Veggie garden question...

[JudyB]

We are going tobe putting our garden in this weekend and I want to try and get a head start on pest(insect and animal) control...
Has anyone ever used blood meal to help keep pests at bay??
And what do you use to help bring in essentials? I read somewhere to plant a few annuals at the ends of the bed....but I want to see what other ideas are out there.

TIA

[Valkyrie]

I followed this guide
http://organicgardens.suite101.com/a...n_pest_control

Plants that Repel Pests

There are a number of plants you can add to your garden that repel pests. These include:

* Basil – asparagus beetles, tomato heartworms and thrips
* Green Bean – Colorado potato beetles
* Nasturtium – Colorado potato beetles and squash bugs
* Tomato – asparagus beetles
* Wormwood – slugs
* Rue – aphids, cats, dogs, Japanese beetles, onion maggots, slugs and snails
* Anise – aphids, snails and slugs
* Borage – cabbage worms and tomato heart worms
* Sage – cabbage loopers, carrot flies, flea beetles, imported cabbage worms and tomato heart worms
* Thyme – cabbage loopers and white flies
* Radish – cowpea curculio, cucumber beetles, harlequin bugs, Mexican bean leaf beetles, squash bugs and stink bugs
* Garlic – aphids, cowpea curculio, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, Mexican been leaf beetles, root maggots, spider mites and squash vine borers
* Onion – bean leaf beetle, cabbage loopers, carrot flies, flea beetles, harlequin bugs, Mexican bean leaf beetles, mice, rabbits, spider mites and squash vine borers
* Potato – bean leaf beetles
* Turnip – bean leaf beetles and harlequin bugs
* Oleander – codling moths
* Catnip – aphids, corn earworms, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, squash bugs and mice
* Marigold – aphids, corn earworms, leaf hoppers, Mexican bean leaf beetles, rabbits, squash bugs, thrips and tomato heartworms
* Hyssop – imported cabbage worms
* Oregano – cabbage butterflies and cucumber beetles
* Rosemary – imported cabbage worms and slugs
* Dill – aphids, cabbage moths and spider mites
* Lavender – mice, mosquitoes, moths, rabbits and ticks
* Fennel – aphids, slugs, snails and spider mites
* Pennyroyal – ants
* Mint – ants, aphids, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, imported cabbage worms, rodents, squash bugs and white flies
* Tansy – ants, cucumber beetles, Japanese beetles and squash bugs
* Coriander/Cilantro – aphids, Colorado potato beetles and spider mites
* Horseradish – potato beetles
* Geranium – Japanese beetles, leaf hoppers
* Butterfly (white) Sage – asparagus beetles
* Larkspur – Japanese beetles
* Chives – aphids, Japanese beetles and spider mites
* Cloves – cowpea curculio, spider mites and squash vine borers
* Lettuce – carrot flies
* Petunia – leafhoppers, Mexican bean leaf beetles and squash bugs
* Parsley – asparagus beetles and carrot flies

Companion Planting

There are a number of plants that can protect other plants from pests and disease and improve the flavour of certain food plants. Some examples include:

* Basil planted near tomatoes improves flavor and protects against a variety of pests.
* Oregano planted near cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber or grape vine repels pests that attack these plants
* Garlic helps prevent disease in rose canes and raspberry
* Borage repels pests that attack tomatoes and attracts pollinators to squash, tomatoes and strawberries.
* Horseradish planted at the corners of a potato patch with beans also planted nearby repels potato beetles
* Chives planted near apples help to control apple scab.
* Chives planted near roses reduce the risk of “black spot” and repel aphids.
* Chives planted near tomatoes and carrots repel pests and improve the flavor of the vegetables
* Petunias repel pests that attack beans

[Valkyrie]

I have used purple basil and garlic chives as an edible border.

[JudyB]

Thank you!!!
Looks like getting some more herbs will help a lot!
I already have basil and wasn't going to get anything else.....guess I will be changing my mind

[Jill]

I read somewhere that human hair (like from your brush, not pulling it out!) keeps away animals. They smell it and think a human is in the garden.

[Hisgirl]

I tried ladybugs in my garden in Florida and after about a day they were ALL gone...I suspect the anolies/geckos got them.

[swrlygrl]

we are prepping our courtyard for a vegetable garden but we have a few trees there already so I was thinking of doing a raised bed. Has anyone built one of these before? any tips? also do you line the bottom with anything like ground cloth to keep weeds growing up inside?

[Jill]

Originally Posted by swrlygrl we are prepping our courtyard for a vegetable garden but we have a few trees there already so I was thinking of doing a raised bed. Has anyone built one of these before? any tips? also do you line the bottom with anything like ground cloth to keep weeds growing up inside?

We did our garden as a raised garden. we did till (by hand) the ground and just filled the box with top soil that we had delivery. Let me find my pictures and I will post them in photo album.

[Jill]

Originally Posted by Valkyrie I have used purple basil and garlic chives as an edible border.

Like you plant them or so spread them around the edges?

[swrlygrl]

Originally Posted by Jill We did our garden as a raised garden. we did till (by hand) the ground and just filled the box with top soil that we had delivery. Let me find my pictures and I will post them in photo album.

COOL! I can't wait to see them. also what depth did you pick?