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www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
THE LAND — MAY 13/MAY 20, 2022
Companion planting can cure gardening ills Planting different plants together for vegetable gardens to deter insects with their mutual benefit or to repel insects limited success. Placing strongly scented has long been known. Our experience flowers around vegetables may deter with planting many ash trees next to insects, rabbits or deer. each other and then the Emerald Ash Planting nasturtiums around squash Borer moving from one to another has has reduced some insect damage to the pointed out the value of diversity in horsquash. While this practice does not ticulture. Disease and insects can take GREEN AND always work, a physical barrier such as a advantage of large groups of the same GROWING fence or row cover is more likely to keep species planted next to each other. A insects or animals from causing damage. large patch of the same species plant will By Linda G. Tenneson Planting flowers among vegetables may easily attract insects if those plants are its desired food. However, a variety of plants makes attract pollinator insects to visit the decorative plant flowers and then move to the vegetable plant it harder for damage causing insects to “find the flowers and pollinate them. grocery store” so to speak. Plants of differing colors may confuse insects so that they cannot find their An alternative practice is to grow plants which favorite food plant when it is growing among other attract beneficial insects which will eat damageplants. causing insects. Lady beetles, praying mantis and spiders eat other insects. There are also insect paraThis is also true for diseases. Fungi and other sitoids that lay their eggs on other insects. As the pathogens can be easily moved from plant to plant egg emerges and grows, it feeds on the host insect by the wind, insects, or larger animals brushing and may eventually kill it. Arugula, rapeseed and against one plant and then depositing the fungi on napa cabbage can be “trap crops” which attract flea an adjacent one. Diseases which affect more than beetles and keep them from eating desired plants. one related plant may also easily travel between them. Eggplants, tomatoes and peppers may all suf- Sage and thyme have been used to deter diamondfer damage from the same insects or disease patho- back moths from eating Brussel sprouts. Flowers or plants with strong scents like marigolds, onions and gens because they are genetically-related plants. nasturtium may deter cabbage worms. Gardeners often plant marigolds around their A planting practice known as the three sisters
(corn, beans and squash) was first used by Native Americans. Corn grows tall and provides support for the beans to climb on. The corn deters the squash vine borer. Beans provide nitrogen in the soil which is used by the corn. Squash discourages raccoons that prefer to eat corn. Other plant combinations will enrich the soil. Farmers rotate corn, wheat, alfalfa, soybeans, and other crops for this purpose. For example, alfalfa fixes nitrogen in the soil which is used by the corn. The Michigan Extension website warns gardeners that some plants do not do well when planted near each other. Beans do not like to be near onions or garlic. Cabbage does not like tomatoes; and potatoes do not like to be near vine crops, tomatoes or sunflowers. The website extension.umn.edu/planting-andgrowing-guides/companion-planting-home-gardens contains more details on how plants can diversity can help the gardener. Linda G. Tenneson is a University of Minnesota master gardener and tree care advisor. v
USDA updates livestock insurance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated three key crop insurance options for livestock producers: the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). USDA’s Risk Management Agency revised the insurance options to reach more producers, offer greater flexibility for protecting operations, and better meet the needs of the country’s swine, dairy and cattle producers.
Answers located in Classified Section
With the Dairy Revenue Protection update, dairy producers are now able to continue coverage even if they experience a disaster, such as a barn fire, at their operation. For Livestock Gross Margin coverage, cattle, dairy and swine coverage has been expanded, making it available in all counties in all 50 states. Many changes in Livestock Risk Protection coverage were added. Insurance companies are now required to pay indemnities within 30 days, rather than the previous 60 days, following the receipt of the claim form. Head limits have been increased. The termination date under LRP has been extended from June 30 to Aug. 31. Location reporting requirements have been relaxed to list only state and county, instead of the precise legal location. Learn more on RMA’s Livestock Insurance Plans at https://www.rma.usda.gov/Policy-and-Procedure/ Insurance-Plans/Livestock-Insurance-Plans. This article was submitted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. v
