Japanese Style Companion Planting - Organic Gardening Techniques for Optimal Growth and Flavor

Japanese Style Companion Planting brings the techniques of a master farmer in Japan to home gardeners all over the world, with over 175 easy-to-follow color illustrations and detailed texts.Japanese gardeners typically work with small plots and are experts at making the most efficient use of available garden space. They have long understood that when compatible vegetables and fruits are grown together, the result is increased yields, healthier plants, fewer pest problems and better taste. Vegetables from small gardens are the mainstay of Japan's famously healthy cuisine and movement towards farm-to-table dining tradition.Author Toshio Kijima is head of the Biotechnology Department at Tochigi Agricultural Station in Japan and principal of the Nogyo Daigakko School of Natural Farming. In this book, he provides 88 different plant pairings, including common favorites such as:Tomato with basilEggplant with green beansCarrots with edamameIceberg lettuce with broccoliStrawberries with garlicGreen beans with arugulaBlueberry bushes with mint…and dozens of other pairings that yield tasty, nutritious vegetables and fruits, all grown without the need for pesticides or chemical fertilizers. This book also covers excellent combinations for relay planting, such as watermelon followed by spinach, spinach followed by broccoli, broccoli followed by potato, and many more. Clear and precise instructions are given for each combination—from planning and preparing your plot to planting depths and spacing—all accompanied by detailed color drawings and photographs.Information on the theory and basics of companion planting will ensure a smooth transition to sustainable gardening techniques that millions of home gardeners are using!Review Quote"Clear and precise instructions are given for each combination…accompanied by detailed color drawings and photographs. Information on the theory and basics of companion planting will ensure a smooth transition to sustainable gardening techniques that millions of home gardeners are using!" --Midwest Book ReviewReview Quote"…certain to become a pocket guide and fine companion for any small-space gardener seeking to accomplish efficiencies in mixed and relayed planting as well as intercropping for better yields…Brilliantly executed graphics will make expert gardeners out of beginners with easy-to-follow measurements and tips for success." --Washington Gardener MagazineReview Quote"This book is not about Japanese gardens as we know them, but is about how the Japanese grow much of their fruit and vegetables in a most efficient, and very interesting, way!…Life on my allotment is soon to get VERY interesting!" --Shakkei JournalBiographical NoteDr. Toshio Kijima is an agriculturalist, author and university professor. He served as the head of the Biotechnology Department at the Tochigi Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station and as principal of the Nogyo Daigakko (School of Natural Farming) in Shizuoka Prefecture. He has served on numerous agricultural and environmental boards and has been honored for his work in promoting natural farming and environmental health. His work was featured in the 1990 short documentary Life in the Soil. His passion is to bring effective natural farming methods to home gardeners everywhere.