Whenever I plan my vegetable garden for the year ahead, I always make sure I factor in two flowering annuals that keep pests at bay.
I’ve celebrated companion planting ideas for a long time now, and now that the growing season is here in full swing, it isn't too late to plant up your own garden with a few beneficial flowering plants. For me, those are marigolds and nasturtiums – both are brilliant at luring and warding away pests in their own way.
Here's a breakdown of why marigolds and nasturtiums are some of my favourite gardening sidekicks.
What you'll need
Climbing nasturtiums are ideal butterfly egg traps!
I'm growing vegetables and flowers in this 100% recycled compact planter.
Marigolds attract beneficial insects like ladybirds.
1. Marigolds
I praise marigolds as superhero flowers every single year, because they have tons of benefits in a vegetable garden (besides looking really pretty when they're in bloom).
For one, they produce a strong scent that keeps a range of pests at bay – so if you're looking for ways to get rid of aphids, for example, they're a brilliant flowering annual to have on-side. They're also attract ladybirds, which naturally prey on aphids and other unwanted pests, which is why I always plant marigolds next to the peas in my vegetable garden.
'They thrive alongside a range of vegetables but are particularly effective when planted with tomatoes, potatoes, and beans, as well as brassicas like cabbage and broccoli,' adds Lechuza's horticultural expert, Ross Dyke. 'Their interaction with these crops can enhance growth and yield.'
Ross recommends compact French marigolds if you're planting in small areas or containers, like Fothergill's Marigold (French) Double Dwarf Mixed' from Amazon.
2. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are a type of sacrificial plant, which means they're good at luring pests to a designated spot in your garden. That might sound like a terrible idea, but if they can actually save your vulnerable crops from annihilation.
'Nasturtiums act as a sacrificial trap crop, luring aphids away from your precious veg!' says Lucy Hutchings, co-founder of heirloom seed company She Grows Veg.
I also find that nasturtiums grow at speed, so you'll quickly find there's plenty of foliage for the likes of cabbage white caterpillars to feed on (in favour of your hard-earned vegetable crops!). Nasturtiums are another plant that attracts ladybirds, too, which means you'll have a larger arsenal of predatory insects on your team.
Fothergill's Oh Sow Simple Nasturtium 'Red' seeds, which you can order from Amazon, produce striking red blooms.
Marigolds and nasturtiums are staples in my vegetable garden, and I don't think I'd ever be without them now. There are plenty of other pest-repellent plants that work brilliantly alongside fruiting and vegetable crops, too.
