10 flowering companion plants to associate with vegetables from the kitchen garden

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In the gardener world, flowers that are good to associate with vegetables are called “companion plants”. It’s pretty, no? In addition, to associate the flowers with vegetables of the vegetable garden everywhere, it is pretty, it is eaten, and it is good for the biodiversity!

  • Some are edible , at least in part: flowers, leaves, seeds!
  • The flowers attract pollinating insects – some plants need these insects to give fruits – zucchini in particular, squash, etc …
  • It’s good for biodiversity! For example, flowers in the garden – and different varieties! – will attract more aphids to the garden – so the predators of aphids, over a long period of the year: result, your seedlings will not be infested in early spring!

Note: we offer some flowers quite commonly used in the garden: nevertheless, keep in mind that using as many varieties as possible is always a good idea!

The top 10 companion plants of the kitchen garden.

Come on, let’s go to our top 10!

Borage – Borrago Officinalis

Absolute star of this top, borage , whose flowers are edible , with beautiful blue flowers – and long: all season! – and removes itself. Her only fault is – perhaps – to be an invading hair if she likes your boards, but never mind: a hoe from time to time will be enough to make room!

Capucine – Tropaeolum majus

Number 2 of this top, obviously, pretty nasturtiums , easy to grow, real magnets to aphids , pretty and edible! In climbing they are wonderful.

Marigold – Calendula officinalis

The concern is to attract hoverflies whose larvae devour the aphids – and repel white flies, and Colorado potato beetles: plant them near potatoes!

Linen – Linum usitatissimum

Exactly ! To prevent colonies from eating your young potato plants, alternate a row of potatoes with a row of blue-flowered flax .

The carnations of India – Tagetes patula

The Marigold allows a gentle control of soil nematodes . To plant at the feet of tomatoes   or among the cabbages!

Phacelia

The phacelia is often proposed as green manure in the vegetable garden, but its beautiful flowers attract bees and roots loosen the soil.

Forget-me-not

You will say that we like blue flowers, and you will be right, but it is not only for its color that we like the forget-me-not : it also keeps raspberry worms away , which gave us a lot of trouble these last years !

The cosmos

The cosmos grow fast, improve the soil of your garden with their roots: they are perfect for compacted or compacted soils. Plant them near the cabbages – they scare the pillar – or tomatoes.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

The Yarrow is a wilderness of our lawns, but it works wonders in the kitchen garden. She seems to be tending her little flowers towards the insects, “youhou, come! And we find her pretty, that’s it.

And the tenth companion plant?

The tenth is simply all the other flowers you can put in the garden – the list is endless!

All the honey plants in general make wonderful plants companions in the vegetable garden: sage of the meadows, nielles of wheats, daisies, poppies, escholtzias, lavenders, mauves, etc.

If you intend to recover seeds , always leave seedlings “up” in seed – parsley, coriander, radish, lettuce … These are all flowers that will attract insects, before you harvest your future seeds!

The aromatic plants – such as sage, rosemary, thyme, basil or mint, but also savory, dill and chives! – also make flowers!

Dr. Kanika Singla

Ph.D., IARI Postdoctoral Scholar, UC Berkeley

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