Benefits of Planting Flowers & Vegetables Together
If you’ve never planted your flowers and vegetables in the same garden, it might be time to give it a shot. There’s a host of benefits that come along with combining the two, many of which you’ve probably never considered. Planting flowers in your vegetable garden is in no way traditional, but more and more specialists are turning to this strategy due to the positive results. It may just become a new tradition moving forward.
Luckily for homeowners, this is a professional strategy that’s easy to implement and is just as beneficial for the beginner gardener as the seasoned one. Any type of flowers will attract native bees and insects that will help pollinate your garden, which is essential to cultivating a healthy crop. Many people don’t realize the significance of pollinators to our ecosystem, but they truly are irreplaceable. Bees, butterflies, and other insects rely on nectar to fuel their systems, and bees even gather pollen to feed their young. Flowers and plants keep them alive, it’s that simple.
To fully support this practice, native plants are the best option. They’re already adapted to the soil and climate of the area, ensuring they’ll thrive in your home garden.
Okay, say you’re convinced. Now, where do you start? You could spend days researching the best flowers to incorporate, or you could trust the pros at Capital Landscaping. A few aspects to consider when planting flowers in a vegetable garden are bloom time, flower shape and height, and spacing. Options we love include zinnias, daisies, and sunflowers.
Zinnias are easy to grow and bloom in a variety of beautiful, bright colors. They do best in full sunlight and are safe to plant around animals.
Daisies mirror Zinnias in that they are low maintenance and thrive in full sun. They’re truly classic flowers that will quickly enhance the beauty of your garden.
Sunflowers do well with the heat in Iowa, are pest-resistant, and charmingly turn their heads toward the sun. They’re a great choice to mix into your vegetable garden.
We can help you decide on the exact type of flowers to use based on the vegetables you’re growing and what they need to thrive. Capital Landscaping will even draw up a plan and plant the flowers for you. Give us a call at 515-244-2724 if you’d like to explore planting flowers alongside your vegetables.