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[Tomato Dirt #123] Companion Plants: Friends Don't Let Friends Get Pests or Disease
May 05, 2017

Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 7, Number 7

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple of times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.


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FEATURE: Companion Plants: Friends Don’t Let Friends Get Hurt By Bullies


Image: USDA

Companion plants are vegetables, herbs, or flowers planted nearby that offer a special benefit to tomatoes. Companion plants behave a lot like good friends. 

We all know one of the benefits of good friends: they stick up for you when bullies threaten you, often protecting you from getting hurt.

Companion plants do that for tomatoes.

Once pests and diseases invade your garden and discover your luscious, healthy tomato plants, suddenly it’s Feast Time. But companion plants act as natural defenders by deterring harmful insects, attracting helpful insects, or repelling diseases. Try planting these companion plants to protect your tomatoes:

  • Basil: repels flies, mosquitoes; attracts bees
  • Borage: attracts bees and wasps
  • Cabbage: repels whiteflies, moths
  • Chives: repel many insects
  • Collard greens: repels flea beetles
  • Geraniums: repel cabbage worm, Japanese beetles
  • Marigolds: repel tomato worm, asparagus beetles, flea beetles, whiteflies, aphids
  • Mint: repels white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, aphids
  • Nasturtiums: repel whiteflies and aphids
  • Parsley: attracts hoverflies

Find out more tips about companion plants for tomatoes. And be sure to check out our Companion Planting for Tomatoes board on Pinterest for more companion planting ideas.


Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes

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Tomato Growing Tip: Nasturtiums – a Wonderful Tomato Companion


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More Tomato Planting Tips

Planting Tomatoes: Top 10 Tips to Help You Succeed Tomato Transplanting Mistakes to Avoid Planting Tomatoes FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) How to Buy Tomato Plants


That’s it for now. More next time.

Until then, happy gardening!




Kathy with Tomato Dirt
www.tomatodirt.com
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