Red Raspberry + Tansy

Tansy planted alongside red raspberries offers measurable pest management benefits. The plant's aromatic foliage attracts parasitic and predatory wasps that prey on raspberry cane borers and aphids, while its strong scent has a documented deterrent effect on Japanese beetles, which can defoliate raspberry canes in midsummer.

Plant tansy in clumps at the ends of raspberry rows or along bed borders rather than directly interspersed, since raspberries need airflow through the cane thicket. Tansy tolerates the same well-drained, moderately fertile soils that red raspberries prefer and does not compete aggressively for water once established. Establish tansy the season before or during raspberry planting so it has time to mature and begin attracting beneficial insects before peak pest pressure arrives.

One caution: tansy spreads by rhizome and self-seeds readily. Deadhead flower heads before seed set and divide clumps every few years to prevent it from encroaching on raspberry root zones.