A TikTok gardener shared with her followers how she keeps pests away using some common plants.
The scoop
The TikToker The Loc’d Gardener (@the_locd_gardener) posted a video explaining her companion planting. To protect her mustard greens from pests, she added French dwarf marigolds, green onions, chives, and garlic.
@the_locd_gardener I finally got the mustard bed planted yesterday. 28 mustard greens tucked in with garlic, green onions, chives, and dwarf marigolds for natural pest control. Nothing too fancy. It’s growing season, I FINALLY got started, and that’s all that matters. #gardentok #fallgarden #pestcontrol #raisedgardenbeds #zone8b ♬ siberia unreleased – Siberia
In the caption, she said, “I finally got the mustard bed planted yesterday. 28 mustard greens tucked in with garlic, green onions, chives, and dwarf marigolds for natural pest control. Nothing too fancy.”
The four companion plants can repel pests because of their pungent odors. The strong scents mask the aroma of other crops that pests seek out, such as the mustard greens.
According to Gardenia, marigolds have the potential to deter aphids, mosquitoes, whiteflies, cucumber beetles, cabbage worms, flea beetles, and many more pests. But marigolds are not a foolproof solution. So adding more pest-repelling plants amps up the protection.
According to Gardenary, chives can also repel aphids, deer, and carrot flies. Green onions repel cabbage worms, slugs, carrot rust flies, and aphids. Aside from vampires, garlic can also deter several insects, like allium leaf miners, spined soldier bugs, and yellow mealworms, according to the Gardener’s Path.
How it’s helping
Companion planting maximizes your garden space and improves soil quality. Your crops can grow stronger and healthier, as they support and defend one another. And you get more crops.
Plus, gardening enriches your mental and physical well-being. Keeping a garden can reduce stress, and homegrown food improves your diet.
Seeds and bulbs are often much cheaper than traditional pest repellents, like chemical pesticides. You get to save money while skipping toxic chemicals.
Removing pesticides from your gardening methods also keeps you healthier.
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According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pesticides can cause a range of health issues. Some contain chemicals known to cause cancer, weaken the nervous system, disrupt your hormone balance, or cause skin and eye irritation.
Pesticides also harm the environment, causing health issues in animals and hurting ecosystems. They contaminate soil and water, endangering the health of every living organism in the area, including humans.
What everyone’s saying
The Loc’d Gardener’s followers loved the idea of companion planting.
One person complimented the newly planted greens, saying, “Looking great!!”
Someone else praised the gardener, writing, “What a beautiful garden bed you have!”
And another TikToker agreed that these companion plants are a smart move, commenting, “Great combination sounds like ours.”
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