5 Plants That Repel Garden Insect Pests

image

If you like to plant crops or even grow a garden, maybe you have thought to use pesticides or insecticides to rid your garden of pests. Maybe you’ve seen slugs devouring your cabbage, or even other type of pests eating at the fruits or vegetables that you worked so hard to plant. In this modern age, insecticides and pesticides are commonly used to get rid of pests that eat crops planted.

The only problem with insecticides and pesticides, is that they get rid of good bugs and bad bugs, similar to how antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria. There are certain good bugs that will eat the bad ones, preventing them from devouring your planted crop. If you choose to use insecticides or pesticides, you might be killing both, leaving your crop susceptible to other pests. These chemicals are bad for human consumption in any amount, and should never be used on crops of any kind.

Companion Planting
If you are an organic gardener, it’s very likely that you’ve learned many ways to keep pests away from your crop, that do not involve using any chemicals. If you are still struggling with keeping pests from eating your crops, then you may not have heard of companion planting. This form of crop planting has been around for over 1000 years, when it was first implemented by the Chinese. In China, Mosquito Fern’s planted next to rice, help to crowd out other weeds, as well as to help with nitrogen fixing. Native Americans also used companion planting as well.

The basis of companion planting is to plant certain crops together, as well as putting plants next to crops that are a natural pesticide. There are certain plants that you can grow next to certain crops, and it will keep away bugs that are a danger to your crop. For those wanting to avoid using any chemicals and being completely organic, you will want to look into planting some of the following plants in your garden, to help repel insects and pests.

Five Plants That Repel Pests

Sage
Sage is a natural repellent for cabbage flies, carrot flies, cabbage loopers, black flea beetles, and cabbage maggots. Sage also helps to attract Bees. Sage is reportedly beneficial for crops such as carrots, rosemary, beans, and cabbage.

Tarragon
This plant has been known to have what’s called “nurse plant” properties, meaning that it can enhance the flavor of any crops that grow near it. The smell of the plant repels most pests, making it a natural repellent.

Radish
Radishes, referred to as a type of “trap crop”, as it will fight against flea beetles and help to prevent them from eating plants like squash, lettuce, cucumbers, and eggplant. The flea beetles tend to eat the radishes leaving your main crops planted close by, to flourish.

Garlic
Garlic helps to repel rabbits, ants, and aphids. Garlic is a good assistant for pear trees, roses, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, and more.

Lovage
This is an excellent companion plant for a variety of species. Lovage attracts ground beetles and Lchneumonid Wasps, which are good bugs. It’s also thought of as good, to increase the overall health of surrounding plants.

Even though being an organic gardener is difficult, don’t give up. By planting the necessary crops with each other, in order to repel pests, you can easily keep up with your organic gardening, without pesticides. Just imagine a garden full of tasty vegetables, that have only sun, water, and love in them, and no pesticides!

More by Christine . S

6 Herbs That Can Heal You Better Than Medicine

6 Fresh Foods You Should Not Refrigerate after Opening

6 Foods That Contain Bad Fat

Christine . S
Christine has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.