Despite trying to squish as many things as possible into the vege garden, I left space for a few flowering plants. They’re not just pretty faces, their main purpose is to attract beneficial insects. Here’s what I’ve got at the moment, aside from flowering herbs, and how each one is supposed to function.
Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima ‘Snow Crystals’)
- Feeds predatory wasps/hoverflies and ladybirds, which prey on aphids and probably other pests too.
Poached Egg Plant / Meadowfoam (Limnanthese douglasii)
- Feeds on predatory wasps/hoverflies, which prey on aphids.
- Feeds bees.
Calendula / Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
- Repels whitefly from tomatoes.
- Feeds predatory hoverflies, ladybirds and lacewings, which prey on aphids.
- Trap crop for aphids (attracts aphids away from valuable crops).
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum minus ‘Top Flowering Black Velvet’)
- Feeds predatory insects, which prey on aphids, squash bugs, etc.
- Trap crop for aphids and white butterflies.
- Orange nasturtiums are said to be the most effective, so I’m not sure how well the red ones will do.
Borage (Borago officinalis)
- Feeds bees.
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