| Organic Help for Green Gardeners | | | | brassicas. They are not just sacrificial plants |
| Wouldn't it be nice to be able to grow your own | | | | though & can repel aphids. Grow them for |
| vegetables & fruit without having to worry | | | | their looks & their flowers (delicious in salads!) |
| about pests? If you have ever taken a morning | | | | too. |
| stroll through your vegetable patch, only to find it | | | | 3. ALLIUMS: these are plants such as garlic, onion, |
| decimated by slugs, snails, caterpillars or the like, | | | | leek, shallots, chives etc. It has been suggested |
| you will undoubtedly agree. For some, the answer | | | | that these plants can help to deter slugs as well |
| lies in pesticides and chemicals but for greener | | | | as aphids & weevils. Certainly worth a try, |
| gardeners, this is not an option. Chemicals kill good | | | | although be careful about planting them near to |
| insects as well as bad ones and sometimes the | | | | beans & peas (legumes) as the antibacterial |
| birds or animals that feed on them. So what is | | | | action of allium roots can adversely affect the |
| the answer for those trying to be more | | | | bacteria in the root nodules of leguminous plants. |
| environmentally friendly? One method worth | | | | Alliums inter planted with carrots can be very |
| trying is companion planting. | | | | effective in deterring carrot fly & onion fly |
| Strictly speaking, companion planting is about | | | | as both pests are put off by the scent of the |
| more than just pest control. The idea is to set up | | | | other plant. |
| communities of plants that help each other either | | | | 4. MINT: like the alliums, all types of mint can help |
| by adding nutrients to the soil, providing support | | | | to repel slugs. It is also a deterrent to ants, |
| or shade, or attracting or repelling pests & | | | | rodents, fleas & aphids and attracts |
| insects. This last effect is the one that is most | | | | hoverflies & predatory wasps. |
| important for our purposes. | | | | 5. BORAGE: attracts beneficial insects like bees |
| Companion plants can save the day by: | | | | & wasps and repels tomato & cabbage |
| * masking the scent of other plants to which | | | | worms, so good for your tomatoes & |
| pests are attracted | | | | brassicas. It is believed to improve the health of |
| * camouflaging plants that pests search for by | | | | many other plants and their resistance to disease. |
| sight | | | | Apparently improves the flavour & yield of |
| * attracting predatory insects to prey on pests | | | | strawberries when the two are grown together. |
| * acting as sacrificial plants to be eaten by pests | | | | 6. LOVAGE: attracts predatory wasps & |
| in preference to the main crops | | | | beneficial ground beetles. Like borage, it is also |
| For the best chance of success, your companions | | | | thought to improve the health of almost all other |
| need to be planted at the same time as your | | | | plants around it, although it should not be planted |
| crops. That way they can be effective from day | | | | near to rhubarb. |
| one. So here are 10 of the top plant combinations | | | | 7. GERANIUMS: can be used as sacrificial plants to |
| for healthy, pest free produce: | | | | lure pests away from other crops. They are |
| 1. MARIGOLDS: probably the most generally useful | | | | particularly effective for keeping leafhoppers |
| of all the plant deterrents. African marigolds | | | | away from tomatoes, peppers, & |
| produce a substance called thiopene which repels | | | | aubergines. They can also be beneficial in keeping |
| nematodes. This is particularly good for protecting | | | | pests away from roses & grapes. |
| root crops & aubergines. Plant French | | | | 8. SAGE: good for repelling bean pests and |
| marigolds liberally around your plot & | | | | cabbage flies while attracting honey bees. Plant |
| amongst your vegetables, to repel aphids, white | | | | with cabbage beans & carrots for best |
| fly, carrot root fly & tomato worms. The | | | | effect. |
| strong smell of the flowers is believed to confuse | | | | 9. YARROW: is supposed to increase the essential |
| pests and mask the smell of the surrounding | | | | oil production of some herbs, a trait it shares with |
| crops. They are also considered delicious by slugs | | | | chamomile & anise. It can also be used in |
| which will eat them in preference to your plants. | | | | compost or as a mulch to improve soil quality. |
| Marigolds also attract predatory insects such as | | | | 10. OREGANO: repels aphids & provides good |
| hoverflies which will eat aphids & other pests. | | | | ground cover to protect other seedlings. Like |
| 2. NASTURTIUMS: great for attracting black fly | | | | marjoram and basil, it also helps to raise humidity |
| away from beans & caterpillars away from | | | | levels for plants such as peppers. |