Special plants with special uses as good companions

Herbs: plants of which the leaves, stems, roots and seeds are used for food, medicines, scent or oils for flavoring. They are helpful if gathered from the wild or home grown in gardens and can be most useful if planted along side other crop plants. There are a lot of ways to use plants to ward off pests, attract bees and other pollinators we need and want in our garden. They can be planted around other plants to deter bugs from dining and make organic fertilizer for plants. The strong smelling herbs contain oils and compounds as well as poisonous leaves you can put to good use to keep food safe. Yarrow, rosemary, chamomile, mints and dill can be planted in between the food plants. These help provide food and shelter for bees and butterflies so they can come to pollinate. They spread the pollen for foods like cucumbers, melons, squash, corn, wheat, potatoes, onion, beets, broccoli, cabbage, beans, peppers, pumpkin, strawberries and many other important foods we grow to eat. If not for them we would not have all our favorite fruits and vegetables.

 

Bees like colorful flowers and nectar but it’s the pollen that they come for, pick up and spread that aids your garden the most. A few good choices to bring the bees are: sedum, monarda or bee balm, basil,
lavender, clover, heather, globe flower, pulmonaria and goldenrod. The strong aroma in herbs are found in the oils of the plant contained in leaves, flowers and stems. Once you steep or ferment them you will have organic insecticide or fertilizer for various uses around your garden.

 

Rhubarb and chrysanthemums have built in bug repellent. They are poison to humans also but can be made into an organic tea to spray on plants. Chop up some leaves and place in a large jar or bucket to let sit and ferment for 1 or 2 weeks. Keep covered then strain into a spray bottle. Keep all the utensils in a shed or garage for just this purpose. DON’T eat the sprayed plants for at least two weeks. To help keep pests under control use garlic, chives, basil, artimesia, hot pepper spray mixed with a teaspoon of dish soap. Some wild things that are easy to get for insecticidal soap are: dandelion, nettle, mint, tansy. Sunflowers, chamomile, yarrow, hyssop and basil have the flowers to attract many beneficial insects. Our ancestors used folk medicine handed down over generations to treat rashes, infections, coughs, for cooking and flavoring food, healing wounds, making perfumes and cosmetics and teas for General good health. Many of the teas are blended and contain vitamins and antioxidants to boost our immune systems and fight free radicals that harm our bodies.