ALFALFA: Perennial that
roots deeply. Fixes the soil with nitrogen, accumulates iron,
magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Withstands droughts with it's
long taproot and can improve just about any soil! Alfalfa has the
ability to break up hard clay soil and can even send its' roots
through rocks! Now that is a tenacious plant! Alfalfa is practically
pest and disease free. It needs only natural rainfall to survive.
AMARANTH: A tropical annual that needs hot
conditions to flourish. Good with sweet corn, it's leaves provide
shade giving the corm a rich, moist root run. Host to predatory ground
beetles. Eat the young leaves in salads.
ANISE: Licorice flavored herb, good host for
predatory wasps which prey on aphids and it is also said to repel
aphids. Deters pests from brassicas by camouflaging their odor.
Improves the vigor of any plants growing near it. Used in ointments to
protect against bug stings and bites. Good to plant with coriander.
ASPARAGUS: Plant with Tomato,
Parsley, Basil . Sprinkle parsley leaves onto the asparagus
while it is growing.
BASIL: Plant with tomatoes
to improve growth and flavor. Pepper, Marigold .Basil can be helpful
in repelling thrips. It is said to repel flies and mosquitoes.
Incompatible with or near rue.
BAY LEAF: A fresh leaf bay leaf in each storage
container of beans or grains will deter weevils and moths. Sprinkle
dried leaves with other deterrent herbs in garden as natural
insecticide dust. A good combo: Bay leaves, cayenne pepper, tansy and
BEANS: All bean enrich the soil with nitrogen
fixed form the air. In general they are good company for carrots,
celery, chards, corn, eggplant, peas, potatoes, brassicas, beets,
radish, strawberry and cucumbers. Great for heavy nitrogen users
like corn and grain plants. French Haricot beans, sweet corn and
melons are a good combo. Summer savory deters bean beetles and
improves growth and flavor. Incompatible
BUSH BEANS: Irish Potato, Cucumber, Corn,
Strawberry, Celery, Summer Savory -
Not compatible with Onions
POLE BEANS: Corn, Summer Savory, Radish
- Not compatible with Onions, radish,
sunflower, Beets, Kohlrabi,
BEE BALM (Oswego, Monarda): Plant with tomatoes
to improve growth and flavor. Great for attracting beneficials and
bees of course. Pretty perennial that tends to get powdery mildew.
BEET: Good for adding minerals to the soil. The
leaves are composed of 25% magnesium making them a valuable addition
to the compost pile if you don't care to eat them. Companions are
lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and brassicas. Garlic improves growth and
flavor. They are also beneficial to beans with the exception of runner
beans. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt
each other's growth.
BORAGE: Companion plant for tomatoes, squash,
strawberries and most plants. Deters tomato hornworms and cabbage
worms. One of the best bee and wasp attracting plants. Adds trace
minerals to the soil and a good addition the compost pile. The leaves
contain vitamin C and are rich in calcium, potassium and mineral
salts. Borage may benefit any plant it is growing next to via
increasing resistance to pests and disease. It also makes a nice mulch
for most plants. Borage and strawberries help each other and
strawberry farmers always set a few plants in their beds to enhance
the fruits flavor and yield. Plant near tomatoes to improve growth and
disease resistance. After you have planned this annual once it will
self seed. Borage flowers are edible.
BRASSICA: Benefit from chamomile, peppermint,
dill, sage, and rosemary. They need rich soil with plenty of lime to
BUCKWHEAT: Accumulates calcium and can be grown
as an excellent cover crop. Attracts hoverflies in droves. (Member of
the brassica family.)
CABBAGE: Celery, dill, onions and potatoes are
good companion plants. Aromatic Herbs, Beets, Onion Family, Chamomile,
Spinach, Chard -
Incompatible with: dill, strawberries, tomatoes and pole beans.
CARAWAY: Good for
loosening compacted soil with it's deep roots so it's also compatible
next to shallow rooted crops. Tricky to establish. The flowers attract
a number of beneficial insects especially the tiny parasitic wasps.
Incompatible with: dill and fennel.
CARROTS: Their pals are leaf lettuce, radish,
onions and tomatoes. English Pea, Rosemary, Sage,
Incompatible with: dill
CATNIP: Deters flea beetles, aphids, Japanese
beetles, squash bugs, ants and weevils. We have found it repels mice
quite well: mice were wreaking havoc in our outbuildings, we spread
sprigs of mint throughout and the mice split! Use sprigs of mint
anywhere in the house you want deter mice and ants. Smells good and
CELERY: Companions: cabbage family, tomato.,
Onion, Bush Beans, Nasturtium
CHAMOMILE, GERMAN: Annual. Improves flavor of
cabbages, cucumbers and onions. Host to hoverflies and wasps.
Accumulates calcium, potassium and sulfur, later returning them to the
soil. Increases oil production from herbs. Leave some flowers unpicked
and German chamomile will reseed itself. Roman chamomile is a low
growing perennial that will tolerate almost any soil conditions. Both
like full sun. Growing chamomile of any type is considered a tonic for
anything you grow in the garden.
CHARDS: Companions: Bean, cabbage family and onion.
CHERVIL: Companion to radishes for improved
growth and flavor. Keeps aphids off lettuce. Said to deter slugs.
CHIVES: Improves growth and flavor of carrots
and tomatoes. Keeps aphids help to keep aphids away from tomatoes,
mums and sunflowers. Chives may drive away Japanese beetles and carrot
rust fly. Planted among apple trees it helps prevent scab and among
roses it prevents black spot. You will need patience as it takes about
3 years for plantings of chives to prevent the 2 diseases. A tea of
chives may be used on cucumbers and gooseberries to prevent downy and
tea on disease page.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS: C. coccineum kills root
nematodes. (the bad ones) It's flowers along with those of C.
cineraruaefolium have been used as botanical pesticides for centuries.
(i.e. pyrethrum) White flowering chrysanthemums repel Japanese
CLOVER: Long used as a green manure and plant
companion. Attracts many beneficials. Useful planted around apple
trees to attract predators of the woolly aphid.
COMFREY: Accumulates calcium, phosphorous and
potassium. Likes wet spots to grow in. Traditional medicinal plant.
Good trap crop for slugs.
More on comfrey.
CORIANDER: Repels aphids, spider mites and
potato beetle. A tea from this can be used as a spray for spider
mites. A partner for anise.
CORN: Irish Potato, Beans,
English Pea, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Squash
Not compatible with tomato
COSTMARY: This 2-3 foot tall
perennial of the chrysanthemum family helps to repel moths.
Cucumbers are great to plant with corn and beans. The three plants
like the same conditions warmth, rich soil and plenty of moisture. Let
the cucumbers grow up and over your corn plants. A great duet is to
plant cukes with sunflowers. The sunflowers provide a strong support
for the vines. Cukes also do well with peas, beets and carrots. Dill
planted with cucumbers by attracting beneficial predators. Nasturtium
improves growth and flavor.
Incompatible with: sage,
Irish Potato, Aromatic Herbs
DAHLIAS: These beautiful,
tuberous annuals that can have up to dinner plate size flowers repels
Improves growth and health of cabbage. Do not plant near carrots or
caraway. Best friend for lettuce. Attracts hoverflies and predatory
wasps. Repels aphids and spider mites to some degree. Also may repel
the dreaded squash bug! (scatter some good size dill leaves on plants
that are suspect to squash bugs, like squash plants, yeah that's the
ticket.) Dill goes well with onions, cabbage, sweet corn and
cucumbers. Dill does attract the tomato horn worm so it would be
useful to plant it somewhere away from your tomato plants to keep the
destructive horn worm away from them. We like to plant it for the
swallowtail butterfly caterpillars to feed on. Even their caterpillars
ELDERBERRY: A spray (see
insect treatments) made from the leaves can be used against
aphids, carrot root fly, cuke beetles and peach tree borers. Put
branches and leaves in mole runs to banish them. Yes, it works!
FLAX: Plant with carrots,
and potatoes. Flax contains tannin and linseed oils which may offend
the Colorado potato bug. Flax is an annual from 1-4 feet tall with
blue or white flowers that readily self sows.
FOUR-O'CLOCKS: Draw Japanese beetles like a magnet which then
dine on the foliage. The foliage is pure poison to them and they won't
live to have dessert! It is important to mention that Four O'clock are
also poisonous to humans. Please be careful where you plant them if
you have children. They are a beautiful annual plant growing from 2-3
feet high with a bushy growth form.
near roses to repel aphids. Accumulates sulfur: a naturally occurring
fungicide which will help in the garden with disease prevention.
Garlic is systemic in action as it is taken up the plants through
their pores and when used as a soil drench is also taken up by the
roots. Has value in offending codling moths, Japanese beetles, root
maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. Researchers have observed that
time-released garlic capsules planted at the bases of fruit trees
actually kept deer away! Hey, worth a try! Concentrated garlic sprays
have been observed to repel and kill whiteflies, aphids and fungus
gnats among others with as little as a 6-8% concentration! It is safe
for use on orchids too.
-Repels cabbage worms and Japanese beetles, plant around grapes,
roses, corn, and cabbage.
GOPHER PURGE: Deters gophers, and moles.
GRAPES: Hyssop is beneficial to grapes as are
beans, peas, or blackberries. Keep radishes and cabbage away from
grapes. Planting clover increases the soil fertility for grapes.
Chives with grapes help repel aphids. Plant your vines under Elm or
in containers in the potato patch to keep away Colorado potato bugs.
There are some very effective insect sprays that can be made with the
root. Use the bottomless pot method to keep horseradish contained.
Also repels Blister beetles. We have observed that the root can yield
anti-fungal properties when a tea is made from it. (See:
HOREHOUND: (Marrubium Vulgare) like many
varieties in the mint family, the many tiny flowers attract Braconid
and Icheumonid wasps, and Tachnid and Syrid flies. The larval forms of
these insects parasitize or otherwise consume many other insects
pests. It grows where many others fail to thrive and can survive harsh
winters. Blooms over a long season, attracting beneficial insects
almost as long as you are likely to need them. For best results use
horehound directly as a companion plant. Stimulates and aids fruiting
in tomatoes and peppers.
HYSSOP: Companion plant to cabbage and grapes,
deters cabbage moths and flea beetles. Do not plant near radishes.
Hyssop may be the number one preference among bees and some beekeepers
rub the hive with it to encourage the bees to keep to their home. It
is not as invasive as other members of the mint family making it safer
KELP: When used in a powder
mixture or tea as a spray, this versatile sea herb will not only repel
insects but feed the vegetables. In particular we have observed that
kelp foliar sprays keep aphids and Japanese beetles away when used as
a spray every 8 days before and during infestation times. If you have
access to seaweed, use it as a mulch to keep slugs away.
LAMIUM: This will repel potato bugs- a big
problem for many gardeners!
LARKSPUR: An annual member of the
Delphinium family, larkspur will attract Japanese beetles. They dine
and die! Larkspur is poisonous to humans too!
Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender nourishes many
nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Use dried sprigs of lavender to
repel moths. Start plants in winter from cuttings, setting out in
Use leeks near carrots, celery and onions which will improve their
growth. Leeks also repel carrot flies.
Sprinkle throughout the garden in an herbal powder mixture to deter
many bugs. Lemon balm has citronella compounds that make this work:
crush and rub the leaves on your skin to keep mosquitoes away! Use to
ward off squash bugs!
Carrot, Radish, Strawberry, Cucumber
Improves flavor and health of most plants. Good habitat for ground
beetles. A large plant, use one planted as a backdrop. Similar to
celery in flavor.
MARIGOLDS: (Calendula): Given a lot of
credit as a pest deterrent. Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed
to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The
marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. One
down side is that marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.
Note that within one night after planting marigold plants, all the
leaves were already eaten off, though the flowers were still on.
Blamed it on geckos, but probably is slugs or snails. yuck. Slugs and
snails love marigolds.
French Marigold (T. patula) has roots that
exude a substance which spreads in their immediate vicinity killing
nematodes. For nematode control you want to plant dense areas of
them. There have been some studies done that proved this nematode
killing effect lasted for several years after the plants were These
marigolds also help to deter whiteflies when planted around tomatoes
and can be used in greenhouses for the same purpose. Whiteflies hate
the smell of marigolds.
Mexican marigold (T. minuta) is the most
powerful of the insect repelling marigolds and may also overwhelm
weed roots such as bind weed! It is said to repel the Mexican bean
beetle and wild bunnies! Be careful it can have an herbicidal effect
on some plants like beans and cabbage.
MARJORAM: As a companion plant it improves the
flavor of vegetables and herbs. Sweet marjoram is the most commonly
MELONS: Companions: Corn, pumpkin, radish and
squash. Other suggested helpers for melons are as follows: Marigold
deters beetles, nasturtium deters bugs and beetles. Oregano provides
general pest protection.
MINT: Deters white cabbage moths, ants,
rodents, flea beetles, fleas, aphids and improves the health of
cabbage and tomatoes. Use cuttings as a mulch around members of the
brassica family. It attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps.
Earthworms are quite attracted to mint plantings. Be careful where you
plant it as mint is an incredibly invasive perennial. Placing mint
(fresh or dried) where mice are a problem is very effective in driving
MOLE PLANTS: (castor bean plant) Deter moles
and mice if planted here and there throughout the garden. Drop a seed
of this in mole runs to drive them away. This is a poisonous plant.
See Moles: Critter
MORNING GLORIES: They attract
hoverflies. Plus if you want a fast growing annual vine to cover
something up morning glory is an excellent choice.
NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around
tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters
wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bug, cucumber beetles and other pests
of the cucurbit family. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the
black aphids) which it does attract, especially the yellow flowering
varieties. Likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. It
has been the practice of some fruit growers that planting nasturtiums
every year in the root zone of fruit trees allow the trees to take up
the pungent odor of the plants and repel bugs. It has no taste effect
on the fruit. A nice variety to grow is Alaska which has attractive
green and white variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds are
all edible and wonderful in salads!
Try our recipe for: Nasturtium Salad
NETTLES, STINGING: The flowers attract bees.
Sprays made from these are rich in silica and calcium. Invigorating
for plants and improves their disease resistance. Leaving the mixture
to rot, it then makes an excellent liquid feed. Comfrey improves the
liquid feed even more. Hairs on the nettles' leaves contain formic
acid which "stings" you.
chamomile with onions improves their flavor. Other companions are
savory, carrot, leek, beets, kohlrabi, strawberries, brassicas, dill,
lettuce and tomatoes. Intercropping onions and leeks with your carrots
confuses the carrot and onion flies! Beets, Carrot, Lettuce, Cabbage
Family, Onions planted with strawberries help the berries fight
disease. Incompatible with: Beans, English
Peas and summer savory.
OPAL BASIL: An annual herb that is
pretty, tasty and said to repel hornworms!
OREGANO: Can be used with most crops but
especially good for cabbage. Plant near broccoli, cabbage and
cauliflower to repel cabbage butterfly and near cucumbers to repel
cucumber beetle. Also benefits grapes.
PARSLEY: Plant among and
sprinkle the leaves on tomatoes, and asparagus. Use as a tea to ward
off asparagus beetles. Attracts hoverflies. Let some go to seed to
attract the tiny parasitic wasps and hoverflies. Parsley increases the
fragrance of roses when planted around their base. Rose problems?
See: Rose Rx for
Peas fix nitrogen in the soil. Plant next to corn and they will
provide extra nitrogen. Corn is a heavy feeder so this is a great
combination! Companions for peas are bush beans, Pole Beans, Carrots,
Celery, Chicory, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Parsley, Early Potato,
Radish, Spinach, Strawberry, Sweet pepper and Turnips.
Incompatible with: onions,
Gladiolus, Irish Potato.
PEPPERMINT: Repels white cabbage moths, aphids
and flea beetles. It is the menthol content in mints that acts as an
insect repellant. Bees and other good guys love it.
BELL (Sweet Peppers): Plant peppers near tomatoes, parsley,
basil, and carrots. Onions make an
excellent companion plant for peppers. They do quite well with
okra as it shelters them and protects the brittle stems from wind.
Don't plant them near fennel or kohlrabi. They should also not be
grown near apricot trees because a fungus that the pepper is prone to
can cause a lot of harm to the apricot tree. Peppers can double as
ornamentals, so tuck some into flowerbeds and borders. Harvesting tip:
The traditional bell pepper, for example, is harvested green, even
though most varieties will mature red, orange, or yellow. Peppers can
be harvested at any stage of growth, but their flavor doesn't fully
develop until maturity.
PEPPERS, HOT: Chili peppers have root exudates
that prevent root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Plant anywhere you
have these problems. Teas made from hot peppers can be useful as
insect sprays. Hot peppers like to be grouped with cucumbers,
eggplant, escarole, tomato, okra, Swiss chard and squash. Herbs to
plant near them include: basils, oregano, parsley and rosemary
PENNYROYAL: Repels fleas. The leaves when
crushed and rubbed onto your skin will repel chiggers, flies, gnats,
mosquitoes and ticks. Warning: Pennyroyal is highly toxic to cats.
It should not be planted where cats might ingest it and never rubbed
onto their skin.
PETUNIAS: They repel the asparagus beetle,
leafhoppers, certain aphids, tomato worms, Mexican bean beetles and
general garden pests. A good companion to tomatoes, but plant
everywhere. The leaves can be used in a tea to make a potent bug
Grow poached egg plant with
tomatoes, they will attract hover flies and hover flies eat aphids.
for potatoes are bush bean, members of the cabbage family, carrot,
celery, corn, dead nettle, flax, horseradish, marigold, peas, petunia,
onion and Tagetes marigold. Protect them from scab by putting comfrey
leaves in with your potato sets at planting time. Horseradish, planted
at the corners of the potato patch, provides general protection.
Don't plant these around potatoes: cucumber,
kohlrabi, parsnip, pumpkin, rutabaga, squash family, sunflower, turnip
and fennel. Keep potatoes and tomatoes apart as they both can get
early and late blight contaminating each other.
Beans, Corn, Cabbage Family, Marigolds, Horseradish
Incompatible with: Pumpkin, Squash,
Tomato, Cucumber, Sunflower
PUMPKINS: Pumpkin pals are corn, melon and squash. Marigold
deters beetles. Nasturtium deters bugs, beetles. Oregano provides
general pest protection. Incompatible
with: Irish Potato
PURSLANE: This edible weed makes good ground
cover in the corn patch. Use the stems, leaves and seeds in stir-frys.
Pickle the green seed pod for caper substitutes. If purslane is
growing in your garden it means you have healthy, fertile soil!
RADISH: Companions for
radishes are: radish beet, bush beans, pole beans, carrots, chervil,
cucumber, lettuce, melons, nasturtium, parsnip, peas, spinach and
members of the squash family. Why plant radishes with your squash
plants? Radishes may protect them from squash borers! Anything that
will help keep them away is worth a try. Chervil and nasturtium
improve growth and flavor. Planting them around corn and letting them
go to seed will also help fight corn borers. Chinese Daikon and Snow
Belle are favorites of flea beetles. Plant these at 6 to 12 inch
intervals broccoli. In one trial, this measurably reduced damage to
broccoli. Incompatible with: hyssop plants, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and
turnips. Planting an early row of radishes may lure flea
beetles away from susceptible plants.
ROSEMARY: Companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage.
Deters cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies. Use cuttings to
place by the crowns of carrots for carrot flies. Zones 6 and colder
can overwinter rosemary as houseplants or take cuttings.
RUE: Deters aphids, fish moths, flea beetle,
onion maggot, slugs, snails, flies and Japanese beetles in roses and
raspberries. Companions for rue are roses, fruits (in particular
figs), raspberries and lavender. To make it even more effective with
Japanese beetles: crush a few leaves to release the smell. Has helped
repel cats for us. You should not plant rue near cucumbers, cabbage,
basil or sage. A pretty perennial with bluish-gray leaves. May be
grown indoors in a sunny window. Rue may cause skin irritation in some
See cats and dogs: Rue spray.
RYE: An excellent use of plant allelopathy is
the use of mow-killed grain rye as a mulch. The allelochemicals that
leach from the rye residue prevent weed germination but do not harm
transplanted tomatoes, broccoli, or many other vegetables.
SAGE: Use as a companion plant with broccoli,
cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths,
beetles, black flea beetles and carrot flies. Do not plant near
cucumbers, onions or rue. Sage repels cabbage moths and black flea
beetles. Allowing sage to flower will also attract many beneficial
insects and the flowers are pretty. There are some very striking
varieties of sage with variegated foliage that can be used for their
ornamental as well as practical qualities.
More on sage.
SOUTHERNWOOD: Plant with cabbage, and here and
there in the garden. Wonderful lemony scent when crushed or brushed in
passing. Roots easily from cuttings. Does not like fertilizer! It is a
perennial that can get quite bushy. We have started to cut it back
every spring and it comes back in not time. A delightful plant that is
virtually pest free.
SOYBEANS: They add nitrogen to the soil making
them a good companion to corn. They repel chinch bugs and Japanese
beetles. Soybeans are so good for you! They are many ways to prepare
SPINACH: Strawberry, Faba Bean
SQUASH: Companions: Corn, cucumbers, icicle
radishes, melon and pumpkin. Helpers: Borage deters worms, improves
growth and flavor. Marigolds deters beetle. Nasturtium deters squash
bugs and beetles. Oregano provides general pest protection.
with: Irish Potato
STRAWBERRY: Friends are beans, borage, lettuce, onions,
spinach and thyme. Foes: Cabbage. Allies: Borage strengthens
resistance to insects and disease. Thyme, as a border, deters worms.
SUMMER SAVORY: Plant with beans and onions to
improve growth and flavor. Discourages cabbage moths, Mexican bean
beetles and black aphids. Honey bees love it.
SUNFLOWERS: Planting sunflowers with
corn is said by some to increase the yield. Aphids a problem?
Definitely plant a few sunflowers here and there in the garden. Step
back and watch the ants herd the aphids onto them! We have been doing
this for years and it is remarkable. The sunflowers are so tough that
the aphids cause very little damage and we have nice seed heads for
our birds to enjoy! Talk about a symbiotic relationship!
SWEET ALYSSUM: Direct seed or set out starts
of sweet alyssum near plants that have been attacked by aphids in the
past. Alyssum flowers attract hoverflies whose larva devour aphids.
Another plus is their blooms draw bees to pollinate early blooming
fruit trees. They will reseed freely and make a beautiful groundcover
Plant with fruit trees, roses and raspberries keeping in mind that it
can be invasive and is not the most attractive of plants. Tansy which
is often recommended as an ant repellant may only work on sugar type
ants. These are the ones that you see on peonies and marching into the
kitchen. At least for us placing tansy clippings by the greenhouse
door has kept them out. Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles,
striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants and mice! Tie up and hang
a bunch of tansy leaves indoors as a fly repellent. Use clippings as a
mulch as needed. Don't be afraid to cut the plant up as tansy will
bounce back from any abuse heaped on it! It is also a helpful addition
to the compost pile with its' high potassium content.
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many
pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavor of
THYME: Deters cabbage worms. Wooly thyme makes
a wonderful groundcover. You may want to use the upright form of thyme
in the garden rather than the groundcover types. Thyme is easy to grow
from seeds or cuttings. Older woody plants should be divided in
TOMATOES: Tomato allies are many: asparagus,
basil, bean, carrots, celery, chive, cucumber, garlic, head lettuce,
marigold, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley, pepper, marigold, pot
marigold and sow thistle. Basil repels flies and mosquitoes, improves
growth and flavor. Bee balm, chives and mint improve health and
flavor. Borage deters tomato worm, improves growth and flavor. Dill,
until mature, improves growth and health, mature dill retards tomato
growth. Enemies: corn and tomato are attacked by the same worm.
Kohlrabi stunts tomato growth.
potatoes, cabbage and cauliflower. Keep
Irish Potato, Fennel, Cabbage Family apart from tomato as
they both can get early and late blight contaminating each other.
TURNIP: English Pea ,
Incompatible with Irish Potato
WHITE GERANIUMS: These
members of the pelargonum family draw Japanese beetles to feast on the
foliage which in turn kills them.
Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border. An excellent
deterrent to most insects. A tea made from wormwood will repel cabbage
moths, slugs, snails, black flea beetles and fleas effectively. The
two best varieties for making insect spray are Silver King and Powis
Castle. Adversely Powis castle attracts ladybugs which in turn breed
directly on the plant. Silver Mound is great as a border plant and the
most toxic wormwood. Note: As wormwood actually produces a botanical
poison do not use it directly on food crops.
See More on
wormwood. for more details.
For insect spray:
YARROW: Yarrow has insect
repelling qualities and is an excellent natural fertilizer. A handful
of yarrow leaves added to the compost pile really speeds things up.
Try it! It also attracts predatory wasps and ladybugs to name just
two. It may increase the essential oil content of herbs when planted
among them. Yarrow has so many wonderful properties to it and is an
ingredient in our own
Golden Harvest Fertilizer.