Using Plants That Repel Bugs Will Save A Garden
There are many plants that are flowers, herbs, or just plain weeds…that many garden pests detest. Some of these plants are also loved by beneficial insects. So, plants that repel bugs – at least the bad ones are crucial to keeping a garden healthy. And, it doesn’t hurt to add plants that will attract some good bugs – like pollinators – in the process.
In my endeavors to use insecticides only as a last resort. I practice companion planting as much as possible. By placing these beneficial plants at or near my backyard garden area, I take a step toward protecting my crop from the little devils that plan on harvesting my veggies before I do.
I have found that some plants work best when positioned close to the vegetables they protect.
A few definitions before we get to talking about these useful plants:
- Annuals – These are plants with a one-year life cycle. They are replanted every spring.
- Biennials – Plants that have a two-year life cycle. Year one, they grow leaves, stems, and roots…becoming inactive over the winter. Year two, they flower and normally die during the colder months.
- Perennials – Perennial plants have a life cycle longer than two years…sometimes up to 10 years or more.
You can either browse this list of over 4 dozen plants or click on a plant’s name to see a description, along with the bad bugs (garden pests) it repels and the good bugs (beneficial insects) that it attracts. The map USDA Hardiness Zones is a good reference for determining your planting zone.
Plant Name
Artemisias
Description – The Artemisias grows as a perennial in plant hardiness zones 4 – 9 and in temperate climates of both hemispheres…usually in dry or semi-arid climates. Common names include: mugwort, wormwood, and sagebrush.
Repels – Fleas, ants, cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, carrot flies, codling moths, beetles, whiteflies, white butterflies, mice.
Attracts – Lady beetles, yellow jacket wasps.
Bashful Mimosa
Description – Bashful Mimosa grows as a creeping annual or perennial herb…mostly in undisturbed shady areas, under trees or shrubs. This plant is used as a natural ground cover and companion plant for tomatoes and peppers. The Bashful Mimosa is also called the sensitive plant, sleepy plant, touch-me-not, and shy plant. The leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, defending against harm…and reopen a few minutes later.
Repels – No bad bugs listed.
Attracts – Predatory beetles.
Basil
Description – Basil is an annual herb. However, some varieties are perennial. It is also called the “king of herbs” and the “royal herb.”
Repels – Flies, mosquitoes, carrot flies, asparagus beetles, whiteflies.
Attracts – Bees, other predatory insects.
Borage
Description – Borage produces continuous blooms up to the first frost. Most varieties are annuals…some are perennials. This is a great companion plant for tomatoes since it confuses the moth mothers of tomato hornworms.
Repels – Tomato hornworms, cabbage worms.
Attracts – Bees, other predatory insects, common green lacewings.
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Caper Spurge
Description – Caper Spurge is a biennial plant which is, occasionally, an annual plant…with green and yellow-green flowers. This plant is poisonous to humans and most livestock except for those with immunity, such as goats. It grows in partial shade to full sun in hardiness zones 5 – 9. Other names for Caper Spurge include gopher spurge, gopher plant, or mole plant.
Repels – Moles.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Castor Bean
Description – Castor Bean, a perennial, can grow up to 12 feet in a single season. Growing wild in Southern California, it is also called the castor oil plant and, it is not really a true bean.
Repels – Moles and voles.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
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Catnip
Description – Catnip is a perennial that grows just as well in containers as it does in a backyard garden. The varying names…catnip, catswort, and catmint…are due to the immense enjoyment that most cats have with this plant. It drives most of them crazy!
Repels – Ants, flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, weevils, Colorado potato beetles, cabbage loopers, cockroaches.
Attracts – Soldier beetles, predatory wasps, hoverflies, robber flies.
Chamomile
Description – Roman chamomile is a perennial. German chamomile is an annual, but it self-sows freely and can easily appear year after year.
Repels – Flying insects.
Attracts – Pollinators, predatory wasps, hoverflies, robber flies.
Chives
Description – Chives come from the Latin word, cēpae, meaning onions, and they are perennial plants. These plants have insect repellent properties for controlling garden pests.
Repels – Carrot flies, Japanese beetles, aphids.
Attracts – Common chives attract bees, hoverflies, ladybugs, parasitic wasps; Garlic chives attract bees, other beneficial insects.
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Chrysanthemums
Description – Chrysanthemums are both annuals and perennials. Those called “Hardy Mums” are the perennials. Japan’s Festival of Happiness is all about Chrysanthemums. There are chemical properties in these plants that attack the nervous systems of insects, and can stop female mosquitoes from biting.
Repels – Japanese beetles, roaches, ants, ticks, silverfish, lice, fleas, bedbugs, root-knot nematodes.
Attracts – Pollinators, other beneficial insects.
Citronella Grass
Description – Citronella Grass is a perennial that can be grown directly in the ground where frost doesn’t happen. It produces citronella oil, which is used as an insect repellent.
Repels – Mosquitoes.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
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Clover
Description – The white clover is a perennial and the most widely cultivated, along with the red clover. It will continue to reappear no matter how many times I mow it down…but, I save 4-leaf clovers when I happen upon them, don’t you?
Repels – Aphids, wireworms.
Attracts – Tachinid flies, damsel bugs, ground beetles, scarab beetles, parasitic insects, yellow jacket wasps, other predatory insects.
Common Lantana
Description – Common Lantana, a perennial in mild climates, is an invasive weed that has ended up in my compost pile most of the time. It can be poisonous to dogs and livestock.
Repels – Mosquitoes.
Attracts – Pollinators, other beneficial insects.
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Coriander (Cilantro)
Description – When grown for spicy seeds, call it Coriander. When grown as an herb for its leaves, call it Cilantro. Even though this plant is considered an annual, I guarantee you that, in mild climates, it is a perennial…and, will come back every year.
Repels – Aphids, Colorado potato beetles, spider mites
Attracts – Tachinid flies, parasitic wasps, lacewings, ladybugs.
Cosmos
Description – Cosmos can be annual or perennial, depending upon the variety, and are part of the sunflower family.
Repels – Corn earworm.
Attracts – Ladybugs, parasitic wasps, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, damsel bugs, big-eyed bugs.
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Crow Garlic
Description – A perennial, Crow Garlic, is a wild cousin of the garden-variety onions and garlic. It is a companion plant for fruit trees, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, and carrots. Also called wild garlic or stag’s garlic, keep it away from beans, peas, and parsley…they don’t like it!
Repels – Slugs, aphids, carrot flies, cabbage worms.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Crown Imperial
Description – Crown imperial, a perennial in hardiness zones 5 – 9, is a member of the lily family. It is so named because its flower looks like an emperor’s crown.
Repels – Rabbits, mice, moles, voles, ground squirrels.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Dahlias
Description – Dahlias are annuals but, they can be a perennial…when I carefully dig up the tubers and don’t damage them. I replant them in the spring, giving them new life.
Repels – Nematodes.
Attracts – Bees, other predatory insects, hummingbirds, beneficial insects.
Dill
Description – Dill, a biennial herb, is extremely sensitive to frost. If I allow it to reseed on its own, it will act like a perennial and come back every year. Dill is a good companion plant for cucumbers. But it isn’t so good for tomatoes and carrots. It can alter the flavor of these veggies. I use this herb to transform my cucumbers into dill pickles. Using dill from my backyard garden gives pickles a much better flavor than the store-bought variety!
Repels – Aphids, squash bugs, spider mites, cabbage loopers, white butterflies.
Attracts – Parasitic wasps, lacewings, ladybugs, syrphid flies, other hoverflies.
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Eucalyptus
Description – Eucalyptus is an annual plant in most climates but, Silver Drop Eucalyptus becomes a perennial in hardiness zones 9 – 10. This plant can be a small shrub or a large tree. The trees are very flammable and have been known to explode when catching on fire.
Repels – Aphids, cabbage loopers, Colorado potato beetles
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
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Fennel
Description – Fennel is a cool weather perennial grown as an annual in hardiness zones 6 – 10. In zones 2 – 5 it can grow as a biennial. Digging up the bulb before a cold wave allows me the option of replanting it in the spring with some success.
Repels – Aphids, slugs, snails.
Attracts – Tachinid flies, Parasitic wasps, lacewings, ladybugs, syrphid flies, other hoverflies, minute pirate bugs, damsel bugs, big-eyed bugs.
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Four O’clocks
Description – Four O’clocks get their name because the flowers don’t open until late in the afternoon. They don’t wear a watch but, they do react to a temperature drop that signals them to open up. These beautiful flowers are a perennial in hardiness zones 9 – 10 and, an annual in other zones.
Repels – Four O’clocks will attract…and then poison the Japanese beetle
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
French Marigold
Description – French Marigold is one of two marigolds normally grown as companion plants in vegetable gardens…especially alongside tomatoes. The other one is African Marigold. They are both annual flowers in the daisy family.
Repels – Whiteflies, kills nematodes.
Attracts – Ladybugs, minute pirate bugs, damsel bugs, big-eyed bugs.
Description – Even though Garlic is considered an annual, it can be grown as a perennial. And, Garlic can be grown just about anywhere. Nothin’ like garden-fresh garlic in my homemade spaghetti sauce!
Repels – Root maggots, cabbage loopers, Mexican bean beetles, peach tree borers, rabbits, moles
Attracts – Ladybugs, beneficial insects.
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Geraniums
Description – Most Geraniums are grown as annuals…but are perennials in hardiness zones 10 – 11. Put them in containers and you can bring them inside over the winter and stick them back outside in the spring.
Repels – Leafhoppers, corn earworms, white butterflies.
Attracts – Lacewings, ladybugs.
Hyssop
Description – The herb, Hyssop, just about grows itself. Its medicinal uses include antiseptic, expectorant, and cough suppression. Having a minty aroma, it is also used as a condiment or a flavoring for liquor.
Repels – Cabbage loopers, white butterflies.
Attracts – Beneficial insects.
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Larkspurs
Description – Larkspur, an annual plant, is toxic to humans and livestock. It produces blue, purple, pink, or white flowers in spring and summer.
Repels – Aphids.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Lavender
Description – Lavender, or Lavandula, is a perennial herb but, some more tender varieties won’t overwinter well and are considered annuals. Normally, the lavender plants I’ve found at Home Depot are annuals. The flowers bloom during the summer and clipping old blooms will promote additional blooming throughout the warm months.
Repels – Moths, scorpions, water scorpions, fleas, flies, mosquitoes.
Attracts – Hoverflies, other beneficial insects.
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Leeks
Description – Even though they are usually grown as an annual, Leeks are considered a perennial plant. They are related to garlic and onions.
Repels – Carrot flies.
Attracts – Pollinators, beneficial predators.
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Lemon Balm
Description – Lemon Balm will die in freezing winter but, they will resurge in the spring. Thus, they are a perennial herb and member of the mint family. Honey bees love this plant! And, it helps in making great tasting honey.
Repels – Mosquitoes.
Attracts – Tachinid flies, hoverflies, parasitic wasps,.
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Lettuce
Description – This Lettuce, a perennial, is part of “Lactuca Perennis”…or, “perennial lettuce”…and it is not a true garden lettuce. My garden lettuce is an annual plant.
Repels – Carrot flies.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Narcissus
Description – Narcissus…also called daffodil…is a perennial flower with 6 petals and a trumpet-shaped corona.
Repels – Moles.
Attracts – Bees, other pollinators, butterflies, moths.
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Nasturtiums
Description – Grown as annuals, Nasturtiums are actually perennials. They die in the fall and arise in the spring…and are one of the easiest flowers to grow as a companion plant in my backyard garden. And, I am able to eat the entire plant!
Repels – Squash bugs, aphids, beetles, cabbage loopers.
Attracts – Predatory insects.
Description – The perennial onion easily comes back every year and can be grown just about anywhere. However, it is toxic to dogs, cats, and numerous other animals.
Repels – Rabbits, cabbage loopers, white butterflies.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
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Oregano
Description – Another perennial is Oregano. This is a must for my garden! Mary uses fresh Oregano for spaghetti sauce made with fresh garden tomatoes and, it is just magnificent!
Repels – Mosquitoes, cucumber beetles, cabbage butterflies.
Attracts – Pollinators, beneficial predators.
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Parsley
Description – Believe it or not, Parsley is a biennial…not a perennial. It becomes a plant the first season…blooms…makes seeds…and dies from the cold winter. The second season, Parsley sprouts yellow and yellowish green flowers…then dies after the seeds mature.
Repels – Asparagus beetles.
Attracts – Tachinid flies, ladybugs, hoverflies, parasitic wasps.
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Peppermint
Description – All mints, including Peppermint are perennials. There is nothing better than a few Peppermint leaves in a glass of iced, sweet tea! Peppermint is a hybrid mix of watermint and spearmint and its oil is a natural pesticide.
Repels – Aphids, cabbage loopers, flea beetles, squash bugs, whiteflies, white butterflies.
Attracts – Ground beetles, predatory wasps, hoverflies, and robber flies, ladybugs.
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Petunias
Description – Petunias, though mostly grown as annuals are perennials in hardiness zones 9 – 11. Most annual Petunias used in gardens are hybrids.
Repels – Aphids, tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, leafhoppers, squash bugs.
Attracts – Hummingbirds.
Pitcher Plants
Description – Most perennial Pitcher Plants live in southeastern coastal regions of the U.S. Called Sarracenia, they like acidic soil to thrive. Pitcher Plants remove their nutrients from the insects they absorb.
Repels – Traps and ingests insects.
Attracts – No good bugs listed because it eats all insects whether they are good or bad!
Description – Radish is an annual and, a common vegetable in my garden. In some hardiness zones, they are considered a biennial plant. They are a companion plant for many other vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers because of all the pests they can chase away. Just don’t plant them near Hyssops…the two do not get along well together!
Repels – Cabbage maggots, cucumber beetles, aphids, tomato hornworms, squash bugs, ants.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Rosemary
Description – This “dew-of-the-sea” is a great perennial herb in hardiness zones 7 – 10. Once they take root, Rosemary plants will grow and grow…and grow! I enjoy the evergreen needle-like leaves as a flavoring for fish and other food preparations.
Repels – Cabbage loopers, carrot flies, slugs, snails, Mexican bean beetles.
Attracts – Ground beetles, other beneficial insects.
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Rue
Description – Rue is another evergreen perennial herb growing well in hardiness zones 4 – 11. It is great as a condiment but, some people have been known to experience gastric pain and other complications after consuming large quantities. As my grandmother used to say, “Everything in moderation.”
Repels – Cucumber beetles, flea beetles.
Attracts – Parasitic and predatory insects.
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Spearmint
Description – Spearmint is a great perennial in hardiness zones 5 or lower. It grows best in a soil pH between 6.5 and 7. Spearmint oil is used as a moth insecticide.
Repels – Fleas, moths, ants, beetles, mice, aphids, squash bugs, cabbage loopers.
Attracts – Ground beetles, predatory wasps, hoverflies, and robber flies, minute pirate bugs, damsel bugs, big-eyed bugs, ladybugs.
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Spiny Amaranth
Description – Also known as pigweed, Spiny Amaranth likes a warm, tropical environment. Most varieties are annuals and their leaves have been used to treat pimples and burns.
Repels – Cutworms.
Attracts – Ground beetles, other beneficial insects.
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Stone Root
Description – The Stone Root can be seen across the eastern U.S. and Canada. It is a flowering perennial characterized by its lemon scent. In some areas, Stone Root is called horsebalm, horseweed, ox-balm, richweed, or hardhack.
Repels – Mosquitoes.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
Summer Savory
Description – Summer Savory is an annual…as opposed to Winter Savory, a perennial. They are both similar in use and flavor but Summer Savory is not quite as bitter.
Repels – Bean beetles.
Attracts – Bees, other beneficial insects.
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Sunflower
Description – Varieties of the annual, Sunflower, may have large or small heads. The perennial Sunflower has small heads. The annuals, which are the choice for gardens, bloom the first year after planting but the perennials won’t bloom for a couple of years. Nothing like Sunflower seeds as a snack when my stomach starts growling in the garden!
Repels – No bad bugs listed.
Attracts – Assassin bugs, ladybugs, attracts aphids away from other plants.
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Tansy
Description – The herb, Tansy, is a perennial. Also called bitter buttons, cow bitter, or golden buttons, it is found mainly in Britain, Ireland, and Europe. It is commonly used as an insect repellent and, at one time, during America’s colonial days, it was rubbed into meat to help postpone decay. Tansy is used in companion planting next to potatoes.
Repels – Colorado potato beetle, ants, beetles, flies, squash bugs, cutworms, white butterflies.
Attracts – Tachinid flies, lacewings, ladybugs, parasitic wasps.
Thyme
Description – An excellent perennial herb! German Thyme does well in hardiness zones 5 – 9. Lemon Thyme likes zones 7 – 9. This is a great garden ground cover and companion plant for veggies, especially corn and tomatoes.
Repels – Cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, white butterflies.
Attracts – Tachinid flies, ground beetles, hoverflies, parasitic wasps.
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Tobacco
Description – Who would think to grow Tobacco in a backyard garden? Besides its obvious use for smoking, chewing, and snuffing, it makes a good, but smelly, insect repellent when soaked in water. The nicotine in this plant is also extracted for use as an insecticide.
Repels – Carrot flies, flea beetles.
Attracts – Damsel bugs, other beneficial insects.
Description – Did you know that, in their native habitat, tomato plants are perennials? Since the first frost will kill them, they can only be perennials in warmer climates where temperatures won’t get below freezing. Tomatoes are great companion plants for Asparagus and Carrots. They will kill Asparagus beetles and, in turn, the Asparagus plants will repel root nematodes that attack the Tomato plants. Tomatoes also kill insects that attack carrots, providing them shade (carrots are heat sensitive) and enhancing carrot flavor. Carrots reciprocate by breaking up the soil and giving tomato roots greater access to air and water.
Repels – Asparagus beetles.
Attracts – No good bugs listed.
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Venus Flytrap
Description – As a youngster, I enjoyed nurturing my very own Venus Flytrap plant. I used to feed this carnivorous plant bits of meat…raw hamburger mostly. As soon as I placed food on the tiny hairs inside their petals, they would close and enjoy their meal. The Venus Flytrap is a perennial native in the subtropical wetlands of North and South Carolina.
Repels – Traps and ingests insects.
Attracts – They eat all bugs…good and bad!
Wild Mustard
Description – Wild Mustard is an exceptional annual companion plant for grapes, radish, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. But, it doesn’t get along with beets…like oil and water…they don’t mix. Wild Mustard is a common sight, growing on the side of the road in many areas.
Repels – Traps various pests that attack brassica plants, including aphids. Some of the brassica plants include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and turnips.
Attracts – Ladybugs.
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Wild Rose
Description – Last, but not least is the perennial Wild Rose…an ancestor of the more common garden Rose. It is a beneficial companion plant for grapes. Powdery mildew and downy mildew are problems for grapes and, the Wild Rose contracts these diseases sooner. Hence, it is an early warning device for mildew.
If I see powdery mildew, I spray my grapes with sulfur. If I see downy mildew, I spray my grapes with a calcium sulphate-lime solution. Spraying the grapes will not cure the mildew but, it will prevent the onset of the disease.
Repels – Rodents, deer, traps Japanese beetles.
Attracts – Bees, other predatory insects.
A policeman caught a badly misbehaving little boy with a bb gun in one hand and a snail in the other.
“Now listen here,” the policeman said, “Whatever you do to that poor, defenseless creature I shall personally do to you”
“In that case,” said the boy. “I’ll kiss its butt and let it go”
Tha-tha-tha-that’s All Folks!
Do you think some of these plants can help you attract good bugs and repel bad bugs? Do you employ other schemes of companion planting? Have you heard of The Three Sisters plan? Comment below or zap me an email: jim@perfect-vegetable-garden.com.
Jim, the Lifelong Gardener
Hi Jim,
While going through the plant list, one that caught my eye was Common Lantana. I have a few planted in pots. Never knew that it can be poisonous to dogs and livestock. Thank you for sharing this article. With so many plants listed, I am sure a lot of effort have been put into it. Many people will benefit from this.
Would you be able to advise me what type of plant can repel squirrels? I have a mini backyard garden, planted with herbs (mainly basil and mint) and a mulberry tree. Squirrels have been eating my berries! I am in Southeast Asia with tropical climate.
Warm regards,
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Thanks, for visiting my website!
There are several plants that squirrels don’t particularly like. Among them are Daffodils, Hyacinth, Lily-of-the-Valley, and Geraniums. Try one or more of them and let me know how much success you have repelling your critters.
Best Regards,
Jim
Thank you for such an exhaustive list of plants like this, amazing! Mother earth really does have everything we need, but most people reach for a can of chemicals before actually THINKING what they’re doing to the earth – and themselves! This is why we personally keep a vegan, cruelty-free household and do our best to be ‘purmaculture-wise’ where we can in the garden.
Thanks again, this is amazing 🙂
Hi Kegan,
I’m glad you liked it! And…you are quite right! Mother Nature thinks of everything we need for a healthy, prosperous garden. We just have to recognize it and quite taking shortcuts with pesticides.
Come back often. There will be many more interesting articles and updates!
Take care,
Jim
Hello here. Great article, I checked it out when you recommended it. I wonder if you have the account for social media? I wanted to share on Twitter but I could not find it.
All the best, be healthy and wealthy, Nemira.
Hi Nemira,
Glad you liked it. I have not migrated my website to Twitter yet. But, as the website matures, that is definitely an option I want to consider.
Jim
Thanks for all the information: I want to plant chiles, corn, beans, melons , and tomatoes in independent rows how would I grow the beneficial plants? would I plant between each plant spaced approximately 18 inches from the crop or on another adjacent row or around as a perimeter? The garden is 3/4 of an acre.
Hi Raymond,
I’ve had success using a combination of these approaches – depending on the circumstances.
For cucumbers, I plant marigolds close to – but not necessarily in the row of cuke plants.
For tomatoes, I plant nasturtiums in the same row – every two or three tomato plants – and, I space my tomatoes 4 to 5 feet apart.
And, I add other beneficial plants for other veggies – either in the same row, close to the veggie, or along the perimeter.
Jim