Nasty beetles eating everything. by Jason Riedy
A reader asked which plants would be good companion plants to grow with her beans to deter bean beetles.
TheGardenLady would plant a variety of plants that deter bean beetles, if you have the room in your garden. Then you can hope that at least one will work.
Sage is a good companion plant for beans and it also has insect-repelling properties, especially against beetles. Sage is a strong aromatic–it may be this that repels some insects.
Plant rosemary where you will put your beans next season as this is also an effective beetle deterrent. Summer savory repels beetles, I am not sure which kinds, and encourages good growth and good flavor.
Plant petunias throughout the whole garden and form a barrier with them around vulnerable plants, such as raspberries, grapes, tomatoes, beans, roses and blueberries, to prevent Japanese beetle invasions. If you notice plants being attacked by Japanese beetles in shady areas, where petunias cannot be planted, you can make a homemade insecticide using the flowers’ leaves. Mix 2 cups of chopped petunia leaves with 1 quart of boiling water and allow the tea to steep for 24 hours. Other plants besides petunias that repel Japanese beetles include soybeans, geraniums, catnip, chrysanthemums and garlic.
Not only do petunias deter Japanese beetles, they also deter leafhoppers, aphids, asparagus beetles, tomato worms, Mexican bean beetles and others. This makes petunias beneficial companions to not only plants that attract Japanese beetles, but also potatoes, basil, bell peppers, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and asparagus.
As a gardener and canning grandma, it is so important to know what healthy choices I have to protect what I grow. Thank you for your advice.