Companion plants to tomatoes & peppers

   One of the easiest vegetables to grow in your garden or even a planter on your front steps are tomatoes. They love full sun and an even amount of water. Water often and deeply, soaking the soil six to eight inches deep at least twice a week. Tomatoes do not respond well to letting the soil dry out between waterings. A layer of mulch (straw, plastic, grass ) will help conserve soil moisture during the hot, dry days of July and August. (from tomatogardeningguru.com)
   This summer you can enjoy ripe juicy tomatoes on salads, burgers and sandwiches. Here are some plants which will help to produce great a great crop:

• Basil, chives, and nodding onion help repel a number of pests like aphids and whitefly.
• The flowers of basil and thyme attract pollinators, which tomato flowers need for fertilization and fruit set.
• Chives, bee balm and basil improve the health and flavor of tomatoes.
• Marigolds are the companion plant workhorse, repelling nematodes, tomato worm and slugs.
• Parsley attracts hoverflies, which fond the common tomato pests to be quite tasty.

Here is a great recipe using fresh tomatoes from your garden. It's called Tortellini Salad and it's the perfect side dish to bring to any summer party. It can be served cold, but it's better at room temperature.