Topic: Friendly plants ????

[pjb]

What allotment friendly plants are worth growing alongside veg? by that I mean plants/flowers that will enchourage any birds/insects that we do want visiting.
Also why do people grow Marigolds on their plots, is there any beneficial reason?
Thanks.

[tartonterro]

marigolds or so ive been told, thats why i grow them, attract in the likes of hover fly's etc who's larva eat aphids and green fly or so i believe. also they will attract in the pollinating insects - plus they look good.
think they are also supposed to attract green fly etc - been told to grow them in greenhouse with tomato's.

[Eristic]

Some of us grow flowers amongst our veg because we like flowers!

What's wrong with flowers for flowers sake? As for them attracting predator insects like ladybirds, I don't think so. Aphids attract predators like ladybirds and the organic gardener has to learn to take the odd hit. If every last aphid is killed off, all the ladybirds will fly away no matter how many flowers you have.

As I walk up my allotment site I find the plots with lots of flowers welcome the passer by to stop and look.

[tartonterro]

link to page with regards companion planting which is what i assume your talking about PJB
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/companion.htm

[pjb]

Some of us grow flowers amongst our veg because we like flowers!

What's wrong with flowers for flowers sake? As for them attracting predator insects like ladybirds, I don't think so. Aphids attract predators like ladybirds and the organic gardener has to learn to take the odd hit. If every last aphid is killed off, all the ladybirds will fly away no matter how many flowers you have.

As I walk up my allotment site I find the plots with lots of flowers welcome the passer by to stop and look.

Absolutley nothing wrong with flowers for flowers sake, at least I hope not I've just planted 200 spring bulbs!  ;)

I was just asking in case there's something I should be growing along side what I want to grow.

[manicscousers]

we grow...sweet peas with runner beans to bring in the bees, and to look nice,
 marigolds with lots of stuff, including tomatoes,
nasturtiums to distract the black fly , borage for bees,
sunflowers 'cos we like them and for the birds,
we also let all of the herbs go to seed, and we have lots of bulbs for spring  ;D

[star]

Here's another companion planting link. I use this method and its very good. I use nasturtums for example as sacrificial plants to keep blackfly off beans....works a treat

http://www.homeandgardensite.com/companion_planting.htm