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Jekka McVicar's 10 companion plantsJekka McVicar's organic herb garden achieved a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009. We caught up with her at the show to discover her top 10 herbs for growing as companion plants.Companion planting

nutritious for both other plants and humans.Follow our tips on putting nettles to good use - but be sure to wear gloves at all times when handling them.For a basic soup you'll need about 200g of fresh nettle tips. Add 450g of potatoes, peeled and cubed, a

Grow summer fruiting raspberries, with Monty Don.Chris Beardshaw gives advice on how to grow blueberries and cranberries.Fight currant blister aphids.Grow new plants from seeds and berries.Browse a variety of fruit plantsChoose plants suitable to full sun

europaea) are the most delicious colour when young and feel soft and slightly damp and newborn. Sadly they quickly become leathery and the home of many millions of aphids which then proceed to drip honeydew onto anything parked beneath them.Spring is here

hoverfly). Both of these are supposed to resemble the common wasp to deter predators, and are completely harmless. They lay their eggs on plants and their larvae eat aphids.Having abandoned hopes of growing the world's tallest sunflower, I'm now content

things, growing new plants, and of course experience problems that you can learn from. After all, no two years are alike are they? When I first started getting interested in gardening organically I read a great deal about companion planting, and always

- all of which are rich in nectar, and are particularly attractive to hoverflies and lacewings whose larvae, in turn, eat aphids.Stinging nettles are essential food for the caterpillars of butterflies such as red admirals, tortoiseshells and peacocks