Nasturtium companion plants are often grown together and have massive benefits for one another. Nasturtium is the king of companion planting as it thrives among many vegetables and fruit trees.
It winds around these plants while blooming with robust flowers and trapping pests that destroy most vegetable plants. Here is a full list of companions for nasturtium that you can choose to grow.
Contents
The Best Nasturtium Companion Plants
1. Apple Trees
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Apple trees and nasturtiums may look like they are not a good pairing, but they complement each other well. It helps deter coddling moths, aphids, and other pests from infesting the apple fruits.
Though they grow under full sun, they will thrive under the shade of an apple tree and still bloom vibrantly. Both the leaves and the flowers have the same repelling effect.
The apple tree is a hardy deciduous tree thriving in temperate zones. They grow best in cold winters, moderate summers, and medium to high humidity. They provide sweet or tart fruits harvested in summer or autumn.
When you wish to cultivate the richest tree, you need to take care of it very well, which means that you must make sure that they receive direct sunlight daily at least six to eight hours.
Provide well-drained soils that retain adequate moisture and have a pH range of 5.5 to 7.0. Plant two or more apple trees of different cultivars that flower simultaneously to help with pollination.
Apples are susceptible to pest infestation, including – coddling moths, aphids, grubs, green fruit worms, plum curculios, scales, and mites.
To avoid pesticides, choose to grow disease-resistant varieties like Priscilla, prima, freedom, and liberty. These are not affected by most diseases, and even the stubborn coddling moth pest can easily be prevented from these trees.
Water your trees regularly until the root system becomes well established, especially when young. Refresh the mulch frequently to avoid rotting and prevent rodents from nesting there and chewing on the tree’s bark. What you can always do is to grow nasturtiums surrounding these tree, and this will help to deter pests and avoid using pesticides.
2. Beans
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Beans are known to fix nitrogen in the soil and are a good companion for many. Plant nasturtiums on healthy and well-established soils plus beans, and watch them thrive together. Growing these two together will provide adequate nutrients and deter pests from the beans.
Beans belong to the legume family and come in many varieties – dwarf beans, common beans, bush beans, green beans, etc. They are a warm-season crop sensitive to extreme weather or change in temperatures. Low temperatures slow their growth, while high temperatures grow too fast.
Beans thrive in acidic to neutral soils ranging from 6.0 to 7 and are well-draining with average fertility. They do not require supplementing fertilizer as they fix the soil independently. However, if your soil is too poor, you can supplement it with aged compost manure in the fall right before planting.
Remember that when you are growing them you must be watering them regularly, at least two inches per week, so they can flower well. In addition, you must mulch the soil around to retain moisture and cool the shallow roots.
However, when you are growing them they are commonly affected by cutworms, beetles, aphids, and spider mites. You will need to spray them with pesticides early enough to protect them or grow them with another crop that deters the pests.
3. Brassicas
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Brassicas and nasturtium are huge friends as they work well together. They are commonly cultivated in Europe, Asia, America, and North Africa. This is a group of vegetables that include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, kohlrabi, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Brassicas are highly vulnerable to pest attack, and this companion comes in handy as a trap crop to help deter pests like aphids, blackflies, cabbage worms, etc. Always plant brassicas before nasturtiums so they are not covered and suppressed when young.
They produce delicious roots, stems, leaves, and flower buds, making them one of the most widely grown plants. All these vegetables share similar growing conditions with nasturtium making them easy to grow.
Grow in a location that receives full sun for at least six to eight hours daily. Provide well-drained and rich soil, adding slow-release fertilizers or compost manure that feeds it all through its growing season. They thrive in slightly acidic to neutral pH levels. Provide adequate sunlight to keep them growing consistently and flowering at the right time.
4. Carrots
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Growing carrots with nasturtium is very helpful for this vegetable as it will be spared from the carrot fly that destroys it. Nasturtium has a way of keeping all pests at bay and allowing the vegetable garden to thrive under its watch. Carrots, in return, support the growth of nasturtium by breaking down the compact soil as they grow downward.
Carrots feature their common orange color but come in other unique colors like purple or white. They grow as roots with green foliage and can be eaten raw or cooked. They add color to food and are an excellent source of vitamin A.
Planting nasturtiums with carrots causes them to thrive same as leeks, legumes, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. However, radish, dill, and parsnip are poor companions for carrots that should never grow near each other.
When you are growing them, note that they grow best in USDA hardiness zones three to ten. They need well-draining, rich, loose soil to grow long and straight. You can cut off the carrot top and re-grow it; it will quickly regrow to new carrot roots.
On another note, remember to water them frequently, ensuring they get an inch per week. Gently mulch to keep the moisture and help with speedy germination. Thin the seedlings when they are at least three to four inches tall to allow adequate space to grow.
5. Celery
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Celery is vulnerable to aphid attack; growing it together with nasturtium attracts these aphids and whiteflies to these ornamental plants. Celery, on the other hand, provides perfect growing conditions for nasturtium. They have an aromatic plant grown for its stalk and taproot.
It has rhombic leaves that grow in a rosette and are broadly branched from the central stem that is highly ribbed. It has creamy white flowers and oval seeds and is native to the Eastern Mediterranean. The leaves and taproot of celery are used in cooking or salads.
Celery seeds are also mixed with salt to make celery salt for seasoning. Celery thrives in USDA hardiness zones four to ten as a hardy biennial. Grow it in an area with at least six hours of sun and partial afternoon shade.
Moreover, you must provide a balanced fertilizer because it is a heavy feeder. Water it often at least an inch of water each week. On another note, remember that you can even mulch it to help conserve the moisture in the soil and control weeds.
6. Cucurbits
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Growing nasturtiums and cucurbits is an excellent idea. It helps improve cucurbits’ growth and flavor. It also helps deter aphids, squash bugs, thrips, whiteflies, and cucumber beetles that devour these plants.
Cucurbits belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, the most commonly used food. All cucurbits have bright yellow flowers except the bottle gourd. Each vine for these plants produces a male and a female flower.
You can always plant or include some squash, melon, zucchini, cucumber, melons, and pumpkins as companion plants around it. Cucurbits family comprises different plants from the same family.
When you are growing them, you should know that they thrive under full sun and well-drained soils. Remember to add organic manure or peat if your soil is too heavy. Provide adequate spacing for these plants, some like pumpkins, which may take up a large space due to their vines.
Water these plants at least one inch per week in the early morning to allow them slowly get into the soil. Provide support for the plants in this group that needs it so the fruits don’t get damaged.
7. Marigolds
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They have about 50 species with orange, red, yellow, copper, gold, white, or brass blooms. The foliage has a unique scent that keeps rabbits and deer away.Marigolds are best-known companion plants as they help manage the nematodes in the soil.
Nasturtium is also the king of companion planting and goes a long way in deterring pests. Growing these two plants together will help many other plants growing nearby or together in a major way. To top it up, marigolds bloom attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, which benefits the companion.
You can always plant some a variety of companion plants which would also include potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, peppers, zucchini, basil, and melons. Marigolds have flower heads similar to dairy or carnations produced in clusters or single.
Moreover, they prefer full sunshine and withstand very hot summers. They are prone to powdery mildew and will not bloom well when grown under the shade.
They grow in various soils but prefer moderately fertile well-drained soils. Water these plants sparingly as they can withstand dry conditions. Add a general fertilizer with equal nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.
8. Nightshade
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Nasturtium provides nightshade plants with essential ground cover, and in return, they attract beneficial insects or pollinators. Which is why they would thrive and in the midst of spring, they start to sprout.
Nightshade is narrow-leaved, widely distributed through the tropics, and can be found in East Africa. The plant is many-branched and bears thin, oval, slightly purple leaves. It has white flowers, purple to black round berries, and many small-flattened yellow seeds.
Nasturtium is also a pest control that prevents common pests from destroying all the nightshade family plants. Nightshade is a family of many plants, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. All these plants share the same growing conditions.
Provide small amounts of nitrogen fertilizer or compost manure at regular intervals. Water frequently, as it needs enough water to grow it. Grow nightshade plants in well-drained soils that are neutral in their pH level. Fertilize them with organic compost manure or a slow-release fertilizer.
Conclusion
Nasturtium companion plants are a whole list, as shown above. Before growing any of these unique plants, here are a few points to consider.
- Each plant has unique benefits, so take your time as you look through the information before planting any of them.
- Only pick a companion plant blindly from the list if you do the proper research to grow two or more plants together successfully.
- As you consider any of these plants, remember the different heights, widths, colors, smells, and textures before you grow them together.
Choose the best companion that maximizes the benefits of companion planting and enhances each other. Let us know what other plants you are growing together with nasturtium plants.
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