Sweet Peas in veg plot?

[Mustard]

First time I'm doing a veg plot in the garden, I have heard advice it is good to put non-edibles between veg plants to help combat weeds and attract wildlife to help veggies.
Would sweet peas or something similar be OK? What would you recommend?
Anything I should definitely avoid?

[Alison]

Sweet peas look lovely in amongst beans and attract bees, doesn't do anything about weeds though!

[bazzaboy]

Both sweet peas and beans will outgrow most weeds though so not too much of a problem... I always mix 'em but it's necessary to keep cutting the sweet peas (not exactly a hardship!)
Interesting that in yesterday's visit to RHS Harlow Carr (see separate thread at
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ens_28746.html )
they were strongly advocating growing patches of "cut flowers" (both perennials and annuals) among the veg to attract bees etc.
b.

[Mustard]

Great, thanks very much

[Creemteez]

I'm planning on planting French Marigolds round the outside of my carrot bed as 'tis said they mask the scent of them and thus deter carrot fly. Easy to grow from seed and pretty as well!
Not much that you can plant that will keep the weeds down (unfortunately) as anything that vigorous would also be competition for your veg!

[TonyF]

I grow sweet peas in the veggie beds every year but also grow the climbing capucines also - can't remember now what they're called in the UK, but use the low growing types round the beds and the climbers in with the peas and beans - and they're edible.

[bramble]

Raspberry canes, they grow tall, give you a lovely crop of fruit and keep the weeds at bay.

[bazzaboy]

Interesting that in yesterday's visit to RHS Harlow Carr (see separate thread at
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ens_28746.html )
they were strongly advocating growing patches of "cut flowers" (both perennials and annuals) among the veg to attract bees etc.
b.

Mustard - see attached photo - these are the "cut flowers" RHS was recommending to grow in the veg area. b.

[rana]

I used to grow sweet peas on the allotment, they provided a blaze of colour where all around was mostly green. On a small garden/plot however, as climbers they will create relative shade, so are not so good next to low growing crops. For adding colour and attracting beneficial insects, marigolds and Coreopsis seem popular.

[lyndap]

Sweetpeas and marigolds grow in with my beans(The marigolds are edible),sometimes grow petunias in there to.French marigolds with my toms,garlic near my roses,and various herbs that I leave to flower all over the place!

[Mi Jardín]

As Lyndap just mentioned, marigolds are good for beans. They keep the bugs off them.
Try googling "companion planting", brilliant for organic growers!

[Mi Jardín]

I just remembered I had this link in my bookmarks:

Companion Planting

[Alice]

Yes you can grow sweet peas in your kitchen garden Mustard. I do. They beautify the place and act as an attractont for the bees and insects I need for my beans, courgettesand others.
I also grow marigolds and nasturtiums there. They look lovely and act as sacrificial plants for blackfly and the like. But mostly I grow flowers in the kitchen garden because I like it to be a lovely place.

[TonyF]

I've got an article about edible flowers in potagers/veggie plots, English and from a UK gardening magazine, a couple of years old, which I'm happy to scan and send on to people who may be interested in it.

Don't know how to upload it here but if you send me an email, I'll scan it and send it on to you.

[miffy]

Can vouch for sweetpeas, grew them with my runner beans last year and got a bumper crop of runner beans as the bees loved them and pollinated my beans at the same time.
Plus they smell divine to boot.