The goal of organic vegetable gardening is to avoid using pesticides and other chemical fertilizers and instead, through natural means grow the healthiest plant possible.
One way to have the healthiest plants is to make sure that the plants that are planted together don't hinder each others growth.
Basically, were talking about good neighbors or plants form the same plant families.
Most relationships of plants within a plant family are generally either positive or at least neutral, one exception to this rule is in the tomato family.
Tomato family plants include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and egg plants.
While tomatoes and potatoes grow well next to peppers and egg plants, tomatoes and potatoes do not grow well next to each other.
Some family members just don't get along, I'm sure you know few personally.
Just like we don't let those family members sit together at the Thanksgiving table, we don't plant them together either.
It's time to take a look at the different families: Plant Family--Vegetable/Herb Beet--Spinach, swiss chard Buckwheat--Red orach, rhubarb Cabbage--Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, horse radish, kohlrabi, mustard, pak choi, radish, rutabaga, turnip Carrot--Celery, cilantro, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley, parsnip Cucumber--Gourd, melon, summer squash, winter squash Grass--Corn Mallow--Okra Mint--Basil, marjoram, oregano, sage Morning Glory--Sweet potato Onion--Asparagus, chive, garlic, leek, scallion Pea--Bean, peanut Sunflower--Artichoke, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, radicchio, tarragon Tomato--Egg plant, peppers, potato (remember exception), tomatillo For more info on a plant not listed, do some research on the Internet or at you local library and I'm sure you can find which plant family they're from.