Indoor Gardener » pest control http://indoor-gardener.co.uk No garden? No worries! Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:07:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Common problems with rosemary http://indoor-gardener.co.uk/common-problems-with-rosemary http://indoor-gardener.co.uk/common-problems-with-rosemary#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:55:26 +0000 Alice http://indoor-gardener.co.uk/?p=279 Tired looking plant?

Sprinkle some dried, ground up eggshell around the plant on top of the soil. Do this after about a year, and then repeat every year. This will refresh the plant.

White powdery mildew on the surface of the soil?

Rosemary needs good air circulation. Without this, rosemary plants can develop a mildew that looks like a white powder. This is especially common if the air is humid. If this occurs then try and increase the circulation by placing a fan in the room for a few hours a day.

Aphids or spider mites?

Indoor rosemary plants are particularly prone to these. This is easily treated by spraying the plant with an insecticidal soap bought from a garden centre under the plant is healthy again.

]]> http://indoor-gardener.co.uk/common-problems-with-rosemary/feed 1 Companion planting with herbs http://indoor-gardener.co.uk/companion-planting-with-herbs http://indoor-gardener.co.uk/companion-planting-with-herbs#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:49:14 +0000 admin http://localhost/indoor-gardener/?p=135 Companion planting is about using one species to benefit another. Some herbs are a natural deterrent for pests and diseases, or can improve the growth and flavour of other plants. The following is a list of herbs and their relationships in the garden.

[source: Wikipedia]

Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Basil Ocimum basilicum tomato, peppers, oregano, asparagus, petunias chamomile, anise butterflies asparagus beetle, mosquitoes and flies common rue, sage is said to make tomatoes taste better, chamomile and anise are supposed to increase the essential oils in many herbs like basil
Borage Borago officinalis Almost everything, especially strawberry, cucurbits (cucumber, gourds), tomatoes Predatory insects, honeybees many pests Borage is the magic bullet of companion plants
Caraway Carum carvi Strawberries Parasitic wasps, parasitic flies
Chamomile Matricaria recutita Basil, Wheat, Onion, Cabbage, Cucumber Hoverflies, wasps Growing near herbs will increase their oil production.
Chervil Anthriscus cerefolium Radish, lettuce, broccoli aphids loves shade, fortunately it grows well with shade-tolerant food plants; will make radishes grown near it taste spicier
Coriander / Cilantro Coriandrum sativum spinach beans, peas tachinid fly aphids
Chives Allium schoenoprasum Apples, carrots, tomatoes, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, mustard, etc), many others carrots cabbage worms, carrot fly, aphids beans, peas Same companion traits as all alliums (onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, etc)said to prevent apple scab after 3 years planting at base of apple trees
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Dill Anethum graveolens Cabbages, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Cucumbers Hoverflies, Wasps, Tomato Horn Worms, honeybees, Ichneumonid Wasps Aphids, spider mites, squash bugs, cabbage looper carrots, tomatoes one of the few plants said to grow with fennel
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Dill Dill ladybugs, syrphid fly, tachinid fly aphids Almost everything Fennel is allelopathic to most garden plants, inhibiting growth, causing to bolt, or actually killing many plants
Garlic Allium sativum Apple trees, Pear trees, Roses, Cucumbers, Peas, Lettuce, Celery Aphids, cabbage looper, ants, rabbits, cabbage maggot Deters rabbits, same companion traits as all alliums (onions, chives, shallots, leeks, etc)
Hemp Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa Brassica (cabbage, brussels sprouts, other kales) Repels many types of beetles which attack cabbages.
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Cabbage, grapes honeybees, butterflies Cabbage moth larvae, Cabbage Butterflies Stimulates growth of grapes.
Lovage Levisticum officinale Almost all plants beans Ichneumonid Wasps, ground beetles (good) rhubarb Is thought to improve the health of almost all plants, like borage and geraniums, is considered a “magic bullet” of companion planting
Oregano Origanum vulgare Tomatoes, peppers, many other plants basil aphids provides ground cover and much-needed humidity for pepper plants if allowed to spread among them
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Peppermint Mentha piperita Brassica (cabbage, kholrabi, broccoli, and the other kales) cabbage fly, ants, cabbage looper Repels cabbage flies, has same general companion properties as other mints
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis sage, cabbage, beans, carrots bean beetle Deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
Sage Salvia officinalis rosemary, cabbage, beans, carrots honeybees, cabbage butterfly cabbage flies, carrot fly, black flea beetle, cabbage looper, cabbage maggot Deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
Southernwood Artemisia abrotanum Fruit trees Controls cabbage moths and malaria mosquitoes.
Spearmint Mentha spicata ants, aphids Controls ants and aphids, has same general companion properties as other mints.
Summer Savoury Satureja hortensis Green beans, onions, also delays germination of certain foul herbs
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare beans, cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, etc), corn, roses honeybees flying insects(Ichneumonid Wasps), Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs and ants Is reputed to generally repel insects (except for nectar-eating types). This herb should not be consumed, as it is quite toxic.
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