Companion Planting Flowers and Herbs in the Vegetable Garden
Enhancing Productivity, Biodiversity, and Pest Management
Companion planting, the practice of growing flowers and herbs alongside vegetables, offers numerous benefits that can elevate your vegetable garden to new heights. This technique not only enhances the aesthetics of your garden but also promotes crop health and productivity.
Trap Crops: Diverting Pests
If eliminating pests proves challenging, consider employing trap crops, sacrificial plants that lure pests away from your prized vegetables. Collards, for instance, serve as an effective trap crop for the diamondback moth, protecting your cabbage plants.
Other notable trap crops include:
- Nasturtiums: Attract aphids, keeping them away from other plants
- Nicotiana: Repels various pests
- Chervil: Deters slugs from leafy greens
- Mustard: Attracts lygus bugs, safeguarding apples and strawberries
Before implementing trap crops, carefully consider the potential risk of attracting more pests to your garden. Time the planting of trap crops strategically, ensuring they mature ahead of the plants they aim to protect.
Pollinators: Essential for Fruit and Vegetable Production
Vibrant flowers play a crucial role in attracting pollinators, such as bees, to your vegetable garden. These insects are essential for fruit and vegetable production, ensuring proper pollination and bountiful harvests.
When selecting companion plants for pollinators, opt for those with high nectar concentrations or flowers in shades of blue, yellow, or white. Herbs from the mint family, including oregano and thyme, are particularly attractive to bees.
Additional pollinator-friendly choices include:
- Cosmos
- Larkspur
- Mints (consider container planting to prevent invasiveness)
- Sunflowers
- Sweet peas
- Zinnias
Beneficial Insects: Nature’s Pest Control
Beyond pollinators, numerous insects serve as beneficial predators, consuming harmful pests that threaten your garden. By planting their favorite companion plants, you can attract these beneficial insects and establish a natural pest control system.
Beneficial insects include:
- Ladybugs
- Lacewings
- Parasitic wasps
- Ground beetles
Attract these helpful creatures with plants like:
- Parsley
- Dill
- Coriander
- Flowers from the aster family
Pest Repellents: Natural Deterrents
Certain plants possess properties that may repel garden pests or contribute to a healthier ecosystem. While research continues to validate these claims, experimenting with these companion pairings is worthwhile if you encounter pest problems:
- Anise hyssop: Potential repellent for cabbage moths
- Borage: May deter tomato hornworms
- Catmint: Repels aphids, Colorado potato beetles, and squash bugs (verify invasiveness in your area)
- Geraniums (Pelargonium): Keeps away Japanese beetles
- Pot marigolds: Deter asparagus beetles
- Sage: May repel cabbage moths and carrot rust flies
Biodiversity: Promoting a Healthy Ecosystem
Companion planting encourages biodiversity by introducing a variety of plant species rather than focusing on a single monocrop. This diversity helps confuse insect pests, as they encounter both preferred and unpalatable plants. Additionally, it attracts beneficial insects that can keep pests in check.
Some studies suggest that symbiotic relationships may exist between different plant species, further enhancing the overall health and productivity of your garden.
Hiding the Cutting Garden: Aesthetics and Functionality
Companion planting flowers in the vegetable garden offers the added benefit of concealing your cutting garden. By placing your cutting garden amidst companion plants, you can avoid the unsightly appearance of bare spots created by harvesting flowers. This technique allows you to enjoy both beautiful blooms and bountiful vegetables.
Suitable choices for a hidden cutting garden include:
- Black-eyed Susan
- Celosia
- Salvia
- Zinnias
FAQs on Companion Planting
What flowers can you plant next to each other?
Consider pairing annuals with perennials to ensure continuous bloom throughout the growing season. Some compatible combinations include:
- Black-eyed Susans with cosmos, daylilies, or phlox
- Daylilies with coneflowers, lavender, or yarrow
Is it okay to plant flowers next to vegetables?
Not only is it acceptable to plant flowers alongside vegetables, but it is highly recommended. Companion planting benefits include increased crop yields, enhanced biodiversity, pollinator attraction, and pest deterrence.
What should not be planted next to marigolds?
While most plants thrive in the presence of marigolds, some gardeners have observed reduced growth in cabbage and beans when planted nearby.
