COMPANION PLANTING
Many plants have natural substances in their roots, flowers,
leaves etc. that can alternately repel (anti-feedants) and/or attract insects
depending on your needs. In some situations they can also help enhance the
growth rate and flavor of other varieties. Experience shows us that using
companion planting through out the landscape is an important part of integrated
pest management.
In essence companion planting helps bring a balanced
eco-system to your landscape, allowing nature to do its' job. Nature integrates
a diversity of plants, insects, animals, and other organisms into every
ecosystem so there is no waste.
The death of one organism can create food for
another, meaning symbiotic relationships all around. We consider companion
planting* to be a holistic concept due to the many intricate levels in which it
works with the ecology.
By using companion planting, harmful pests can be
discouraged without losing the beneficial insects. Plants with open cup shaped
flowers are the most popular with beneficial insects.
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:
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 beans enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed from
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 interplanting.
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 which 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.
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 which has attractive
green and white variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds of nasturtiums
are all edible and wonderful in salads!
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? 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
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 seed
pod 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.
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.
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. Why not try
soybeans, they are good for you. They are many tasty ways to prepare them.
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.
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 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.
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.
ZINNIA:
Zinnias attract hummingbirds which 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.
Developed and published by Expat World Philippines
Data Contributed by Frank Woolf
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.
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.
This 2-3 foot tall perennial of the chrysanthemum
family helps to repel moths.
(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.
(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. 
