@Quasit Great idea! And apparently, garlic helps to keep marigold pests at bay!
"Garlic will deter insects that go after Marigolds, like spider mites and snails, and its strong smell will also ward off deer and rabbits that like to feast on these flowers. Geraniums also benefit from being planted with garlic for the same reasons."
Garlic also deters #JapaneseBeetles as well!
Companion planting is a traditional gardening technique where crops that can mutually benefit one another are planted close together. It is a non-invasive way of controlling pests, nutrient availability in the soil, and attracting pollinators.
So, pro-tip from the local farmstand (where I buy produce and some seedlings from) -- when growing #Tomatoes, plant #Basil and #Marigolds with them -- even if growing container tomatoes (which is what I do). I love my local growers! They rock! 💚 🌿 🍅 🌻
#SolarPunkSunday #HomeGardening #CompanionPlanting #GrowYourOwnFood #GYO #BuyLocal #SupportLocalFarms
8 Natural & Homemade #Insecticides: Save Your #Garden Without Killing the Earth
These natural, #DIY formulas are safe yet effective for helping rid your garden of pests.
By Derek Markham
Updated July 15, 2024
In This Article
- Try Non-Chemical Methods First
- Vegetable Oil Spray
- Soap Spray
- #NeemOil Spray
- #DiatomaceousEarth
- Garlic Spray
- Chile Pepper Spray
- All-in-One Homemade Spray
- Tomato Leaf Spray
"#NaturalPesticides can be an excellent tool in your arsenal against insect pests, which have the potential to turn your lush garden into their own insect all-you-can-eat buffet. Fortunately, making them yourselves doesn't have to be super complicated.
"It's important to note that just because these are 'natural' or homemade insecticides, that doesn't imply that they can't harm your soil, your garden, or your person. An insecticide (which is a pesticide) is defined by the EPA as 'any chemical used to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests,' and as such, they have the potential to be 'harmful to people, animals, or the environment.' And, of course, not all insects are harmful. Applying insecticides indiscriminately, especially harsh pesticides that affect even the beneficial insects, can have a detrimental effect on your local garden ecosystem.
Do a Patch Test
"Some plants may be more sensitive than others to various treatments. We recommend testing for plant sensitivity. Simply apply the formula to a small area and wait 24 hours to see if any damage occurs.
"Before going all out with any pesticide or insecticide, be sure to do your homework and choose the option that is both most effective and least harmful to you and your garden.
Try Non-Chemical Methods First
"The best pest management plan always starts with preventative and other non-chemical methods before bringing out the sprays. Since healthy, happy plants are much more resilient to pests, always begin by choosing the right plants for the right places and caring for them correctly.
"#CompanionPlanting is another essential strategy in pest control. It involves selecting plants that will be good neighbors to one another—improving environmental conditions, attracting beneficial insects and creatures, and/or repelling, confusing, or distracting certain pest species to keep their companions safe. "
#SolarPunkSunday #NaturalPestControl #Gardening #DIYPestControl
#CompanionPlanting Chart for the Vegetable Garden
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener
March 21, 2026
"Wondering which plants grow well together? This guide makes it easy to find the best vegetable pairings—and avoid combinations that can stunt growth or attract pests."
Learn more:
https://www.almanac.com/companion-planting-guide-vegetables
Link to PDF:
https://www.almanac.com/sites/default/files/webform/pdf/companion-planting-chart.pdf
#SolarPunkSunday #GrowYourOwn #GrowYourOwnFood #CompanionPlants #Gardening #HomeGardens #VegetableGarden #GYO #FarmersAlmanac
I tried doing this last year, but the spot was too shady for the strawberries. Now I'm transplanting some milk thistle plants to my raspberry patch, and leaving the burdock alone. It will be a thorny place, but good for the #pollinators!
Planting #Raspberries and #Strawberries Together: A Guide to Successful #CompanionPlanting
By Lucy Smith, August 31, 2024
"Key Takeaways
- Planting raspberries and strawberries together offers benefits such as companion planting for similar growing conditions and natural pest control.
- Consider spacing, soil requirements, watering, and sunlight needs to ensure successful growth and coexistence of raspberries and strawberries.
- Optimal planting times are early spring or late fall, with raised beds recommended for proper drainage and spacing between plants.
- Regular pruning is essential for maintaining plant health, while managing pests through natural predators and proper hygiene promotes a bountiful harvest."
Learn more:
https://fruittreehub.com/can-you-plant-raspberries-and-strawberries-together/
#SolarPunkSunday #CompanionPlanting #Gardening #GrowingRaspberries #GrowingStrawberries
Discover the secrets of planting raspberries and strawberries together in your garden! Learn about companion planting benefits, optimal spacing, soil requirements, and sunlight needs. Get expert advice on planting techniques, maintenance tips for healthy plants, and effective pest management strategies to maximize productivity all season long.
I did not know this!
"Plants to Avoid Growing With Lettuce
Just as there are good companion plants to grow beside lettuce, there are also plants that will struggle nearby lettuce—or will inhibit your lettuce from growing properly. Lettuce doesn’t grow well near:
Crops in the cabbage family. Try to avoid growing lettuce next to broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, or kohlrabi—while some varieties of lettuce may help these cabbage-family (brassicas) crops to grow, these plants have particular root secretions that can prevent lettuce seeds from germinating.
Fennel. Fennel is a garden crop that doesn’t play well with most other vegetable garden plants, so it’s not recommended for most home gardeners. While it can attract beneficial insects, it can actually serve as an inhibitor to the growth of most other plants—stunting them or even killing them completely."
#SolarPunkSunday #CompanionPlanting #GrowingLettuce #GrownYourOwnFood #GYO #Gardening
From leaf lettuce to romaine, lettuce is most widely planted salad green in the United States. Lettuce (scientific name *Lactuca sativa*) is quick to plant, and simple to harvest. If you’re planning on planting some lettuce, try out companion planting to help maximize the efficiency and health of your garden.
12 Groups of #CompanionPlants to Make Your #VegetableGarden Thrive
Some plants help each other enormously, while others hinder their neighbors – use this cheat sheet to ensure harmony in the vegetable plot.
By Melissa Breyer
Updated April 18, 2023
"There can be real discordance in the vegetable garden. Placing plants side-to-side that vie with one another, for example, does not do much good for any of them. But there is wonderful community that can happen between plants as well – and it's a great way to strategize when plotting out a garden plot.
Welcome to companion planting."
Learn more:
https://www.treehugger.com/groups-companion-plants-make-your-vegetable-garden-thrive-4858633
#SolarPunkSunday #CompanionPlanting #Gardening #GrownYourOwnFood #GYO #GardenPlanning
#CompanionPlanting with #Beans
by Barbara Pleasant, 26 April 2018
"Fast to mature and easy to grow, beans have several characteristics that make them good partners for other vegetables. They tolerate partial shade, and most beans have tiny hooked hairs on their leaves that entrap #aphids and other small insects. Beans can fix nitrogen taken from the air, so they make fewer demands on the soil's nutrient supply compared to other vegetables. Beans also deter weeds with their dense growth both above and below the ground.
How you use beans as companion plants depends on what you hope to accomplish. High-rise walls of pole beans can be used to provide shade for neighbors that suffer in strong summer sun, while low-growing bush beans can be used as weed-suppressing ground covers between rows of potatoes.
Whether they grow on vines or bushes, you will need good access to beans that are harvested as green or snap beans, which need to be picked every other day when the crop is ready. Dry beans, which are left on the plants until the pods dry to brown, can simply be left to grow, so they are a great option for Native American-inspired Three Sisters plantings comprised of corn, beans, and long-vined winter squash or pumpkins."
Learn more:
https://www.growveg.com/guides/companion-planting-with-beans/
#SolarPunkSunday #GrowingBeans #Gardening #ThreeSisters #GrowYourOwnFood #GYO #FixingNitrogen
RHS:
Three Ways To Use Companion Planting
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/companion-planting
#CompanionPlanting #SolarPunkSunday #Food #RHS #Vegetables #Fruit #Produce #SeasonalProduce #Gardening #UK
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