Although peppers are self-pollinating and generally do not cross, sweet peppers and hot peppers belong to the same species and can cross with one another. If pollen from a hot pepper fertilizes the flower of a sweet pepper, all of the hot pepper genes from the father plant go into the embryo and the seed.

Pepper plants are generally self-pollinating; they do not need wind or insects to carry the pollen from a male to a female flower because each flower on a pepper plant contains both male and female parts.

A summer garden staple, pepper varieties are numerous, but whether it’s the small, spicy habenero peppers (Capsicum chinense) or large, sweet red bell peppers (Capsicum annuum), all pepper plants need to be pollinated to produce fruit.

Leave at least one year between planting peppers and tomatoes in the same bed, advises the Rodale’s encyclopedia. In areas where soil fertility, pests or diseases are ongoing concerns, leave at least two years.

Yes, you can grow tomatoes and peppers together – although it’s important to bear in mind that growing plant members of the Nightshade or Solacaceae families together can increase the risk that disease will spread amongst them, especially if they are grown in the same bed after each other.

There are many plants that suit the growth of peppers including herbs like basil, parsley, and dill; vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and eggplant; and flowers like nasturtiums, geraniums, and petunias. Avoid plants in the Brassica family, fennel and apricots.

Carrots, cucumbers, radishes, squash, and members of the Allium family all do well when grown in close proximity to peppers. Eggplant, a member of the nightshade family along with peppers, thrives alongside peppers. Spinach, lettuce, and chard are suitable pepper companions.

Examples of good companion plants to grow well with zucchini plants include:

• Beans. Beans fix nitrogen levels in soil to balance the pH level.
• Borage. Borage is a flower that not only attracts beneficial insects like bees, but can deter pest worms from your zucchini.
• Dill.
• Garlic.
• Marigolds.
• Mint.
• Nasturtiums.
• Oregano.

Plants to Avoid in your Strawberry Patch Plants like tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, melons, peppers, roses, mint, and okra may actually contribute to this deadly disease in strawberry plants. It is essential to note that strawberries should not even be planted in beds that have recently housed those plants on this list.

COMPANIONS: Strawberries grow happily with beans, borage, chives, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes and spinach.

No, tomatoes and strawberries do not grow well together and they are not companion plants for each other and this is because tomatoes can contribute to the deadly disease in strawberries. Both strawberries and tomatoes have companion plants that can benefit their growth but should be kept apart from each other.

So coffee grounds are good for strawberry plants because they provide a good source of nitrogen to it. The slight acidic nature of the brewed coffee grounds helps improve soil acidity. This makes it suitable for strawberry plants that prefer slightly acidic soil to grow well.

Strawberries prefer a well-drained soil, rich in humus. About a month before planting dig in lots of organic matter, compost, animal manure or blood and bone. Keep the beds well mulched, to control weeds and keep the fruit clean.