What flowers go with a vegetable garden to keep out bad bugs?

Hey WebMann - good luck with the veggie garden. Companion planting eh? Why not try growing herbs around the edge of the garden, functional but decorative at the same time. Fennel is good for deterring Aphids and it's flowers attract predatory insects. This is both types of fennel(common fennel which is an extremely hardy perennial, and florence fennel which is an annual with a bulb that tastes aniseedy) yum! If you grow tomatoes, this might be a good one for you. One of my favourites is Nasturtiums which are very pretty. If you plant them around the base of fruit trees they will help to repel borers, codling moth, whitefly and woolly aphids. Planted with brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower) they will help to mask their smell, so confusing the white cabbage butterfly which is a darn nuisance in our garden. Hope this helps and happy gardening lol.

I love to garden. Here are a few things that I have done over the years and a few I have not tried. Hope this helps. The easiest way to prevent insect damage in your garden is to discourage them from coming in the first place. A healthy garden is the best defence. • Pull out any weak plants. They may already be infected. If not, they will attract predators. Pull the plant and dispose of it away from the garden area. • Build healthy, organic soil. Natural composting methods, mulching and top-dressing your soil with compost or natural fertilizer is the best way to develop strong, vigorous plants. • Seaweed mulch or spray. Seaweed contains trace elements such as iron, zinc, barium, calcium, sulfur and magnesium, which promote healthy development in plants. Seaweed fertilizer in mulch or spray form will enhance growth and give plants the strength to withstand disease. Seaweed mulch also repels slugs. • Minimize insect habitat. Clear garden area of debris and weeds which are breeding places for insects. Use clean mulch. • Interplant and rotate crops. Insect pests are often plant specific. When plantings are mixed, pests are less likely to spread throughout a crop. Rotating crops each year is a common method to avoid re-infestation of pests which have over-wintered in the bed. • Keep foliage dry. Water early so foliage will be dry for most of the day. Wet foliage encourages insect and fungal damage to your plants. See our page on drip-irrigation for methods of delivering water to the root systems without wetting the foliage. • Disinfect. If you've been working with infested plants, clean your tools before moving on to other garden areas. This will reduce the speed of invading insects. Homemade remedies are inexpensive and, best of all, you know what is going into your garden. Many homemade sprays have been used with good results to control harmful insects. They usually involve noxious (but non-toxic) ingredients such as garlic, cayenne, stinging nettles or horsetail which are diluted in water and blended to be sprayed on the plants. Here are a few simple formulas: * Soft-bodied insects (mites, aphids, mealybugs): Mix one tablespoon canola oil and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. Spray plant from above down, and from below up to get the underside of the leaves. The oil smothers the insects. * Grubs: For lawn or garden grubs, there is a natural remedy called milky spore. The granules are spread on the soil and cause the grubs to contract a disease that kills them. This natural control affects only the grubs, leaving the beneficial organisms unharmed. Milky spore multiplies over time and will sit inactive, waiting for grubs to infect. One treatment is said to last 40 years. The grubs are actually the larvae of Japanese beetles. So, when you kill the grubs you kill the beetle. * Mites and other insects: Mix two tablespoons of hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper with a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Let stand overnight, then stir and pour into a spray bottle and apply as above. Shake container frequently during application. * Fungal diseases: Mix two tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and spray affected areas. Repeat this process every few days until problem ceases. * Powdery mildew: Mix equal parts milk and water and spray on infected plants. Three treatments a week apart should control the disease. * Insects and fungal diseases: Combine one tablespoon of cooking oil, two tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and apply as above.

I always plant marigolds. My dad taught me to do that because the strong smell keeps pests away. Also, they look nice in a vegetable garden. My favorites are Queen Sophia marigolds....Next year I think I'll put in some Black Eyed Susans too. I don't know if they's help keeps pests away but they look nice in a vegetable garden. The advice you got to test your soil is excellent if you're planning a vegetable garden. Many homes have chemicals in the ground from previous termite exterminations, chemical lawn treatments, PCP fences etc. These chemicals are carcinogens and will enter the food source. Many of them remain in soil for as long as thirty years and where that's the case, vegetable gardening should be done in containers or raised lined beds. When I found this out, I had my own soil tested by an arboretum near me. Fortunately my soil had no poisonous chemicals but they did make a good suggestion to add something to aerate....Good Luck with the vegetable garden!

Lemon grass contains citronella oils to deter unwanted bugs as well as cats from the garden.

Growing garlic around the boundaries to the garden makes a big difference. It's also a worthwhile thing to have around for your health and to cook with.

Some bugs are good bugs. Ladybugs are suppose to help with the aphids.

Growing your own veggies is easier than you think When springs hits, the gardening bug bites. Even if you don't have the greenest thumb, you can grow your own vegetable garden, and it's not too late to get started this year. With a little determination and some tips from local gardening experts, you'll enjoy a healthy harvest all summer long. PLANNING:~ Start planning your garden in January or February, and you'll be ready to start preparing the soil in March. Then you can start planting in April. Leafy and root crops can be planted in March. Think small-you can grow a lot of vegetables in an 8-by-8-foot space. SOIL PREPRATION:~ Soil, soil, soil-it all begins in the soil! Grow in a raised bed, starting with about 8 inches of soil-4 inches down into the soil and 4 inches mounded above the bed. This works great for tomatoes, peppers and squash. Mix compost into the soil. Mushroom compost is great (you can find it at the nursery), or make your own compost at home. CARE:~ Use wheat straw as mulch-it retains moisture and keeps weeds down. Then, after you harvest, you can turn it back into the soil. For the first 11/2 to 2 months after planting, water two to three times a week, then taper off to just once a week. PESTS:~ Caterpillars and aphids are common pests. Watch for Mexican bean beetles as well-Rotenone is a good organic pesticide for getting rid of these. If you need to use pesticides, only use organic ones. Read the labels on any fertilizers and pesticides that you use to make sure they are safe for your specific plant, as well as your yard, pets and family.