Do Marigolds help protect Veg?

Spender£

I heard that planting Marigolds around veg can ward off pests and insects, is this another myth or any truth in it?

Brie

complementary planting I believe.

In this article they refer to companion planting but it looks quite a comprehensive guide.  Marigolds are a favourite!!

Companion Planting Chart for Vegetables | Guide to Companion Planting | The Old Farmer's Almanac

Katiehound

I think it depends on what kind of marigolds you mean-  calendula or African?

I know one of them is meant to be a 'companion' planting because insects are attracted to them rather than the crop. I don't think it's a myth but I don't have a garden large enough, I can only grow some herbs.

Fosterdog

Companion planting is not always just about warding off pests, they can also be to attract pollinators, or even to attract the pests so they leave the fruit and veg alone. Every year I lose brassicas to cabbage white butterflies (or more accurately their caterpillars), their year I planted nasturtiums next to my brassicas and most of the eggs have been laid on and hatched on those instead of on my veg, so they haven't deterred the pests but have protected the plants. Garlic is one that is good for deterring pests so I planted some in with my strawberries this year and had less insect damage to the fruit than I've had previous years.

elsien

Sorry, couldn’t help it. 

twopenny

Pot marigolds you can eat the petals too.

I did read that African marigolds help clear ground elder but in my old garden I'd have had to plant wall to wall marigolds!

Woolsery

I've always planted marigolds with my tomatoes . It doesn't stop whitefly as sometimes claimed, but the toms do well and I like the visual effect, Without a hefty government grant I'm afraid I can't experiment to see what would happen if I left the marigolds out.

Farway

Woolsery said:

I've always planted marigolds with my tomatoes . It doesn't stop whitefly as sometimes claimed, but the toms do well and I like the visual effect, Without a hefty government grant I'm afraid I can't experiment to see what would happen if I left the marigolds out.

Are these the French marigolds, not "pot" marigolds?

I did try them a few years back, but they just didn't like the conditions in my conservatory and promptly died

Woolsery

Farway said:

Woolsery said:

I've always planted marigolds with my tomatoes . It doesn't stop whitefly as sometimes claimed, but the toms do well and I like the visual effect, Without a hefty government grant I'm afraid I can't experiment to see what would happen if I left the marigolds out.

Are these the French marigolds, not "pot" marigolds?

I did try them a few years back, but they just didn't like the conditions in my conservatory and promptly died

It's the French type that are  recommended. I even grew some from Great Dixter that could reach 3 or 4 feet in the polytunnel, no problem, but the whitefly just go higher as the season progresses!
Edit: I also grew Tansy for similar reasons with similar results. All of them are good insect plants anyway.

Katiehound

elsien said:

Sorry, couldn’t help it. 

'other brands are available!'
Love it!

mjm3346

I found the "sacrificial plants" were attacked but they seemed to attract far more pests in the first place than the veg by itself ever did