Use flowers as companions to your edibles

Marigolds planted around the perimeter of the garden bed

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Most have heard of the 3 Sisters-corn, beans and squash planted together.  This is an example of companion planting-planting veggies together that help each other out.  Plants can give off chemicals, create usable nitrogen, have scents, suck nutrients or bring nutrients to the surface that can be either beneficial or detrimental to those planted near them.  In addition to edibles helping out each other, flowers can also be companion planted for their benefit to your edibles.

Here are 10 flowers that benefit the edibles they are planted next to for either their pest attractiveness or pest repelling properties.

1.  Basil-has bunches of tiny flowers that the bees love, repels thrips and disrupts the habits of the moths that produce tomato hornworm.  Interplant with tomatoes and peppers.

2.  Borage-trap crop for aphids.  Aphids love beans, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard, cucumber, kale, lettuce, potatoes, pumpkin, squash and tomatoes.  Plant borage in another part of the garden from these crops to attract the aphids away from them.

3.  Calendula (pot marigold)-repels asparagus beetles and tomato hornworms; attracts aphids to use as a trap crop.  Plant away from beans, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard, cucumber, kale, lettuce, potatoes, pumpkin, and tomatoes.  Interplant with asparagus and squash.

4.  Cornflower-attracts microplitis mediator which is a parasitoid of cabbage moths.  Interplant with kale, cabbage, and broccoli plants.

5.  Cosmos-white or bright orange to attract green lacewings which eat lots and lots of soft bodied insects like aphids, scale and thrips.  Interplant with beans, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard, cucumber, kale, lettuce, mustard, potatoes, pumpkin, squash and tomatoes.

6.  French marigold-contains anti fungal and pesticidal compounds as well as its fragrance repelling deer and rabbits, squash bugs, thrips, tomato hornworms and whiteflies; root secretions can kill nematodes.  Plant around the perimeter of your garden beds to discourage rabbits and deer.  Interplant with beans, brassicas, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, and peppers.

7.  Lavendar-fragrance repels deer, ticks, slugs and cabbage moths.  Plant around the border of your garden to discourage deer and interplant with kale, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and mustard.

8.  Nasturtium-trap crop for flea beetles, aphids and cabbage moths, repels squash bugs.  Plant away from beans, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard, cucumber, kale, lettuce, potatoes, pumpkin, and tomatoes.  Interplant with squash. 

9.  Sage-has pretty lavender flowers that attract pollinators and repels carrot flies and cabbage moths.  Interplant with carrots, broccoli, cabbage, kale and mustard.

10.  Zinnia-pastel varieties act as a trap crop for Japanese beetles.  Japanese beetles will eat just about any fruit or vegetable crop.  You may want to avoid planting lightly colored zinnias in or around your garden if you currently do not have a Japanese beetle problem.  If you do, plant well away from anything you don't want the beetles to feast upon.

Any flower will attract pollinators which greatly improves fruit production of your vegetables so don't hesitate to plant other flowers than listed here.  Your fruits and veggies will thank you!