[Dotty]

When i bought some seeds recently I was given a free packet of wildlife garden flower seeds that attract bees and butterflies. I am going to sow them soon and wondered if it is ok to plant some veg amongst them too? If so what veg would be best to plant with them?

[compostqueen]

I put flowers with all my veg as I'm not really into serried ranks of veg with lots of bare soil.  Cabbages, broad beans, carrots - well anything really 

[arugula]

Ditto.

[Hobnails]

I've been weaned onto growing some flowers with the veggies e.g. nasturtiums near the brassicas to attract the cabbage whites and marigolds among the tomatoes and poached egg plants among the beans etc to attract pollinators.
I do spend a lot of time during the potato growing season crushing eggs and pulling colorado beetles off the spuds- as many as thirty or forty a night at their height.
My French neighbour suggested growing red flowers among them to ward them off. Will give it a trial this year and if it works then flowers will feature more prominently on my plot.

[compostqueen]

I love the deep mahogany red nasturtiums and the Red Chief elscholzias and calendula of course, not forgetting the garish marigolds.  All the flowers and herbs give the bees lots to work their magic on. We mustn't forget them 

I just grow the flowers as I think the plots look so sterile without them. It's not natural just to have long rows of one type of vegetable (monoculture) and it invites all manner of pests to descend. Nature doesn't grow plants separately does it

I let weeds grow up in and around my broad beans. As long as the soil is fertile  the beans will flourish, the weeds just give the blackfly something else to home in on

That's my thinking anyway

[N.WalesIdealist]

I agree with above, certain veg will do much better with a few flowers around them.

The tip about attracting cabbage whites is a good one, as well as things like lavender in pots, or sweet peas near your veg to attract pollinators.

Also if you're planning your plot, try sticking a few shallots or scallions in between rows of carrots, the strong smell will stop the carrot fly being able to find your carrots, I've done it every year for 3 or 4 seasons and never had a problem.

[compostqueen]

I always tip a packet of spring onions into a packet of carrots, shake it up and then sow.  As you pick the faster-growing spring onions it leaves more room for the carrots. Do so at dusk though if you can as the carrot flies will hopefully be in bed

[N.WalesIdealist]

Just thought I'd add, if you can get hold of a copy of the River Cottage Handbook no. 5 I think, the one about Vegetable Growing, there is a decent table in there showing you good companion plants.  A quick google search will also turn up plenty of results.

[BabbyAnn]

I always tip a packet of spring onions into a packet of carrots, shake it up and then sow.  As you pick the faster-growing spring onions it leaves more room for the carrots. Do so at dusk though if you can as the carrot flies will hopefully be in bed

That's a wicked idea - I love it    Got myself some spring onion seeds the other day and I've been wondering where to sow them until now.

[Dotty]

Wow
Thanks for all the replies.
I shall wild sow the seeds tomorrow and add the veg when frost risk has gone
Like the carrot and spring onion idea. I shall give that a go too

[Flump]

I like the carrot and spring onion idea too!I planted deep red nasturtiums in between my pumpkins last year,looked lovely...well,I thought so anyway!and beetroot surrounded by californian poppies.

[BabbyAnn]

I planted deep red nasturtiums in between my pumpkins last year,looked lovely...well,I thought so anyway!

I've been wary of planting nasturtiums on the allotment plot after a one off because they readily self seeded and became a weed themselves, but I can see the benefits of growing nasturtiums amongst the squashes ... I might give them another go.  Thanks for that   

My other flower experiment is to grow marigolds (calendula) with the asparagus.  A couple of years ago, my neighbour got asparagus beetle which they've never dealt with and they have since crossed over to my plot.  The damage is horrendous and I've had to use pesticide to keep on top of them which I'm loathe to do if I can help it, not to mention I haven't really sorted it    I read somewhere that growing marigolds with asparagus should help - sounds too simple but worth trying.  Maybe I'll grow some french marigolds with them to be on the safe side