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Bad Bugs? Good Plants!

© Kathy Reiffenstein

Spring is my favorite time in the garden, as green shoots stick their heads up over the edges of my pots and vibrant blooms open in the warm sunshine. Unfortunately it also seems to be a favorite time for hungry garden pests, thrilled at the prospect of devouring those juicy young plants. If these 'bad' bugs are left to their own devices, those vibrant blooms may soon be history!

But wait! Before reaching for the pesticide spray, why not enlist Mother Nature's help with the little pests. There are lots of insects that are beneficial in your garden because they are natural predators of the bad guys. Attract ladybugs, lacewings, syrphid flies, tiny parasitic wasps and spiders to your garden and they will feed on the aphids, thrips, leafhoppers and cutworms that are damaging your plants. So, how do you attract these beneficials??? Add certain plants to your garden that provide food for the good guys. Not only will this help control unwanted guests, but it will allow you to virtually eliminate the need to use toxic pesticides.

What plants attract beneficials? Flowering plants that produce lots of pollen and nectar are what they feed on. Since beneficial insects are generally tiny, they like flower heads that are flat and easily accessible, so they don't drown in large, nectar-filled blooms. The following "insectary" plants grow happily in containers, so consider adding them to your garden:

Aster (Aster novi-angliae) -- there are many varieties of this New England Aster, but try 'Purple Dome' which offers a profusion of deep purple flowers with rich green foliage. Blooms in late summer and early fall and is excellent for cutting.

Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii) -- a California native, this prolific bloomer has sky blue blossoms with a white center. Easily grown in full sun or partial shade, it has a trailing habit, making it well-suited to containers.

Coreopsis -- there are many species of this easy-to-grow member of the sunflower family, but try Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'. This compact (1 1/2 - 2 feet tall) perennial has lacy foliage and soft yellow, star-shaped flowers. Provide full sun and deadhead spent blooms for a continuous show well into autumn.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) -- this is the common herb, cilantro, used in many Mexican and Asian dishes. Delicate fern-like foliage grows 1 - 1 1/2 feet high. Flat clusters of pinkish white flowers appear in summer.

Erigeron (Erigeron karvinskianus) --- one of my favorite plants! The Santa Barbara Daisy is almost always in bloom in mild climates, with dainty flower heads made up of many pinkish or white rays. This is a terrific container plant, spilling over the sides and looking lush. Grow in full sun or light shade.