Polyculture Resources?

Can anyone recommend a good tried-and-true source for information on polyculture gardening? We're going to do a vegetable garden this year for the first time (now that we have a great area for one!), and I'd like to take it a step beyond organic gardening to also do more traditional gardening with multiple plants that benefit eachother. Kind of like the bean-corn-squash system. But since I'm not only new at this, but also to vegetable growing in general, can anyone recommend a source they think would be helpful?

I do know how to do internet searches and use book reviews and stuff, and I will be looking at those, too. I'm hoping to also find some personal recommendations from DGers. We're excited about doing a garden this year and want to start thinking/planning soon.

Thanks!
--Dana

"The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" has tons of good companion planting info, beneficial cover crops, natural enemies, etc., as well as being a great basic text (w/ excellent photographs) for organic veggie gardening. I credit the book with my extremely successful first large garden. Look at it at the library if you're not sure.

Also great is Rodale's "The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control Etc. Etc."

"Carrots Love Tomatoes" (by Riotte) is a favorite of many here. I think "Great Garden Companions" is also fine. I like looking into the historical records of what was grown with what, too.

Have fun!

Thanks for the suggestions! I've had "Carrots Love Tomatoes" on my Amazon wishlist for quite some time now. Maybe it's time to treat myself! I'll have to check out the others, too, especially the first one that you credit with your first extremely successful large garden!

Thanks,
Dana

search these forums for "companion planting" "companion plants" "three sisters", etc.

also, you can find plenty of good, free publications at:

http://www.attra.org

look into "biodynamics" "cover cropping" "crop integration", etc. there are so many terms that mean what you are doing.

happy growing!
tf

Great! I've never even heard those other terms. That will certainly help in my searching! I hung out for awhile at the bookstore today and found a book called "Great Garden Companions: A Companion Gardening System for a Beautiful, Chemical-free Vegetable Garden." It will give me a start, too, on planning our garden space. I think it will be a good resource and includes a lot of what I'm looking for, but her focus is on insect populations and seems to neglect things like nitrogen-fixation and other benefits. I always like having multiple resources to really know about something. I'm so excited for our garden this year!! Thanks so much for the ideas!

Thanks,
Dana

was that by Sally Jean CUnningham?

if so, you will ablsolutely LOVE IT!

Yes, it is! Great, I'm glad it's a good one!!