Re: Marigolds as insect deterrent
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Marigolds as insect deterrent
- From: B*@aol.com
- Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 12:33:54 EDT
Daffodil lore has it that marigolds also deter the dreaded bulb and stem
nematode that can devastate daffodils, and I would guess other bulbs too.
One famous member of the American Daffodil Society, who died recently, always
grew lots of marigolds over his daffodil beds and said he never had a
nematode problem.
This is of course anecdotal evidence and I did say it was daffodil
"lore"--further investigation finds that it is the African tagetes rather
than modern cultivars of marigolds that have the most beneficial effect.
I've also read that it is the roots of the actively growing plants that repel
the nematodes, not the visible part of the plant.
Burpee sold seeds of a marigold they called Nema-gone a year or two ago. I
haven't checked their catalog to see if they are still available. My bet
would be that it is the species types of marigolds that have the most
beneficial repellant effect on all insects.
Does anyone know of any hard research on this question?
Bill Lee
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
