Hi Im really new to growing veggies, can anyone suggest some good companion flowers for a first attempt at my allotment? So far I'm planning to plant courgettes, lettuce, carrots, chard, spinach, potatoes, coriander, basil.
Thanks
Calendula attract hoverflies and are generally very pretty
French marigolds deter white/black fly and may also confuse the carrot fly
I also grow sunflowers and cosmos just because :D
I have never planted companion flowers as yet, but will watch this thread with great interest. Probably because I ain't got a clue about flowers. May be swayed in some areas.
Not too sure if this will be any help, found it on here the other day but can't remember where!!! It mentions marigolds that SMP1704 advised and also suggests garlic to deter aphids and carrot fly and lots, lots more. I've printed it out and stuck it in my shed (along side my veg planning sheets ktlawson sent me ;D)
Hope it helps......
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/companion.htm
If the person who put the original thread on reads this I wanted to say thanks cos I really liked the section on herbs as companion plants.
Lisa ;D
We use African Marigolds in the cabbage beds,Summer savoury in the Pea and Beans, and hives in the roots...
:-\
Quote from: LJ on March 04, 2008, 22:38:23
Not too sure if this will be any help, found it on here the other day but can't remember where!!! It mentions marigolds that SMP1704 advised and also suggests garlic to deter aphids and carrot fly and lots, lots more. I've printed it out and stuck it in my shed (along side my veg planning sheets ktlawson sent me ;D)
Hope it helps......
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/companion.htm
If the person who put the original thread on reads this I wanted to say thanks cos I really liked the section on herbs as companion plants.
Lisa ;D
Saved the document. Will print and laminate it at work tomorrow. Fantastic! ;)
Thank you so much LJ for sharing the link its exactly what I was after especially the herb info ;D
we grow sunflowers, marigold, french and pot, sweet peas near the beans for the bees, we let lots of the herbs go to seed, including coriander in the poly, brings in hoverflies to eat the greenfly ;D
limnanthes (poached egg plant) and let some nettles grow for butterflies to lay eggs on, also comfrey to make feed from ;D
think that's all
there are companion flower charts available, possibly find a reference in the archives here or use a search engine as there are so many to mention
also be aware of incompatible planting as well - like putting nasturtiums near runner beans
Oh, I did just that last year. The beans were fine but the nasturtiums didnt like it much.
But they did attract the blackfly away from the beans, which is what I wanted.
They got pulled out quite early though as they got leggy and looked very sad
Quote from: star on March 05, 2008, 15:12:01
Oh, I did just that last year. The beans were fine but the nasturtiums didnt like it much.
But they did attract the blackfly away from the beans, which is what I wanted.
They got pulled out quite early though as they got leggy and looked very sad
they're great for adding to the compost though, lots of long plants to bulk up the green manure ;D
Quote from: saddad on March 04, 2008, 22:43:08
, and hives in the roots...
:-\
What are hives, saddad?
chives perhaps? The only hives I know are the ones bees live in or the nasty red raised itching type!!
Ah, yes, didn't think of that! ::)
Yes Chives.. :-[