COMPANION PLANTING

Get your garden working for you to prevent invasions of unwelcome pests and diseases. Not all insects are bad; in fact, many insects are useful in the garden. Companion planting works by planting species that deter ‘bad’ bugs and encourage good insects to visit the garden and, in some cases, eat the bad guys. Sounds macabre, but by using these techniques it’s easy to manage insect pests without intervention, letting Mother Nature do the work. For example, marigolds repel whitefly and attract pests away from other plants you don’t want damaged, like tomatoes; nasturtiums are good guys too, as they attract aphids away from other host plants.