Companion planting

[Sniper-T]

LH asks, LH shall receive...

The idea behind companion planting is simple, you use the properties of one plant to benefit another. In the case that stimulated this thread, I showed some pics of my asparagus boxes, companion planted with parsley, as that is a known deterent for the asparagus beetle.

Another one that I have utilized effectively this summer, is planting onions surrounding my newly planted fruit trees. The smell of onions alone, keeps the bunnies far away! most of my friends and neighbours who also planted fruit trees this year, are hoping they'll sprout again next year, as the bottom 6 inches of bark has been eaten off them, and they died.

Another one I know, is cucumbers... deer nor bunnies seem to like them. if you have a large open garden, plant cukes around the outside. bunnies wont even go near a patch, and deer may nibble an odd leaf, but leave it pretty much alone!

Any one else?

[ak474u]

LH asks, LH shall receive...

The idea behind companion planting is simple, you use the properties of one plant to benefit another. In the case that stimulated this thread, I showed some pics of my asparagus boxes, companion planted with parsley, as that is a known deterent for the asparagus beetle.

Another one that I have utilized effectively this summer, is planting onions surrounding my newly planted fruit trees. The smell of onions alone, keeps the bunnies far away! most of my friends and neighbours who also planted fruit trees this year, are hoping they'll sprout again next year, as the bottom 6 inches of bark has been eaten off them, and they died.

Another one I know, is cucumbers... deer nor bunnies seem to like them. if you have a large open garden, plant cukes around the outside. bunnies wont even go near a patch, and deer may nibble an odd leaf, but leave it pretty much alone!

Any one else?

Grasshoppers got my cucumbers. And a rabbit ate my pepper plant branches (jalapenos, red, yellow, green, and banana) as high as 18" fewer branches means less production because there are fewer leaves, branches and blooms. I'm actually sitting on the deck with my RWS pellet gun and my 300 lumen light waiting for the little turd right now. Lol. It's wabbit season!

I like the idea you've got here, I didn't know about onions being a deterrent, but I always thought that perhaps a plant that shades another might be a good idea as well. Especially since my poor plants are getting blasted by the sun. It's so hot here, that "full sun" plants don't even do well. Next year, we're going to reconfigure our garden, and figure out a way to shade some of the plants during the hottest time of day. I can't remember my parents having these issues when i was a kid, and we had a 50'x100' garden with all kinds of goodies.

[Onestep]

Marigolds planted around the garden will keep a lot of bugs away due to the odor they put off.
We plant flowers that bees like around the outside of the garden to pull them in for cross-pollination.
Legumes put nitrogen into the soil which helps corn.

[bacpacker]

Indians always planted Corn, squash, & beans (three sisters). Corn grows tall and provides a place for the beans to climb up, and the squash sheltered our competing weeds and holds soil moisture.
A book I have saw, but never read "roses love garlic". I'm not sure which one benifits which.

[Katrina]

If I remember the garlic may keep the aphids off the roses but it was years ago my grand father had roses and he'd plant garlic around the edge of the garden. Too bad pop is gone I think he'd remember why his dad planted garlic with the roses. For all I know it could have been the remnants of the victory garden they had when pop was little.

[Caveman Survival]

Sorry to necro this thread.... If it's too faux pas I will accept a rap on the knuckles for it....

I like to plant tulips in my front ornamental/alternative garden. The petals make a great companion in salads... The problem is the rabbits know this as well and typically beat me to the harvest. Two years ago I read up on garlic as a deterrent to this problem.... So I planted some store bought grocery bulbs that I prepared and bordered my ornamentals. Sure enough, last year I was able to pick a nice bounty for a couple of meals and lost none to the wascally critters.

[bacpacker]

Hadn't heard about garlic and rabbits. Great idea.
I do know that speading cut hair around your plantings helps keep rabbits at bay. Apparently they dont like the feel on their feet.

[Caveman Survival]

Hadn't heard about garlic and rabbits. Great idea.
I do know that speading cut hair around your plantings helps keep rabbits at bay. Apparently they dont like the feel on their feet.

I'm not sure about hair, but I know my aunt spreads her dogs fur after it's groomed. It's a big shaggy dog so she has a weekly supply after brushing it out all the time. I think it's the scent of a predator that keeps a lot of varmint away

[izzyscout21]

Sorry to necro this thread.... If it's too faux pas I will accept a rap on the knuckles for it.....

Not a faux pas at all. As long as it furthers the topic and conversation with relative content, necro-posting is fine.

You're good.

[ak474u]

So, we discovered that it wasn't rabbits eating our plants last year.. It was RATS! Ewwwwww! Our back fence sits in front of a stone wall, that is the rear border of what WAS a vacant lot until the builder started a house on it. Our neighbor, a retired forest service guy walks his schnauzer past where that wall meets our fence every day, and his dog goes nuts trying to get between the fence and the wall. He told me about it the other day, and I went to check it out. I put in a bait station at edge of the fence, and a bunch of traps. It's been a week, and the other day it looked like a little rat Jonestown up there. Hopefully we've eradicated the little suckers.

[Alas Babylon]

I tried the corn and green beans, the beans grew thick, and pulled the corn over. I guess I have weak corn.
Going to try marigolds this year, nothing seems to stop the catepillars.
Our pest to stop is squirrels. They eat the corn, the fruits, anything they can get, and they are great at dodging pellets.

[Vodin]

For aphid invasion and a few other types of insect issues.
It is cheap safe and natural. 2500 Ladybugs will run about $7.00 buy em and pick them up. Don't pay for shipping. Make sure you have flowers blooming at the time of release. If they have the nutrients needed at their release point they wont go far.

Animal Deterrents
Raccoons detest predator urine.
Scare crows work against bird eating new seeds.

I didn't buy it here but this is what I use for critter repellant.
http://www.contech-inc.com/products/home-and-garden-products/animal-repellents/scarecrow-motion-activated-animal-deterrent

You hook it to the water hose turn it out after you place it and you should be good. I bought it a lot cheaper on ebay.