Canadians Against Pesticides
BAN PESTICIDES IN YOUR AREA!
JOIN A GROUP NEAR YOU
PESTICIDES
& CHILDREN'S HEALTH
ORGANIC LANDSCAPERS
A GROWING LIST!
www.caps.20m.com
Canadians Against Pesticides
Home Message Health The Ban Solutions News Mission Email Us
DEMAND A BAN - CLICK HERE TO EMAIL THE PM
COMPANION PLANTING
USING PLANTS TO PROTECT OTHER PLANTS

Reproduced with thanks to the CANADIAN ORGANIC GROWERS and to the CITY OF TORONTO website

COMPANION PLANTING

Protecting plants from unwanted insects by using other plants is the natural, chemical-free way to remove harmful insects from your garden. And you won't be eliminating all the beneficial bugs.

Research indicates that plants produce excessive foliage and can afford some pruning. Natural pruning by insects can improve yields and increase the vitamin content of fruit in certain plants.

Planting practices

A certain relationship exists between plants, and between insects and plants. Companion planting is the usual name given to the practice of planting according to these relationships, but actually four different practices are involved.

  • Mixed: Planting several different plants together, as in nature, so that insects are confused by the multitude of "smells" and have more difficulty finding the plant they prefer to eat and lay their eggs on.
  • Repellent: Certain plants such as marigolds, mints and garlic are offensive to some insects, and will deter them when planted near other plants.
  • Companion: Combinations of plantings produce crops that grow better and are healthier because of their proximity.
  • Trap: Lure plants are located near a plant you want protected. Insects attack the lure plants and can then be hand-picked and destroyed.
Additional tips
  1. Learn to identify insects and diseases so you'll be able to detect problems early.
  2. Encourage natural enemies such as toads, birds, ladybugs and praying mantis, who will eat harmful bugs.
  3. Rotate crops to avoid a build-up of pests in any one area.
Helpful Herbs and Flowers

When planning your next garden, experiment with these forms of natural plant protection. No doubt you will also come up with your own safe and effective combinations.
Plant Companion Advantages
Basil Tomato Improves growth and flavour; repels flies and mosquitoes.
Dill Tomato Traps the tomato hornworm.
Garlic Roses, Raspberries Improves growth and health; deters Japanese beetle.
Lamb's Quarter Throughout garden,near corn. Trap for aphids.
Marigolds(smelly types like Mexican, African and French) Throughout garden. Discourages Mexican beetles, nematodes and other insects.
Mint Cabbage, Tomato Improves health, flavour; deters white cabbage moth, ants, aphids and flea beetles.
Nasturtium Radish, Cabbage,Cucurbits and under fruit trees. Trap for aphids. Deters squash bugs, whitefly, striped pumpkin beetles and Colorado potato bug.
Wormwood In perennial border. Deters small animals and flea beetle and slugs.

Plants that naturally repel insects

Pest Plant repellent
Ant mint, tansy, pennyroyal
Aphids mint, garlic, chives, coriander, anise
Bean leaf beetle potato, onion, turnip
Codling moth common oleander
Colorado potato bug green beans, coriander, nasturtium
Cucumber beetle radish, tansy
Flea beetle garlic, onion, mint
Japanese beetle garlic, larkspur, tansy, rue geranium
Leaf hopper geranium, petunia
Mexican bean beetle potato, onion, garlic, radish, petunia, marigolds
Mice onion
Slugs prostrate rosemary, wormwood
Spider mites onion, garlic, cloves, chives
Squash bug radish, marigolds, tansy, nasturtium
Stink bug radish
Thrips marigolds
Tomato hornworm marigolds, sage, borage
Whitefly marigolds, nasturtium