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nutsaboutflowers

Nasturtiums and Aphids

nutsaboutflowers
13 years ago

I've been doing a tremendous amount of garden reading because of the crappy winter we've had.

Somewhere I read about growing nasturtiums to attract the aphids, pulling up and plants, and getting rid of them, along with, obviously, the aphids.

This seems like a waste of a plant, but if it's a solution, I'd be willing to do it.

Has anyone ever done or heard of this? Other thoughts?

Comments (7)

  • northspruce
    13 years ago

    Mine don't get aphids. I vaguely remember getting them on some Alaska varities (with mottled leaves) many years ago, but not in recent memory.

    I find Safer's soap spray pretty effective against aphids. Some of my Rugosa roses get them pretty bad and I just spray a couple of times and they're gone.

  • marricgardens
    13 years ago

    I had never heard that. I do remember reading that some greenhouses use them to attract whiteflies. It makes sense tho because nasturtiums have the soft stems that aphids can easily pierce to suck the sap. I would save the plant and instead go with a strong jet of water from the hose or use Safer's Insecticidal Soap.

  • ingami
    13 years ago

    Hi, I haven't been logged in here for years I'm afraid, I used to be on a lot! So you probably won't remember me, but here goes, anyway...

    Aphids on nastutiums? oh boy. I really like nasturtiums, and would love to grow them again, but they are such aphid magnets for me. And yes, I've tried using them as a "bait" plant, but well, it all depends on the year. I find that every year that I've grown nasturtiums as well as almost anything in the cabbage family I end up with a whole patch of holey plants. the one year I did fine I had to keep the nasturtiums and the ornamental cabbages, etc., covered with old sheer curtains during the day and remove at night. what a pain in the butt! Natch, it was the cabbage worms/butterflies too, but I just got tired of all the trouble, and quit growing them altogether. I may try again this year, I miss those plants!

  • sierra_z2b
    13 years ago

    Hmmm this is interesting. I can't say I have ever notice aphids on my nasturtiums, but they sure love my dahlias...and even my roses occassionally.

    Sierra

  • groggyfrog
    13 years ago

    Haven't tried it myself but apparently the spray of water works well because the aphids will have their suckers (is that the right term?) in the plants and the high pressure water breaks off the suckers rendering the aphids useless to attack any further plants.

  • montana_rose
    13 years ago

    I planted nasturtiums for the first (and last) time last year. I have never had an aphid problem before, but one day about mid-summer, as I was walking towards the back garden, I heard this wierd noise like rain. When I got close I realized the sound was tiny black aphids moving between the leaves on my nasturtiums. The plant was completely covered in only a couple of days. I think that my plant not only attracted what aphids would have been in my garden, but all the aphids in the county! I did end up pulling the plants and then didn't have an aphid problem anymore. It was a shame because my plant was really pretty (without the aphids--with the aphids it was simply a noisy black wiggling mess!).

  • Mary Wyatt
    8 years ago

    Nasturtiums are often used in gardens for the purpose of attracting aphids away from the flowers or vegtables. I used to plant them around my large vegetable garden and am going to use them sparingly in my flower bed this year to see what happens.

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