How Marigolds Help Your Tomato Plants (2024)

FAQs

How Marigolds Help Your Tomato Plants? ›

Marigolds help attract bees and other beneficial insects to tomato plants. Although tomato plants are self-pollinating plants, they do benefit from insect pollination to increase the fruit production of each plant. Marigolds also attract beneficial insects that will eat pests that would otherwise harm tomato plants.

Marigold flowers attract bees, and other insects that can pollinate flowers. These pollinators can help pollinate tomato plants ensuring fruit production. Marigolds contain Pyrethrum which helps repel harmful pests. They can deter cabbage worms, tomato hornworms, and nematodes.

They don't just draw in those pollinators, they also draw in insects to help you in organic pest control. Marigolds can help to bring in ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps and other predatory insects that will eat aphids and other pests which can damage your crops.

The essential oils in the marigold act as a repellent to many insects, including the moth that lays the tomato hornworm. Plant marigolds around crops that attract tomato hornworms, as well as throughout the garden. Beneficial insects are the most effective means of keeping tomato hornworms in check.

Follow these basic rules and produce a great crop of tomatoes this summer: Water correctly: Do not overwater. The first week tomato plants are in the ground, they need water every day, but back off watering after the first week, slowly weaning the plants down to 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.

Petunias

Another great flower to have in your vegetable garden are petunias. Known for warding off tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, leafhoppers, and squash bugs, petunias are a pesticide-free way to protect your garden from unwanted pests.

The main medicinal applications of marigold are skin conditions of all kinds, including contusions, bruises and varicose veins. Minor skin injuries and inflammation can also be successfully treated. Marigold ointment promotes wound healing for eczema and sunburns.

Pests/Disease: Marigolds are relatively pest free, and often used as a natural repellant for other garden plants. The foliage may be prone to gray mold or leaf spot, and powdery mildew, in wet conditions. Young plants can often develop damping off disease when grown too tightly, and if overwatered.

It is widely known among gardeners that the smell of marigolds can be a good fly-repellent plant, against the likes of blackflies and whitefly, and also a good way to get rid of aphids. That strong scent also makes it a great mosquito repellent plant and wasp-repellent plant.

Spraying plants liberally with a mixture of 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and liquid dish soap will deter the caterpillars from feeding. Adding garlic to the mixture can also help prevent moths from initially laying the eggs. Make sure to thoroughly cover both sides of the leaves and the stems.

Do marigolds keep ants away? ›

As a result, ants are deterred from venturing too close to marigolds. But marigolds' superhero-like abilities don't stop there. They're also highly effective against common garden adversaries like aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes.

Get rid of these garden pests the natural way. As you baby your plants with tomato fertilizer spikes, plenty of water, and a little TLC, keep them secure with these anti-hornworm gardening tips: Lure them away with basil, marigolds, or dill. Apply insecticidal soap to plants to kill smaller worms.

Marigold companion planting enhances the growth of basil, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, gourds, kale, potatoes, squash and tomatoes. Marigold also makes a good companion plant to melons because it deters beetles. Beans and cabbage are listed as bad companion plants for marigolds.

Plant marigold around the border of your gardening space to help keep deer and rabbits away (though they have been known to pluck the marigold and toss it aside to get to the plants they love the most).

In planting beds, space African marigolds 10 to 12 inches apart, while French marigolds should be 8 to 10 inches apart. If you're planting marigolds into containers, use a pot that's at least 10 inches across for African and larger French types.

If you're wondering how to increase flowering in tomatoes, try increasing how much light they receive. Tomatoes need eight hours of daylight to flower. Sunlight gives your tomato plants the energy to produce fruit, so if your plant doesn't have enough sunlight, you're less likely to see tomatoes fruiting.