Companion Plants

I have been told there are certain plants which are used as companion plants to other plants.  I know garlic is supposed to deter aphids.  What does the forum think?
I was also of the opinion, roses disliked anything near their roots.

Sue, I have tried garlic as deterrent to aphids and supposedly intensifies perfume of the rose. I found it did neither. The aphids cavorted happily, didn't phase them at all. As for perfume, ppfft, all I could smell was garlic!

Sue Keep the root zone clear as roses like air to their root zones. If you need to mulch to prevent weeds use a mulch like lucern hay. Wood chip or other mulch piled up on root zones and stems has caused deaths in gardens I have worked in, so I always clear a well around the rose, about the size of a dinner plate.
Cheers
Dennis

Thank you Dennis, that's great info and much appreciated.
Silky, like you, I don't think I'd like my roses to smell of garlic! Will stick to Dennis' recipe!

I am a big believer in Companion Planting.
Yes growing Garlic, Shallots will help if you plant enough for the amount of Roses you are growing. I grow a row behind my rows of Roses and to the sides of my groupings.
I think what you grow as Companion Plants depends a lot on the type of Gardens you have & why you are growing your roses.
I have Rose Only Gardens where I do have my row of Garlic at the back. My other gardens are Cottage Style Gardens where I grow many Roses as well as Vegies, Medlar, Ballerina Apples & Many Herbs.
Some companion Plants for Roses are - Catmint, Comfrey, Sage, Strawberries, Thyme, Tarragon, Rosemary, Lavender, Buckwheat, Marjoram, Oregano
If you have somewhere to grow or know where you can get some - make a potion of Comfrey & Buckwheat & use as a Folia Spray every 2 months.
I only use OC Products now as I have had several Cancer Ops & as a Horticulturist I handled many things I should not have without precautions. We did not know enough back then.
So PLEASE try Companion Planting. It is fun!!!!!!

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If I can ask,...what does that comfrey and buckwheat spray do?

Yeah , i'm with you on that one Silky , aphids cavorted on the roses and all i could smell as i walked past the roses was garlic too , needless to say , i pullled the garlic out ...

I have been using woodchips for years never had a problem with it as mulch.

The Comfrey & Buckwheat (or wheat if you can't get is used as a Fertilizer Foliar Spray.
This is done by preparing the Comfrey & Buckwheat (or wheat) - Fill a container with the foliage, cover with boiling water and let sit for 2 weeks.
It will get quite smelly, then you know it is ready. Pour the contents into hessian bag or similar and suspend in water for another 2 weeks after which time you water down to a very, very weak tea and use as a foliar spray, do this very early in the morning or coolest part of the day.
I don't know why but in the all the years I have used garlic in my garden I have never had a smelly problem, maybe I have just been very lucky.
I use Organic Certified Sugarcane Mulch in my Rose Gardens and have plenty of worm activity. It ages beautifully to a very pleasing colour.
Happy Gardening.

Dimity, can you explain the purpose of the buckwheat/wheat in the brew, what is it's job ?. Comfrey I understand, we have 3 large stands of it here. The Kiwis use it for medicinal purposed with good reports back from a close friend.

Buckwheat stores Calcium, Magnesium & Potassium and makes this available to the plants.
Comfrey stores Calcium, Potassium & Nitrogen and makes available to plants.
DO NOT GROW Buckwheat & Wheat together as they dislike each other.
It is important to remember to make the Fertilizer Tea, Very Weak, so it does not burn. If you happen to burn then weaken it more.

Thank You very Much Neptune for that beautiful Pictorial Welcome.....Happy Rose Gardening everyone

Thank you Dianne. That's very interesting. I've always been interested in companion planting, but don't know much about it. Am eager to learn!

See Dianne, you've spurred me into action already! At the nursery today and bought some comfrey (among other things! Lol) so soon I should have even better compost. So .... 

Silky, Comfrey is a very good compost activator

Yes I know Roseman. It's something I was always meaning to do and never got around to it. Speeding up the composting process should be great, there's never enough in my garden.

I use Comfrey as well as Elderberry as a Compost Activator, it is great.
If you have a Compost Heap grow a few plants of Comfrey near your Heap & now & again add a layer of leaves to the heap.
Elderberry can be grown as a shrub cutting it back and adding to the heap & when it flowers & you get the berries you can make Elderberry wine & lots of other goodies as in the 'River Cottage' programmes & cook books.

Dianne, has your Elderberry got away from you with the seeds, we were recently in England and it has become invasive from the berries being distributed by birds. In my brother in-laws garden I was pulling heaps of it out.

Roseman, Yes I know the problem in England, that is way I keep mine at a height that I can manage & make sure that I pick the berries as soon as they are ripe & ready to use, I never leave on the bush for the birds to get as they will disperse them. But Beneficial Insects love the flowers.
Yes I would only recommend that one who could do the same grow Elderberry.
Some Councils may not let you plant them best check first. But if you can do the maintenance needed to keep in check it is well worth it.

The above info is very welcome. I have made elderberry wine in the past (in the UK). Can't find any bushes to oblige here! The flowers make a lovely "Champagne" too! Must get hold of a plant and heed your advice Dianne, with it's maintenance!  !!

 I bought my Elderberry from All Rare Herbs in lovely Mapleton, Queensland. They Mail Order & have a great selection. You will find it under Herb Plants. They also give you History of Herbs & Plants etc on the site. Enjoy!!!!!!!

Thanks Dianne! Will visit straight away! Cheers!!! LOL

Thought I might throw in another useful Companion Plant -
CHAMOMILE - Some of you may grow it to make Tea, but did you know it is a great Tonic growing near anything in the garden - It accumulates Potassium, Sulphur & Calcium later returning it to the soil. It is also useful in increasing the oil production of Herbs growing in it's vicinity.Beneficial Insects love to use it as a Host, call it one of their B& B's.
Grow CHAMOMILE is a Fun Sun position. There are different varieties available some being Perennial. Let me know if you get sick of me putting up these little Tit Bits.

hey keep going I'm all ears

Nooo Nooo, don't stop Dianne!! Awaiting the next one!!