Nasturtium
A classic trap crop - it draws aphids, caterpillars and whitefly onto itself and away from nearby vegetables. Counterintuitively flowers best in poor, low-fertility soil; rich ground gives lush leaves but few blooms.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Spacing
- 20cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 30cm
- Flowering season
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
- Attracts wildlife
- Bees
- Companion plants
- Beans, Onions, Lettuce, Peas, Spinach, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Tomatoes
- Plants to avoid nearby
- Fennel, Carrots
- Common pests
- Aphids, Caterpillars, Whitefly
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: September-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: October-November.
Growing stages
Germination & planting
- Sow direct into poor, low-fertility soil; rich ground produces lush leaves but far fewer blooms
- Space plants around 20cm apart, though trailing types will spread further
Establishment
- Water sparingly while establishing; nasturtium tolerates dry, poor conditions well
- Watch for aphids, caterpillars and whitefly, which it draws onto itself as a trap crop
Vegetative growth
- Acts as a classic trap crop, drawing aphids, caterpillars and whitefly away from nearby vegetables
- Avoid planting too close to fennel, parsley or carrots
- Keep soil on the lean side, as feeding or rich ground favours leaves over flowers
Flowering
- Flowers best in poor, low-fertility soil, so resist the urge to feed
- Bees visit the blooms, so avoid spraying insecticide when in flower