Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: colinandyvonne on January 14, 2004, 23:37:12
-
Whilst browsing the seeds in our local Homebase we came across packets labelled Garden Doctor.
The packets tell you what plant complements what veg and details the benefits each provide.
We bought:
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum minus) - Interplant with all brassicas, cucumber, courgette, marrow, sqush, radish, tomatoes an celery - Helps deter aphids, white fly, bean bettle and cabbage moths.
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) - Interplant with cabbage, cauli's, onion, cucumber, broccoli and mint - Attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps to aid pollination. It is thought to be a 'tonic' for other plants.
Sunflower (Helianthus deblis) - Interplant wih sweetcorn, courgettes, squash and cucumbers - Attracts beneficial insects including bees, butterflies, lacewigs and predatory wasps to aid pollination.
Marigold (Tagetes patula) - Interplant with tomatoes, potatoes, carrot, lettuce, endive, leeks and asparagus - Helps deter eelworms (nematodes) and white fly, will attract some predatory insects.
Hopefully these will prove successful and stop the pesky aphids and attract nice insects ;D
-
Thats a good idea to have it on the pkts,
-
It will be interesting to hear how you get on - or from anybody else who has favourite combinations.
I've let nasturtiums self-sow more or less in any bed (they are supposed to attract black aphids (black fly on broad beans) and cabbage caterpillars - so are also useful sacrificial plants there); and plant tagetes in among my brassicas.
Not that I've noticed any stunning and wonderful effects - but what the heck, they look good!
Yarrow is a weed I tryto encourage; aphids love it, the ladybird population grows fast ------- and are supposed to spread out to clean up aphids on other plants.
Good luck! Gavin
-
and don't foget to interplant leeks/onions with your carrots to confuse the carrot fly.
-B_B-
-
This is something I have been interested in trying this year with our veggies.
I got Bob Flowerdews Book for Christmas and I am looking forward to trying to incorporate some of his ideas on our plot. Very useful to have seed packets already labelled, will look out for them. I know there has been some mixed reports on how effective they are, but it it is worth a try and as a Gavin says, it brings a nice splash of colour to the allotment. :) busy_lizzie
-
Hi BL!!....I was wondering if you'd received your fave man's book!!! Sadly ..I didn't.. :(
Maybe you could pass on some of his weird and wonderful ideas ??....on the Top Tips thread!!
.......as I'm getting very strange looks from the staff in my local bookshop!!........... ( must stop taking my flask, sarnies and notebook in there!!! ) ;) ;D
-
Hi Diane, Sorry you didn't get the Companion Flower Book for Christmas. :'( Hopefully when your birthday comes round it will be one of your presents.
Have only just started the book but when I come across some good tips will be happy to pass them on. ;D It will make a nice change as I am always the one looking for tips amongst all the experts on these Boards.
Know what you mean about taking up Camp in Book Shops and I have been known to discreetly tear the odd page out of a magazine at the hairdresser and dentists too.
You will just have to be very good from now on until your Birthday. love busy_lizzie :)
-
Did you all see the Telegraph's Gardening, yesterday, on Companion Planting - Sarah Raven?? = Tim
-
Just read it on-line now Tim ........
"Simpson's Seeds , the tomato and pepper experts at Horningsham in Wiltshire, have sworn by this plant association as their main means of white fly control for years. Their favourite French marigold for looks and efficacy is the deep red Tagetes 'Safari Red', dotted around at a ratio of one to every two or three tomatoes or peppers."
Encouraging ? Gotta be worth a go!! :)
-
Ihave used this method very successfully at about that ratio.
-
Last year I had a border of marigolds around my beds, I had the only 'whitefly free' brassicas on the site.
But beware, once you remove the marigolds the whitefly soon appear.
Incidentally, I have always grown marigolds and tomatoes in combination and have never had any infestation on tomatoes.
-
I duly planted lots of marigolds around my veg patch last spring. But within a week the lot had been scoffed by slugs. grrr.