Trees and Beneficial Plants in Companion Gardening
• Apple Trees – Planting garlic at the base of the apple tree helps to repel the insects that would eat the leaves and fruit. Garlic also helps protect the tree from apple scab a condition that causes the fruit to deteriorate. Chives will also aid in protecting apple trees from beetles, mites, nematodes and aphids. They will also help protect the tree from apple scab.
Leeks and Onions will also help the apple tree by repelling pests and attracting predator insects.
• Avocado Trees – Planting comfrey nnearby serves as a trap crop for the slugs that invade avocado trees. Comfrey will also replenish the supply of calcium, phosphorus and potassium used by the avocado trees.
• Peach Trees – Garlic helps peach trees in much the same way it helps apple trees and your garden. Borers that could destroy the peach tree are repelled by the scent of the garlic. It will also help prevent a condition known to affect peach trees known as leaf curl.
Basil planted at the base will also help keep the pests away, too.
Asparagus and strawberries can also keep peach tree pests at bay, if you can only keep the pests off of the asparagus and strawberries.
• Citrus Trees – Whether it is lemon, orange or grapefruit all of them absorb a lot of nitrogen from the ground. Beans and peas growing around citrus trees will help replenish some of the nitrogen.
Planting clover and other flowering plants around the trees will attract those busy bees.
Borage, yarrow, dill, lemon balm, mint, and thyme will work for the pollinating. To attract the predatory insects, you can plant fennel, parsley, coriander, carrots and other ground cover flowers.