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Companion planting for veg
gardenjeannie
Posts: 360
in Fruit & veg
If I want to use calendula to help keep the bugs from my veg, must they be the original species officianalis, or can I use prettier ones. Don't much like the old ones, although I believe they are the only ones to use to make my own handcream!
0
Posts
Last year (which was my first growing year for veg) i grew seeds of pretty tagetes and nasturtiums, I grew some pots of chives and put around in the carrot patch.
so long as they're single flowers ( nice and open so the bees can get to the pollen) not closed centred double flowers, most flowers can be used to attract beneficial insects.
i shall be attempting to do the same as you this year. i have officinalis, tagetes tenuifola and french, which i planned to stick with/around the tomato and potato areas.
I grew Tagetes in the greenhouse last year in an attempt, to keep whitefly off the tomatoes. It was partly successful: they attacked the peppers instead.
I tend to encourage Calendula (the wild ones) in the veg garden to attract hoverflies but I have no real info on how effective they are. Feverfew as well.
And that reminds me - it's time I sowed some seeds for this year!