Did you know that about 90% of the insects in your garden are beneficial insects. They are good bugs that help you get rid of the bad bugs. They are a wonderful biological control which means that you may never need to bring out the insecticides. And why would you want insecticide when they are harmful to our bees which pollinate everything.
Some of the beneficial insects include predators, like beetles wasps, ants and true bugs. And also includes parisitoids, like the very tiny wasps that kill smaller insects.
There are some great ways to attract beneficial insects to your garden by planting the right flowers. Flowers provide nectar for the good bugs.
Anything in the Aster family is good for beneficial bugs. This includes: daisies, echinacea, and calendula. You want are going to want ones that have open centers so the insects can get to the nectar more easily.
Herbs also attract beneficial insects, especially anything in the carrot family. This would include caraway, coriander and dill.
Plants in the pea family are also good, like peas, clover and alfalfa.
The mustard family also attracts good bugs, and this includes not only mustard but also one of my favorite summer annuals alyssum, which is so sweet smelling.
Marigolds are known to repel nematodes. They are also a good decoy plan for slugs which just love to chew them up, but then leave other plants alone.
The same plants that attract beneficial insects will also attract many pollinators, which you want. These are good organic methods of attracting beneficial insects and pollinators. So plant these where ever you can, and enjoy them in your home garden.
Home Garden Diggers 