Pests like aphids, carrot flies, deer, and mosquitos can aggravate even the most seasoned of gardeners. Nothing is more discouraging than visiting your pride and joy gardens only to be bombarded with biting mosquitoes and finding your plants munched to bits. Before turning to harsh chemicals promising to fix all your pest woes, look to nature! There are numerous herbs and flowers that will attract good insects, repel bad insects, and discourage deer and rabbits from treating your gardens as a salad bar.
Companion planting is a wonderful way to promote efficiency in your garden by encouraging natural pest control. Some plants attract predatory insects, like ladybugs and hoverflies, that eat harmful insects like aphids, mealy bugs, and mites. Others repel destructive insects like aphids, carrot flies, cabbage loopers, beetles, and slugs. Some repel unwanted guests like mosquitoes, deer, and rabbits. A few do all of the above!
Mixing these plants in your vegetable gardens and flower beds is a great way to repel those unwanted guests and keep your gardens healthier than ever. Even if you have limited spacing, most are easy to add to containers or baskets. As a bonus, they are all relatively easy to care for and require very little maintenance. If you dead- head as needed and harvest often, you should see great results from mixing in some of these powerhouse co-planters.
Our favorite Pest Repellent Companion Plants:
1. Marigolds
Marigolds are a beautiful fluffy flower that comes in many shades of yellow, orange, and red. They have a potent scent that helps repel unwanted pests like deer and nematodes while simultaneously attracting predatory insects like ladybugs and hoverflies. Ladybugs are a wonderful resource for your garden because they will feast on harmful insects like aphids and whiteflies. Marigolds also serve as a trap crop for spider mites. As a bonus, marigolds attract much needed pollinators!
Pair marigolds with cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, leafy greens, carrots, and most herbs. Avoid planting with beans and cabbage.
2. Dill
Another ladybug and hoverfly attracting plant, dill is a must have in your garden. Plant Dill near Bok Choy, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage as it will improve their growth and repel harmful insects like cabbage worm, squash bugs, and the cabbage looper. Dill is also a beneficial trap plant for tomatoes as it attracts tomato hornworm away from your tomato plants.
Pair with vegetables in the Brassicas family and tomatoes.
Avoid planting with carrots, peppers, lavender, and potatoes.
3. Lavender and Catmint
Lavender and Catmint both have silvery leaves with beautiful purple flowers. They have a delicious aroma that repels deer, rabbits, mosquitoes, and flies. They are both drought tolerant and attract pollinators and ladybugs. They are herbs and are an asset in the garden!
Plant with lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, and squash.
Avoid planting with thirsty plants as both are drought tolerant and like drier soil. However, if you live in an area with a lot of rain, stick with Catmint over Lavender as Catmint can handle a bit more moisture.
4. Basil
Basil is, of course, a favorite culinary herb, but did you know they are an excellent pest
repellent? Basil has a natural aroma that deters asparagus beetle, carrot fly, tomato hornworm, white flies, mosquitos, flies, and deer. Not only will they protect your garden beds from unwanted pests, but their scent will also help keep biting bugs away from you. It’s a win- win!
Basil pairs beautifully with tomatoes, peppers, beans, root vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and most herbs.
Avoid planting with cucumbers, melons, squashes, sage, and thyme.
5. Chives
Chives are a delicious perennial herb (zones 3-9) that deter Japanese beetles, aphids, mites, and rabbits! Once they flower, they will attract pollinators; however, they will drop seeds and spread. If you don’t want them to spread, you can dig them up and move them easily. Allium Millenium, garlic, and onions are also great pest deterring co-planters.
Plant with carrots, lettuce, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Avoid planting with asparagus, beans, and peas.
6. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are a beautiful flowering vine that act as a trap crop for aphids and a repellent for squash bugs and cucumber beetles. Plant these orange and yellow flowers at a moderate distance from your vegetable gardens to lure away unwanted guests. If planted close to your plants, that’s ok too! They will also attract hoverflies that will feast on the aphids.
Plant with beans, broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, kale, melons, pumpkins, and radishes.
Avoid planting with potatoes and zucchini.
7. Lemon thyme
Lemon thyme is a beautiful, hardy, delicious herb that repels mosquitos, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, cabbage loopers, deer, and rabbits with their lemony scent. These herbs are perennials in zones 5-9 and are drought resistant. Don’t be shy about mixing them into your vegetable gardens because once they flower, they will also attract pollinators.
Plant with peppers, tomatoes, beets, cabbages, lettuce, corn, eggplant, and potatoes.
Avoid planting with chives, cilantro, and basil.
8. Petunias
This one might come as a surprise, but petunias are a wonderful companion plant to mix in with your vegetable gardens! Their scent repels unwanted pests like tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, cabbage loopers, leafhoppers, and squash bugs. Not only will they be a beautiful pop of color, but they will provide protection from pests and draw in much needed pollinators. Our hummingbirds even enjoy them!
Plant with tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, squash, zucchini, spinach, and basil.
Avoid planting in soil that stays soggy.
9. Rosemary
Rosemary is a hardy herb that repels cabbage looper, carrot fly, mosquitos, deer, slugs, snails, and deer. They are perennials in zones 7-9 and can handle dry soil. If you live in cooler climates, plant your rosemary in pots and overwinter in the garage.
Plant with strawberries, carrots, cabbage, beans, tomatoes, and most herbs.
Avoid planting with pumpkins, cucumbers, mint, and basil.
10. Russian Sage
Having a hard time with deer and rabbits eating your flower beds? Russian sage is a
beautiful sun loving, drought tolerant, perennial (zones 4-9) that repel deer and rabbits. Pair them with other deer resistant, heat loving plants like salvias, bee balm, yarrow, coneflower, and lavender for a stunning, pollinator attracting border. We love to mix them in beds surrounding our vegetable gardens for an extra layer of defense against deer and rabbits and to attract pollinators for a high yield of vegetables.
Companion planting is a beautiful resource that all gardeners should try. Don’t be afraid to be creative and mix in flowers with your vegetables, herbs with your flowers, and sprinkle trap crops, like nasturtiums, just outside your beds. In this article, we included some of our favorite pest repellent companion plants, but there are many other plants to try. Don’t forget to tap into nature for help in your gardens and avoid using harsh chemicals at all costs.
Here’s to happy gardens and happy gardeners!
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