Asteraceae family or the daisy family.
One of the most important families in our organic garden, Asteraceae family or daisy or sunflower family has some of the most important and easy to grow flowering plants that help in companion planting. These are mostly herbs or shrubs. You can easily grow these plants in containers or directly in earth.
A few plants from this family are :
Lettuce, artichoke, chamomile, sage and endives also belong to this family.
Marigolds, daisies, asters, dahlia, sunflowers, stevia, zinnia, chicory, tarragon are some common flowers that grow in most gardens.
Sowing time: summer and rain
soil/medium.
Asteraceae family likes soil ph. from 5.8 to 6.5, slightly acidic, loamy and well drained soil nurtures these lovely plants well. These prefer full sun.
How to sow and grow!
It is best to prepare your Asteraceae seedlings in a cavity tray and then transplant them in garden or bigger containers. For germination use cocopeat.
Don’t forget to soak your seeds in Trichoderma first.
Pests: aphids, leafhoppers, spider mites, weevils, whiteflies.
Diseases stem rot, powdery mildew.
Asteraceae family is perennial family, they will come back every year.
Why are Asteraceae the best companion plants for your garden?
Asteraceae are absolutely unmatched with their soil improvement capabilities. Most gardeners think they repel pests but that isn’t 100% correct, all plants repel and invite some sort of pests. Asteraceae are no exception, they too are vulnerable to a lot of pests. Their major contribution is in improving the structure of your soil, inviting predators and pollinators to feast on these pests which quite a few plants can boast about.
After all the vibrant colours, scented petals and endearing patterns of Asteraceae are absolutely irresistible to any living eye. The carnivores invited then feast on the pests on Asteraceae and other plants around! From honey bees to humming birds all love visiting the astraceae cousins. Every garden must have atleast a few plants from this stunning genus.
Consider them the lucky charm of your garden!
