Have you ever heard of using companion plants to help your garden thrive? Companion planting is planting different species of plants together to create a mutually beneficial environment. And among them, the best one to consider is Nasturtium. Not only do these beautiful plants add a pop of color to any garden, but they also have many benefits for other plants.
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) are popular flowering plants that attract beneficial insects, repel harmful pests, and improve soil fertility. Moreover, this plant is known for its vibrant colors, edible leaves, and flowers. You can easily grow them, and they can be a great addition to any garden or container.
This article will explore some of the best companion plants for nasturtiums and how they can create a thriving garden.
Top Reasons to Grow Nasturtium Companion Plants
Nasturtium companion planting offers a range of benefits that can help your garden thrive. Here are some of the top reasons why you should consider growing nasturtiums as a companion plant:
1. Attracts Beneficial Insects
Nasturtiums is a plant that attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies, ladybugs, and bees. These insects help in the pollination of other plants in your garden. They also prey on harmful pests like whiteflies and aphids, which can keep their population under control.
2. Improves Soil Fertility
Nasturtiums have nitrogen-fixing properties, which means they can help improve soil fertility. It’s beneficial as other plants in your garden will get a decent amount of nitrogen to grow and thrive quickly.
3. Repels Harmful Pests
This plant also has few natural pest-repelling properties, which can help protect other plants. This resilience is effective against whiteflies, aphids, and cucumber beetles, which can be a problem for many plants.
4. Adds Color And Beauty
Nasturtiums are beautiful plants that add great aesthetics to your garden. They also come in various vibrant colors, including orange, yellow, red, and pink, and in unique shapes.
Best Nasturtium Companion Plants
In this section, we will look at the top Nasturtium Companion plants which you can grow easily and increase your garden’s productivity. It will also explain why they are the best companion plants for Nasturtium.
1. Tomatoes
Nasturtiums and tomatoes are just ideal examples of companion planting. That’s because nasturtiums repel pests like aphids and whiteflies, which can be problematic for tomato plants. Additionally, vibrant nasturtium flowers can add color to your tomato garden. Not just this, Nasturtium’s nitrogen-fixing properties can help improve the fertility of the soil.
2. Cucumbers
Like tomatoes, cucumbers can also benefit from having nasturtiums as a companion plant. Nasturtiums can repel cucumber beetles and whiteflies, damaging cucumber plants. Along with this, the nasturtium plant can provide ground cover, which can help keep the soil moist and cool.
3. Beans
Third on our list is Beans, which also can benefit from having nasturtiums as a companion plant. That’s because nasturtium plants can improve the fertility of the soil. It will also act as a sacrificial crop helping to lure aphids away as the flowers of nasturtiums will attract beneficial predators to deal with aphids.
4. Radishes
Radishes are common companion plants for nasturtiums. Radish is also among the most common yet best root veggies. It is a heavy nutrient feeder which goes well with Nasturtium. Root larvae, which can be a problem for radish plants, can be repelled by nasturtiums. Along with this, radish will also benefit from the nitrogen-fixing properties of the nasturtium plant.
5. Brassicas
Brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can benefit from having nasturtiums as companion plants. Nasturtiums can repel pests like cabbage worms and aphids so that they can help brassicas. In addition, the nasturtium plant can attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and hoverflies. Brassicas also benefit from the nitrogen-fixing properties of the nasturtium plant.
6. Herbs
Nasturtiums can also be a great companion for rosemary, thyme, and sage. Sage can have significant benefits as it is an aromatic plant, so it cannot repel pests. But if you grow nasturtiums around it, it will prevent whitefly infestations and help sage grow better. It also has a distinctive flavor that can complement the peppery taste of nasturtium leaves and flowers.
7. Potatoes
Potatoes can be excellent companion plants for nasturtiums. Nasturtiums act as a sacrificial plant as they are known to repel pests like aphids and cucumber beetles, which can also harm potatoes. Also, potatoes are heavy feeders and require many nutrients to grow well. Nasturtiums can easily fulfill this demand, which can improve the soil by converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that these plants can use.
8. Peppers
Nasturtiums will protect pepper plants from pests and save you from pesticide costs. Nasturtiums can also attract beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs, which pollinate the pepper flowers. Plus, it can also control harmful pests like thrips and spider mites. Moreover, it also repels pests like cucumber beetles, aphids, and whiteflies which can be detrimental to pepper plants.
Few Tips For Planting And Growing Nasturtium in your Garden
Nasturtiums are a popular garden plant that is easy to grow and care for. Here are some tips for planting and growing nasturtiums in your garden:
1. Start From Seeds
You can grow nasturtiums by sowing its seeds directly in the garden or starting them indoors several weeks before the last frost. Seeds that are soaked in water are the best seeds to cultivate with. If you wish to keep them indoors, you can transplant them outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.
2. Choose The Right Location
Nasturtiums prefer full sun or partially shaded areas with well-drained neutral soil. An average exposure of 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight is sufficient for Nasturtium.
3. Water Regularly
Nasturtiums need to be watered once per week. However, it would be best if you watered them regularly, especially during dry spells. But be careful not to overwater them, as this can lead to root rot.
4. Deadhead Regularly
Nasturtium is a flowering plant that produces more flowers. So you have to deadhead them regularly. You can remove the spent flowers before they can go to seed. It will prevent them from self-seeding and spreading too much.
5. Fertilize Sparingly
Nasturtiums can fix nitrogen from the air. Thus they don’t need much fertilizer. But, you can fertilize them with a balanced fertilizer once a month if you observe that they are not growing well or are producing few flowers.
You can follow the abovementioned tips and enjoy a beautiful and productive nasturtium garden.
Conclusion
Growing plants alongside nasturtiums is an excellent way to create a vibrant and thriving garden. This beautiful flower adds not only aesthetic value to your garden but also has numerous benefits for both the soil and other plants. From repelling pests to attracting pollinators, nasturtiums are a versatile and valuable addition to any garden.
So that was our list of 8 Best plants that can be grown alongside nasturtiums. Each of them has its unique benefits and characteristics. So even if you look to improve your soil health, enhance the beauty of your garden or even attract beneficial insects – all these plants in our list will fit in.
So give some of these companion plants a go and observe the difference they may make besides your nasturtiums. With the tips mentioned, you can easily create a thriving and beautiful garden that will bring joy and wonder for years.