Photo by KirrilyRobert.
Some plants will naturally attract a certain kind of insect. Other plants will deter insects. You can use these relationships between insects and plants to build a natural defence around your crops. Take a look at the table below. If we look at growing cucumbers as an example we find radish in the helpers column, since radish will deter cucumber beetles. So when you grow radish around cucumbers, you have a better chance of keeping your cucumbers free from pests. Go through the list to see if you can apply some of the rules or relationships to your current garden layout:
| Name | Helpers | Enemies |
| Asparagus | Tomato (repels Asparagus Beetle) | Garlic |
| Onion | ||
| Potato | ||
| Bean | Carrot | Broccoli |
| Cauliflower | Garlic | |
| Cucumber | Leek | |
| Onion | ||
| Sunflower | ||
| Beet (stunts the beans growth) | ||
| Tomato | ||
| Beet | Garlic | Cabbage |
| Onion (deters some insects and weeds) | Lettuce | |
| Runner bean (stunts the beets growth) | ||
| Silverbeet | ||
| Broccoli | Garlic | Tomato |
| Onion | ||
| Cabbage | Garlic | Runner bean |
| Onion | Tomato | |
| Carrot | Bean (provides nitrogen) | Celery |
| Garlic (repels Carrot Fly) | Parsnip | |
| Leek (repels Carrot Fly) | Radish | |
| Lettuce | Tomato (stunts the carrots growth) | |
| Onion (repels Carrot Fly) | ||
| Pea | ||
| Cauliflower | Garlic | Tomato |
| Onion | ||
| Celery | Corn | |
| Corn | Bean | Celery |
| Cucumber | Tomato | |
| Pea (enhances growth of corn) | ||
| Potato | ||
| Squash | ||
| Sunflower | ||
| Cucumber | Beet | Tomato |
| Carrot | ||
| Pea | ||
| Radish (deters cucumber beetle and other insects) | ||
| Sunflower | ||
| Garlic | Carrot | Bean |
| Pea | ||
| Leek | Carrot | Bean |
| Celery | Pea | |
| Onion | ||
| Lettuce | Bean | Broccoli |
| Carrot | Celery | |
| Onion | ||
| Radish | ||
| Strawberry | ||
| Onion | Beetroot | Bean |
| Cabbage | Leek | |
| Carrot | Parsnip | |
| Lettuce | Pea | |
| Parsnip | Garlic | Carrot |
| Pea | Celery | |
| Potato | ||
| Peach | Garlic (prevents peach leaf curl) | |
| Pea | Bean | Garlic |
| Carrot | Onion | |
| Corn | Potato | |
| Cucumber | ||
| Radish | ||
| Potato | Carrot | Broccoli |
| Garlic | Cauliflower | |
| Leek | Cucumber | |
| Onion | Pumpkin | |
| Raspberry | ||
| Squash | ||
| Sunflower | ||
| Tomato | ||
| Pumpkin | Radish (repels Flea Beetles) | |
| Radish | Cucumber | Broccoli |
| Lettuce | Cabbage | |
| Runner bean | Cauliflower | |
| Potato | ||
| Spinach | Bean (provides natural shade) | Potato |
| Fruit tree | ||
| Pea (provides natural shade) | ||
| Strawberry | ||
| Squash | Bean | Potato |
| Celery | ||
| Corn | ||
| Cucumber | ||
| Onion | ||
| Pumpkin | ||
| Radish | ||
| Strawberry | Bean | Garlic |
| Tomato | Asparagus | Bean |
| Carrot | Beetroot | |
| Celery | Broccoli | |
| Garlic (deters Red Spider Mites) | Cauliflower | |
| Leek | Corn | |
| Onion | Pea | |
| Potato |
