![]() These plants can grow up to 4 feet tall when in full bloom and tend to spread 1-2 feet wide. Whichever color or type you choose, be sure to plant it near the margin of your strawberry bed rather than within it. How to Plant It: There are dozens of varieties of yarrow, but my favorite is the classic American native wildflower yarrow. The nectar of yarrow blossoms will attract these beneficial predators to the strawberry patch, where they will hopefully lay their eggs and get their larve feeding on berry pests like thrips and aphids ASAP. Yarrow is another favorite of green lacewings, as well as ladybugs, hoverflies, and predatory wasps. The crushed leaves and dried blossoms smell like sweet honey. When grown near strawberries, yarrow magnifies pollinators and predator bugs to help you grow more quality berries.Īs an added bonus, yarrow makes a lovely cut flower table center display and can be used in herbal remedies. Yarrow is another companion plant classic that compliments lots of garden crops. Yarrow Another plant with a distinct smell, yarrow will help repel ants, aphids, mosquitoes and flies, beetles. They are mat-forming and tend to stay relatively low, so they don’t pose a huge risk for shading out your berry plants. I like to plant them at the ends of rows, in the corner of strawberry raised beds, or scattered amongst the planting. How to Plant It: White alyssum plants can grow about 6-12” wide. ![]() The result? Higher yields, sweeter fruits, and fully “filled-out” berries. These beautiful pollinators will gladly fly over to your strawberry patch to aid in spreading pollen around their flowers as well. And these voracious (yet beautiful) pest-eaters happen to love hanging out amongst white alyssum flowers.įor pollination, the lovely little white blossoms of sweet alyssum are frequented by honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. On the pest protection side, studies in organic Florida strawberry fields found that green lacewings (Chrysoperla spp.) consume more strawberry pests than any other insect predators. But it is especially great for strawberries because it offers a double whammy: pest protection and pollinator habitat. Sweet alyssum can benefit nearly every plant in your garden. Why? Because it is the most tried-and-true flower for attracting beneficial insects (aka “good guy bugs”).īenefits: Attract beneficial predators and pollinator insects I have planted sweet alyssum on every organic farm and every garden I’ve ever grown. We have to start off with the most essential companion plant of all. Here are our favorite floral comrades for strawberries: Sweet Alyssum If you plant an alyssum between rows of strawberries, the flower will collect all the bugs and they will not spoil your crop. Fortunately, there are a number of different options you can plant, depending on your preferences. Floral Strawberry Companionsįlowers are the most effective and beautiful ways to interplant in the garden. Other plants offer multiple benefits for an all-in-one companion package. Some companions are used as symbiotic crop partners for one specific reason, such as the ability to fix nitrogen.
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