Perfect Companions: Best Flowers to Plant in Your Vegetable Garden
I love flowers and so do vegetables!
Creating a thriving vegetable garden involves more than just selecting the right plants and tending to their needs. To maximize your garden's potential, it's crucial to consider the overall ecosystem and the role of beneficial insects, like bees and ladybugs and my very favorite, the praying mantis.
One effective and aesthetically pleasing way to accomplish this is by incorporating companion flowers. These flowers not only enhance the beauty of your garden but also deter pests and attract vital pollinators. Let’s explore the top flowers that tick all these boxes, ensuring a healthy, vibrant, and fruitful vegetable garden.
Marigold
The earliest use of marigolds was by the Aztec people who attributed magical, religious and medicinal properties to this plant.
Marigolds (Tagetes spp.):
I’ve always loved flowers, but used to bypass the marigolds because I thought they were too common. Nowadays, I can’t plant enough of them!
Marigolds are renowned for their natural pest-repellent properties. Their distinct (and unpleasant to some) scent repels nematodes, aphids, whiteflies, and other common garden pests, including deer.
Planting marigolds alongside your vegetables acts as a natural barrier, protecting your crops from unwanted visitors. Additionally, marigolds attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, ensuring effective pollination across your garden. This is a must for your vegetable garden.
Nasturtiums
Nasturtium leaves, buds, flower parts and seeds are all edible.
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus):
Nasturtiums are not only visually appealing with their vibrant flowers but also serve multiple purposes in the vegetable garden. These fast-growing plants repel aphids, whiteflies, and squash bugs, making them excellent companions for a variety of crops. They also act as a trap crop, luring aphids away from your vegetables. Furthermore, nasturtium flowers are edible and add a peppery taste to salads, providing a delightful bonus for your culinary endeavors. Check out my blog post about ways to eat these tasty flowers and leaves.
Calendula
Since it serves as a substitute for the expensive saffron, Calendula flower is nicknamed as “Poor man’s saffron”
Calendula (Calendula officinalis):
Calendula, commonly known as pot marigold, is another fantastic addition to your vegetable garden. Its bright yellow and orange flowers attract pollinators and beneficial insects, such as hover-flies and ladybugs, which help control pests like aphids and thrips. Calendula also acts as a "trap crop" for certain pests, diverting their attention away from your precious vegetables.
As a bonus, calendula petals are edible and can be used in salads or as a garnish. Additionally, calendula flowers can be used to make this wonderful salve.; Calendula has powerful anti-inflammatory and wound healing benefits and is also anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. This is the perfect salve to use after working in the garden.
Borage
Also known as Starflower, which is much prettier, I think…
Borage (Borago officinalis):
Borage (or Starflower, which is a far prettier name in my opinion) is a beautiful flowering herb that provides multiple benefits to your vegetable garden. Its star-shaped blue flowers attract bees, making it an excellent choice for increasing pollination rates.
Borage also deters pests like hornworms and cabbage worms, effectively protecting nearby vegetables. Additionally, the leaves and pale blue flowers of borage are edible and can be used in salads or as a flavoring agent in various dishes. The flowers can also be used as a dye.
Sunflower
The sunflower faces the sun all day, starting the day facing east and ending it facing west.
Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.):
No garden is complete without the cheerful presence of sunflowers. These tall, majestic flowers not only add visual appeal but also attract a wide range of pollinators with their nectar-rich blooms.
The towering stalks of sunflowers can act as windbreaks, protecting more delicate vegetable crops from strong gusts. The tall and sturdy varieties can act as supports for neighboring plants or a place for other flowers, like morning glory, to climb.
Additionally, sunflowers produce plenty of seeds that can be harvested and used as a nutritious snack or to attract birds, adding another layer of biodiversity to your garden. I like to leave them in the garden to dry and allow them to become a natural bird feeder.
Incorporating companion flowers into your vegetable garden offers a host of benefits. By strategically selecting the right flowers, you can deter pests, attract pollinators, and enhance the overall beauty and productivity of your garden.
Marigolds, nasturtiums, calendula, borage, and sunflowers are just a few excellent choices to get you started. Remember to plan your garden layout carefully, intermixing flowers and vegetables to create a harmonious ecosystem. Embrace the power of companion planting, and watch your vegetable garden thrive with abundant blooms and healthy, bountiful harvests.
Enjoy the magic of nature and it’s interconnectedness. Happy gardening!!