10 Companion Flowers for Your Vegetable Garden

What could be better than sprucing up the vegetable garden with an array of colorful flowers? What if those flowers also helped combat diseases and pests, keeping your veggies healthy and thriving?

Every gardener has experienced the frustration of a vegetable garden suffering from diseases and pests. One clean, chemical-free way to maintain a healthy, organic garden is by adding companion flowers.

Whether planted in garden beds or containers, the following flowering varieties are popular choices to grow alongside vegetables:

Petunias: Usually planted in hanging pots, these annuals can also be paired with tomatoes, beans, and squash to help drive away pesky insects. Squash bugs and tomato hornworms, which are difficult to eradicate and can quickly kill an entire plant, are not fond of petunias.

Marigolds: These annuals repel cabbage worms and attract beneficial insects. In addition, many rodents are deterred by the strong scent of marigolds.

Alliums: Available in many varieties, from giant globes to smaller forms like chives and garlic, these ornamentals ward off deer, rabbits, and insect pests with their pungent aroma.

Zinnias: A favorite for their bright colors and non-stop blooming, zinnias are also excellent pest repellents. Plant the tall variety in circles around tall vegetables, such as tomatoes. In addition to repelling pests, zinnias attract ladybugs, which feast on damaging garden insects.

Sweet Alyssum: This sweet-smelling annual attracts pollinators to the garden, benefiting all vegetables when sprinkled throughout the space.

Lupine: A North Eastern favorite with a spike of pea shaped flowers improves soil quality by adding essential nutrients like nitrogen and aiding in drainage.

Nasturtium: A great cool-weather flower that protects squash, radishes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, and kale from harmful insects. These flowers are also edible, have a high vitamin C content and have microbial properties.

Cosmos: Easy to grow with bountiful blooms, cosmos come in both large and small varieties. Plant them with beans and tomatoes to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees.

Lavender: A perennial that thrives in cold climates, lavender has a pleasant fragrance for humans and many pollinators, yet it effectively repels pests.

Calendula: These daisy-like flowers in bright orange and yellow not only add color to the vegetable patch but also repel aphids and whiteflies. Dried calendula petals are also an anti-inflammatory and can be used for burns and cuts. 

Adding companion flowers to your vegetable garden enhances its beauty while providing natural protection against pests and diseases. By selecting the right flowers, you can create a thriving ecosystem where vegetables and flowers work together for a healthier, more productive garden.