Plants That Naturally Repel Aphids
While some plants seem to draw aphids out of nowhere, there are plenty of plants that repel aphids. These include plants in the allium family, such as garlic, chives, and leeks. Marigolds, known for being able to drive away all kinds of pests, have a scent that keeps aphids far away. Catnip, known for attracting cats, also has a way of repelling most other pests, aphids included. Some other fragrant herbs, such as fennel, dill, and cilantro are also known to deter aphids. Scatter any or all of these plants that repel aphids throughout your garden, planting them especially close to plants that tend to suffer from them.
Trap Plants for Aphids
While there are some plants that naturally repel aphids, some others are known to attract them. These are called trap plants for aphids, and they can be just as useful. They draw aphids away from other, more delicate plants and concentrate them in one place that can be sprayed or just plain removed. Just make sure not to plant them too close to your valuable plants or the aphids might travel. Some good trap plants for aphids are nasturtiums and sunflowers. Sunflowers are so big and strong that they can take a real hit from aphids without suffering any damage.
