Gardening with Essential Oils – Companion Plants to Attract Pollinators and Repel Pests

Companion planting is a common practice among gardeners. The most common popular method of companion planting is the Three Sisters method of putting squash, beans, and corn together. In the instance of the Three Sisters, the plants play a very functional role for each-other. The corn provides a stalk for the beans to grow as well as shade for the squash. The beans bring nitrogen to the soil to benefit both the corn and the squash. And the squash brings ground cover that helps retain moisture and keep away predators. These symbiotic plant relationships are what lead me to gardening with essential oils....

In other instances, companion plants benefit each other through their natural essences. For example, basil grows great with tomatoes - part of the reason for this is the essential oils found in basil repel insects that would otherwise want to eat your tomatoes! The essential oils found naturally in plants provide wonderful protective properties for each other. Pest repellent, anti fungal, and pollinator attracting properties can be found in essential oils.

Gardening with Essential Oils - Companion Plants

Using essential oils directly in your garden can allow you to transition away from harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides. I found this list of companion plants and essential oils from the Paleo Mama and added some information of my own. I thought this information would be beneficial in your garden - please let us know in the comments if you know of other companion plants we can use with essential oils.

You can purchase medicinal quality essential oils from the Homestead Guru by clicking here.

Vegetables	Essential Oil
Asparagus	Basil
Green Beans	Lavender, Basil
Beets Broccoli	Rosemary, Thyme Basil, Thyme
Cabbage	Peppermint, Thyme, Clary Sage
Carrots	Sage
Cauliflower	Sage
Cucumbers	Sage
Eggplant Leeks	Peppermint, Spearmint, Thyme Celery, Hyssop
Lettuce	Cilantro,Thyme
Onion	Chamomile, Peppermint
Peas	Geranium
Potatoes	Basil, Sage
Pumpkins Radishes	Oregano Parsley
Tomatoes	Basil
Fruits	Essential Oil
Apples	Lavender
Grapes Tree (fruiting)	Lavender, Hyssop Marjoram, Melissa

Do not apply these oils directly to your plants without diluting in water first! You can take 6 drops of essential oil and mix them in 2 gallons of water. Then use this mix to fill your watering container half full, add more water to fill the watering container all the way, and water your garden as you usually would! This provides the soil, roots, and leaves of the plant with beneficial nutrients and protective essences.

Attracting Pollinators with Essential Oils

But wait, there's more to gardening with essential oils! You can actually use essential oils to attract beneficial pollinators to your garden! Bees and butterflies are naturally attracted by the scent of certain flowers. I have learned the hard way wearing Wild Orange essential oils outside during the spring months, the bees would not leave me alone!!!! We can use these oils in our garden to attract the insects that help our plants to flourish.

Pollinator	Essential Oil
Bees	orange blossom, lavender, hyssop, marjoram, helichrysum, basil, sage, rosemary
Butterflies	lavender, fennel, helichrysum

Essential oils are an important part of our movement toward health and wellness. They allow us to reduce our toxic load in the home and the garden, and to take steps toward an empowered life that is no longer depending on Big Pharma. We would love to guide you through your essential oils journey, please consider working with us by purchasing your doTERRA enrollment kit through us.

Much love,

@catherinebleish