Growing flowers with veg?

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by amymac78, Apr 14, 2015.

  1. amymac78

    amymac78 Gardener

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    Hi all

    I'm growing veg for the first time and wondered if there are any flowers I should (or shouldn't!) be planting near my veg? It will all be in 1 metre sq raised beds (I have 2 for now) and will have the 'usual' stuff in :)
     
    amymac78, Apr 14, 2015
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  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Lots of folk grow french marigolds as a good companion to tomatoes, to repel greenfly.

    Nasturtiums are good with cabbages as the caterpillars go for these instead.

    What veg are you growing?
     
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    • amymac78

      amymac78 Gardener

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      I have tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beetroot, carrots, radishes, cabbages, corn and lettuce. The children are attempting watermelons, brussels and broccoli :)
       
      amymac78, Apr 14, 2015
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    • miraflores

      miraflores Total Gardener

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      hi amymac78, I know it can be of benefit to both growing flowers near vegetables, I'll see if I can find some good matches... (for example if one plant needs sun, the other shadow. One needs a certain nutrient, the other a different one and so on)
       
      miraflores, Apr 14, 2015
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      Out of your list: Corn, Cabbage, Brussels and Broccoli all need a lot of growing space. Sweetcorn needs to be planed in a block and nine plants would fill up one of your raised beds. If you planted any less than that they wouldn't pollinate each other and you'd get no cobs. Sorry to say but I'd cut out all those space hungry veg and concentrate on the others. Tomatoes with marigolds and cucumbers in one bed (as these plants will last all the season) and successional sowings of carrot, lettuce, radishes and peas in the other bed. By 'successional' I mean just sow one little row of each every 3 or 4 weeks. The faster growing ones (radish/lettuce) will be ready to eat in a 4 or 5 weeks then you replace them with a row of something else. Peas last a bit longer so you won't want so many sowings of those.

      I'm not sure about watermelon, I've grown them in a greenhouse and again they needed a lot of space, I'm not sure how well they would do outdoors in our climate, maybe someone else will be along to advise about those :blue thumb:
       
      JWK, Apr 14, 2015
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    • amymac78

      amymac78 Gardener

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      The tomatoes, corn, cucumbers and watermelon will be in the greenhouse, whether they ever make it out depends on the weather! :SUNsmile: :dunno:
       
      amymac78, Apr 14, 2015
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      Ah you have a greenhouse, is that where your raised beds are?

      Tomatoes, cucumber and melons will love it in there.

      However I would advice not to grow sweetcorn in a greenhouse, they get really tall for a start, you'll be taking the glass out! Also they need wind pollination, they are temperate plants and will grow perfectly happily outdoors.
       
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    • amymac78

      amymac78 Gardener

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      The raised beds aren't in the greenhouse, not enough room. They are waiting to be filled (hopefully today or tomorrow) so still deciding where is best to put them, my garden is SE facing so one side gets sun until about 14.30 and the other side from then on :noidea:
       
      amymac78, Apr 14, 2015
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    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

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      I've been growing a sea of French Marigolds around my polytunnel tomatoes, they don't seem to need much more watering, really add a splash of colour and you notice their fragrance when grown in a tunnel. 5 packets for £1, or 29p(?) each from Lidl, then save you own seeds.

      Slugs love them, so will eat the marigolds first and bare stemmed plants will alert you to their presence before they can wipe out other stuff.
       
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      • miraflores

        miraflores Total Gardener

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        Marigold flowers alienates the nematodes from the soil, but you can also place some climbing plants structures between zucchini to allow climbing to the colorful nasturtiums. Some people grow nasturtiums directly on the supports of tomatoes and beans to drive away aphids.
        Near apple trees and the pear trees you can put whatever you want (as long as you do not do chemical treatments to your fruit trees, but I hope not!), Surely the aromatic will look great and in general their aromas help to keep out unwanted insects.



         
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      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        280 French Marigolds coming on for planting in tunnel beds

        marigolds.jpg
         
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