Summer stone fruit and vegetables - particularly tomatoes - attract the fruit fly, which is difficult to combat.

Summer is a great time to try companion planting, which in itself can be an enigma as many plants dislike being bedded next to one another, while others provide protection to some species from insect attack.

An annual that has a proven track record are marigolds.

OK, I can hear the moans, they are orange.

Not always, the yellow marigolds are bright and happy - both orange and yellow look great with blue flowers such as ageratum and lobelia.

A border of these hardy marigolds will give protection to your vegie garden - the roots emit a substance that drives away nematodes and eel worm, making them ideal to plant near potatoes, tomatoes and roses.

Carrots and potatoes should never be stored near apples as the ethylene gas given off by the apples turn the carrots bitter and causes the potatoes to rot.

Although wormwood can give off toxic root excretions hated by other plants, this aromatic grey plant is useful to have near fruit trees as it guards against leaf-eating caterpillars, aphids and moths.

Wormwood's greatest attribute is its ability to discourage moths, fleas, mosquitoes, slugs, mice and the cabbage worm butterfly.

Tomatoes grow well near asparagus, celery, parsley, basil, carrots and chives, but do not like the company of rosemary and fennel.

Never grow tomatoes near apricot trees as they give off a substance from their roots that harm the apricot.

Where should peas be grown? Never in the same place twice and never near onions, shallots and garlic.

Oregano is great to grow among cabbages - place a sprig or two on pantry shelves to keep pests away.

Parsley is so easy to grow, it adds great flavour to food, keeps the aphids away and looks great planted as a border in front of white petunias or primula.

My secret weapon to grow lush, green parsley is blood and bone.