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TIL: Companion planting actually works

b3rnd

b3rnd

So I've had some weird leaf growth on a few plants, which I couldn't explain. But after a very close inspection of the new growth, I found some aphids. They were concentrated in the new leaves, the ones that still aren't completely unfolded. I'm used to them being on the underside of some of the bigger leaves so it was unexpected for me. But I removed the leaves with the most aphids on them, and kept checking every day. They came back ofcourse. I decided to try a thing I read about: aphids apparently hate the smell of basil and mint. I planted a few basil plants in pots, and I already had a mint plant growing in a smaller container which I transplanted to a bigger pot to match the ones the peppers are in. And to my surprise, after two days my aphid problem was gone. I haven't seen one aphid since I placed those herbs close to my plants.
 
The way I placed them is like this. (P = pepper, M = mint, B = basil).
 
P - M - P
B - P - B
 
I used no neem oil or other insecticide. Just removed the ones I could see, and placed these herbs around them.
 
Anyone else got good results with companion planting? Could be any problem, not just aphids. Let me know! This stuff is extremely interesting.
 
Outdoors I use marigolds as a barrier around my garden. Not sure if it's just one of those old wives tales, but it seems to work to keep the furry little critters out. I had no sign of anything munching on my plants. They kinda put off that skunky scent, maybe it's a natural deterrent.... or my pitbull running around kept them away...

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Thanks for the info. I always have basil of some sorts in the garden. I've never had aphids. I have a 8ft rose bush that gets infested every year. I've not had one aphid in my chile plants. Interesting. If I could just find something that chases of the grasshoppers.
 
OCD Chilehead said:
Thanks for the info. I always have basil of some sorts in the garden. I've never had aphids. I have a 8ft rose bush that gets infested every year. I've not had one aphid in my chile plants. Interesting. If I could just find something that chases of the grasshoppers.
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I usually gather up the toads I find and put them in my garden. No guarantees they'll hang around, but I figure if they find food they'll come back!

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Found this info for you, Chilehead.
 
Marrubium vulgare is usually a successful grasshopper repellent and is effective when planted as a border around garden beds. Other plants that can deter grasshoppers include coriander, calendulas and regularly clipped garlic or garlic chives. There are also commercial screens available that can physically keep the pests off your plants but they also exclude many beneficial insects.

http://plantprobs.net/plant/gardenPests/grasshoppers.html 
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I tried Mint one yr in a couple pots at the end of the raised beds....unfortunately for me, they were mite magnets with huge webs and everything.
 
Keep us posted how it works, I am very interested in companion gardening.
 
Some companion planting works well, some is just wishful thinking, and some works in some areas but not in others.  It kind of depends on what pest or disease is involved.
 
Mike5265 said:
Outdoors I use marigolds as a barrier around my garden. Not sure if it's just one of those old wives tales, but it seems to work to keep the furry little critters out. I had no sign of anything munching on my plants. They kinda put off that skunky scent, maybe it's a natural deterrent.... or my pitbull running around kept them away...

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For example marigolds are often mentioned in companion planting books for reducing nematodes.  In the northern hemisphere it is meant to work rather well.  In Australia we have completely different nematode species and unfortunately the marigolds have no effect upon them.
 
Nitrogen helps leaves grow.  Planting nodulating legumes such as beans near leaf crops works well as the legumes sequester nitrogen from the atmosphere and make it available to the leaf crop.
 
 
MangoChilli said:
 
Nitrogen helps leaves grow.  Planting nodulating legumes such as beans near leaf crops works well as the legumes sequester nitrogen from the atmosphere and make it available to the leaf crop.
 
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I planted legumes into all the beds a few weeks back....nice 4" growth now to be tilled in next spring. Should really help the peppers next season.
 
Every time I plant marigolds they are the first thing to be eaten by pests. I plant them every year because I like them, but haven seen any particular benefit. This year I've planted lavender, mainly to attract bees but I have read that it may repel moths.

Instead of planting legumes I have mulched with Lupin so hopefully will get some of the benefits once it begins to decompose but it is doing a great job of moisture retention.
 
I brought a load of Lupin seeds from my mothers garden to here. What is the supposed benefit of them? Also, got any tips on growing Lavender in a hot climate? I see you're from Western Australia, and I believe you have about the same climate as I do here (hot, dry summers and wet, mild winters with loads of rain and thunderstorms).
 
Jase4224 said:
Every time I plant marigolds they are the first thing to be eaten by pests. I plant them every year because I like them, but haven seen any particular benefit.
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That IS the benefit.  Marigolds are planted either as a way to repel certain pests or to be eaten by certain others, such that the plant that you're protecting isn't affected.  Either way, they are sacrificial.
 
The only thing that I've ever seen eat them here, is caterpillars.  Which isn't optimal for me, because the caterpillars that eat the marigold, aren't the ones that eat my tomatoes or peppers, and I ain't no charity. They are typically used around here to repel aphids and whitefly. (although we seem to have more species of whitefly here than anywhere on earth, and nothing works on all of them!)
 
I find that marigolds make very bad companion plants, when planted in the same container as... anything but marigolds.  They are a little fussy, and with our high humidity climate, can fall victim to root rot and fungus quite easily.  Best to keep them in separate containers near your plants.
 
solid7 said:
 
That IS the benefit.  Marigolds are planted either as a way to repel certain pests or to be eaten by certain others, such that the plant that you're protecting isn't affected.  Either way, they are sacrificial.
 
The only thing that I've ever seen eat them here, is caterpillars.  Which isn't optimal for me, because the caterpillars that eat the marigold, aren't the ones that eat my tomatoes or peppers, and I ain't no charity. They are typically used around here to repel aphids and whitefly. (although we seem to have more species of whitefly here than anywhere on earth, and nothing works on all of them!)
 
I find that marigolds make very bad companion plants, when planted in the same container as... anything but marigolds.  They are a little fussy, and with our high humidity climate, can fall victim to root rot and fungus quite easily.  Best to keep them in separate containers near your plants.
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Planting marigolds as a sacrificial plant is something I hadn't thought of, they are eaten by the same green caterpillars as my chillies and tomatoes as well as slugs and snails.

If they do help to repel aphids they might be worth keeping around.
 
b3rnd said:
I brought a load of Lupin seeds from my mothers garden to here. What is the supposed benefit of them? Also, got any tips on growing Lavender in a hot climate? I see you're from Western Australia, and I believe you have about the same climate as I do here (hot, dry summers and wet, mild winters with loads of rain and thunderstorms).
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Yep sounds just like the WA weather. Lavender is a popular plant in general in hot areas of Australia as it's quite tough and heat resistant once established. Give if good organic well drained soil and it should do well. I don't think it likes to be in soggy soil, in fact it is planted in 'water wise' gardens here.
 
Jase4224 said:
Planting marigolds as a sacrificial plant is something I hadn't thought of, they are eaten by the same green caterpillars as my chillies and tomatoes as well as slugs and snails.

If they do help to repel aphids they might be worth keeping around.
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I rather gave up on using them for aphids.  We get 4 waves of aphids every season here.  The garden hose works as well as anything.  They do better for me with whitefly, but even then, there are so damn many, that the garden hose works better...
 
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