Back off, bugs!

Organic gardeners have known this for a long time: Certain plants repel certain kinds of insects. Gardening website Gardens Ablaze offers a lengthy list of plants that can be “companion-planted” in your vegetable garden to deter pests. Onions, for instance, repel ants, aphids and cabbage loopers, among other insects; and the marigold, besides being pretty, is good for helping chase off corn earworms, cucumber beetles and tomato hornworms. Garlic, too, is a multiple-pest repellant. Rosemary, sage and thyme are good against cabbage moths, and drought-tolerant fennel will help get rid of snails and slugs. See the full list at: www.gardensablaze.com/Companions/ CompanionPest.htm.