interplanting

Get rid of garden pests organically with companion planting

Companion gardening

Interplanting cabbages with tagetes in a kitchen garden

The French marigolds will protect the cabbages in this kitchen garden

Also called intercropping, polyculture  or interplanting is a method of growing different plants together that benefit each other. The most common ways of one plant benefiting another is by repelling unwanted pests, this can be seen with the marigold which has roots that repel nematodes and other garden pests. Another way is by attracting unwanted garden pests to themselves as with the petunias, petunias keep the unwanted pest away from rest of garden and also attract beneficial insects like bees.

Legumes get nitrogen from the atmosphere and put it into the ground for other plants to use. Some shade and protect more sensitive crops, such as okra can shade and protect carrots in a hot climate .

Companion gardening has been used to successfully grow gardens organically ever since the three sisters method used by the Native American Indians. They planted corn, squash and beans together, knowing that these three plants help each other. Corn uses a lot of nitrogen and beans produce nitrogen(with the help of beneficial bacteria that extract nitrogen from air) and put it back into the soil for the corn to use. Squash shades and cools the soil discouraging weeds from growing.

This method still works today, although most gardeners will substitute sweet corn for the dry corn that the Indians used. There are many combinations of plants used together to benefit each other for a healthy and productive organic garden.

Plants that are often used as companions to repel pests and insects or attract beneficial insects include:

  • Sweet basil: repels harmful pests and insects, do not plant near rosemary.
  • Parsley, wards off harmful pests and insects do not plant near mint
  • Chives: repels harmful pests and insects, do not plant near beans or peas
  • Marigold: repels harmful pests and insects including nematodes, one of the best natural insect repellents, use this one everywhere
  • Mint: repels harmful pests and insects, be careful they can take over the garden
  • Dill: attracts beneficial insects and repels many harmful pests and insects, however do not plant near tomatoes or carrots, as it attracts tomato horn worms
  • Petunias: trap many harmful pests and insects and attract beneficial insects like bees
  • Tarragon: pests and insects do not like this plant, it is also known to enhance the growth and flavor of other plants grown with it
  • Garlic: kills or repels many harmful insects, also has properties as a fungicide.
  • Rosemary: deters many pests and insects, do not plant near basil
  • Oregano: repels many harmful insects can be used with most plants
  • Sage: repels many insects, especially useful with beans
  • Borage: a great companion plant, repels many harmful insects
  • Cilantro: Plant near beans and peas, repels many harmful insects
  • Lovage: similar to celery, considered a great companion plant, repels many harmful insects, also is said to improve the health of plants around it. Also attracts ground beetles (beneficial)

Do not plant these together

  • Do not plant tomatoes with potatoes or rotate to the same spot
  • Do not plant rosemary near basil
  • Do not plant dill near tomatoes or carrots.
  • Do not plant onions near beans or peas

It is important to start with the best plants or seeds possible to to ensure healthy disease and pest resistant plants, that means using heirloom seeds. These are seeds that have the biodiversity of open pollination giving them vitality that you cannot get from department store plants. Heirloom seeds have been passed down through the ages by backyard gardeners and bred for flavor and disease resistance.

Organic pesticides

If you must use pesticides, use organic pesticides. Many, but not all of these pesticides are botanical pesticides (derived from plants). Most of these  products will have minimum impact on the environment and are the safer to use  (always read the label,  just because they are from plants does not mean they are completely safe). These include products that are naturally made from organic sources.  Always follow directions on container.

Seacide is a concentrate made from fish oil and is a insecticide, bacteriocide and fungicide .  I would not use this product where beneficial bacteria is required, such as with beans that use bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air.

Neem (made from the nut of the neem tree) .  It is best not to use a broad spectrum pesticide like neem unless it is absolutely  necessary, as these will kill beneficial as well as harmful insects.

Hot Pepper Wax uses capsaicin to deter insects and even small mammals.  Capsaicin kills soft bodied insects by raising their metabolism. Hot Pepper Wax is considered to be one of the safest organic pesticides.

Insect soaps, There are different brands and types of insect soaps, do not try to use ordinary dish soap as it my have little effect on insects and may kill your plants.  The Safer soap shown below is considered to be bee safe. Use our affilliate links below to go to sites that sell these products.


“Organic Seacide Fungicide, Bacteriocide & Insecticide”

cNeem

Concentrated Neem organic insecticide

organic insect killing soap

organic insect killing soap

Green Light Organic Neem Concentrate – Pint

Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap – Concentrate

hot pepper wax for controlling insects.

Hot pepper pest control, safe for people and pets

Hot Pepper Wax, toxic to soft bodied insects, but safe for people and plants
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Planting a raised bed garden will help to keep the weeding to a minimum, also much easier as the garden is slightly higher thus easier to reach, more comfortable to work on while sitting. Need help designing your urban farm or garden try our vegetable garden design page for ideas on getting started.
PS be sure to get your free gardening e-book.



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