Companion Gardening - North Central Ohio

1. Companion Gardening
By Susan Helterbran
Champaign-Shelby County’s - Program Coordinator
for the
North Central Ohio Solid Waste District
Serving Allen, Champaign, Hardin,
Madison, Shelby & Union Counties

2. Household Hazardous Waste
• Household Paints 67%
• Passenger Tires 31%
• Auto Products-Oil/Antifreeze 31%
• Home Maintenance Products 20%
• Household Cleaning Supplies 20%
• Garden Products-Pesiticides/Fertilizers 18%
• Dry Cell/Household Batteries 17%
• LAB-Lead Acid Batteries 14%

3. Why I Started Learning About
Companion Gardening?
Goal – Find ways residents can reduce the
use of Pesticides and Fertilizers
Answer – Companion Gardening
Uses Natural Pest Control and Soil Building

4. 1935 – Everett & Faith Brelsford

5. History of Pesticides
• The first recorded use of insecticides was in
2500 B.C. by Sumarians, who used sulphur
compounds to control insects and mites.
• Controlling body lice in China with mercury and
arsenical compounds in 1200 B.C.
• Burning sulfur to kill insects in ancient Rome.
• Controlling ants with honey and arsenic in 1600.

6. History of Pesticides
• It was not until after WWII that pesticide
popularity soared with the discovery of the
effects of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-
ethane), BHC, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, and
2,4-D.
• These products were effective and
inexpensive with DDT being the most
popular.

7. History of Pesticides
• DDT was easy to use and it reduced insect-born
diseases, like malaria, yellow fever, and typhus.
• In the 1950’s and 1960’s, widespread resistance
to DDT and other pesticides was documented.
• In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring,
was released.
• In 1970, President Nixon formed the EPA
(Environmental Protection Agency) and DDT was
banned.

8. Future of Pesticides
• If pesticides were banned in the U.S., it is estimated that
132,000 people would lose jobs, U.S. food aid programs
to poor countries would slow, and worldwide hunger
would increase.
• A ban could hurt the environment in that farmers would
need more farmland, thus in turn would ruin habitats.
• Other countries with less strict or fewer regulations may
increase pesticide usage to take advantage of the
reduction of U.S. exports.
• Banning pesticides would endanger public health,
because pesticides have helped control diseases.

9. The Problem With Using
Pesticides in Our Gardens
• Pesticides Don’t Just Kill the Bad Bugs,
They also Kill the Good Bugs.
• More than 90% of Insects in Your Yard
are Your Friends, Not Your Foes.
• Ladybugs, lacewings, many kinds of flies
and tiny wasps are an important natural
pest control force.
• Their larvae gobble up aphids and other
pests or parasitize (the caterpillars that
chew holes in the foliage of your flowers
and vegetables).
So How Can We Keep
the Good Bugs and Get Rid
of the True Garden Pest?

10. Re-Think The Way We Garden
Nature Doesn’t
Put Everything In
Nice Neat Rows

11. The Three Sisters In The Garden
Corn Bean Squash

12. Using Flowers As Pesticides
• Some of the best flowers to start with
are Alliums, Delphiniums, Geraniums,
Lavender, Marigolds, Nasturtiums,
Petunias, Sunflowers and Yarrow.
• Planting these flowers in your or near
your garden will attract the good
insects, because the adult beneficial
insects eat pollen, not bugs.
• Buying a few packets of annual seeds
and potted perennials is much more
fun than buying pesticides and a
sprayer.

13. ALLIUMS
REPELS COMPANION WITH
• Slugs • Tomatoes
• Aphids • Peppers
• Carrot Fly • Potatoes
• Cabbage Worm • Broccoli
• Rabbits • Carrots
• Fruit Trees

14. DELPHNIUMS
REPELS Do
• Pick Japanese
• Japanese Beetles off by hand
Beetles and remove them
from your garden.
Don’t
• Set Japanese Beetle
traps with bait in
your garden.
• This will attract them
to your garden.

15. GERANIUMS
COMPANION WITH
REPELS • Tomatoes
• Japanese
• Peppers
Beetles
• Corn
• Leaf Hoppers
• Broccoli
• Cabbage Worm
• Cabbage
• Rose Chafer
• Cauliflower
• Grapes
• Roses

16. LAVENDER
REPELS
• Ticks
• Maybe Mice

17. MARIGOLDS
REPELS COMPANION WITH
• Asparagus
• Asparagus
Beetle
• Tomatoes
• Eel Worm
• Potatoes
• Mexican Bean
Beetle • Broccoli
• Nematodes • Cucumbers
• Tomato • Squash
Hornworm • Cabbage
OTHER
• White Fly • Mix With Soil To • Strawberries
Prevent Soil Borne • Apple Trees
• Maybe Rabbits
Diseases
& Squirrels

18. NASTURTIUMS
COMPANION WITH
REPELS • Celery
• Aphids • Tomatoes
• Bean Beetle • Potatoes
• Cabbage Moth • Broccoli
• Eelworm • Cucumbers
• Squash Bugs • Beans
• Pumpkin Beetle • Cabbage
• White Fly OTHER • Strawberries
• Great for attracting • Melons
Predatory Insects • Apple Trees

19. PETUNIAS
REPELS
• Aphids
• Leaf Hopper
• Mexican Bean
Beetle
• Rose Chafer
COMPANION WITH
• Squash Bugs
• Tomato Worm • BEST with Tomatoes
• Asparagus Beetle • Also Peppers, Pumpkins,
Cucumbers & Asparagus

20. SUNFLOWERS
COMPANION WITH
• Corn
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
OTHER
• Attracts Aphids away
from other plants.

21. YARROW
ATTRACTS
• Predatory Wasp
• Lady Bugs
• Hover Flies
• Damsel Bugs
OTHER COMPANION WITH
• Improves Soil Quality. • Many Plants

22. BORAGE & SAGE
ATTRACTS
• Honey Bees

23. TANSY
WARNING
• Tansy is TOXIC to Livestock
REPELS COMPANION WITH
• Ants, Aphids, Borers, Cabbage • Pumpkins, Squash,
Moth, Cucumber Beetles, Beans, Corn,
Cutworms, Flies, Japanese Raspberries & Roses
Beetles & Squash Bugs

24. There are many more flowers and
herbs that can be used to deter
pest as well as Natural Predators.
• Birds
• Toads
• Frogs
• Snakes
• Pets

25. Attracting Natural Predators
Preditor Birds Attracting Birds
• Nuthatches, woodpeckers & • Consider their needs -
chicakdees clean up larvae & Food, Shelter & Water
eggs of gypsy moth and other • Allow flowers such as
insects pest of trees. sunflowers, goldenrod, thistles
• Many other birds devour weed or daises to go to seed.
seeds like finches, juncos and • Provide a dusting spot for birds
sparrows. (20 inches of bare sandy soil)
• Barn swallows, purple martins, for birds to clean their feathers
titmouse, wrens & cardinals, and get rid of parasites
are all insect eating birds. • Put up nesting boxes or create a
• Owls are effective hunters of brush pile to provide a hiding
mice and rats. spots.
• A bat (not a bird-but it can fly) • Provide a source of fresh water
will eat up 1,200 mosquitoes in by adding a bird bath or shallow
an hour. fountain to your garden.

26. Attracting Natural Predators
Frogs, Toads & Snakes
Why? OK How?
• Amphibians and reptiles • Amphibians require moisture- add
are mostly carnivorous, a low water source without steep
preying on rodents, edges.
insects and slugs. • Create a toad abode with rocks in a
• Garter snakes are one of cool, shady spot in your garden.
the majors predators of • Reptiles like warm sunny
slugs. environments with lots of places to
• One toad can eat well hide.
over 1,000 earwigs in a • Provide a rock pile or logs around
summer. your water source for them to hide
and bask in the sun.

27. Pest In Your House
Most information first suggest that you keep your house
clean and remove/clean what is attracting them….
HOW DO I HAVE TIME TO KEEP MY HOUSE CLEAN WHEN
I’D RATHER BE WORKING IN MY GARDEN?
Here are some suggested natural pest deterents
• Cedar - Deter many pest
• Eucalyptus - Spiders, Fleas, Moths and Flies
• Cinnamon - Ants & Moths
• Cucumber Peels - Ants
• Bay Leaves - Flies & Ladybugs
• Cloves - Moths & Flies
• Lavender - Moths & Ticks
• Citrus – Fleas

28. Here Is My Disclaimer?
What I told you about today
w ill require
A Few More Sore Muscle
A Little Bit More Sweat
And More Time
Outside In Your Garden

29. Instead of Weed Killer….
Try This Old Fashion Tool

30. Benefits of Companion Gardening
• Use of Flowers and Other Plants in Your
Garden to Fight Pest, instead of Pesticides
• Spending Your $$$$ on Beautiful, Healthy
Garden instead of Pesticides.
• Safer Garden for Your Kids or Grandkids
and Pets.
• Fresh, Pesticides Free Produce.
• Spending More Time in Your Garden.

31. A Few
Good
Books

32. Thank You
Susan Helterbran, Program Coordinator
Champaign-Shelby County Office of the
North Central Ohio Solid Waste District
www.ncowaste.org