More people are becoming concerned with the use of chemicals and pesticides on the produce they get at the stores. They are starting their own home gardens in record numbers. They want to grow organically, without synthetic chemicals or pesticides, but how can they do this and keep the insect and furry pests away at the same time?
The best way to do this is to select plants for your garden that will help control your insect pests. These plants will either invite beneficial insects or help repel the harmful ones. Using plants for pest control will help cut down on your workload in the garden, and is known as "Companion Planting." You will want to plant your companion plants at the same time you do your regular garden veggies for best results. (The Seed Guy has an Heirloom Seed package listed below that has 10 free herbs and companion plant seed varieties as a bonus). It is always important to experiment to find out what works best for your situation. Here are some of the best companion plants:
ARTEMISIA
This plant produces a strong antiseptic aroma that repels most insects. Planted as a border, it can also deter small animals like rabbits and moles.
BASIL
The oils in basil are said to repel thrips, flies and mosquitoes. Planted alongside tomatoes, will help you to grow larger, tastier tomatoes.
BEE BALM
I love this plant because it attracts bees to my garden. It is another plant that you can grow with your tomatoes.
BORAGE
Borage repels tomato horn worms and cabbage worms, and also attracts beneficial bees and wasps. Borage also adds trace elements to the soil. Borage flowers are edible.
CATNIP
This plant repels just about everything, including flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, ants, and weevils.
CHIVES
Chives are great plants to repel Japanese beetles and carrot rust flies. It has also been said that chives will help prevent scab when planted among apple trees.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS
When I do use an insecticide I use one made from chrysanthemums called Pyrethrum. This all-natural pesticide can help control things like roaches, ticks, silverfish, lice, fleas, bedbugs, and ants in certain parts of the garden. In the garden, white flowering chrysanthemums are said to drive away Japanese beetles; and Painted Daisy kills root nematodes.
DAHLIAS
Dahlias repel nematodes, and the blooms are great for adding some color to flower borders and fresh arrangements.
DILL
Dill is best planted with cucumber and onion varieties. During the cool season It can also be planted with lettuce. Dill attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps, and its foliage is used as food by swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. Tomato horn worms are also attracted to dill, so if you plant it at a distance, you can help draw these destructive insects away from your tomatoes. Dill repels aphids and spider mites. Sprinkling dill leaves on squash plants will also repel squash bugs,
FENNEL
Repels aphids, slugs and snails.
GARLIC
In addition to its great taste and health benefits, garlic planted near roses repels aphids. It also deters coddling moths, Japanese beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. When planted alongside onions, it also deters moles and mice.
HYSSOP
Hyssop is great for attracting honeybees to the garden, and you will need those for pollinating some of your veggies.
LAVENDER
Lavender is a favorite among many beneficial insects, including bees, and also repels fleas and moths.
MARIGOLDS
The marigold is probably the most well known plant for repelling insects. French marigolds repel whiteflies and kill bad nematodes. Mexican marigolds are said to keep away a host of destructive insects and wild rabbits as well. If you choose marigolds for your garden, they need to be scented ones to work as a good repellant. And while this plant drives away many bad bugs, it also attracts spider mites and snails -- which are good.
NASTURTIUMS
You can plant nasturtiums with tomatoes and cucumbers as a way to fight off wooly aphids, white flies, squash bugs, and cucumber beetles. The flowers, especially the yellow blooming varieties, act as a trap for aphids.
PETUNIAS
They are great to have for color in your garden, and you get the added benefit that they repel asparagus beetles, leaf hoppers, and a range of aphids, tomato worms, and a good many other pests.
ROSEMARY
Deters cabbage moth, bean beetles and the carrot fly
SUMMER SAVORY
Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor. Include it with sweet potatoes. Discourages cabbage moths, Mexican bean beetles, sweet potato weevil and black aphids. Honey bees love it when it is in bloom.
SUNFLOWERS
I use Sunflowers as a way to draw aphids away from my other plants. Ants move their colonies onto sunflowers. The sunflowers are tough enough that they suffer no damage.
THYME
Deters cabbage worm
Danny Look is the owner of THE SEED GUY, which offers a 60 Variety Heirloom Seed package special that is Small Farm Grown, fresh from 2014 harvest, has 25,000 Seeds, and contains several of the companion plants listed above. (Note: They have added French Marigolds, Borage, and Summer Savory to the package. ) You will get 50 Veggie Seed varieties, and then 10 FREE Herb Seed varieties as a bonus. Their Facebook page has more than 31,800 likes. When you "like" it, you will be on their list for more gardening articles, new seed offerings and juice recipes.
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