HINGHAM, Mass. - BostonChron -- As much as I love to read, sometimes a printable companion planting chart is a better option. Scientifically speaking, you only need to see something for 13 milliseconds for your brain to recognize it, according to an MIT study. Not that gardening is about speed, because it's not. You can't hurry nature. You can't hurry love, either, if you believe Diana Ross and the Supremes, but that's a topic for another blog.

You can, however, make it a bit easier on yourself to reap the benefits of companion planting. All you need is a nice, printable companion planting chart like this one! I started using this recently and it's really helped me with questions about what goes together in the garden.

How to use your printable companion planting chart

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Companion planting has many benefits. In some cases a plant like basil will deter pests from destroying your tomatoes or peppers. Other partner plants help the soil retain moisture, like squash does for corn. Still others help aerate the soil, as happens with onions and carrots.

Companion planting is also a way to grow vegetables together that appreciate similar amounts of sunlight and water. And these plants don't compete with each other for nutrients.

This printable companion planting chart gives you over 65 combinations of partner plants, and that's only if you plant only two of them together. If you want to combine three or more plants, you have hundreds of combinations to choose from. You can find it at https://foodgardening.mequoda.com/freebies/a-printable-companion-planting-chart/.

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For example, you could grow a small garden with tomatoes, basil, and garlic, which is really all you need for a delicious pasta sauce! And did you know that root vegetables, like radishes and carrots make great garden buddies?

To use your printable companion planting chart at https://foodgardening.mequoda.com/freebies/a-pr..., simply look down the column on the left and find the vegetable you want to plant. Then look across the row to the right and you'll see multiple options for growing plants that go well with your vegetable.

It really is an easy, visual way to plan your garden. You could even go all out and frame it for your kitchen. Just kidding. Or am I?

Do you use any kind of visual chart to keep track of your companion planting? What do you find most helpful about them? We'd love to hear your thoughts!