[suziequeue]

We are focussing on the polytunnel this summer with tomatoes, aubergines, yellow peppers and cucumbers as the main effort.

With the house rebuild going on we now no longer have a garden so I thought I could make a bit of a garden in the polytunnel with companion plants.

I want to plant nasturtium, petunia and French marigold flowers as well as basil, chamomile, borage, tarragon and dill (in with the cucumber only) herbs.

I know the marigolds will do fine in the polytunnel as we have always planted them in with the tomatoes but what about petunias and nasturtiums?.... Will they survive the polytunnel environment? We have raised beds so I was imagining petunias trailing over the sides.........

Am I being fanciful?

[Fleecewife]

Nasturtiums do fine and come up year after year in a tunnel.  Another flower I love in there is scented nicotiana - the non scented type are a waste of space, but the scented ones give off the most glorious smell which fills the tunnel in the evenings.  They take up a bit of room but are worth it.  If you choose your flowers to be single and fertile ie not sterile hybrids, you will be attracting bees, hoverflies and so on in to pollinate your beans etc.
I always plant tagetes rather than French Marigolds as their smell is supposed to deter white fly - I don't have any white fly, but whether that's because of the tagetes or not I don't know.
It's lovely to have flowers in with your veggies in the tunnel, creating a wonderful jungle.
I did once grow sweet peas in with the climbing beans but they just attracted moulds rather than insects.
I also have various bulbs growing, esp daffodils, by accident as their spot outdoors wasn't quite ready so I popped them in the tunnel and they have been there ever since.  The daffodils come into flower early and give me a taste of spring before it has actually arrived.
Go for it - if it doesn't work, pull them out.
Herbs will all do well in the tunnel - plant the heat-loving ones on the south side so they get plenty of sun.

[suziequeue]

Thanks Fleecewife

How do I know which Nicotianas are the fragrant ones.

[miniaturesabound]

I always grow flowers that are edible. Nasturtiums are great in salads and the seeds can be pickled for later [capers], watch out for the dreaded cabbage butterfly though as they love the flowers. Violets and pansies are good too as is the English Marigold. Even a couple of hybrid rose bushes, if you have the room are great for attracting lace wings, bees and again the petals are edible. Thyme and Marjoram make a good under growth. 

[suziequeue]

"Nasturtiums are great in salads and the seeds can be pickled for later [capers]"

Is that what capers are?? Fantastic!!!!

I have got nasturtiums, fragrant nicotiana, French marigold, dill and basil germinating in pots and I think I'll get Petunias as plug plants...... so many to choose from!!

I'll start of some thyme and marjoram aswell.

Thanks

[hexhammeasure]

careful with petunias... they get sticky and can encourage mould and aphids

[miniaturesabound]

Yes, I would stay clear of Petunias. Don't think they're edible either and  most are F1 types which means they're not attractive to bees or butterflies