A gardening expert shared his wisdom on a technique known as ‘companion planting’ – something he says you can benefit from on your own patch. Jamie Walton, who goes by the name, Nettles & Petals on social media, took to TikTok to offer guidance.
“Here’s why I always plant these two crops together,” he began in a video. “Carrots and onions are such a good example of the benefits of companion planting as carrots are susceptible to pests such as the carrot root fly that are attracted to the carrot via its scent.”
He pointed out onions have a more “overpowering scent” which helps to “mask” that of the carrots. Jamie added: “That means no more netting. You could also use chives in the same way too – I’ve used this method for years and I’ve never had an issue with carrot root fly.”
He also mentioned another advantage of this approach is that it “maximises the yield from the bed” because onions grow thin and tall between rows. Sharing his personal technique, he said: “I start my onions off first from seed around four weeks prior to planting and let them grow on – or you can use sets.”
When the onions reach about three or four inches tall, Jamie suggests making “narrow trenches” in the bed around 1cm deep and 30cm apart, then sowing carrot seeds into them and lightly covering with soil.
He then explained he plants the onions around the carrots, saying: “I dib holes in between the rows of carrots and transplant the onions, around three plants per hole.” And to help them grow, Jamie covers the rows with straw mulch, which retains moisture and helps the seeds germinate.
Jamie’s final advice to fellow gardeners was: “Keep them well-watered, watch them grow and harvest your root fly-free carrots and extra crop of onions.” Many of his followers were grateful for the tip, with one saying: “Thank you so much… your experience is invaluable.”
Another commenter said: “I need to try onions again, I’ll co-plant with my carrots this time. Thanks for the tip.” While a third person added: “I love it when nature has the answers to your gardening issues!”
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also recommends the method, saying on its website: “As well as carrot/onion combinations, other scented plants are also claimed to deter unwelcome insects. For example, coriander has been found to sometimes deter unwanted insects in crops of basil and parsley.
“Farmers plant garlic in growbags containing strawberries. The garlic is cut down and the chopped leaves spread on the growbags every two weeks. The scent of the garlic is proposed to repel aphids (greenfly).”
The organisation adds: “For cabbage family plants such as cabbages and cauliflower, covering the soil by growing a layer of low-growing clover and trefoil makes the plants less visible to the cabbage root fly, protecting the crop.”