Beneficial plants for your veges.... Calendula & Marigold - In Companion Planting, the first rule is: Marigolds with everything! I personally love Calendula however, I so leave it to self-seed itself all over the garden. The roots of Marigold give off a substance which drives away the eel-worm. They are therefore good to plant near Potatoes, Tomatoes & Roses. (I plant them as borders in the garden - they look gorgeous anywhere) The Mexican beetle avoids Bean rows which have Marigold/Calendula growing among them. Dogs wont cock their legs against pots which contain Calendula. A clump is useful in every flower-bed; an edging gives protection for the Vegetables. Marigolds are stronger in power than Calendula, so will kill Twitch Grass (a pest in NZ), Couch Grass, Nematode & Eel Worm. It is another good companion for Potatoes & general Pest deterrence. Chamomile - Known as The Plant Doctor because of its ability to encourage other plants to increase their essential oil & so taste & smell more stronger & more vital... Chamomile is easy to grow, & looks beautiful anywhere, though keep it well trimmed to avoid a straggly look. Many other plants enjoy its company, especially Mint, which will become tastier when grown next to Chamomile. Plant Chamomile next to ailing plants to help revive it. Cabbages & Onions love Chamomile, though keep it approx a meter away from Onions. Collect & dry the Chamomile Flowers, then make a tea by soaking a handful in cold water for a day or two. This can then be used for any plant which is looking sickly, or a young plant is in need of assistance. And finally, Chamomile will help activate the Composting process if added to your Compost pile! Basil - Basil is best planted next to Tomatoes - everyone knows how well they go together in cooking! Used as a border for the Tomato patch, the plants will find it easier to resist disease & the fruits will be tastier. Bees love Basil, while Aphids, Fruit-Fly, White-Fly, the House-Fly & Mosquitoes hate it. Keep a pot near doors & windows to keep Flies out of your Home. Also very handy for medicinal & cooking uses if grown nearby. Keep Basil away from Rue - they definitely dislike each other! Lavender - Everyone must have seen & admired the beauty of Lavender... though it also has other good qualities. Lavender is a general Insect Repellent, good to use as a border for the Garden. It attracts many Bees to the area, & can be used for cosmetic, liqueur, medicinal or perfume reasons. It also deters Moths to great affect - hence the popularity of Lavender Bags in drawers & cupboards. Nasturtium - Nasturtiums can have a tendency to grow abundantly, but are very easily controlled. They also possess many benefits for your Garden plants... They are good companions for Radish, Cabbage & Cucumber. Orange coloured Nasturtiums will deter Aphids, Squash Bug & Striped Pumpkin Beetles, yellow ones tend to attract the beetles! So plant orange Nasturtium close to your garden to deter insects, & plant yellow Nasturtium far away from the garden to attract the insects. Nasturtium is excellent in the Orchard & will control the Woolly Aphid if left to wander. Tansy - Tansy is a good all-round bitter Insect repellent. It is great planted near Cabbages, Roses, Raspberries & Grapes. It concentrates Potassium in the soil, so benefits any plants nearby! Plant it for protection against Japanese Beetle, Striped Cucumber Beetle, Squash Bug, Cut Worms, Cabbage Worms, Ants, Flies, Mosquitoes & Fruit Moth. It is noticeably helpful under Peach Trees, which it assists greatly by warding off flying insects & keeping Borers away. Rosemary - Rosemary is a favourite of older Cottage Gardens. Rosemary is a good companion to Cabbage, Bean, Carrot & Sage. It deters Cabbage Moth, Bean Beetles & Carrot Fly. It also improves the growth & flavour of vegetables. Rosemary & Potatoes do not like each other, so keep them apart. It looks gorgeous planted as a hedge around the Cabbage patch... You can also use it as an insect repellent, as well as in a medicinal tea.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 23:40:00 +0000
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