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  • From: Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permagriculture] List of companion plants.
  • Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 01:44:04 -0400

This came from Frank Woolf's webforum:


*Companion plants and guildsA list of companion plants.*
http://www.frankwoolf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1

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 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.

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.

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* (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 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.

--
Lawrence F. London
lfljvenaura@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared/



  • [permagriculture] List of companion plants., Lawrence London, 09/19/2015

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