People growing tomatoes in their garden have been told to place one handy plant right beside it to make sure that they remain safe. Tomato plants, like many things growing in the garden, can be ruined by pests. But there are certain steps that gardeners can take to make sure their tomatoes continue to grow and become as delicious as they can. One TikTok user has revealed the plant he always places beside tomatoes and it is known to keep pests away.
Expert gardener Jamie Walton revealed that he plants marigolds next to his tomatoes to keep pests away. The gardening book author shared a clip on his TikTok account explaining why people should always plant a flower like this next to their tomatoes when sewing the seeds. “Marigolds are such a useful little flower,” he said. “I underplant my tomatoes with them to help deter common pests”.
Marigolds are a handy plant to have in the garden as their strong scent deters pests such as whitefly, blackfly and other aphids. They can also produce chemicals which can repel nematodes and draw in predatory insects.
Slugs are often attracted to marigolds, so they can also be used as a distraction for these common garden pests.
Walton added: “They also add color and beauty to the space and are edible too.”
He also revealed that basil is a handy plant to grow next to tomatoes. The two plants, which are a common pairing in Italian dishes such as pizza, need similar conditions to grow and thrive.
Basil’s strong scent can also help deter some pests from the tomato plant, he says. It is also said that if you plant basil near tomatoes it can actually improve their flavor.
Tomatoes are a relatively easy crop to grow at home and gardeners don’t need a huge amount of space to do it. In fact, they are one of the easiest plants to grow and tomato seeds that are sewn now will give gardeners tasty results by the summer months.