Can any advise on what are the best flowers to grow to attract
lacewings and ladybirds as I want to tackle the pests in my garden the
organic way.

Also are there any that will grow in the shade ?

Cheers

Colin

Gardening_Convert wrote:
Can any advise on what are the best flowers to grow to attract
lacewings and ladybirds as I want to tackle the pests in my garden the
organic way.
Also are there any that will grow in the shade ?

I use borrage next to my potatoes, calendula in between my rows of
vegs, I keep nettles for the ladybirds and dotted around I have fennel.
I have also a wild patch. Why do you want to put these insects
attractant flowers in the shade? You won't grow veg there, are you?
Perhaps in the shade you could put nigth time insect attractant plants,
such as honeysuckle, jasmin and hebe, all tolerate partial shade but
the others need full sun.

On 9/1/06 9:24, in article
, "Gardening_Convert"
wrote:

Can any advise on what are the best flowers to grow to attract
lacewings and ladybirds as I want to tackle the pests in my garden the
organic way.

Also are there any that will grow in the shade ?

Have a look at this site - I think you'll find it useful and interesting.
There's an interesting book on companion planting, too called (IIRC) Roses
Love Garlic.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message .com
from "Gardening_Convert" contains these words:

Can any advise on what are the best flowers to grow to attract
lacewings and ladybirds as I want to tackle the pests in my garden the
organic way.

Erm, you 've got it slightly back to front.

Gardeners plant specific flowers to attract insects which feed on
flower pollen and nectar, such as bees and butterflies.Ladybirds are
predators, feeding on other insects, so they don't seek pollen or
nectar from particular flowers. Aphids, the insects they feed on, are
sap suckers (who can get their food from anything with leaves).

If you garden organically, and grow native plants, you will get some
aphids.. Just leave them unmolested and ladybirds and bluetits will come
to the garden to eat the aphids, keeping the aphid population down to a
level that doesn't harm plants. IME.

You can encourage a higher population of ladybirds and predatory
insects in the garden by leaving enough shelter for them to survive
over-winter (cracks in walls and the bark on old logs, ivy).

Janet

Sacha wrote:

Have a look at this site

You've forgotten to add the site link!

I want to attract friendly insect into shady part as I get whitefly and
blackfly even in the shady part.

I think the blackfly have been responsible for the damage I have to a
clematis which is in semi shade.

Gardening_Convert wrote:

I want to attract friendly insect into shady part as I get whitefly and
blackfly even in the shady part.
I think the blackfly have been responsible for the damage I have to a
clematis which is in semi shade.

Well, I only know companion planting for vegs which all need sun and
the problem you have with the clematis won't stop by planting flowers
to attract insects.

Many put garlic around their roses for the white flies. Why don't you
try it on your clematis and see what happens to your black flies. I
imagine your problem was last year and perhaps this year will be better
!?! There's also natural sprays, which I use a lot, in 20cl of water
put a few drops of washing up liquid and spray your clematis. Then
there the rhubarb leaves boiled for one hour then filter the water and
use as a spray BUT be carreful with this one as it is poisonous and
should only be for flowers not vegetables or herbs you eat. Finally the
garlic one, 2 gloves finely chopped in boiling water and then put in
your spray, this one is very good for rust as well - I have used it on
bellis perennis and it worked.

Be patient, cut out the bits of clematis which are really badly
infected and burn. The flies come and go and grab onto the highest
branches and then decend and settle. Keeping a close eye on things,
just like slug hunting, gets you in control eventually, the organic way
)