Companion planting has been around for years, you know, plant marigolds to deter aphids and attract hoverflies etc. Marigold roots also help deter eel-worm and nematodes which effects potatoes and tomatoes, they reputedly also keep white butterflies away from brassicas, and planted near your doors and windows they help deter flies and mosquitoes. So go ahead and plant some Marigolds as a border to your vegetable garden or dot them around the rows, but remember not all Marigolds are created equal, I have read several articles which tend to recommend different species of Marigold, there are 3 main varieties French (Tagetes patula), African (Tagetes erecta), and Mexican (Tagetes lemonii), I haven’t found a definitive answer as to which variety is the best, I use the French and my only other suggestion is stay away from hybrid seeds as often these have a milder smell.
Nasturtium mus
t be the wonder companion, although not as widely known as Marigolds; they attract caterpillars, aphids, and white butterfly. Once the adult butterfly has laid its eggs, simply remove the nasturtium and no caterpillars crawling all over the brassicas.
The next great thing about nasturtiums is that if the above failed, now you have lovely bright flowers to attract the bees, and predatory insects to eat the caterpillars.
Lastly, all parts of the Nasturtium are edible, the leaves and flowers can go into a salad to add a light peppery flavour. As the flowers start to wilt, check the stems for green seeds which can be pickled and used as a substitute for capers.
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