PORT ANGELES — Pam Larsen will explain how interplanting crops, proper nutrition and watering can provide plants with their own defense against pests and lure beneficials at noon Thursday.

The free one-hour lecture, “Companion Planting,” will be in the county commissioners meeting room (Room 160) at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

This presentation is part of the “Green Thumb Garden Tips” brown bag series sponsored by the WSU Clallam County Master Gardeners. Audience members are encouraged to bring brown bag lunches.

Larsen will describe how some plants repel or at least confuse pests while others attract pollinating insects or attack the bad bugs.

Some plants enhance the growing conditions of their companion by supplying additional nutrients to the soil or providing them with shade.

Larsen’s presentation will focus on vegetable gardening, but she also will discuss interplanting flowering ornamentals to attract pollinators.

A long-time organic gardener, Larsen has taught organic gardening classes for The Community Gardens of Sequim and for the general public for 10 years.

The Master Gardener Brown Bag series continues on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

For more information, call 360-417-2279.