Companion growing -- marigolds and cabbages?

[Le-y]

Hi all newbie here something i wanted to ask ....

I've got 2 veggie beds in my yard at the moment both have cabbages in it (amongst other things) in bed A.. there are marigolds, cabbage, celery, lettuce and a couple of carrots, In bed B.. there are cabbage, iceburg lettuce, pac choi, carrots and chinese cabbage - NO marigolds.

Now bed B's cabbages are always covered in the little white beasties (cabbage fly or something i am sure someone can correct me on this) and also the eggs from the white butterfly (the big one) which i shoo off and remove respectivlely.

Bed A's cabbages under inspection has had NOTHING on them at all never, well apart from a fly i saw resting on there once.

Now i am wondering if the marigolds are to thank for this?

if this is the case a whole bundle of them are getting planted in my allotment!

anyone know?

[Le-y]

[saddad]

We grow African marigolds in our "parterre" for exactly that reason... works for whitefly but not for caterpillars in our experience...  :-\

[tonybloke]

I grow pot marigolds (calendula) as the 'weed of choice' on my allotment, they attract pollinators, and discourage pests!! also provide colour every day of the year.

[LesH]

 I've used companion planting with frenh marigolds for the last two years, it does not stop the white fly but does reduce the amount by a high percentage.  theory is that the marigolds roots give out some substanse that the cabbage/sproats take up and the white fly dislike.

[Barnowl]

Agreed that Marigolds work but the birds have taken to eating ours!

[Bjerreby]

It often falls to me to dampen enthusiasm for stuff................so here goes.

Companion planting isn't all it is made out to be. I'd say for the most, it is a myth started by seed merchants. Stories like feverfew disguise the smell of carrots.........great.........if you can get feverfew seeds and make them grow!

I am sure there are some plants that don't like being next to other particular plants, like strawberries next to rosemary or thyme, but my view is that companion planting has a lot in common with "bio-dynamic" horticulture and moon planting..........................it is most dubious.

[Borlotti]

I read that nasturiums could get rid of marestail, I have lovely nasturiums and brilliant marestail, they just love each other.  Excuse spelling of nasturims if it is wronjg, bvut you know what I mean.  Think it does work in some cases, the plant that I can't remember what it is called, (old age) what they feed to pigs, is growing well with my tomatoes and has lots of ladybirds on it, and blackfly.  Everytime I look at my onions I remember the song, 'I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch'.  Does anyone else sing on the allotment?????

[Barnowl]

It often falls to me to dampen enthusiasm for stuff................so here goes.

Not surrounded by marigolds
[attachment=1]

Surrounded by marigolds
[attachment=2]

draw your own conclusions  :)

[1066]

Nice marigolds  ;) 

I am sure there are some plants that don't like being next to other particular plants, like strawberries next to rosemary or thyme,

But isn't that just the point of companion planting - either plant with certain plants or not  ???

1066

[Mrs Soup]

There's lots of hearsay about this, but there is a growing body of research which suggests that there is some basis to some of it.......

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html#scientific

[valmarg]

The only companion planting we do is french marigolds in the tops of the pots of tomatoes in the greenhouse.  Since we've been doing this, we haven't been troubled with whitefly. and shall therefore continue to plant the marigolds in with the tomatoes.

The latest edition of the RHS magazine The Garden, suggests that planting the marigolds in with runner/climbing french beans 'could deter pests'.  Might give it a go.

valmarg

[tonybloke]

It often falls to me to dampen enthusiasm for stuff................so here goes.

Companion planting isn't all it is made out to be. I'd say for the most, it is a myth started by seed merchants. Stories like feverfew disguise the smell of carrots.........great.........if you can get feverfew seeds and make them grow!

I am sure there are some plants that don't like being next to other particular plants, like strawberries next to rosemary or thyme, but my view is that companion planting has a lot in common with "bio-dynamic" horticulture and moon planting..........................it is most dubious.

do you want some feverfew seed? ;)
biodynamic is so dubious that the biodynamic organisation  is allowed to certify food for the european and british governments, and there is a huge body of evidence about the benefits of companion planting.
rgds, tony (qualified in organic horticulture and food production)  ;)