   Never Plant Vegetables That Sound Alike TogetherSouthern Gardening FolkloreA Southern and Appalachian farming superstition: you should never plant vegetables that sound alike together - like potatoes and tomatoes. Old-timers said it brought bad luck or made the crops "turn on each other." Hillbilly Dude Says...  I've heard this one before, it's pretty common. Hillbilly Dude Says... I've heard this one before, it's pretty common. OriginThis bit of garden folklore comes from rural farming culture in the South and Appalachia, where families passed down planting rules as a mix of rhyme, rhythm, and observation. The "sound-alike" idea likely started as a memory aid - but it stuck because some of those pairs actually do poorly together. Potatoes and tomatoes, for example, share the same family and pests, which can ruin both crops.
NotesGardeners would repeat the warning when teaching kids how to plant: "Don’t put your taters with your maters." Some versions went further, claiming that sound-alike vegetables would "swap natures" or "steal from each other." Even those who didn’t fully believe it often followed the rule anyway - just in case. LegacyToday, the saying survives as a bit of Southern garden humor, but agricultural science has confirmed that many "sound-alike" pairs - like potatoes and tomatoes - truly do share soil-borne diseases. The superstition lives on as one of those bits of old wisdom that turned out smarter than it sounded. DislaimerWhat you're reading here is old Southern folklore and storytelling - not medical advice, and not meant to guide health, or pregnancy decisions (especially pregnancy decisions!). These tales are part of how folks once made sense of the world, passed down from grandparents and midwives. If you have any medical questions or concerns, talk with a qualified healthcare professional. Learn more on the Folklore hub page. | ...
About Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more... |