If you’re growing parsley in your garden, you might be wondering what flowers can i plant with parsley. Choosing the right companion blooms does more than just look pretty. It can help your parsley grow stronger, deter pests, and make the most of your garden space.
This guide will show you the best floral partners. We’ll cover why these combinations work and how to plant them for success. You’ll get a healthier, more beautiful herb patch that benefits every plant involved.
What Flowers Can I Plant With Parsley – Perfect Companion Blooms
Companion planting is like creating a supportive neighborhood for your plants. Some flowers attract beneficial insects that eat parsley pests. Others improve soil health or provide light shade. Parsley is a versatile biennial herb that pairs well with many blooms.
Top Flower Companions for Parsley
These flowers are proven partners for a parsley patch. They offer clear benefits and are easy to grow alongside your herbs.
- Marigolds: Perhaps the most famous companion plant. Their strong scent repels aphids, whiteflies, and even nematodes in the soil. French marigolds are particularly effective. Plant them as a border around your parsley.
- Nasturtiums: These vibrant flowers act as a “trap crop.” Aphids and cabbage white butterflies prefer them over parsley. This draws pests away from your herbs. Nasturtiums are also edible, with a peppery flavor.
- Calendula (Pot Marigold): Calendula attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings. These insects then feast on common parsley pests. Their bright flowers bloom for a long time.
- Chamomile: Known as the “plant’s physician,” chamomile can improve the health and flavor of nearby herbs like parsley. It attracts hoverflies and wasps that control pests. Its small, daisy-like flowers are charming.
- Cosmos: Their airy, tall foliage provides light, dappled shade for parsley in the hottest part of the summer. This can prevent bolting. Cosmos also attract parasitic wasps that target caterpillars.
How to Design Your Parsley and Flower Bed
Planning your layout is key to a successful companion garden. Here’s a simple step-by-step approach.
- Choose Your Location: Parsley prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Pick a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight.
- Prepare the Soil: Work in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure. Parsley and its flower friends thrive in rich, fertile soil with a neutral pH.
- Plan the Placement: Plant taller flowers like cosmos or tall marigolds to the north side so they don’t shade the parsley too much. Use low-growing nasturtiums or calendula as a living mulch between parsley plants.
- Mind the Spacing: Don’t crowd your plants. Give parsley about 6-8 inches of space. Follow spacing guidelines for your chosen flowers to ensure good air circulation.
- Water and Mulch: Water the bed thoroughly after planting. Apply a layer of organic mulch, like straw, to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Benefits Beyond Beauty
The advantages of mixing flowers with parsley go strait to garden health. You’ll see a natural reduction in pest problems without resorting to chemicals. The variety of blooms supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators essential for a thriving ecosystem. This biodiversity makes your entire garden more resilient.
Flowers to Avoid Planting Near Parsley
Not all plants make good neighbors. Some can compete too aggressively or attract the wrong kind of insects. It’s best to keep parsley away from these:
- Mint: Mint is incredibly invasive and its roots can quickly overtake an area, choking out parsley and other plants. Always grow mint in containers.
- Lettuce: While not harmful, lettuce and parsley can attract similar pests. Planting them close together can create a concentrated target for slugs and aphids.
- Carrots: Parsley is in the carrot family (Apiaceae). Planting relatives close together can make them more susceptible to shared diseases and pests, like carrot fly.
Caring for Your Combined Planting
Once established, your parsley and flower bed needs consistent care. Parsley likes consistently moist soil, so water regularly, especially during dry spells. Many companion flowers, like marigolds and nasturtiums, also appreciate regular watering.
Deadhead spent flowers regularly. This encourages more blooms on your companion plants, which means they’ll continue attracting beneficial insects all season long. For parsley, regularly harvesting the outer stems promotes new growth.
A light feeding with a balanced organic fertilizer mid-season can give both your herbs and flowers a boost. But be careful not to over-fertilize, as this can lead to lots of leaves but less flavor in your parsley.
Seasonal Considerations
Parsley is biennial but often grown as an annual. In its first year, it focuses on leaf growth. In its second, it will flower and set seed. You can succession plant parsley every few weeks for a continuous harvest. Choose companion flowers with similar growing seasons. For a fall garden, you might pair parsley with pansies or ornamental kale for continued color.
FAQ: Parsley Companion Planting
Can I plant parsley with roses?
Yes! Parsley can be a good companion for roses. It may help enhance the roses’ fragrance and its flowers attract beneficial insects that combat rose pests like aphids.
What are the best flowers to attract bees to parsley?
Parsley itself produces flowers in its second year that attract bees. To bring more bees, plant borage, cosmos, or single-flowered zinnias nearby. These are all excellent bee magnets.
Do I need to plant the flowers in the same row as the parsley?
Not at all. Interplanting them in the same bed is very effective. You can also plant flowers in containers placed next to your parsley bed, or use them as a surrounding border. The key is proximity.
Will companion flowers effect the taste of my parsley?
Generally, no. Most companion flowers do not directly alter the flavor. In fact, some gardeners believe chamomile can actually improve the vigor and taste of nearby herbs. Strong-scented flowers like marigolds protect the flavor by keeping pests away.
Adding the right flowers to your parsley patch is a simple, natural strategy for a better garden. You’ll create a vibrant, healthy space that works with nature, not against it. Start with a few marigolds or nasturtiums this season and observe the positive difference they make. Your parsley—and your garden’s ecosystem—will thank you for it.