Tag Archives: chives

Flowers That Repel Pests [15 top Plants To Repel Pests]

There are many reasons for growing flowers, they brighten up the garden, attract insects and birds, and some can be used to repel pests. I am not a great one for growing flowers really, unless they are beneficial in my vegetable garden. That’s why flowers that repel pests appeals to me and why I’ve written this post. Flowers That Repel Pests So here’s a list of flowers that repel pests that can be integrated into your garden design. Use as many as you like and you too will benefit from a healthier environment for your plants. Larkspur A member of… → Read More

Flowers That Attract Bees

We need bees to help pollinate our plants and bees need flowers to survive. Growing flowers that attract bees in the vegetable garden means everybody wins. We get more produce and the bees get nectar to feed themselves and their young. Flowers That Attract Bees There are many flowers that attract bees and during a normal summer they have no problem finding food. Which is good for the bee population however, us gardeners need to be sure of pollination. We need to be proactive in creating the type of garden bees will frequent. To achieve this we have to consider… → Read More

What Grows Well With Raspberries

Always expensive in the shops,raspberries make a great fruit for desserts and just to eat fresh. Raspberries are not that difficult to grow and are fairly undemanding to maintain. As with all plants they will do better with certain companions so what grows well with raspberries? What Grows Well With Raspberries The principles of companion planting are well known, some plants repel pests, some attract beneficial insects either to pollinate or as predators on the bad bugs. Some are sacrificial, taking the bad bugs away from your crop plant. Others share beneficial compounds through the soil whilst others do the… → Read More

Companion Planting Peach Trees

Often considered as plant that will only grow in hot climates, peaches are much tougher than the fruit looks. In fact, as long as you provide them a fairly sheltered environment, with protection from strong winds they will do well. By companion planting peach trees with other helpful plants you will improve the health and yield of your fruit crop. Companion Planting Peach Trees One of the main problems when growing peaches in the UK is wind because the delicate flowers can easily get damaged. Later in the season once the fruits have set and are ripening, the problem is… → Read More

Companion Planting Parsley

Parsley is a biennial plant, which means that it takes 2 years to set it’s seed. It also means that the benefits of companion planting parsley will last for 2 years before you need to resow seed. There are 2 types of parsley, curly leaf and flat leaf, and both types will give you the same benefits. Companion Planting Parsley A great herb for deterring pests and for attracting beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and hoverflies. Plants that will benefit from companion planting with parsley include:- Parsley and Asparagus The asparagus bed is unproductive for about 10 months of the… → Read More

Companion Planting Pear Trees

The most obvious companion plant for a pear tree is another pear tree to help with pollination. That’s not always necessary though as many pears are able to self pollinate but not without insect assistance. By companion planting pear trees with other helpful plants you will attract many beneficial insects. Not only that but you will repel and/or deter many unwanted pests as well. Companion planting is a scientifically proven way of improving plant health and growth. It also mimics nature as many permaculture growers will agree. Companion Planting Pear Trees There are many plants to grow in companion with… → Read More

Watermelon Companion Plants

I live in the UK and I have dabbled at growing melons in my unheated greenhouse a few times over the years, with mixed results. This year however, I have found a UK based seed company that offers watermelon seeds for the UK climate. So I’m looking at watermelon companion plants and I’ll share them with you here. What Are Watermelons? Watermelons are members of the curcubit family which includes pumpkins, squash, melons, cucumbers, and gourds. They are sweet flavoured and as the name suggests, very juicy. Watermelons develop differently to other members of the same family. They have less… → Read More

Herbs As Companion Plants

Herbs are one of the most used plants in the kitchen, and everyone has their own favourite herb. Did you know that using herbs as companion plants not only look good in your garden, but also benefit your other plants as well. think of the luscious aromas of summer, thyme, lavender, basil, oregano, Marjory, sage… I could go on forever. All of the herbs below will benefit your garden as well as your table. It’s time to get into the wonderful world of companion planting herbs. What Is Companion Planting? Companion planting is a system of growing plants together to… → Read More

Plants That Repel Aphids [Top Plants To Get Rid Of Aphids]

There are many plants that repel aphids and in recent years there has been much scientific research into this subject, the NCBI, the National Centre for Biotechnology Information in the U S A (see link below) is just one source of new information. Their research is quite in depth but It all comes down to observing nature and applying what you see to your own plot. So the following is all about plants that repel aphids but could easily be titled… Companion Plants. According to the NCBI plants repel aphids by :- Disguising the aroma of the host plant Changing… → Read More

Companion Planting Tomatoes

There is nothing better than a freshly grown, warm, sweet tomato straight from the vine. The flavour of home grown tomatoes surpasses shop bought, commercially grown tomatoes by far. By companion planting tomatoes with other beneficial plants you will not only improve the taste, but also the health of your tomato plants. Tomatoes originate in hot climates so if like me, you’re in an area prone to frosts then you will have to treat this perennial plant as an annual. It also stands to reason that the majority of companion plants for tomatoes also originate in hot countries. That doesn’t… → Read More