Organic Gardening
From Down Under
Companion Planting.
The Use of Herbs as Pest Control
The use of herbs as pest control in the vegetable garden does work, maybe not a 100 % but it does help. Vegetables can also be used as companion plants; for example lettuce and cabbages planted beside each other, the lettuce will deter the cabbage moth, when the moths fly over the cabbage plot to lay their eggs they think the cabbages are lettuce and keep flying.
Companion planting is planting herbs and vegetable together which will benefit each other in several ways. It encourage predators by providing shelter. It disencourages some insects and bugs by the aromas the different plants send off. It is not just planting a cabbage beside a sage plant, it is also creating an ecosystem for all the plants in your garden, over a period of time. It will take time, and it wont be over night. Below is a list, on likes and dislikes for suggested companion planting in a vegetable garden.
Like Nasturtium, a deterrent against aphis.
Dislike Onions, Chives, garlic.
Brassicas. (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli)
Like Sage, Pennyroyal, Mints, Oregano, Parsley.
Dislikes Tomatoes.
Like Onions, Feverfew, deterrents against carrot fly.
Dislikes Parsnips.
Like the same as carrots,( but not carrots.)
Like Beans.
Dislike Onions, Chives, Garlic.
Likes Basils, deterrents against fruit fly.
Parsley, Marigolds. Lettuce plants in between.
Dislikes Cabbages.
Not only are herbs a good deterrent for insects and bugs in the garden but they smell good too, and you also have a supply of culinary and medicinal herbs.
Most organic gardeners have their own little secrets for their garden. One idea in another garden may not work for you, so you should experiment with companion planting. The most important thing is to remember about companion planting is don't plant the onion family next to peas and beans, plant a row or two of carrots in between beans and onions.