Question about flowering vines and bees

Fords, NJ

Hi all. This is my first post so bear with me if I ask a silly question. I have a 20" square planter with trellis on my deck. In the past, I have planted sweet potato vine along with petunias in the planter. This year, I would like to change it up a bit and go for a flowering vine. However, I am highly allergic to bees. I realize that most, if not all, flowering vines attract bees. My question is can I plant a plant that I have read will repel bees such as feverfew at the base of the vine? Would that keep the bees away from the flowering vine? Thanks so much. I am in zone 6b.

This message was edited Apr 5, 2017 12:46 PM

Beautiful, BC(Zone 8b)

There is a comment here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/319/ (towards bottom) where it is mentioned about bees, wasp deterrent but the poster wasn't sure as wasps setup camp close to a plant. There were several google results mentioning this. Why not give it a try but I'd take it a step further. I ordered last year and again this year Feverfew seed for cut flowers. You could grow and cut them during the summer for arrangements. Here's the seed I bought: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/flowers/matricaria/magic-lime-green-pelleted-matricaria-seed-1956P.html and photo below. Thanks, I learned something new.

Thumbnail by growin Thumbnail by growin
Fords, NJ

Thank You growin! ;)

Jackson, MO(Zone 6b)

So, what are you planing on planting for the vine?

Fords, NJ

Not sure birder17. Maybe some kind of clematis or maybe morning glories.

Jackson, MO(Zone 6b)

Well, I wouldn't do morning glories. A lot of people like them. Once you plant them, you will have them forever and ever. The birds will re-plant them. Drives me crazy. They grow in a shrub and you don't see them at first and before you know it you have hundreds of seeds falling off while you are trying to get the vine off of the shrub.
Just my two cents you didn't ask for. :)
I'm not sure you can keep the bees away.
Maybe an annual vine to try first before you invest $ in a perennial vine. Black Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia alata) is a nice vine that is an annual. It requires pretty warm soil: 75* to germinate.

Fords, NJ

Thanks, birder17. I will look into the black eyed susan vine. My primary interest is trying to keep the bees at bay. The vine would be in a planter on a deck that is about 8 feet off the ground. I might have to go back to using the sweet potato vine or even some kind of ivy. Thanks for your help, birder17

Jackson, MO(Zone 6b)

My pleasure. Our deck is about 10' off of the ground. The problem I have is with wood bees burrowing into our cedar deck. They are not interested in me just my wood. We try to swat them.
We sometimes have wasps trying to make a nest under an eave off of the deck. We don't see many honey bees etc., but we really don't pay much attention to them buzzing around like you would.
We have something called a terrazzo planter that has a trellis going up the back of it that is on the deck. We grow Gloriosa Lilies in them every summer.
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