Garlic vs beneficial insects

[brog]

Will planting garlic in tomatoes discorage beneficial insects from coming to the tomatoes.

[strmywthr3]

borage helps with the hornworms, so do marigolds. I always plent them with my tomatoes. give the borage space - it gets fairly large and very prickly!

[bryanccfshr]

As far as discouraging beneficials, I don't think so. The beneficials will seek refuge and cover , nectar and prey.

What garlic and other strong scented plants do is cover the scent and thus confuse pest insects. In their wondering they are more likely to fall prey to beneficials. Beneficials can be attracted throughout your property, when one area comes under attach from pest, the beneficials will follow the food source.

[Soilsniffer]

What garlic and other strong scented plants do is cover the scent and thus confuse pest insects.

Yes, but! Is a live garlic plant strong scented? I can smell a marigold from tens of feet away, but I don't detect an odor from garlic til I pull it out of the ground in July.

J

[Granny]

Originally Posted by Soilsniffer

What garlic and other strong scented plants do is cover the scent and thus confuse pest insects.

Yes, but! Is a live garlic plant strong scented? I can smell a marigold from tens of feet away, but I don't detect an odor from garlic til I pull it out of the ground in July.

J

Remember that other animals, birds and insects detect many odors that you never sense at all, sometimes in ways that you cannot detect "smells" - like seeing them.

Man is really on the low end of the totem pole when it comes to our sense of smell.

[feldon30]

Marigolds aren't the "magic bullet" that a lot of people believe they are. [Read More...]


As for garlic, on Fresh From the Garden, I saw an organic gardener mix up a batch of Garlic Tea. He threw 2 heads of garlic along with 1 1 1/2 cups of water into a mixer and blended it. Then, using a strainer, he poured this into a gallon jug and filled it the rest of the way with water. At this point he considers it a concentrate (garlic must be strong!). He then freezes the Garlic Tea in 1/4 cup muffin tins.

In a pump sprayer, he adds 1/4 cup of the Garlic concentrate, 4 Tbsp. seaweed concentrate, and 1 Tbsp. vinegar to 1 gallon of water and sprays all of his plants on a weekly basis. This controls pests as well as providing a light fertilization to the plants.


For fungus, he mixes 4 Tbsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. gentle soap and 1 gallon water and sprays this on the plants (but not the soil, because of pH concerns).

[Soilsniffer]

Remember that other animals, birds and insects detect many odors that you never sense at all,

Yeah, I hear that a lot. SOME creatures have a well defined sense of smell. And some of THOSE (but not the beneficials) are apparently confused, diverted, or bliiinded for liiife by whatever odiferous volatile discharge is perspired or excreted by the stinking rose. So much for having a 'better' sense of smell.

>> I saw an organic gardener mix up a batch of Garlic Tea.

I'm with you there; that may work. I'll submit that extracting garlic juice and spraying it directly on plants, is markedly different than simply planting garlic somewhere in an attempt to shoo away certain (not the beneficial) bugs.

J

[Granny]

Originally Posted by Soilsniffer

Remember that other animals, birds and insects detect many odors that you never sense at all,

Yeah, I hear that a lot. SOME creatures have a well defined sense of smell. And some of THOSE (but not the beneficials) are apparently confused, diverted, or bliiinded for liiife by whatever odiferous volatile discharge is perspired or excreted by the stinking rose. So much for having a 'better' sense of smell.

Do note that I said "different" not "better."

[Soilsniffer]

Do note that I said "different" not "better".

You didn't say either word, actually.

However! You said that other creatures detect odors that we completely miss, AND that humans are on the low end of the totem pole when it comes to smell. OF COURSE you were saying 'better'! You didn't use that exact word, does that matter?

With that said, I wasn't arguing with your personal point. I was disputing what a LOT (and I did use that word!) of folks have said for years about animals and bugs having better sense of smell, touch, whatever, than good ol' homo sapiens. I've heard dolphins are smarter than us. I've listened to them cackling and honking, sounds like flatulence to me, but I 'just don't get it'.

I wasn't arguing with you, I really wasn't. I just rejected the notion that some bugs smell better than us, until they stumble upon some planted garlic then they get all discombobulated.

J

[Soilsniffer]

Will planting garlic in tomatoes discorage beneficial insects from coming to the tomatoes.

So, to answer your question Brog, I say NO. Won't hurt, won't help. I think the whole notion of planting marigolds, basil, etc. to benefit tomatoes, is silly. It was conjured up by folks to sell organic gardening books, reacting to an increase in anti-chemical sentiment among us home growers.

It's all a conspiracy, I'm tellin' yunz!

J

[bryanccfshr]

I personally inter plant borage, basil and allium(leeks, chives, garlic, onions) plants around my tomato beds, The nice thing is I can eat all of these things! . But I also mix my own garlic tea, and if I suspect a specific pest I will target it with BT or Spinosad.
I am a big believer in biodiversity, even in my small space of the world I can encourage many different life forms to live around my garden that will discourage others.

Am I a believer in inter plantings? Yes.
Do I belief trap crops work? Certainly.. Millet is awesome for attracting various pest that I can then nuke with permethrin and strong soap away from my food crops.

Word play. Do certain plants discourage insects? Yes, But only in the same manner that certain tomatoes may resist viruses, wilts or nematodes. It is simply a barrier not a magic shield.
I don't think it is a conspiracy at all. I think that we all need to experiment and prove or disprove our ideas. What works for some may not work for all.

I am certainly not a "preachy" organic grower. Actually I prefer the term naturally sustainable to organic. As a safety professional with industrial hygiene background I am always concerned about exposures to chemicals (both natural and man made) that me, my wife, my dogs, my neighbors may be exposed to by my gardening practices. I will substitute less harmful materials when I think I have enough information to do so. I use nothing that has more than a day between use and harvest.
Garlic spray can act as a very mild fungicide and tends to dicourage insects in general. Everything with wings tends to take off when that spray approaches. I think the disturbance is enough to casue some attrition to predation.
What works best? Systemic insecticides of course work best. I just prefer not to ingest them or risk such.

[robin303]

Maybe this will help a tad bit:

BASIL: Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Basil can be
helpful in repelling thrips. It is said to repel flies and
mosquitoes. Do not plant near rue.
BAY LEAF: A fresh leaf bay leaf in each storage container of beans or
grains will deter weevils and moths. Sprinkle dried leaves with other
deterrent herbs in garden as natural insecticide dust. A good combo:
Bay leaves, cayenne pepper, tansy and peppermint. For ladybug
invasions try spreading bay leaves around in your house anywhere they
are getting in and they should leave.
BEANS: All bean enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed form the air. In
general they are good company for carrots, brassicas, beets, and
cucumbers. Great for heavy nitrogen users like corn and grain plants.
French Haricot beans, sweet corn and melons are a good combo. Keep
beans away from the alliums.
BEE BALM (Oswego, Monarda): Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and
flavor. Great for attracting beneficials and bees of course. Pretty
perennial that tends to get powdery mildew.
BEET: Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed
of 25% magnesium. Companions are lettuce, onions and brassicas.
BORAGE: Companion plant for tomatoes, squash and strawberries. Deters
tomato hornworms and cabbage worms. One of the best bee and wasp
attracting plants. Adds trace minerals to the soil and a good
addition the compost pile. Borage may benefit any plant it is growing
next to via increasing resistance to pests and disease. After you
have planned this annual once it will self seed.
BRASSICA: Benefit from chamomile, peppermint, dill, sage, and
rosemary. They need rich soil with plenty of lime to flourish.
BUCKWHEAT: Accumulates calcium and can be grown as an excellent cover
crop. Attracts hoverflies in droves. (Member of the brassica family.)
CARAWAY: Good for loosening compacted soil with its deep roots.
Tricky to establish. The flowers attract a number of beneficial
insects.
CATNIP: Deters flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs,
ants and weevils. Use sprigs of mint anywhere in the house you want
deter mice and ants. Smells good and very safe.
CHAMOMILE, GERMAN: Annual. Improves flavor of cabbages, cucumbers and
onions. Host to hoverflies and wasps. Accumulates calcium, potassium
and sulfur, later returning them to the soil. Increases oil
production from herbs. Leave some flowers unpicked and German
chamomile will reseed itself. Roman chamomile is a low growing
perennial that will tolerate almost any soil conditions. Both like
full sun. Growing chamomile of any type is considered a tonic for
anything you grow in the garden. Improves flavor of cabbage and onions. Also promotes
growth in nearby plants.
CHERVIL: Companion to radishes for improved growth and flavor. Keeps
aphids off lettuce. Likes shade.
CHIVES: Improves growth and flavor of carrots and tomatoes. Chives
may drive away Japanese beetles and carrot rust fly. Planted among
apple trees it may help prevent scab. A tea of chives may be used on
cucumbers to prevent downy mildew.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS: C. coccineum kills root nematodes. (the bad ones)
Its flowers along with those of C. cineraruaefolium have been used
as botanical pesticides for centuries. (i.e. pyrethrum) White
flowering chrysanthemums repel Japanese beetles.
CLOVER: Long used as a green manure and plant companion. Attracts
many beneficials. Useful planted around apple trees to attract
predators of the woolly aphid.
COMFREY: Accumulates calcium, phosphorous and potassium. Likes wet
spots to grow in. Traditional medicinal plant. Good trap crop for
slugs.
Comfrey while useful as a slug trap has many other qualities you may
find of value. It is a very hardy perennial. It will grow in moist
areas and has the ability to clean and extract nutrients from
stagnant or foul water. It sends down long tap roots that can go as
deep as 10 feet enabling it to accumulate minerals in its' leaves.
These minerals include potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and
phosphorus along with vitamins A, C, and B-12. The leaves contain
tons of protein as previously mentioned. When comfrey leaves are
composted and returned to enrich the soil all these elements are made
available to your plants.
Medicinal qualities: Comfrey has many healing properties to it.
Briefly the roots and leaves contain allantoin. Allantoin is a
protein with hormonal like qualities to it that stimulate cell
proliferation. It is the allantoin that gives comfrey its' reputation
for healing wounds, broken bones, burns, sprains, sore joints, dry
skin and for reducing the swelling associated with fractures. Fresh,
clean comfrey leaves can be used in a poultice to treat these
injuries. Comfrey salves are readily available from health food
stores. It is not recommended to take comfrey internally as liver
damage has been known to occur from extended ingestion.
Topical use is safe as the alkaloids will not penetrate the skin.
Comfrey fertilizer: With its' high levels of potash comfrey tea can
be used as an excellent fertilizer for tomato, pepper, cucumber and
potato plants. The smell while it is "cooking" is strong. Pick a good
sized handful of leaves. Place them in a container with enough water
to cover the leaves. Cover and let this cook for 4 weeks in cool
weather or 2 weeks in hot weather. Then squeeze the leaves to extract
as much juice as possible Strain and use at a rate of 1/3 cup 0f
comfrey juice to one gallon of water Use as a foliar feed and soil
drench around the plants. Put the solid wastes into the compost pile.
Dried or fresh comfrey leaves have the following percentages of NPK:
Nitrogen: 0.75% Phosphorous: 0.25% Potash: 0.2%
Culture:
Light: Full sun with some types accepting partial shade.
Soil: Preferably nitrogen rich with a fairly neutral pH.
Planting: Set plants 2 feet apart in an area where you can spare the
space for them. Once you have planted comfrey it is there to stay.
Feeding: For plants that are harvested often do keep them well fed.
Disease: Comfrey Rust (Melampsorella symphyti) is the biggest problem
with comfrey. If you see rust starting immediately remove any
infested leaves and destroy. Give the plants a good dose of
potassium like some wood ashes. Follow with a good organic
fertilizer. Allow ample space for air movement among the plants.
There are some different varieties of comfrey available:
Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
The most widely used comfrey with clusters of bell-shaped flowers in
white, purple, mauve or rose. This is the most invasive variety of
comfrey.
Russian comfrey (S.x uplandicum)
Russian comfreys have the highest levels of protein and allantoin.
Bocking No. 4: Grown generally as a fodder for poultry.
Bocking No. 14: This type has the most allantoin and is said to be
the least invasive. We have been told that Bocking No. 14 will pretty
much stay where you put it. This would make it the best choice for
the home gardener. It does show a good resistance to rust which is
often a problem with comfreys and it can tolerate a low level of the
disease without harming the plants growth.
Ornamental comfreys
Creeping comfrey (S. grandiflorum): A low maintenance groundcover
with light yellow flowers and crinkly leaves. Will tolerate shade and
chokes out the weeds. May be a good choice for the north side of a
wall or house.
Goldsmith comfrey (S. grandiflorum "Goldsmith"): Another less
invasive type with light yellow flowers and variegated leaves. Grows
to 12 inches in height.
Red comfrey (S. officinale "Rubrum"): Red flowers, wow! Will also
grow in shade and has a compact growth habit.
CORIANDER: Repels aphids, spider mites and potato beetle. A tea from
this can be used as a spray for spider mites. A partner for anise.
COSTMARY: This 2-3 foot tall perennial of the chrysanthemum family
helps to repel moths.
DAHLIAS: These beautiful, tuberous annuals that can have up to dinner
plate size flowers repels nematodes.
DILL: Improves growth and health of cabbage. Do not plant near
carrots or tomatoes. Best friend for lettuce. Attracts hoverflies and predatory
wasps. Repels aphids and spider mites to some degree. Also may repel
the dreaded squash bug! Scatter some good size dill leaves on plants
that are suspect to squash bugs, like squash plants. Dill goes well
with onions and cucumbers. Dill does attract the tomato horn worm so
it would be useful to plant it somewhere away from your tomato plants
to keep the destructive horn worm away from them. Plant it for the
swallowtail butterfly caterpillars to feed on. Even their
caterpillars are beautiful.
ELDERBERRY: A spray made from the leaves can be used against aphids,
carrot root fly, cuke beetles and peach tree borers. Put branches and
leaves in mole runs to banish them.
FLAX: Plant with carrots, and potatoes. Flax contains tannin and
linseed oils which may offend the Colorado potato bug. Flax is an
annual from 1-4 feet tall with blue or white flowers that readily
self sows.
Fennel: DO NOT plant in garden for any reason. Plant separately,
plant coriander with it to prevent seeds from setting. Attracts bees.
FOUR-O'CLOCKS: Draw Japanese beetles like a magnet which then dine on
the foliage. The foliage is pure poison to them and they won't live
to have dessert! It is important to mention that four-o"clocks are
also poisonous to humans. Please be careful where you plant them if
you have children. They are a beautiful annual plant growing from 2-3
feet high with a bushy growth form.
FOXGLOVE: If foxglove is grown near potatoes or other root crops, they will
store better. Foxglove stimulatees the growth and longevity of neighboring plants. Tea made from foxgloves added to floral water will make arrangements last longer. Don't forget that all foxgloves are poisonous.

GARLIC: Plant near roses, raspberries, and lettuce to repel aphids and Japanese beetles. Also repels blight from potatoes and tomatoes,
flea beetles from potatoes, red spiders from tomatoes, and green
lopers from cabbage. DO NOT plant near peas. Accumulates sulfur: a
naturally occurring fungicide which will help in the garden with
disease prevention. Garlic is systemic in action as it is taken up
the plants through their pores and when used as a soil drench is also
taken up by the roots. Has value in offending codling moths, Japanese
beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. Researchers have
observed that time-released garlic capsules planted at the bases of
fruit trees actually kept deer away. Concentrated garlic sprays have
been observed to repel and kill whiteflies, aphids and fungus gnats
among others with as little as an 6-8% concentration. It is safe for
use on orchids too.
GOPHER PURGE: Deters gophers, and moles.
HORSERADISH: Plant in containers in the potato patch to keep away
Colorado potato bugs. There are some very effective insect sprays
that can be made with the root. Use the bottomless pot method to keep
horseradish contained. Also repels Blister beetles. The root can
yield antifungal properties when a tea is made from it. Plant near potatoes to repel potato bugs. Also at the base of fruit trees to fight fruit rot.
HOREHOUND: Stimulates and aids fruiting in tomatoes.
HYSSOP: Companion plant to cabbage and grapes, deters cabbage moths
and flea beetles. Do not plant near radishes. Hyssop may be the
number one preference among bees and some beekeepers rub the hive
with it to encourage the bees to keep to their home. It is not as
invasive as other members of the mint family making it safer for
interplanting. Plant with grapevines to increase grape yield.

KELP: When used in a powder mixture or tea as a spray, this versatile
sea herb will not only repel insects but feed the vegetables. In
particular kelp foliar sprays keep aphids and Japanese beetles away
when used as a spray every 8 days before and during infestation
times. If you have access to seaweed, use it as a mulch to keep slugs
away.
LARKSPUR: An annual member of the Delphinium family, larkspur will
attract Japanese beetles. Larkspur is poisonous to humans too.
LAVENDER: Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender
nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Use dried
sprigs of lavender to repel moths. Start plants in winter from
cuttings, setting out in spring.
LEMON BALM: Sprinkle throughout the garden in an herbal powder
mixture to deter many bugs. Lemon balm has citronella compounds that
make this work: crush and rub the leaves on your skin to keep
mosquitoes away. Use to ward off squash bugs.
LOVAGE: Improves flavor and health of most plants. Good habitat for
ground beetles. A large plant, use one planted as a backdrop. Similar
to celery in flavor. Plant with any plant; improves health of all vegetables.
MARIGOLDS: (Calendula): Given a lot of credit as a pest deterrent.
Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many
insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose
must be a scented variety for them to work. One down side is that
marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.
French Marigold (T. Patula) has roots that exude a substance which
spreads in their immediate vicinity killing nematodes. For nematode
control you want to plant dense areas of them. There have been some
studies done that proved this nematode killing effect lasted for
several years after the plants were. These marigolds also help to
deter whiteflies when planted around tomatoes and can be used in
greenhouses for the same purpose.
Mexican marigold (T. minuta) is the most powerful of the insect
repelling marigolds and may also overwhelm weed roots such as bind
weed! It is said to repel the Mexican bean beetle and wild bunnies.
Be careful it can have an herbicidal effect on some plants like beans
and cabbage.
MARJORAM: As a companion plant it improves the flavor of vegetables
and herbs. Sweet marjoram is the most commonly grown type. : Plant with any plant; improves flavor and health.
MINT: Deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas,
aphids and improves the health of cabbage and tomatoes. Use cuttings
as a mulch around members of the brassica family. It attracts
hoverflies and predatory wasps. Earthworms are quite attracted to
mint plantings. Be careful where you plant it as mint is an
incredibly invasive perennial. Plant with tomatoes and cabbage to improve health. Also repels cabbageworm; black flea beetles from radishes; hornworm from
tomatoes; ants from almost everything.
MOLE PLANTS: (castor bean plant) Deter moles and mice if planted here
and there throughout the garden. Drop a seed of this in mole runs to
drive them away. This is a poisonous plant.
MORNING GLORIES: They attract hoverflies. Plus if you want a fast
growing annual vine to cover something up morning glory is an
excellent choice.
OPAL BASIL: An annual herb that is pretty, tasty and said to repel
hornworms.
NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, radishes, cabbage,
cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies,
squash bug, cucumber beetles and other pests of the curcurbit family.
Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids) which it
does attract, especially the yellow flowering varieties. Likes poor
soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. It has been the practice of
some fruit growers that planting nasturtiums every year in the root
zone of fruit trees allow the trees to take up the pungent odor of
the plants and repel bugs. It has no taste effect on the fruit. A
nice variety to grow is Alaska which has attractive green and white
variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible and
wonderful in salads!
NETTLES, STINGING: The flowers attract bees. Sprays made from these
are rich in silica and calcium. Invigorating for plants and improves
their disease resistance. Leaving the mixture to rot, it then makes
an excellent liquid feed. Comfrey improves the liquid feed even more.
Hairs on the nettles' leaves contain formic acid which "stings" you.
PARSLEY: Plant among and sprinkle on tomatoes, and asparagus. Use as
a tea to ward off asparagus beetles. Attracts hoverflies. Let some go
to seed to attract the tiny parasitic wasps. Parsley increases the
fragrance of roses when planted around their base. Plant with roses to repel rose beetles; Mix with carrot seeds to repel carrot flies; Attracts bees second year if allowed to
flower.
PEPPERMINT: Repels white cabbage moths, aphids and flea beetles. It
is the menthol content in mints that acts as an insect repellant.
Bees and other good guys love it.
PEPPERS, HOT: Chili peppers have root exudates that prevent root rot
and other Fusarium diseases. Plant anywhere you have these problems.
Teas made from hot peppers can be useful as insect sprays.
PENNYROYAL: Repels fleas. Many people are now using pennyroyal as an
alternative lawn. The leaves when crushed and rubbed onto your skin
will repel chiggers, flies, gnats, mosquitoes and ticks. Smells nice
too.
PETUNIAS: They repel the asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, certain
aphids, tomato worms, Mexican bean beetles and general garden pests.
A good companion to tomatoes, but plant everywhere. The leaves can be
used in a tea to make a potent bug spray.
PURSLANE: This edible weed makes good ground cover in the corn patch.
Use the stems, leaves and seeds in stir-frys. Pickle the green seed
pod for caper substitutes.
RADISH: Plant radishes with your squash plants. Radishes may protect
them from squash borers. Anything that will help prevent this is
worth a try. Planting them around corn and letting them go to seed
will help fight corn borers.
ROSEMARY: Companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage. Deters
cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies. Use cuttings to place
by the crowns of carrots for carrot flies. Zones 6 and colder can
over winter rosemary as houseplants or take cuttings.
RUE: Deters Japanese beetles in roses and raspberries. To make it
even more effective with Japanese beetles: crush a few leaves to
release the smell. Repels flies and has helped repel cats. Some say
you should not plant it near cabbage, basil or sage. A pretty
perennial with bluish-gray leaves. May be grown indoors in a sunny
window. Rue can cause skin irritation!
SAGE: Use as a companion plant with broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary,
cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths, beetles, black flea
beetles and carrot flies. Do not plant near cucumbers or rue. Sage
repels cabbage moths and black flea beetles. Allowing sage to flower
will also attract many beneficial insects and the flowers are pretty.
There are some very striking varieties of sage with variegated
foliage that can be used for their ornamental as well as practical
qualities.
Companion Planting: Sage
Sage can be planted with cabbage, carrots, strawberries and tomatoes
to enhance their growth. Prune severely in the early spring to
encourage bushy growth. As they get older they can become very woody
and less productive. At this time you can divide the older plants
using the new exterior growth for new plants. Discard the old crown.
Growing sage from seed is a difficult task.
Sage is hardy from zone 4 to 8. Likes full sun and well drained
garden soil.
Sage has natural antibacterial properties to it and has been used as
a preservative for meat and poultry. It has a somewhat bitter flavor
to it. The new leaves go well in salads, soup, marinades and
stuffings. Try a little sage on oranges or Brussels sprouts for an
unusual flavor!
Savory: Plant with beans and onions to improve flavor; repels cabbage
moths, hornworms, and black flea beetles.
SOUTHERNWOOD: Plant with cabbage, and here and there in the garden.
Wonderful lemony scent when crushed or brushed in passing. Roots
easily from cuttings. Does not like fertilizer. It is a perennial
that can get quite bushy. A delightful plant that is virtually pest
free. Plant near cabbage to repel cabbagemoths; also dried
leaves repel ants.
SUMMER SAVORY: Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and
flavor. Discourages cabbage moths. Honey bees love it.
SUNFLOWERS: Planting sunflowers with corn is said by some to increase
the yield. Aphids a problem? Definitely plant a few sunflowers here
and there in the garden. Step back and watch the ants herd the aphids
onto them.
TANSY: Plant with fruit trees, roses and raspberries keeping in mind
that it can be invasive and is not the most attractive of plants.
Tansy which is often recommended as an ant repellant may only work on
sugar type ants. These are the ones that you see on peonies and
marching into the kitchen. Placing tansy clippings by the greenhouse
door has kept them out. Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles,
striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants and mice. Tie up and hang
a bunch of tansy leaves indoors as a fly repellent. Use clippings as
a mulch as needed. Don't be afraid to cut the plant up as tansy will
bounce back from any abuse heaped on it. It is also a helpful
addition to the compost pile with its' high potassium content. Plant with blackberries, grapes, raspberries, and roses; repels cane borers. Also repels flying insects, Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, cabbageworms, cabbage
butterfly, and ants.
Tansy Warning: You do not want to plant Tansy anywhere that livestock
can feed on it as it is toxic to many animals. Do not let it go to
seed either as it may germinate in livestock fields.
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one.
Recommended to enhance growth and flavor of vegetables.
THYME: Deters cabbage worms. Wooly thyme makes a wonderful
groundcover. You may want to use the upright form of thyme in the
garden rather than the groundcover types. Thyme is easy to grow from
seeds or cuttings. Older woody plants should be divided in spring.
WHITE GERANIUMS: These members of the pelargonum family draw Japanese
beetles to feast on the foliage which in turn kills them.
WORMWOOD: Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border.
An excellent deterrent to most insects. A tea made from wormwood will
repel cabbage moths, slugs, snails, black flea beetles and fleas
effectively. The two best varieties for making insect spray are
Silver King and Powis Castle. Adversely Powis castle attracts
ladybugs which in turn breed directly on the plant. Silver Mound is
great as a border plant and the most toxic wormwood. Note: As
wormwood actually produces a botanical poison do not use it directly
on food crops. We personally have seen no evidence of artemisias
suppressing the growth of plants other than seedlings though many say
it does. Even with the silver mound artemisia
YARROW: Yarrow has insect repelling qualities and is an excellent
natural fertilizer. A handful of yarrow leaves added to the compost
pile really speeds things up. Try it. It also attracts predatory
wasps and ladybugs to name just two. It may increase the essential
oil content of herbs when planted among them. Yarrow has so many
wonderful properties. Plant with any other herb to increase the oils in that herb.
Also good with any vegetable.
Valerian: Plant anywhere in the garden to attract earthworms.

[brog]

Thanks to everyone who responded THIS WILLINGNESS TO SHARE IDEAS AND INFORMATION IS THE BEST PART OF GARDENING Thanks and GOD BLESS Bill

[Alberta]

I'm going to add one more thing about comfrey...the leaves are great for heating up a compost pile if you are at point where you are low on "greens" or have a high volume of "browns" and short on greens.
Alberta

[brog]

Thanks so much Alberta. Will dry comfrey heat up compost or does it have to be green. Is comfrey winter hardy--could it be frozen and used to heat up compost.
God Bless and good gardening Bill