How to Grow Nasturtium

Nasturtiums preferentially attract cabbage aphids with their glucosinolate-rich foliage, drawing colonies away from cabbage heads before they establish. Plant a ring outside the cabbage row and remove infested stems weekly.

Nasturtiums lure cabbage aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae) onto their own stems, keeping broccoli heads clean during the critical pre-harvest window. Position them upwind so winged aphids land on nasturtiums first.

Nasturtiums serve as a decoy for aphids and whitefly that would target cauliflower curds, while their bright flowers simultaneously attract hoverflies — natural aphid predators.

Nasturtiums concentrate aphid colonies on their soft stems through trap cropping, sparing kale leaves. Their volatile mustard oils also attract parasitic wasps that lay eggs inside aphids.

Nasturtiums draw aphids and cucumber beetles away from cucurbit vines through trap cropping, while their sprawling habit provides ground-level humidity retention that cucumbers prefer.

Nasturtiums attract flea beetles — a primary radish pest — to their larger, softer leaves, significantly reducing shot-hole damage on radish foliage. Interplant at bed edges.

Nasturtiums repel whitefly from tomatoes through chemical masking of host-plant volatiles, and attract aphids away as a trap crop. Their trailing growth also provides ground cover that reduces soil splash onto lower tomato leaves.

Nasturtiums lure squash bugs and cucumber beetles away from pumpkin vines via trap cropping, while their flowers attract native bees that improve pumpkin pollination rates.

Nasturtiums act as a trap crop for aphids and whitefly targeting courgette plants, concentrating pest pressure away from developing fruits. Their ground-hugging growth also reduces moisture loss around the courgette root zone.