Flowers That Keep Insects Away

Keep away pesky insects, like aphids, with flowers that repel them.

Use flowers that keep insects away from your garden for a beautiful, safe, economical and environmentally friendly pest-control system. Information on the hazardous nature of commonly used garden pesticides from sources like the Audubon Society's list has sparked interest in this method of insect control. Scents emitted by certain flowers drive away the bugs that harm our plants while attracting beneficial visitors, like bees.

Marigolds

Marigolds will help keep some of those unwanted insects out of your garden.

Marigold plants are annual bedding plants that grow easily and quickly, preferring well-drained soil. The orange, white, yellow or red flowers create bursts of color in a garden, flowering from mid-summer to early winter, when the first frosts appear. Marigold flowers help gardeners fight pests by emitting a strong scent that repels insects such as aphids, bean beetles, Mexican beetles, squash bugs, tomato hornworms and whiteflies. Tomato plants do well with a few marigolds planted close by, benefiting from proximity of the plant's roots, which emit a chemical that kills nematodes (a harmful microscopic worm) killing chemical. To increase flower production and encourage new buds to form, pick off dead flower heads and add them to the compost pile.

Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums also repel a variety of insects.

Nasturtiums are hardy annuals that bloom all summer with yellow and orange, red, cream, peach or orange flowers. They are available as a bedding variety or trailing vine (e.g. for planting in hanging baskets). Nasturtiums are a busy gardener's dream plant, since they require little care and grow well in dry and poor-quality soil. Their scent repels cucumber beetles, Colorado potato bugs, whiteflies, squash bugs, and squash vine borers. Aphids, major garden pests that weaken plant stems and form colonies on flowers, keep away from nasturtiums. The young, edible leaves spice up salads with a peppery flavor, tasting like cress, to which they're related.

Petunias

Petunias keep away aphids, also known as bug lice.

Petunias are perennials with striped, multi-colored or single-color flowers resembling a trumpet. They prefer full sun and rich, well-drained soil, but they will grow in almost any location, if it's not too moist. The flowers continue to form all summer; renewal is encouraged by picking off dead heads. Petunias repel Mexican bean beetles, aphids and leafhoppers; planting near any variety of beans is recommended.
 

Yarrow

Yarrow not only repels bad insects but attracts the good ones.

Yarrow is a perennial bedding plant with striking bright yellow flowers that bloom throughout the summer months; white and red varieties are also available. Its floral scent is strongest when planted in drier soil. Yarrow does double duty in the war on harmful insects; it repels flying insects like squash bugs, Japanese beetles and striped cucumber beetles, as well as attracting masses of ladybugs to eat aphids. Planting under fruit trees is recommended.

References

• Born to Garden: 20 Plants That Keep Away Pests
• Audubon Magazine: The Audubon Guide to Pesticides
• The Practial Herbalist: Yarrow: The Magical Wound Healer
• ToadStool Aquaponics: Why do I Plant Marigolds in My Vegetable Garden?
• Garden Guides: How to Use Flowers to Protect the Garden

Resources

• West Virginia University: Marigolds
• The Gardeners Network: How to Grow Marigold Plants
• Sally's Place: Nasturtiums
• The Gardeners Network: How to Grow Nasturtium Plants
• The Gardeners Network: How to Grow Petunias