Plant Partners
Companion planting, or putting vegetables and flowers with symbiotic relationships near one another, gives your garden resilience and confuses potential predators.
“This step is key to a successful organic garden,” says Spoonemore. “Insects such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps and hoverflies keep pests under control while bees and butterflies pollinate your blooms for a successful yield.”
Plant tomato and basil next to each other, or borage next to cucumbers. “The bee visits the blue of the borage, and then bounces over to my cucumbers and pollinates them, so I get more cucumbers,” says Andrews.
Don’t Panic
Bugs and diseases will pop up in your garden from time to time. But if you’ve invited the good guys in with a biodiverse range of plants, especially native companions, there’s a good chance nature will work it out in your favor.
“At one point my milkweed got covered in mold, which is typical when you have lots of aphids,” says Andrews. “Milkweed sends out a chemical that says I’m under stress, I need help, and then the cavalry comes. Tons and tons of ladybugs showed up, and within three days it looked like someone had polished the leaves clean.
“So I have a tendency to leave things alone when they’re going wrong in the garden and see what happens.”
Monitor Pests
If a pest problem doesn’t work itself out naturally, or if you know you’re in a spot prone to particular infestations or diseases, it’s good to be proactive as well. Check the garden often for invasions, because they’re easier to stop when they’re new.
Besides seeing pests or their eggs under the leaves or on stalks, signs something is awry include browning or yellowing leaves, white patches or curling. Netting can keep some insects at bay during seasons when they may be more active. If you see detrimental beetles and such, handpick them or knock them into a bucket of soapy water instead of using pesticides.
But before doing that, get to know your bugs, because you don’t want to hurt beneficial insects or disrupt a healthy ecosystem in your garden.
