PLANT GUIDE
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.
ARTEMISIAS: See Wormwood
ASPARAGUS:
Friends: Aster family flowers, dill ,coriander, tomatoes, parsley,
basil, comfrey and marigolds. Avoid: Onions, garlic and potatoes.
BASIL:
Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Basil also does well
with peppers, oregano, asparagus and petunias. Basil can be helpful in
repelling thrips. It is said to repel flies and mosquitoes. Do not plant
near rue or sage.
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
peppermint.
For ladybug invasions try spreading bay leaves around
in your house anywhere they are getting in and congregating. They
should leave.
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. Beans are great for heavy
nitrogen users like corn and grain plants because beans fix nitrogen
from the air into the soil so the nitrogen used up by the corn and
grains are replaced at the end of the season when the bean plants die
back. French Haricot beans, sweet corn and melons are a good combo.
Summer savory deters bean beetles and improves growth and flavor. Keep
beans away from the alliums.
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. Beets are
also beneficial to beans with the exception of runner beans. Runner or
pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth. Companions for beets are
lettuce, onions and brassicas. Beets and kohlrabi grow perfectly
together. Beets are helped by garlic and mints. Garlic improves growth
and flavor. Rather than planting invasive mints around beets use your
mint clippings as a mulch.
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 flourish. Avoid planting with mustards, nightshades (tomatoes,
peppers, etc).
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. Celery improves growth and
health. Clover interplanted with cabbage has been shown to reduce the
native cabbage aphid and cabbageworm populations by interfering with the
colonization of the pests and increasing the number of predatory ground
beetles. Plant Chamomile with cabbage as it Improves growth and flavor.
Cabbage does not get along with strawberries, tomatoes, peppers,
eggplants, rue, grapes and pole beans.
CARAWAY: Good for
loosening compacted soil with it's deep roots so it's also compatible
next to shallow rooted crops. Plant it with strawberries. Caraway can be
tricky to establish. The flowers attract a number of beneficial insects
especially the tiny parasitic wasps. Keep it away from dill and fennel.
CARROTS:
Their pals are leaf lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Plant dill and
parsnips away from carrots. Flax produces an oil that may protect root
vegetables like carrots from some pests. One drawback with tomatoes and
carrots: tomato plants can stunt the growth of your carrots but the
carrots will still be of good flavor.
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 very safe.
CELERY: Companions: Bean,
cabbage family, leek, onion, spinach and tomato. Flowers for celery:
cosmos, daisies and snapdragons. Foe: Corn.
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, lettuce and broccoli for improved growth and
flavor. Keeps aphids off lettuce. Said to deter slugs. Likes shade.
CHIVES:
Improves growth and flavor of carrots and tomatoes. A friend to apples,
carrots, tomatoes, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, mustard, etc) and many
others. 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 powdery
mildews. Avoid planting near beans and peas. See chive 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 beetles. To the right is a
picture of the painted daisy from which pyrethrum is extracted.
CLOVER:
Long used as a green manure and plant companion and is especially good
to plant under grapevines. Attracts many beneficials. Useful planted
around apple trees to attract predators of the woolly aphid. Clover
interplanted with cabbage has been shown to reduce the native cabbage
aphid and cabbageworm populations by interfering with the colonization
of the pests and increasing the number of predator ground beetles.
COMFREY:
Accumulates calcium, phosphorous and potassium. Likes wet spots to grow
in. Comfrey is beneficial to avocado and most other fruit trees.
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:
Amaranth, beans, cucumber, white geranium, lamb's quarters, melons,
morning glory, parsley, peanuts, peas, potato, pumpkin, soybeans, squash
and sunflower. A classic example is to grow climbing beans up corn
while inter-planting pumpkins. The corn provides a natural trellis for
the beans, pumpkins smother the weeds and helps corn roots retain
moisture. Corn is a heavy feeder and the beans fix nitrogen from air
into the soil. The beans do not feed the corn will it is growing but
when the bean plants die back they return nitrogen to the soil that was
used up by the corn. A win-win situation. Another interesting helper for
corn is the weed Pig's Thistle which raises nutrients from the subsoil
to where the corn can reach them. Keep corn away from celery and tomato
plants.
COSTMARY: This 2-3 foot tall perennial of the chrysanthemum family helps to repel moths.
CUCUMBERS:
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, radishes and carrots.
Radishes are a good deterrent against cucumber beetles. Dill planted
with cucumbers helps by attracting beneficial predators. Nasturtium
improves growth and flavor. Keep sage, potatoes and rue away from
cucumbers.
DAHLIAS: These beautiful, tuberous annuals that can have up to dinner plate size flowers repels nematodes!
DILL:
Improves growth and health of cabbage. Do not plant near carrots,
caraway or tomatoes. 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.) Dill goes
well with lettuce, 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. Do plant dill in an appropriate spot for the swallowtail
butterfly caterpillars to feed on. Even their caterpillars are
beautiful.
EGGPLANT: Plant with amaranth, beans, peas,
spinach, tarragon, thyme and marigold. Eggplant is a member of the
nightshade family and does well with peppers. Avoid planting fennel near
eggplant.
ELDERBERRY: A spray (see insect treatments)
made from the leaves can be used against aphids, carrot root fly,
cucumber beetles and peach tree borers. Put branches and leaves in mole
runs to banish them. Elderberry leaves added to the compost pile speeds
up the decomposing process.
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: Draws
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
and animals. Please be careful where you plant them if you have children
and pets. They are a beautiful annual plant growing from 2-3 feet high
with a bushy growth form.
GARLIC: Plant near roses to
repel aphids. It also benefits apple trees, pear trees, cucumbers, peas,
lettuce and celery. Garlic 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 garlic tea is used as a soil drench it is also taken up by the
plant 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. It's certainly 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.
* Try concentrated Garlic Barrier Insect Repellent!
GERANIUM:
-Repels cabbage worms and Japanese beetles, plant around grapes, roses,
corn, tomatoes, peppers and cabbage. Geraniums help to distract beet
leafhoppers, carrier of the curly top virus.
GOPHER PURGE: Deters gophers, and moles.
GRAPES:
Hyssop is beneficial to grapes as are basil, beans, geraniums, oregano,
clover, 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 Mulberry
trees.
HEMP: Repels many types of beetles which attack brassicas.
HORSERADISH:
Plant in containers in the potato patch to keep away Colorado potato
bugs. Horseradish increases the disease resistance of potatoes. 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: Horseradish: Disease)
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 for inter-planting.
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.
KOHLRABI: May be planted with cucumber,
onion and chives. Kohlrabi and beets are perfect to grow with one
another! Do not plant kohlrabi with pole beans, pepper, strawberry or
tomatoes.
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.
LAVENDER: Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering
lavender nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Lavenders
can protect nearby plants from insects such as whitefly, and lavender
planted under and near fruit trees can deter codling moth. Use dried
sprigs of lavender to repel moths. Start plants in winter from cuttings,
setting out in spring.
LEEKS: Use leeks near apple trees,
carrots, celery and onions that will improve their growth. Leeks also
repel carrot flies. Avoid planting near legumes.
LEMON BALM:
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!
LETTUCE: Does well with beets, bush
beans, pole beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onion, radish and
strawberries. It grows happily in the shade under young sunflowers.
LOVAGE:
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.
* 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. Do not
plant French marigolds next to bean plants.
* 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 grown type.
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.
We have found that placing mint (fresh or dried) where mice are a
problem is very effective in driving them off!
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 Trouble
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, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit
trees. Do not plant near cauliflower. 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. Studies say it is among the best at attracting
predatory insects. It has no taste effect on the fruit. A nice variety
to grow is Alaska that has attractive green and white variegated leaves.
The leaves, flowers and seeds of nasturtiums 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.
ONIONS: Planting
chamomile and summer savory with onions improves their flavor. Other
companions are carrot, leek, beets, kohlrabi, strawberries, brassicas,
dill, lettuce and tomatoes. Intercropping onions and leeks with your
carrots confuses the carrot and onion flies! Onions planted with
strawberries help the berries fight disease. Keep onions away from peas
and asparagus.
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:
Allies: Asparagus, carrot, chives, onions, roses and tomato. 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 answers. Mint and parsley are enemies. Keep them well away from one
another.
PEAS: Peas fix nitrogen in the soil. Plant next
to corn. Companions for peas are bush beans, Pole Beans, Carrots,
Celery, Chicory, Corn Cucumber, Eggplant, Parsley, Early Potato, Radish,
Spinach, Strawberry, Sweet pepper and Turnips. Do not plant peas with
onions.
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.
PEPPERS, BELL
(Sweet Peppers): Plant peppers near tomatoes, parsley, basil,
geraniums, marjoram, lovage, petunia 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 spray.
POACHED EGG PLANT: Grow poached egg plant with tomatoes, they will attract hover flies and hover flies eat aphids.
POTATO:
Companions 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: asparagus, 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.
PUMPKINS: Pumpkin pals
are corn, melon and squash. Marigold deters beetles. Nasturtium deters
bugs, beetles. Oregano provides general pest protection.
PURSLANE:
This edible weed makes good ground cover in the corn patch. Use the
stems, leaves and seeds in stir-frys. Pickle the green seedpod for caper
substitutes. If purslane is growing in your garden it means you have
healthy, fertile soil!
RADISH: One of the workhorses for
the garden. 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. Radishes are a
deterrent against cucumber beetles and rust flies. Chervil and
nasturtium improve radish growth and flavor. Planting them around corn
and letting them go to seed will also help fight corn borers. Chinese
Daikon and Snow Belle radishes are favorites of flea beetles. Plant
these at 6 to 12 inch intervals amongst broccoli. In one trial, this
measurably reduced damage to broccoli. Radishes will lure leafminers
away from spinach. The damage the leafminers do to radish leaves does
not stop the radish roots from growing, a win-win situation. Keep
radishes away from hyssop plants, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
and turnips. For some good eating try our delicious Radish varieties.
RHUBARB:
A good companion to all brassicas. Try planting cabbage and broccoli
plants your rhubarb patch watch them thrive. Rhubarb protects beans
against black fly. Some other interesting companions for rhubarb are the
beautiful columbine flowers, garlic, onion and roses! It helps deter
red spider mites from the columbines. A spray made from boiled rhubarb
leaves, which contain the poison oxalic acid may be used to prevent
blackspot on roses and as an aphicide.
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 individuals. Remedy: 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.
SPINACH:
Plant with peas and beans as they provide natural shade for the
spinach. Gets along with cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, onion,
peas, strawberries.
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.
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.
STRAWBERRY: Friends are
beans, borage, lettuce, onions, spinach and thyme. Foes: Cabbage,
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kohlrabi. 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 you will have nice
seed heads for the birds to enjoy. Sunflowers also attract hummingbirds
which eat whiteflies. 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 every year.
TANSY: Plant with fruit
trees, roses and raspberries keeping in mind that it can be invasive
and is not the most attractive of plants. Tansy that 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.
*Tansy Warning: You do not
want to plant Tansy anywhere that livestock can feed on it as it is
toxic to many animals. Do not let it go to seed either as it may
germinate in livestock fields.
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavor of vegetables.
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 spring.
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. One drawback
with tomatoes and carrots: tomato plants can stunt the growth of your
carrots but the carrots will still be of good flavor. 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. Keep potatoes and tomatoes apart
as they both can get early and late blight contaminating each other.
Keep cabbage and cauliflower away from them. Don't plant them under
walnut trees as they will get walnut wilt: a disease of tomatoes growing
underneath walnut trees.
WHITE GERANIUMS: These members of the pelargonum family draw Japanese beetles to feast on the foliage which in turn kills them.
WORMWOOD:
Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border. An excellent
deterrent to most insects. Don’t plant wormwood with peas or beans. 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 that 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.
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.
ZINNIA: Pretty zinnias attract
hummingbirds that eat whiteflies. Alternately the pastel varieties of
zinnias can be used as a trap crop for Japanese beetles. All zinnias
attract bees and other insect pollinators.
Would love to have you as my neighbor forever. 
Would learn a lot...
