Spring comes with blue skies, the hum of bees, and rising Allergex stock prices. But it also has a nasty habit of creating the perfect the conditions for insects to hatch and swarm our organic food gardens. The obvious reflex is to find some natural repellent or household remedy to spray over leaves and bulbs. Yet, the solution can be more subtle. A few flowers have the beauty (and thiopenes) to enrich soils with natural, safe repellents that protect vegetables and fruits. In the Garden Route, we unfortunately have to weather a wide range of pests, due to alien vegetation, commercial farming inputs, and weakened soils. As such, we have learned to use the following flowers over the years to protect our crops from the swarms. And since spring is prime-time for gardens to be munched, here are a few we recommend for your home-gardening defences.

Why flowers?

Many flowers that are safe to plant provide two key protections. Firstly, the vibrant colours of flower varieties attract the pests you want for pollination and pest-control. Many pest-predators and pollinators nest in and around flowers, so planting them strategically before spring-time only benefits the little ecosystem of a food garden. Secondly, many flower species release oils and aromas that repel or even kill pests and their eggs, which saves time and money on weeding, spraying, or sprinkling harmful inputs that negatively affect the water table and your soil. While a natural, blended approach is always best for pest-control in organic gardening, building up a strong and diverse flower-base against pests will go a long way in saving your food from mother nature.

Nasturtiums

The peppery, edible yellow and orange flowers that spreads like wildfire, Nasturtiums are both aesthetically pleasing and terrific front-line defences against unwanted tenants. Acting as a sacrifice to pests, this plant releases a mustard-like smell and oil into the soil which draws pests away from crops. What is more, Nasturtiums provide a lovely habitat for mantis, lady-bugs, and other predators that feast on pesky invaders. And once spring arrives, the bloom of sunshine yellow and orange can be harvested for salads, juices, and household decorations. Just one word of caution; these Nasturtiums grow everywhere, and can overwhelm your other plants if not carefully managed and culled. I remember seeing them take over my beds in winter, this year, and had to spend an entire weekend carefully untangling them from my lemon trees.

Nasturtiums repel:

• Aphids
• White flies
• Fruit flies
• House flies

Lemon Verbena

This plant is more for us humans. Lemon Verbena's oils and aroma naturally repel fruit flies, house flies, and mosquitoes. This South American plant likes dry and sunny conditions, and can fall prey to other pests if not grown with companions like dill and garlic. However, once a strong crop of Lemon Verbena has formed, you can expect beautiful purple, white, and orange-y flowers once a year with little spread. This wonderful plant is also a fantastic air cleanser and perfumer, so be sure to grow near kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom windows. You can also harvest the leaves and flowers for potpourri, which takes the anti-mosquito qualities indoors.

Lemon Verbena repels:

• Mosquitoes
• Fruit flies
• House and horse flies
• Fleas

Khakibos

A name very familiar to anyone who lived on a farm with fleas, Khakibos is the original anti-pest measure on dry, hot land. Originating from Mexico, this naturalised bud of bug repellent is easy to grow, beautiful to behold, and versatile. You can plant Khakibos as a pioneer plant over dead and dry soils, harvest the stems, flowers and leaves to be dried indoors to repel pests, and to use in essential oils for respiratory and skin issues. For our spring-pest woes, Khakibos repulses insect eggs and egg-laying in winter and autumn. They are especially effective against those troublesome fruit flies and midges who plague our kitchens and gardens in the rising temperatures of spring and summer.This includes reducing flea and tick infestations, which means dogs and cats benefit from having bushes or dried-stems of Khakibos in and around the home.

Khakibos repels:

• Fleas
• Fruit flies
• House and horse flies
• Ticks
• Ants

Lavender

A beloved, gorgeous, and ancient flower, Lavender is a rich smelling, pest-fighting powerhouse that needs a lot of love to work. Perfect for our Mediterranean climate in the Cape Floristic region, the purple bloom produces rich aromas in the air and helpful oils in the soil to repel fleas, fishmoths, silverfish, mosquitoes, and many more spring terrors. Furthermore, Lavender is a bee magnet, drawing hundreds of buzzing wonders to your garden to pollinate and protect your plants. Lavender needs lots of direct sunlight, lean soil, and good drainage to thrive and drive those pesky pests away in the springtime.

Lavender repels:

• Fleas
• Fruit flies
• Mosquitoes
• Silverfish
• Fishmoths
• Ticks

Marigolds

A classic pest remedy that protects almost every part of the plant and soil, Marigolds are a pretty flower that repels nematodes and other pests from chewing on your crops. These gentle flowers release a scent into soils to chase away parasitic worms from destroying root-growth and soil. In the air, Marigolds release a subtle aroma that drives back beetles and some worms, especially from citrus and nightshade varieties. These flowers are best planted before spring to allow them to bloom strong all the way into autumn; as long as one prunes them to remove dead leaves and petals.

Marigolds repel:

• Aphids
• Nematodes
• Cut-worms
• Ants