Complimentary Plants

bobbyboy · « **on:** May 01, 2006, 10:02 »

Hi Everybody,

The vegie garden project is proceeding, geenhouse and potting shed being delivered next week.

My wife talked to me about complimentary plants as a means of pest control. I have looked on the internet for more details but they seem to be scarce.

Can anyone point me in the right direction or give me some tips.

Regards

Bob :?

noshed · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2006, 11:12 »

Apparently French Marigolds are good for attracting things which would otherwise attack your tomatoes. And the French do this, so it must be right. There's lists of other stuff in many books - try Joy Larkom/Grow Your Own Vegetables or Sue Strickland/Organic Gardening and there are a couple of books on allotments by Caroline Foley which are worth looking at. Have a look in your library.
I think the main idea is to attract insects like hoverflies which prey on aphids etc. But they look nice as well.

becky · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2006, 13:41 »

Hi there, Last year I grew tomatoes (I had grown too many seedlings), next to my runner beans. The tomatoes got all the black fly, and the beans were untouched!

SweetPea · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2006, 13:51 »

I've planted a row of garlic inbetween two rows of carrots. I read somewhere that the garlic is good at keeping carrot fly at bay!

Phoenix · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2006, 15:36 »

I put garlic capsules in my rose pots and touch wood never had a problem with greenfly or blackfly on them

so garlic is also good for aphids

Heather_S · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2006, 16:42 »

It doesn't always work well the whole companion planting (that's probably why you can't find any information on the subject! slightly different name for it). You'd essentially need to circle each plant with the companion plant in some cases. There is some science in it, such as growing beans and radishes together. The beans feed the radishes and you get a rather good crop from both. Not planting Tomatoes & Potatoes together is also based on the fact that they're similar plants that can get the same pests and diseases off of each other. Some of the other bits like sprinkling crushed chives/allums around carrots while you're thinning to keep carrot fly away hasn't been proven.
Still if you want to have a look, here are some sites I've collected over the past year or so since the subject interests me as well.
http://www.gardenguides.com/TipsandTechniques/vcomp.htm
http://www.gardenguides.com/TipsandTechniques/herbc.htm
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/county/cass/horticulture/vegetables/companion.htm

Kim · « **Reply #6 on:** May 01, 2006, 18:47 »

Try planting sunflowers next to beans , their cheap and easy to grow fun to look at and attract loads of hover flies which in return will much on aphids, black fly etc .

lentil987 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 01, 2006, 20:22 »

Your also supposed to plant basil with your tomato plants but I cant remember why??
They do taste nice together too!!

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