Question
Dear Mr. Creed,

My friend, Amy, directed me to this wonderful site.  You were very helpful in providing answers to her indoor plant questions, and I'm hoping your extensive knowledge of indoor gardening will cover this topic.  I am concerned about pests, specifically spider mites, scale and aphids, attacking what is quickly becoming my indoor jungle.  Are there plants which exude pest repellent chemicals?  When I asked this question on a gardening forum, the response was that indoor companion planting is not feasible, but without adequate explanation. On another topic, I was wondering if Manhatten has wolf spiders, similar to the west coast? Thank you in advance for your expert advice, Will.  

Sincere regards,
Cricket

Answer
Dear Ms. Cricket,

Any friend of Miss Amy is a friend of mine, so I am delighted for this opportunity to respond to your inquiry.

There has been scant research done on indoor companion planting, so I am hesitant to give a simple, "No," to your question about the efficacy of indoor companion planting. I do know that no one has yet identified any commonly used indoor plants that have pest repellent characteristics.

Perhaps you would be interested to know that there is a substantial bio-controls trend within the indoor plant industry. These bio-controls rely heavily on parasitic insects and bacteria that attack the common houselant pests that you listed. If you are interested in this subject, visit http://greenmethods.gbhxonline.com/forums/index.php?'
for a real education about bio-controls.

The last wolf was driven out of Manhattan many years ago. So we do not have wolf spiders. However, we do have a substantial population of pit bulls!

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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