What to plant next to veggies to keep bugs away?
Sage has been shown to protect brassicas from cabbage moths as well as carrots, parsley, and parsnips from carrot flies. Rosemary also protects against carrot flies in addition to snails and slugs. Finally, whiteflies, which damage the foliage and overall health of many crops, disfavor thyme. The journey toward maintaining a bug-free home doesn’t have to involve harsh chemicals. By understanding and utilizing smells insects don’t like, such as those found in citronella oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, and neem oil, we can protect our spaces naturally.Mint: Catnip, spearmint, peppermint, and other mint plants emit a strong scent that repels flies, beetles, ants, mealybugs, and other pests. Herbs: Basil, oregano, rosemary, and other strongly scented herbs keep mosquitoes, flies, aphids, tomato hornworms, and spider mites away from your garden.What is the one thing in your spice cabinet that can keep you bug and rodent free this summer? Yes! Cinnamon. Cinnamon naturally contains eugenol, an aromatic compound commonly found in traditional insect repellants.Peppermint essential oil might just be the holy grail of natural pest repellents to leave around your home’s entry points, as it can help keep away ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles, and ants.
What should I plant next to tomatoes to keep bugs away?
Nasturtiums help to repel aphids and beetles away from tomatoes by acting as a trap. They can also be effective against the squash bug and potato beetles, as well as white flies! Garlic (along with chives! Japanese beetles (June Bugs), aphids, and mites! Nasturtium is a good companion plant for tomatoes because it acts as a trap crop. Nasturtium traps pests such as aphids away from your tomatoes.
Should I spray the leaves of my tomato plants?
Did you know your tomato plants can help protect the rest of your garden? I make a quick tomato leaf spray—basically steep the leaves in water, strain it, and spritz it around. Aphids hate it. The garden smells amazing. Baking soda can sweeten tomatoes and deter pests, but must be used sparingly to avoid harming plants. A light sprinkle around the base wards off slugs, ants, and aphids, and a diluted spray mix helps prevent fungus.Sodium (Na) on its own can be beneficial to plants as it can help with fungal infections, raise soil pH, and deter pests, but in high concentrations can prevent water intake and stun growth. Many plants cannot tolerate high concentrations of salt, so baking soda should be used sparingly if ever.Use baking soda, sodium bicarbonate! Sprinkling it around your tomato plant is an easy and inexpensive way to deter pests for optimal tomato growth. Additionally, this simple gardening trick helps protect your plant from common diseases while boosting productivity!