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geraniums as a companion for veg?

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:03 am
by newbie
Hi All,
I have a load of geraniums leftover (more plug plants than I can cope with!) Is anyone aware of benefits or problems with planing them in amoungst veg? I was thinking of edgeing the leek bed with them - they are fairly standard bedding geraniums.
Ta :D

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:16 am
by oldherbaceous
Dear Newbie, sounds a lovely idea.
Apart from the fact they will look very attractive, i would have thought they will bring in some benificial insects onto your plot.

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:10 pm
by Mike Vogel
I'd agree with OH. What's more, they won't spread seed all over the place, like the calendula which I sowed 3 years ago to attract beneficial insects. I've pulled up a lot of the growing plants and still they've come and flowered liberally. I don't mind that though - they seem to attract things which either destroy or deter pests destructive to potatoes.

mike

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:51 pm
by Primrose
I regularly plant geraniums in the same border as I grow tomatoes, climbining beans and other veggies such as cucumbers and kohl rabi. Everything is jumbled up together, and I don't know what Alan Titchmarch would make of it but it works for me. The geraniums don't seem to attract many insects though, so not much point hoping to use them as an aid to pollination.

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:19 am
by newbie
well I planted the geraniums around the edge of the leek bed - and ended up the same shade of red in the process :shock: whew! it was warm! - they do look lovely. It did occur to me though Primrose, that you might be right, I cant recall ever seeing a bee on a geranium?