Gardeners across the UK are being encouraged to plant one surprisingly powerful flower that not only brightens up borders but also acts as a natural, chemical-free pest control.
In a recent video shared to his popular TikTok account, gardening enthusiast @JoesGarden shared why nasturtiums are his top recommendation for any garden, especially vegetable patches. He said: “A plant that I recommend in every garden. Every part of my garden has to have nasturtiums.” Nasturtiums, known for their vibrant orange, red and yellow blooms, do more than just look good.
According to Joe, they’re incredibly effective at distracting garden pests like slugs, snails and cabbage butterflies from your prized vegetables.
“Slugs and snails can’t get enough of nasturtium foliage, and cabbage butterflies love laying their caterpillar eggs underneath the leaves,” he explained.
“This means they act as a natural pest control, as they help to keep these unwanted garden visitors away from your crops.”
Gardeners call this a “trap crop”” a sacrificial plant grown to lure pests away from more valuable or vulnerable plants, such as lettuces, cabbages, and beans. The idea is that pests will be drawn to the nasturtiums and leave the rest of your vegetables alone.
But nasturtiums aren’t just useful, they’re also edible. “What’s really cool is the whole plant, including the flowers, seed pods and even the leaves, are 100% edible,” Joe added.
“You can toss the peppery leaves into salads, pickle the seed pods like capers, or use the petals to garnish dishes.”
He also pointed out that now is the perfect time to introduce them to your garden. “Pick up a few cheap nasturtium plants from the shops, or even better, sow some seeds all around the garden,” Joe said.
“They’ll grow, bloom, and self-seed, returning every spring for an almost endless supply, all from just a few plants.”
With their bright colours, edible appeal, and impressive pest-repelling properties, nasturtiums might just be the most hardworking flower in the garden this summer.