Intercropping garlic with white mustard and carrots

Question

The word around local farmers is to grow white mustard in the soil you plan to grow garlic next year. Presumably, it reduce the amount of white rot (Sclerotium cepivorum).

Does it make sense to intercrop garlic with white mustard? I am thinking of planting 3 rows of garlic, 1 row of white mustards. What is the ideal ratio? I'd love to hear some of your experience.

White mustard

Similarly, a legend says intercropping garlic with carrots repels onion/garlic fly. I am thinking of the same regime as with white mustard. 3 rows of garlic, 1 row of carrot. What is your experience with intercropping garlic with carrots or in general with intercropping?

Answer 1

I think that these are a myth. Most plant scents are unlikely to repel insects. It has been suggested that these may work because the bugs are more attracted to your companion plant than your main crop. I can't find the research article right now.

Certainly, this debunks companion planting (for bug control).

Most suggestions have no scientific basis. Many times it is just stuff made up to sell advertising, sell a book or promote an individuals idea. I had a look at one of the books that made this topic very popular; Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte. It contains absolutely no scientific evidence for the claims and most combinations don’t even have logical explanations as to why they work – they just do. And yet those claims have been repeated millions of times as if they are fact.

From garden myths