Sustainable gardening is now more important than ever, and if you're looking for an eco-friendly alternative to harsh pesticides, certain clever planting combinations can naturally keep common pests like aphids and slugs at bay.
Below, we've rounded up seven of those helpful species to plant beside your tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers.
French marigold
Pests deterred: Aphids, whitefly, nematodes, blackfly
Best planted near: Tomatoes, courgettes, beans, peppers
According to Mosh Latifi, co-owner of EcoCare Pest Management, French marigolds are one of the 'most well-evidenced' natural pest deterrents in the plant world.
'The roots release a compound called alpha-terthienyl, which actively suppresses soil nematodes, while the strong scent of the foliage confuses and deters aphids and whiteflies above ground,' he explains.
'Plant them as a border around tomatoes or courgettes, and they act as a first line of defence throughout the growing season.'
Lavender
Pests deterred: Aphids, moths, fleas, whitefly
Best planted near: Brassicas (e.g. cabbage, broccoli, kale), carrots
While this fragrant plant attracts pollinators, its aromatic oils repel certain insects, protecting vegetables, including cabbage and carrots.
'For brassicas in particular, which are highly vulnerable to cabbage moths and aphid attack, a row of lavender planted alongside creates a scent barrier that disrupts the ability of pests to locate their host plants,' says Mosh.
Nasturtium
Pests deterred: Aphids, blackfly, cabbage white butterflies, whitefly
Best planted near: Broad beans, courgettes, cucumbers, brassicas
Instead of repelling pests, nasturtiums act as a sacrificial plant. 'They attract aphids and blackfly so strongly that the pests colonise the nasturtium instead of the vegetables nearby,' the expert explains.
'Plant them at the edges of your vegetable beds and they draw pest pressure away from your crops. Check and remove the nasturtiums if they become heavily infested so the pests don't then migrate.'
Rosemary
Pests deterred: Carrot fly, cabbage moth, bean beetles
Best planted near: Carrots, cabbage, beans
Rosemary is particularly effective against the carrot fly, which relies on scent to locate crops. 'The strong volatile oils in rosemary mask the smell of carrot foliage, making it harder for carrot fly to find the crop,' Mosh explains.
'Interplanting rosemary between rows of carrots, or positioning a rosemary plant at each end of a row, is a simple and practical method that requires no maintenance once established.'
Chives
Pests deterred: Aphids, carrot fly, Japanese beetles
Best planted near: Carrots, tomatoes, roses
Chives release sulphur compounds that naturally deter aphids and carrot flies and work especially well alongside tomatoes and carrots, just like rosemary.
'They are low-growing and unobtrusive, which makes them easy to integrate into most vegetable beds without shading other crops,' says Mosh.
Mint
Pests deterred: Aphids, flea beetles, ants, cabbage moths
Best planted near: Brassicas, tomatoes, peas
Another fragrant plant, mint, is also effective against pests, although it should be treated with care as it spreads aggressively, warns Mosh.
'The best approach is to plant it in containers sunk into the ground near the vegetables you want to protect, which contains the roots while still allowing the scent to do its job,' he adds.
'The menthol compounds repel a wide range of insects, including aphids, flea beetles and the moths whose caterpillars damage brassicas.'
Allium
Pests deterred: Aphids, slugs, carrot fly, cabbage worms
Best planted near: Carrots, lettuce, brassicas, tomatoes
'Ornamental alliums carry the same pest-deterrent sulphur compounds as their edible relatives, garlic and onions, but are more practical to use as companion plants in a mixed vegetable bed due to their upright form and longer growing season,' says Mosh.
'The scent disrupts the ability of carrot fly and aphids to locate host plants, and slugs generally avoid areas where alliums are growing.'
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