Kitchen Garden Forum

This year I have mixed it up a bit on the plot, based on advice I have heard / read in the past.

Have put onions around my carrots to ward off the carrot fly and marigolds around beans to help with encouraging ladybirds and there fore eating aphids.

Can anyone think of other companions or correct me on the above if I have it wrong?

Compo

I put Tagetes around my carrots a couple of years ago (before planting in a barrel or under cages) and it worked a treat. However, the smell when weeding was really horrible

Poached egg plant is another good one for attracting beneficial insects, hoverflies etc. Also French and Pot Marigolds (Tagetes and Calendula officinalis)are supposed to be good around tomatoes, to keep aphids down. Also French marigolds can be grown between rows of cabbages to confuse the cabbage white butterfly, which finds the cabbages by smell.

I have a list of good and bad companion plants which I'm happy to post if you're interested.

Try Echium for attracting bees etc....long flowering and they certainly do the job.

First on my list of allotment flowers

What about African Marigolds are they similar in properties to Calendula?

Compo

Heres a little chart I find useful
Mandy

http://www.gardensablaze.com/Companions ... nYield.htm

Interesting chart Mandylew. They're never the same are they. I find myself asking why in some cases. Some are obvious, but why Blackberries and Tansy? Does the smell of the tansy keep insects away?


Another good use for Yarrow is as a compost activator - just a couple of sprigs gives it a kick-start.

I see by the chart that Mandylew showed us that Grapes and Peaches don't go together. I have both in my polly tunnell 30ft apart, is that OK does anyone know.
Arthur