Petunia seedlings to deter aphids from tomatoes Q. I am trying to reduce the use of pesticides in my garden in Tando Jam and recently learnt that flowers repel insects. Please tell which insects do they repel. I want to experiment with this to see how effective it is.
A. Not all flowering plants are insect repellent and those that are, each repel only certain types of insects. The most common — and easiest to find — insect repellent plants / flowers / herbs include the following:
To repel aphids: Basil, catnip, chives, coriander, dill, eucalyptus, fennel, French marigolds / tagetes, garlic, larkspur, nasturtiums, thyme, petunias and all mints.
Have you ever thought of growing some insect repellent plants in your garden? While basil repels mosquitos, citronella grass can help deter cats
To repel mosquitoes: Basil, chamomile, lemon grass, lantana, feverfew, lavender, oregano, lemon balm and neem.Against squash / cucumber bugs / beetles: Catnip, dill, fennel, aniseed, petunias, radish and nasturtiums.
For spider mites: Coriander, fennel, dill, aniseed, dill and oregano.
To repel carrot-fly: All members of the onion family including leeks and chives, basil, chamomile, lavender, lettuce, French marigolds / tagetes, oregano, rosemary and tobacco.
The above are just a few examples, and it would help if you read up on the subject of ‘companion planting’ to learn which plants / flowers / herbs / vegetables / fruits benefit from being grown next to each other and why. To help keep a garden free of insect pests, it is good to grow a mix of all kinds of plants in fairly close quarters instead of growing, for example, individual beds of carrots, cabbages, etc. in one area of the garden, and beds of flowers in another. Growing beds of just one species gives insect pests something to hone in on; growing mixed beds of plants acts to confuse an insect’s sense of smell. Some plants also actively ‘feed’ other plant species and, studying ‘companion planting’ should also give you lots of information about this. Good luck, and the sooner you completely stop using any chemical interventions in your garden, the better it will be for all.
Q. I have a problem with seed germination. I had sown seeds of tomato and chillies at the end of February but not a single one came up. I am 12 years old and reside in Abbottabad.
A. The cool — in February cold — climate of Abbottabad does not permit the germination of warm to hot weather seed species. To successfully grow these, along with things such as aubergines and bhindi, you need to wait until the weather has sufficiently warmed up the soil. Please try again now or, if nights are still a bit chilly, wait another week to 10 days (but before May 14 at the very latest, otherwise they will not have a long enough season to produce to their full capacity). If you want to grow earlier crops of these, you will need, next year, to start them off, from mid-March, under plastic covers.