Companion Plants in the Vegetable Garden
                     
Over the years there have been a number of suggested plant combinations that
work together in fending off insect pest problems. Actual research data on this
phenomenon is not well established.  Much of the information relates to the
experience and suggestions from gardeners. Some of this information has been
pesented in publications available from "Organic Gardening" sources. They
should be taken as suggestions and not as documented recommendations.

INSECT PEST                    "REPELLING" PLANT (S)
-----------                    ---------------------
ants ......................... pennyroyal, spearmint, southernwood,
                               tansy.
aphids  ...................... garlic, chives, and other allium, 
coriander,
                               anise, nasturtium and petunia around 
fruit trees.
borer ........................ garlic, onion, tansy.
cabbage moth ................. mint, hyssop, rosemary, 
southernwood, thyme,
                               sage, wormwood, celery, catnip, 
nasturtium.
Colorado potato beetle ....... greenbeans, horseradish, dead 
nettle, flax,
                               catnip, coriander,tansy, nasturtium.
cucumber beetle .............. tansy, radish.
cutworm ...................... tansy.
flea beetle .................. wormwood, mint, catnip; interplant 
cole crops
                               with tomato.
Japanese beetle .............. garlic, larkspur, tansy, rue, white 
geranium.
leafhopper ................... petunia, geranium.
Mexican bean beetle .......... marigold, potato, rosemary, summer 
savory,
                               petunia.
mites ........................ onion, garlic, chives.
nematodes .................... marigold, salvia, dahlia, calendula, 
asparagus.
rose chafer .................. geranium, petunia, onion.
slug ......................... prostrate rosemary, wormwood.
squash bug ................... tansy, nasturtium, catnip.
tomato hornworm .............. borage, marigold, opal basal.
whitefly ..................... nasturtium, marigold.

Reference:  "The Encyclopedia of Natural Insect and Disease 
Control" - Rodale
             Press, 1984.

Reviewed by:  J. Robert Nuss, Asso. Prof. of Ornamental Horticulture
Horticultural Department, Penn State
June 1987
PENpages Number: 09401183