Many easy to grow annual flowers do well in the vegetable garden. They add visual appeal, attract pollinators but actually chase away or confuse some other insect pests. Companion planting with marigolds is the most popular and perhaps the most effective.
Marigolds deter or actually kill the root knot nematodes that live in the soil and can attack the roots of your plants. Marigolds also help keep away insects that you can see above ground. Plant them with beans to deter the Mexican Bean Beetle, with squash to confuse squash bugs, and anywhere to combat thrips, white flies, horn worms and probably others.
Grow Nasturtiums up a trellis alongside your beans or cucumbers for added color and to deter bugs as well. They are supposed to help with the Colorado Potato Beetle among others. Nasturtium flowers can also be eaten in salads!
Sunflowers look great as an edging on the north side of the vegetable patch and can add a windbreak if you get high winds where your vegetables are. Any other annuals will also add beauty to your veggie patch from their blooms and from attracting butterflies.
What made me think about planting flowers in our garden this year was that we visited a butterfly show yesterday. The butterflies were beautiful but the flowers were equally as pretty. Most of them were annuals that are easy to grow. So I'll leave you with some pictures we took from the butterfly exhibit.
So consider adding marigolds or other annual flowers to your vegetable garden, and maybe you'll get butterflies too!
Comments