Top 5 'Pest-and-Pal' Companion Plants to plant for a Thriving Organic Veggie Patch in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Hello, fellow green thumbs, and welcome back to the blog! There's a special kind of magic in stepping out to your garden, basket in hand, to harvest veggies you’ve grown yourself. The vibrant colours, the fresh scent, the satisfaction—it’s a feeling that’s hard to beat. But let's be honest, there's also the heart-sinking moment when you discover that an army of aphids has declared war on your kale, or that your prize-winning tomatoes have been targeted by hornworms.
For years, gardeners have been told the only solution is a chemical one. But as we look towards a more sustainable and organic future in 2025, the wisdom of the past is making a powerful comeback. I'm talking about companion planting, the art of creating a thriving garden ecosystem where plants help each other out. It's less about waging war on pests and more about creating a balanced community where they can't gain a foothold. This isn't just about planting pretty flowers next to your vegetables; it’s a strategic, time-tested method for natural pest control, improved pollination, and even enhanced flavour.
Today, we're going to dive into five of my absolute favourite 'Pest-and-Pal' plants. These are the multitasking superstars of the veggie patch—plants that actively repel the bad guys while simultaneously supporting and protecting their neighbours. Think of them as your garden's personal security team and cheerleading squad, all rolled into one. Let's get our hands dirty and plan for a bountiful, pest-resilient organic veggie patch!
1. The Under-Sung Hero: Marigolds (Tagetes spp.)
If companion planting had a poster child, it would undoubtedly be the humble marigold. Often relegated to bedding displays, these cheerful, sun-loving flowers are one of the most powerful allies you can have in your organic vegetable garden. Their pest-repelling prowess isn't just an old gardener's tale; it's backed by science. Many varieties, particularly French Marigolds (Tagetes patula), release a biochemical substance from their roots that is toxic to root-knot nematodes, those microscopic soil pests that can devastate crops like tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes.
But their protective magic doesn't stop below the soil. The marigold's distinct, pungent scent acts as a powerful deterrent for a host of above-ground pests. Whiteflies, tomato hornworms, and Mexican bean beetles find the aroma confusing and unpleasant, often steering clear of any area where marigolds are planted. At the same time, their bright, open-faced blooms are a welcome mat for beneficial insects. Ladybugs, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps, which are natural predators of aphids and other soft-bodied pests, are drawn to marigolds as a source of nectar. They come for the flowers and stay to clean up your aphid problems.
Top Tips for Marigolds:
- Go for the Scent: When choosing marigolds, opt for the more pungent, old-fashioned varieties. If it smells strong to you, it will smell even stronger to a pest. French Marigolds are the top choice for nematode control.
- Create a Protective Border: For maximum effect against soil pests, plant a dense border of marigolds around your beds of tomatoes, potatoes, or squash a full season before you plant your vegetables. This allows the marigolds to "cleanse" the soil.
- Interplant for Confusion: Tuck marigolds in between your brassicas (like broccoli, cabbage, and kale) to help confuse the cabbage moth, which locates its host plants by smell.
2. The Bee Magnet & Bodyguard: Borage (Borago officinalis)
Borage is a marvel of the plant world. With its fuzzy, cucumber-scented leaves and brilliant, star-shaped blue flowers, it's as beautiful as it is useful. While some plants repel pests through scent, borage works its magic through attraction and deterrence. It is perhaps the single best plant for attracting pollinators to your garden. The flowers are incredibly rich in nectar, and bees simply cannot resist them. Planting borage near your fruiting crops is like setting up a five-star restaurant for pollinators, ensuring your squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries are well-pollinated, leading to a much heavier and more successful harvest.
Beyond its role as a pollinator magnet, borage is a formidable bodyguard. Its hairy, bristly leaves make it an unappealing landing spot for many flying pests. More specifically, it’s a renowned deterrent for two of the garden's biggest villains: the tomato hornworm and the cabbage worm. Planting it alongside your tomatoes and brassicas can significantly reduce infestations. Borage is also known as a "dynamic accumulator," meaning its deep taproot can draw up trace minerals, like potassium and calcium, from deep in the soil. When the plant's leaves die back and decompose, these valuable nutrients become available in the topsoil for its shallower-rooted neighbours to use.
Top Tips for Borage:
- A Pal for Strawberries and Squash: Plant borage near your strawberry patch and throughout your squash mounds. You will notice a visible increase in bee activity and, subsequently, a larger fruit yield.
- Let It Be: Borage is a self-seeding annual. Once you have it, you'll likely have it forever. Don't fight it! Simply thin the seedlings in the spring, leaving the strongest ones where you want them and composting the rest to return those mined nutrients to the soil.
- Eat the Flowers: Don't forget that borage is a culinary herb! The beautiful blue flowers have a refreshing, mild cucumber flavour. Toss them into salads, freeze them in ice cubes for summer drinks, or use them to garnish desserts.
3. The Sacrificial Lamb: Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus)
Sometimes, the best defence is a good distraction. This is where the brilliant nasturtium comes in. Nasturtiums are the ultimate team players, famous in the companion planting world for their role as a "trap crop." For reasons we don't fully understand, aphids—especially black bean aphids—find nasturtiums absolutely irresistible. They will flock to the nasturtiums, choosing them over your more precious crops like beans, broccoli, and peppers. By planting them a short distance away from the crops you want to protect, you effectively lure the pests to a plant you're willing to sacrifice.
This sacrificial role is their main claim to fame, but their benefits don't end there. The peppery scent of nasturtium leaves can also deter squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and whiteflies, making them a great companion for your cucurbit family crops. Furthermore, their sprawling, vining habit makes them an excellent living mulch. Planted at the base of taller plants like corn or along the edges of a raised bed, they'll quickly cover the soil, helping to retain moisture, keep the soil cool, and suppress weeds. It's a beautiful, functional groundcover that works hard for your garden's health.
Top Tips for Nasturtiums:
- The Aphid Trap: Plant a ring of nasturtiums around the perimeter of a bed containing fava beans or brassicas. Monitor the nasturtiums for aphid populations. If they become heavily infested, you can simply pull the plant and dispose of it, pests and all.
- Underplanting Power: Use trailing varieties of nasturtiums as a living mulch under your tomato plants or fruit trees. This helps with water retention and keeps down competitive weeds.
- A Spicy Salad Addition: Like borage, nasturtiums are a culinary delight. The leaves, flowers, and even the seed pods are edible, with a wonderfully peppery flavour similar to watercress. They add a zesty kick and a splash of colour to any summer salad.
4. The Aromatic Guardian: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Walking through a garden and brushing past a rosemary bush is one of life's simple pleasures. That intoxicating, pine-like fragrance is a gift to us, but it's a powerful weapon in the veggie patch. Rosemary is a master of camouflage by scent. Its strong aromatic oils can overwhelm the senses of many destructive pests, making it difficult for them to locate their preferred host plants. One of my favourite lessons from observing Goh Ling Yong’s own garden designs is how strategically he places aromatic herbs to create a protective, scented shield.
Rosemary is particularly effective against pests that target specific plant families. The carrot rust fly, which lays its eggs at the base of carrots, is famously repelled by the scent of rosemary. The same goes for the cabbage moth, which struggles to find your kale and broccoli when a fragrant rosemary bush is nearby. It also works wonders in deterring bean beetles. As a hardy, woody perennial, rosemary provides year-round structure and protection in the garden, unlike annual companions that die back in the winter. Its small blue flowers are also a vital early-season food source for bees.
Top Tips for Rosemary:
- Strategic Placement: Plant a rosemary bush at the corners of your raised beds, or create a low hedge of it along the border of your carrot, parsnip, and bean patches.
- Create an Herb Guild: Rosemary thrives in the same conditions as other Mediterranean herbs like sage, thyme, and oregano. Planting them together creates an incredibly powerful aromatic barrier that confuses a wide array of pests.
- Prune for Kitchen and Garden Health: Regularly harvesting sprigs for your kitchen not only provides you with fresh herbs but also encourages the plant to become bushier, releasing more of its protective essential oils into the air.
5. The Underground Protector: Garlic (Allium sativum)
Last but certainly not least is garlic, a powerhouse from the allium family. Its benefits extend far beyond the kitchen. The secret to garlic's protective power lies in its sulfur compounds. These compounds are absorbed by neighbouring plants and released through their leaves, creating a scent that repels a huge list of pests. Aphids, spider mites, Japanese beetles, and cabbage worms all dislike the smell of garlic.
Garlic’s influence is just as potent below the ground. Its natural antifungal and antibacterial properties can help to suppress certain soil-borne diseases, creating a healthier root environment for its companions. Some studies suggest that interplanting garlic can help reduce the severity of fungal issues like potato blight. It’s also said to be an effective deterrent for larger pests like rabbits and deer, who find the strong smell off-putting. And, of course, the best part is that after a season of protecting your other plants, you get to harvest a crop of delicious, homegrown garlic.
Top Tips for Garlic:
- Interplant Everywhere: Garlic doesn't take up much space. Tuck individual cloves throughout your lettuce patch, around the base of your tomato plants, and between strawberry plants. It's particularly effective when planted near roses to deter aphids.
- Create a "Garlic Tea" Spray: For a quick, organic pest control solution, mince 4-5 cloves of garlic and let them steep overnight in a litre of water. Strain the liquid into a spray bottle and use it directly on plants infested with aphids or spider mites. Reapply after rain.
- Time Your Planting: Plant garlic in the autumn for the largest bulbs the following summer. This gives it a long growing season to establish itself and offer protection to the spring and summer vegetables you'll plant around it.
Your Garden is an Ecosystem
As you plan your 2025 veggie patch, I encourage you to think beyond planting in simple, isolated rows. Start seeing your garden as a vibrant, interconnected community. By incorporating these five 'Pest-and-Pal' powerhouses, you're not just planting companions; you're building a resilient, self-regulating ecosystem. You're inviting in the good guys, showing the bad guys the door, and creating a healthier environment for your vegetables to thrive—all without reaching for a single chemical spray. This is the future of smart, sustainable gardening.
Experimentation is key. What works wonders in my garden might work a little differently in yours. Pay attention, observe the interactions, and don't be afraid to try new combinations. The greatest joy in gardening is learning to work with nature, not against it.
Now, I'd love to hear from you! What are your go-to companion plants for pest control? Share your favourite pairings and success stories in the comments below! Let's build a community of knowledge together. Happy planting
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
Stay updated with the latest posts and insights by following on your favorite platform!