Avoiding insects and mites

Marigolds are useful and highly recommended, not sure Geraniums do much. Have been growing outdoors for 35+ years and have never really had any problems with insects, just a few caterpillars and aphids once in a while, but certainly nothing in numbers to harm the plants. Keeping a close eye out for caterpillars would be my advice, they can eat a lot of leaves rather quickly, but don't really do any great damage. I have and will not ever use any "preventative" sprays or treatments and have found that when growing chemical free, the good bugs show up after the bad bugs and the whole system takes care of itself, without the need to do much. A few aphids for a day or four won't affect much and are soon found by predators and are usually gone within two weeks with no other involvement needed. Spraying creates a hostile environment for the good bugs, not just the bad ones. Keeping everything clean and welcoming for the good bugs is more effective than making a toxic environment for bad bugs. Having good garden "hygiene" is also important, keep lawns mowed, weeds pulled and your plants tidy with no old/dead leaves lying around is also good practice. If you google "companion planting" you will find plenty of suggestions as to which plants help keep the nasty ones away. Basil and mint are good companions that can supposedly stimulate terpene production, just don't plant them too close or too many in any small area, otherwise, for some strange reason, you can end up with buds that taste and smell of basil! I would suggest one basil plant every 10 feet as adequate and one medium pot of mint kept in a central position as being ample. If growing in the ground, a marigold plant between each of your girls works well, or a small patch of 3-4 marigolds every 6-8 feet works well too. A friend swears chives are useful, but I have found they attract aphids. Remember too, bad bugs usually attack stressed or sickly plants first, so keep your girls healthy and stress free and bug problems will not be something you will need to worry about. Hope this helps, Organoman.