Beneficial Insects and flowers in the vegetable garden.

Always on the quest to improve my garden and learn more about "organic" methods to prevent insects from devouring my plants, I recently searched for flowers to intertwine with my vegetable garden to increase beneficial insects.

After reading and finding lists, I found many of the suggested plants are already growing in my garden. A pleasant surprise to say the least.  I have in the past planted basil, sage, bronze fennel, dill and parsley without thinking about insects. The herbs were planted to eat not deter insects. A neighbor told me to plant marigolds to control aphids around the tomatoes. I found the marigolds did indeed keep the aphids down so I interplanted them again this year. 

The parsley and dill draws a beautiful black swallowtail butterfly every year so I plant parsley and dill just for them. When I see the yellow striped catepillar I know the plants will be soon deleafed and the caterpillars gone to come back as a beautiful butterfly.. 

Below is a partial list of plants suggested for drawing beneficial insects to the gardens and those I have planted. 

Annual Flowers and Herbs  

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) -- The flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects. A few sites offered the aroma of the leaves may deter aphids.

Calendula (Pot Marigold) -- Edible, orange or yellow flower petals.  Attracts bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Cosmos -- Attracts lacewings, hoverflies and parasitic mini-wasps. 

Dill (Anethum graveolens) -- The leaves are used in recipes, and the flowers attract lacewings, ladybugs, hoverflies and parasitic mini-wasps.  The black swallowtail butterfly also enjoys this herb in my garden.

Marigold (Tagetes sp.) -- The flowers attract butterflies and hoverflies, and the roots produce a secretion that kills root-eating nematodes in the soil. 

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) -- The flowers attract hoverflies, tachinid flies and parasitic wasps. 

Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) -- A wonderful flower for attracting, hoverflies, parasitic wasps and butterflies.  

Perennial Flowers and Herbs

Photo by Bruce Marlin NW Center for alternative pesticides 

Bronze Fennel  (Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum') --Bronze foliage. The flowers attract lacewings, ladybugs, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps and butterflies.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) -- Attracts butterflies and bees. Seeds will self sow all over the garden, deadhead religiously.

Garlic Chives  (Allium tuberosum) -- The flowers attract bees and beneficial insects. The leaves have a nice, strong garlic flavor. Reading information on this herb I found it repels aphids on roses. 

Lemon Balm  (Melissa officinalis) --  The tiny flowers attract hoverflies, tachinid flies and parasitic mini-wasps.  The leaves make a nice lemon flavored tea.

Sage  (Salvia sp.) -- There are many forms of sage, including culinary. They all attract bees and butterflies. Culinary sage is used with pork, and the leaves can be fried.

Yarrow (Achillia sp.) -- Attracts ladybugs, hoverflies and parasitic mini-wasps. A favorite in my garden that doesn't need alot of water.

For more information on insects, check out the Penn State Entomology site:

http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets

Another Extension site worth visiting on this issue is http://umaine.edu/publications/7150e/

Additional Information http://www.motherearthnews.com