375° (or a medium/hot wood cook stove oven) for 35-40 minutes. (This bread does not require time to rise).

Just kneaded

In a well-buttered 8" skillet

Cross cut on top

Just out of the oven

Slice any way you like

____________________________________________

And this, my friends, is the Quintessential Survival Bread.

Spaceweather Good Links

Space Weather User Picture Links Amazing!

And here is where I stole the tag line "Eyes Open, No Fear"
You'll have to search through the related videos on the right to find the current day outlook.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU_uOI1LjqM&list=UUTiL1q9YbrVam5nP2xzFTWQ&index=1

Prepper Quiz

I like this basic knowledge stuff, like 100 years ago you or someone in your family would just know this stuff.

 

http://www.prepper-resources.com/prepper-quiz-3-test-your-knowledge/

 

Prepper Quiz #3, Test your knowledge!

Prepper Quizzes

by PJ

It’s been a while since I have taken the time to put up a quiz, at least since last fall.  Have fun racking your brain coming up with answers for the following questions.  Let me know if you get them all correct!

Prepper-Resources.com Quiz #3

1.  One Troy ounce = _____ ounces.
2. Name 2 plants that can be sown indoors during this month (March), prior to moving them to an outdoor garden.
3. When dry salting meat for preservation, for every 100lbs of meat ___ to ___ lbs of salt should be weighed out.
4. The continuing presence of bacteria in a well, new or old, after the well has been chlorinated and flushed, is an indication that _____.
5. One should heat water to _____ degrees Fahrenheit for _____ minutes in order to kill all microorganisms.
6. When cooking outside it is optimal to locate your fire ___ to ___ yards downwind from your shelter (tent).
7. Each click on the bezel ring of a compass represents how many degrees?
8. Most 4×4′s can be driven into water that is _____ without taking special precautions.  Beyond that two major concerns would be water getting into the _____ and _____.
9. You have MREs in your food storage stash.  Each MRE provides an average of _____ calories.
10. A person weighing 160 lbs will burn _____ calories in 1 hour by jogging at 5mph.  You have to burn _____ calories MORE than you take in to lose 1 lb of fat.
Bonus. Something is wrong with your furnace and you need to call a repairman.  There is only one problem, all of your Preps are in the basement and you are worried about tipping off the repairman as to your motives.  There is simply too much stuff in your basement to move out and you need to get your furnace fixed.  What should you do?

*****

 Answers

1. 1.09714286 ounces
2. Several answers: Broccoli, Cabbage, Eggplants, Lettuce
3. 10 to 15
4. Surface water is somehow entering the well.
5. 160 degrees F for 30 minutes
6. 30 to 40 yards from your tent, you don’t want animals sniffing around.
7. 3 degrees.
8. Axle deep.  Air intake, Engine computer.
9. 1250 Calories.
10. 606, 3500 calories.
Bonus Answer:  You might be thinking that you should cover everything with sheets, but that would be even more suspicious.  I would definitely remove/secure any weapons or loose ammunition but for the most part just leave everything as is.  Go down there with the repairman if it makes you feel better and if he asks you about the supplies (he probably won’t) just be honest about it but shrug it off as no big deal.  ”Yea man, you know how it is.  My wife is crazy so she has me preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse.”  Most likely he won’t even care what you have down there, remember this is a guy who goes to multiple homes every day and has no doubt seen quite a few strange things.  If you are worried about the furnace repairman taking notes on what homes to come back and loot should T-SHTF, you’d better believe the UPS and FEDEX people who delivered all that stuff have you marked on their hit list as well.

Body Armor

From The Gun Tutor Safety, Security, Sport I’ve been reading a lot about National Institute of Justice (NIJ) tested body armor. As a security guard, I don’t face a lot of high risk threats, though I work in areas where weapons are not unheard of, and where threats can emerge at a moment’s notice. The reality is that on most days you won’t need the vest, but on a day that you do, you really really do. I have also worked bail enforcement, and if I return to bail work I most certainly want to wear a vest while on the job. For these reasons I have been thinking a lot about getting a vest to wear while on shift. Choosing body armor can be a daunting task. There are a lot of companies out there offering body armor that describes itself as meeting the NIJ standards, however, when you get down to the details, many of these manufacturers do not offer gear that has been tested and certified by the NIJ. Most of the manufacturers offering vests at “discount” rates have simply bypassed testing and certification. The NIJ tests vests at several levels: 1. Type IIA is tested against and must stop 124 grain 9mm FMJ ammunition at 1225 ft/s ± 30 ft/s and 180 grain .40 caliber rounds at 1155 ft/s ± 30 ft/s. 2. Type II is tested against and must stop 124 grain 9mm ammunition fired at 1305 ft/s ± 30 ft/s and . 357 Magnum 158 grain Jacketed Soft point bullets fired at 1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s. 3. Type IIIA is tested against and must stop .357 SIG 125 grain flat nose bullets moving at 1470 ft/s ± 30 ft/s and 240 grain semi-jacketed hollowpoint .44 Magnum rounds moving at1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s . 4. Type III is getting into plate ammunition, although there is flexible type III that is manufactured, which is a little different than the standard soft armor typically considered a bullet proof vest. These plates are tested against and must stop military grade M80 7.62 rifle rounds. 5. Type IV is tested against, and must stop, armor piercing rounds. Steps you can take to select quality body armor: 1. Go online to the NIJ website to find manufacturers that have been tested https://www.justnet.org/other/ballistic_cpl.html 2. Visit the manufacturer sites and find distributors. 3. Contact distributor sales reps to determine what documentation you must provide to purchase. In most states it is legal for civilians to purchase body armor, however, some manufacturers only supply police and military clients for liability reasons. 4. Measure yourself according to the manufacturer or distributor guidelines. 5. Place your order. Some manufacturers, to reduce the cost of production, test at an independent lab. These tests can prove gear is equivalent to NIJ certified manufacturers, but you are also at the mercy of the lab. Are the distances, loads and projectile speed consistent with the standard? Where numerous tests conducted, or was only one panel tested? Does testing follow all NIJ guidelines such as the proper backing material for testing? To see the full standard published by the NIJ, download the PDF here http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/223054.pdf Another option for security guard or civilian purchase is to buy refurbished police body armor. Departments buy new vests every five years after the warranty has expired. Manufacturers can rework these vests, fixing defects and providing additional years of use. Though not, new, these vests can be a good option to increase safety at reduced cost, especially if your security job is limited in pay and benefits. If you see advertising for low cost body armor that presses you to “buy now” to get in on a special offer, take a look to see who the manufacturer is and how the vest has been tested. When stepping forward to protect others, whether you are acting as a civilian to guard your family at risk from a home invasion or as a security or law enforcement officer stepping forward to stop crimes against the community, protecting your own life is paramount. A bullet proof vest may be a helpful tool in maintaining your safety. Share this: Facebook inShare1 Email Digg StumbleUpon This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged body armor, bullet, buy, civilian, National Institute of Justice, police, proof, purcase, rifle plate, security, Vest. Bookmark the permalink. ← 5.11 Tactical Gear For the Holidays Massad Ayoob Discusses the Zimmerman Case and Stand Your Ground → 2 Responses to How to Select and Purchase Body Armor and Bullet Proof Vests Bruce says: December 3, 2012 at 12:56 pm Good information, Alan. I just got a plate carrier form Grey Ghost Gear when they had their 1/2 off sale. Now I am think about the armor to fill it. Do I go with hard plate versus soft armor? I have found some hard plate cheaper, but is that needed? Do you have any input there? Reply dynamiteutah says: December 3, 2012 at 1:27 pm Yes, I have some initial thoughts. A lot of soft body armor wraps around the side and overlaps on the ribs, which can make it hard to fit into a plate carrier, unless it is designed to combine soft and hard armor. I was looking at soft armor that fits into plate carriers, but my thought was that the soft armor could bunch up and allow a bullet to slip through the openings. My thought is to use level III plates with a plate carrier and get a level II wrap around vest for concealment. The level II’s are tested against 9mm and .357 mag, so I feel confident with that in most situations. The level IIIa steps up to stop .44 mag, but I’d think it rare to face such a revolver in a robery or home invasion scenario. Reply adsense Hosted Advertising Hosted Advertising The Gun Tutor Proudly powered by WordPress.

Security Links

http://shop.sigsauerguns.com/Magazines_2/P229-Magazines/

Optics Guide
http://prepperlink.com/index.php/survive/firearms/item/118-understanding-firearms-optics 

Reloading
http://prepperlink.com/index.php/survive/firearms/item/109-ammunition-reloading

Vinegar Rocks, but what is you cant fine any, like 22LR Ammo?

Make your own!
this from Survival Mom

http://thesurvivalmom.com/2013/03/10/march-skill-of-the-month-make-your-own-vinegar/

Making your own vinegar is a simple and cost efficient skill to learn, practice, and perfect.  It is an old-school skill that would benefit you now and in an emergency.  If store shelves become barren, and you have access to fresh fruits and even vegetables, this is a staple that you can continue to make even if society comes to a grinding halt.

image by Sean MacEntee

I’m not discouraging Survival Moms from buying gallons of white vinegar from your local stores, but save it to clean your windows and pickle your cucumbers.  Use your homemade vinegar to add the “Wow!” factor to your fresh recipes!
There are also health benefits to homemade vinegar.  It has long been used in the homeopathic community.  Many swear by its antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Making your own vinegar is fairly simple and straight forward.  I found several sites with varying steps.

Here is the simplest process I found

You will need:

• A glass jar, crock, or enamelware pot
• A piece of cheesecloth  or kitchen towel big enough to go over the container
• A way to secure the cheesecloth or towel to the container (kitchen twine, rubber band, etc.)
• Peelings from clean, organic fruits or vegetables (Using apples can be the easiest choice for beginners.)
• Distilled water. Chemicals in tap water will interfere with the process.
• A warm, dark place to store the vinegar while it is “working”.

Process:
1.  Sterilize the container by filling it with boiling water and letting it stand for 5 minutes. Pour the water out.
2.  Grind up your apples and press the juice through a cheese cloth.  As a reference, twenty pounds of apples will yield 1 gallon of juice.  Use the amount of fruit that you are comfortable processing. (It is also okay to simply use apple cores and peels for this process.)
3.  Place the juice, cores, or peels in the container and cover with distilled water. Secure the cheesecloth or towel over the lid so that insects and dirt can’t get inside.  The cloth allows the natural bacteria and wild yeast in the air to colonize in the vinegar, which in turn causes it to ferment. Some people add wine or beer yeast (not baking yeast) to their batch to encourage fermentation.  This is a personal choice and does not appear to be necessary.
4.  Store the container in a dark area between 60 and 80 degrees F.  Gently stir once a day to make sure that the ferment is mixing with the rest of the liquid.
After a few weeks you will start noticing a vinegary odor. Allow the vinegar to continue to ferment until you have the intensity that you want.  This process should take 3 – 4 weeks.  Near the end, feel free to begin tasting to find the flavor you desire.
You should begin to see the mother forming.  This is normal.  From Wisegeek:

The mother of vinegar is the slimy, gummy, jelly-like substance or layer of film that can form on the top or bottom of your vinegar.  It can sometimes make the vinegar look cloudy.
It is the mother that gives the vinegar its characteristic sourness.
Mother of vinegar can be easily filtered out using cheesecloth or a coffee filter.  The mother can then be discarded OR saved and used to create your next batch.

Mary Audet says:

To ensure success, especially for your first time, before it is fermented, you can add a half a cup of organic unfiltered vinegar from the health-food store, or use a vinegar starter or mother available on the internet.

She continues:

At this point you can strain through clean cheesecloth and bottle. Store your containers in a cool, dark place. This homemade vinegar can be used as any other vinegar.
Each ingredient you use will cause it to have a different flavor. For example we all know what apple cider vinegar tastes like, but peach vinegar has a much different taste, fruitier and mellower. Experiment with different combinations and ingredients to see which you like the best.

If you want to store homemade vinegar at room temperature for more than a few months, you must pasteurize it. Do this by heating it to 170 degrees F.  Use a cooking thermometer to determine the temperature and hold it at this temperature for 10 minutes. Put the pasteurized vinegar in sterilized containers with tight-fitting lids, out of direct sunlight.
Caution:
The acidity of homemade vinegar varies greatly. If you make your own vinegar, do not use it for canning, preserving, or for anything that will be stored at room temperature. The vinegar’s acidity, or pH level, may not be sufficient to preserve your food and could result in severe food poisoning. The pH level in homemade vinegar can weaken and allow pathogens, such as the deadly E. coli to grow. Homemade vinegar is well suited for dressings, marinades, cooking, or pickled products that are stored in the refrigerator at all times.

image by julia stewart40

You can experiment with herbs, fruits, and vegetables to get different flavors of vinegar. This page provides a list of items that work well.

Simple instructions for flavored vinegars

Again from Mary Audet:

Place your herbs or fruits in a sterilized jar.  Pour your vinegar into the jar and fill to within one half an inch of the top. Cover with plastic wrap and then a tight top, if using metal. Let the flavors blend for six weeks in a cool, dark place.  Strain and re-bottle making sure you label your yummy new flavors!
Caution:  You should never leave these items in the vinegar.  They will cause the vinegar to spoil.

Online resources

How to make your own vinegar
How to make homemade vinegar
What is mother of vinegar?

Videos

If you’re like me, you’re a visual learner.  Here are two videos made by Super Mom.  She did not post her third and final phase, but the first two videos are very informative.  As I stated earlier, there are slight variations in making homemade vinegar.  Her process is worth viewing.
Make Your Own Vinegar ~ Day 1

Make Your Own Vinegar ~ Day 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47vSRyR5wfg

Jars of homemade vinegar fermenting:

Companion Planting Garden

For those that don’t know, companion planting refers to planting vegetables, plants and flowers together, that benefit each other in some way.

For example, planting onions next to carrots helps repel carrot fly.  All beans fix nitrogen into the soil via nodules on their roots. Nitrogen is vital for green leafy vegetables, so they will benefit from being planted together, or be planted in the same soil, after the beans have been harvested.

French marigolds produce a pesticidal chemical from their roots and as the old saying goes – plant marigolds everywhere.

There are a number of different combinations, some repel pests and some provide vital nutrients for other plants. The awesome graphic above was created by Roots Nursery, for more information and to see a much larger version of the graphic, check out the link below.

 

Vegetables
Common name	Scientific name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels/Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Alliums	Allium	fruit trees, nightshades (tomatoes, capsicum peppers, potatoes), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, etc.) carrots	carrots		slugs, aphids, carrot fly, cabbage worms[1]	beans, peas, parsley	Alliums include onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives, and others
Asparagus	Asparagus officinalis	Tomatoes[2]	Aster Family flowers, Dill, Coriander, Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil, Comfrey, Marigolds	coupled with Basil seems to encourage lady bugs		Onion, Garlic, Potatoes
Brassicas	Brassica	potatoes, cereals (e.g. corn, wheat)	geraniums, dill, alliums (onions, shallots, garlic, etc.), rosemary, nasturtium, borage		wireworms	mustards, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, etc.)	Brassicas are a family of species which include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower.
Beans	Phaseolus	Corn (see Three Sisters), Spinach, lettuce, rosemary, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers and mint	Eggplant, Summer savoury		California beetles	Tomatoes, chili peppers, alliums (onions, garlic, etc.), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, etc.)	Hosts nitrogen-fixing bacteria, a good fertiliser for some plants, too much for others
Beets	Beta Vulgaris	lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and brassicas	Catnip, Garlic, Mint			Runner or pole beans[2]	Good for adding minerals to the soil through composting leaves which have up to 25% magnesium. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth.
Broccoli	Brassica oleracea		geraniums, dill, alliums, rosemary, nasturtium, borage			mustards, Tomatoes, peppers	Rosemary repels cabbage fly, geraniums trap cabbage worms, same general companion profile as all brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
Cabbage	Brassica oleracea		geraniums, dill, alliums, rosemary			mustards, Tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and pole/runner beans	Rosemary repels cabbage flies, geraniums trap cabbage worms, same general companion profile as all brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
Carrots	Daucus carota	Tomatoes, Alliums (onions, chives, etc.), lettuce	alliums (leeks, shallots, etc.), rosemary, wormwood, sage, beans, flax	assassin bug, lacewing, parasitic wasp, yellow jacket and other predatory wasps		Dill, parsnip, radish	Tomatoes grow better with carrots, but may stunt the carrots' growth. Beans (which are bad for tomatoes) provide the nitrogen carrots need more than some other vegetables. Aromatic companion plants repel carrot fly. Sage, rosemary, and radishes are recommended by some as companion plants, but listed by others as incompatible. Alliums inter-planted with carrots confuse onion and carrot flies. For the beneficial insect-attracting properties of carrots to work, they need to be allowed to flower; Otherwise, use the wild carrot, Queen Anne's Lace, for the same effect. Flax produces an oil that may protect root vegetables like carrots from some pests.
Celery	Apium graveolens		Cosmos, Daisies, Snapdragons			corn, Aster flowers	Aster flowers, can transmit the aster yellows disease
Corn / Maize	Zea mays	beans	Sunflowers, legumes (beans, peas, soybeans etc.), peanuts, cucurbits (squash, cucumbers, melons, etc.), amaranth, white geranium, lamb's quarters, morning glory, parsley, and potato[2]			Tomato, Celery	Provides beans with a trellis, is protected from predators and dryness by cucurbits, in the three sisters technique
Cucumber	Cucumis Sativus		Nasturtiums, radishes, marigolds, sunflowers, peas, beets, carrots, and Dill	Beneficial for ground beetles		Tomato, Sage
Common name	Scientific name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels/Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Eggplant or Aubergine	Solanum melongena	Beans, Peppers	Marigolds, tarragon, mints				Marigolds will deter nematodes.
Leek	Allium ampeloprasum v. porrum	Celery, apple trees	carrots		cabbage worms, aphids, carrot fly, others	Legumes (beans, peas, etc.), Swiss chard	Same companion traits as all alliums (onions, garlic, shallots, chives, etc.)
Lettuce	Lactuca sativa		Radish, Kohlrabi, beans, carrots			celery, cabbage, cress, parsley	Mints (including hyssop, sage, and various "balms") repel slugs, a bane of lettuce and cabbages
Mustard	Brassicaceae, Sinapis alba	Cabbage, cauliflower, radish, Brussels sprouts, turnips			various pests		Same general companion profile as all brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
Nightshades	Solanaceae		carrots, alliums, mints (basil, oregano, etc.)			beans, black walnuts, corn, fennel, dill, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.)	Nightshade plants include tomatoes, tobacco, chili peppers (including bell peppers), potatoes, eggplant, and others
Common name	Scientific name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels/Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Onion	Allium cepa	Tomatoes, brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, etc.)	Carrots		aphids, carrot fly, other pests	Beans, lentils, peas, parsley	Same companion traits as all other alliums (chives, garlic, shallots, leeks, etc.)
Peppers	Solanaceae, Capsicum	themselves, marjoram	tomatoes, geraniums, petunias	Tomato Hornworm		beans, kale (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc.)	Pepper plants like high humidity, which can be helped along by planting with some kind of dense-leaf or ground-cover companion, like marjoram and basil; they also need direct sunlight, but their fruit can be harmed by it...pepper plants grown together, or with tomatoes, can shelter the fruit from sunlight, and raises the humidity level.
Potato	Solanum tuberosum		Horseradish			Atriplex, carrot, cucumber, onion, raspberries, squash, sunflower, tomato	Horseradish increases the disease resistance of potatoes
Parsnip	Pastinaca Sativa	fruit trees		a variety of predatory insects			The flowers of the parsnip plant left to seed will attract a variety of predatory insects to the garden, they are particularly helpful when left under fruit trees, the predators attacking codling moth and light brown apple moth. The root also contains Myristricin, which is toxic to fruit flies, house flies, red spider mite, pea aphids, a simple blender made extraction of three blended parsnips roots to one litre of water through a food processor (not one for preparing food) and left overnight, strained and use within a few days.
Pumpkin and other Squash	Curcurbita spp	corn, beans	Buckwheat, catnip, tansy, radishes	Spiders, Ground Beetles			Radishes can be used as a trap crop against flea beetles, Curcurbita can be used in the three sisters technique
Radish	Raphanus sativus	squash, eggplant, cucumber,[2] lettuce			flea beetles, cucumber beetles		Radishes can be used as a trap crop against flea beetles
Spinach	Spinacia oleracea		Peas, Beans				The peas and beans provide natural shade for the spinach
Tomatoes	Solanum lycopersicum	roses, peppers, asparagus	basil,[3] oregano, parsley, carrots, marigold, Alliums, celery, Geraniums, Petunias, Nasturtium, Borage, any type of onion or chives	Tomato Hornworm	asparagus beetle	Black walnut, corn, fennel, peas, dill, potatoes, beetroot, brassicas (kohlrabi, cabbage, etc.), rosemary	Black walnuts inhibit tomato growth, in fact they are negative allelopathic to all other nightshade plants (chili pepper, potato, tobacco, petunia) as well, because it produces a chemical called juglone. Dill attracts tomato hornworm. Growing tomatoes with Basil does not appear to enhance tomato flavour but studies have shown that growing them around 10 inches apart can increase the yield of tomatoes by about 20%.[3]

Herbs

Herbs
Common name	Scientific name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels / Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Basil	Ocimum basilicum	tomato,[3] peppers, oregano, asparagus, petunias	chamomile, anise	butterflies	asparagus beetle, mosquitoes, thrips and flies	common rue	is said to make tomatoes taste better, chamomile and anise are supposed to increase the essential oils in many herbs like basil
Borage	Borago officinalis	Almost everything, especially strawberry, cucurbits (cucumber, gourds), tomatoes and cabbage		Predatory insects, honeybees	many pests		Predict a square meter for its adult size. Borage is the magic bullet of companion plants[citation needed]
Caraway	Carum carvi	Strawberries		Parasitic wasps, parasitic flies
Chamomile	Matricaria recutita	Basil, Wheat, Onion, Cabbage, Cucumber		Hoverflies, wasps			Growing near herbs will increase their oil production.
Chervil	Anthriscus cerefolium	Radish, lettuce, broccoli			aphids	radish	loves shade, fortunately it grows well with shade-tolerant food plants; will make radishes grown near it taste spicier
Cilantro / Coriander	Coriandrum sativum	spinach	beans, peas	tachinid fly	aphids, spider mites, white flies and potato beetle
Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	Apples, carrots, tomatoes, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, mustard, etc.), many others	carrots		cabbage worms, carrot fly, aphids	beans, peas	Same companion traits as all alliums (onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, etc.)said to prevent apple scab after 3 years planting at base of apple trees
Common name	Scientific name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels / Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Dill	Anethum graveolens	Cabbages, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Cucumbers		Tiger Swallowtail butterflies/caterpillars, Hoverflies, Wasps, Tomato Hornworm, honeybees, Ichneumonid Wasps	Aphids, spider mites, squash bugs, cabbage looper	carrots, tomatoes	one of the few plants said to grow with fennel
Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	Dill	Dill	ladybugs, syrphid fly, tachinid fly	aphids	Almost everything	Fennel is allelopathic to most garden plants, inhibiting growth, causing to bolt, or actually killing many plants
Garlic	Allium sativum	Apple trees, Pear trees, Roses, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Celery			Aphids, cabbage looper, ants, rabbits, cabbage maggot, vampires	Beans, cabbages, peas	Deters rabbits, same companion traits as all alliums (onions, chives, shallots, leeks, etc.)
Hemp	Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa	Brassica (cabbage, brussels sprouts, other kales)					Repels many types of beetles which attack cabbages.
Hyssop	Hyssopus officinalis	Cabbage, grapes		honeybees, butterflies	Cabbage moth larvae, Cabbage Butterflies		Stimulates growth of grapes.
Lovage	Levisticum officinale	Almost all plants	beans	Ichneumonid Wasps, ground beetles (good)		rhubarb	Is thought to improve the health of almost all plants, like borage and geraniums, is considered a "magic bullet" of companion planting
Oregano	Origanum vulgare	Tomatoes, peppers, many other plants	basil		aphids		provides ground cover and much-needed humidity for pepper plants if allowed to spread among them
Parsley	Petroselinum crispum	Asparagus, corn/maize, tomatoes		Swallowtail Butterflies, wasps, flies		Alliums, lettuce	Sacrificially attracts insects that predate upon tomatoes
Common name	Scientific name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels / Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Peppermint	Mentha piperita	Brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, and the other kales)			cabbage fly, ants, cabbage looper		Repels cabbage flies, has same general companion properties as other mints
Rosemary	Rosmarinus officinalis	sage, cabbage, beans, carrots, thyme			bean beetle	basil	Deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
Sage	Salvia officinalis	rosemary, cabbage, beans, carrots		honeybees, cabbage butterfly	cabbage flies, carrot fly, black flea beetle, cabbage looper, cabbage maggot		Deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
Southernwood	Artemisia abrotanum	Fruit trees					Controls cabbage moths and malaria mosquitoes.
Spearmint	Mentha spicata				ants, aphids		Controls ants and aphids, has same general companion properties as other mints.
Summer Savoury	Satureja hortensis	Green beans, onions,					also delays germination of certain foul herbs
Tansy	Tanacetum vulgare	beans, cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, etc.), corn, roses		honeybees	flying insects(Ichneumonid Wasps), Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs and ants		Is reputed to generally repel insects (except for nectar-eating types). This herb should not be consumed, as it is quite toxic.
Tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	Everything, but especially eggplant					Its scent is disliked by most pests, and this plant is also thought to have Nurse Plant properties, enhancing the growth and flavor of crops grown with it.
Thyme		Cabbage and broccoli					Deters white fly

Flowers

Flowers
Common Name	Latin Name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels / Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Geraniums	Pelargonium spp.	Roses, corn, peppers, grapes			leafhoppers, Japanese beetles	Tomatoes, Tobacco, Eggplants and other nightshades	A trap crop, attracting pests away from roses and grape vines, distracts beet leafhoppers, carrier of the curly top virus, keep away from Solanaceous plants like eggplant, and tobacco
Lupin	Lupinus	Cucurbits, brassica, lettuce, rosemary, dill, strawberry	summer savory	Honeybees		tomatoes and other solanaceae	This wildflower is a legume, hosting bacteria that fixes nitrogen in the soil, fertilizing it for neighboring plants
Marigold	Asteraceae Calendula Tagetes	most plants, especially tomatoes and peppers, cucurbits (cucumbers, gourds, squash), brassicas (broccoli, kale, cabbage)		snails	nematodes, beet leaf hoppers, other pests		Marigolds are a wonder-drug of the companion plant world, invoking the saying "plant them everywhere in your garden". French marigolds produce a pesticidal chemical from their roots, so strong it lasts years after they are gone. Mexican marigolds do the same, but are so strong they will inhibit the growth of some more tender herbs. Certain Varieties of marigolds (Tagetes) can help manage eelworms (Root-knot nematode) when planted the year before [1]. Tagetes has also been found effective against perennial weeds such as Ranunculus ficaria (Celandine), Aegopodium podagraria (Ground elder), Glechoma hederacea (Ground ivy), Agropyron repens (Couch grass), Convolvulus arvensis (Field bindweed), Equisetum arvense (Field/Common Horsetail) and other 'starchy' weeds.[citation needed]
Petunia	Petunia x hybrida	cucurbits (squash, pumpkins, cucumbers), asparagus			leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, aphids, asparagus beetle		Is a trap crop almost identical to geraniums in function
Nasturtium	Tropaeolum majus	Many plants, especially cucurbits (melons, cucumbers, gourds), beans, tomatoes, apple trees, brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, etc.), radish[citation needed]		predatory insects	aphids, cabbage looper, squash bug, white fly, cucumber beetles	radish[citation needed], cauliflower	Both work as trap crops for aphids, is among the best at attracting predatory insects[citation needed]
Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	corn, tomatoes			aphids		Was grown as a companion for corn(maize) before modern Europeans arrived in the Americas, supposedly increases their production, ants herd aphids onto sunflowers, keeping them off neighboring plants
Tansy	Tanacetum vulgare	cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, etc.), raspberries and relatives, roses, corn			sugar ants, Japanese beetles, cucumber beetles, squash bugs, mice		Toxic to many animals, don't plant it where livestock browse
Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	many plants		predatory wasps, ladybugs, hoverflies, damselbugs			May increase the essential oil production of some herbs. Also improves soil quality, use the leaves to enrich compost, or as mulch.
Zinnia	Zinnia	beans, tomatoes, peppers			whiteflies		Attracts hummingbirds that eat whitflies, attracts pollinators

Other

Other
Common Name	Latin Name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels / Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Alfalfa	Medicago sativa	Cotton		assassin bug, big-eyed bug, Ladybug, parasitic wasps	Lygus bugs		Used by farmers to reduce cotton pests, a good crop to improve soil; fixes nitrogen like beans do. Also breaks up hardpan and other tough soil.

Trees

Common Name	Latin Name	Helps	Helped by	Attracts	Repels / Distracts	Avoid	Comments
Apple	Malus domestica		Clover, Chive, Garlic, Leek, Nasturtium, Southernwood, Daffodils, Comfrey			Cedar because of apple-cedar rust. Walnut because its roots produce growth inhibitors that apple trees are sensitive to[4]
Apricot	Prunus armeniaca					peppers	A fungus that peppers are prone to can infect apricot trees causing a lot of harm.
Walnut	Juglans		European Alder (sacrifice plant)				Black walnut is harmful to the growth of all nightshade plants, including Datura or Jimson weed, eggplant, mandrake, deadly nightshade or belladonna, capsicum (paprika, chile pepper), potato, tomato, and petunia.