5 Reasons to Grow Nasturtium in Your Garden

Nasturtium is a very useful and attractive flowering plant that deserves a place in every garden. It is the common name for Tropaeolum - the only species in the plant family Tropaeolaceae. These flowers got their common name because they resemble watercress (Nasturtium officinalis). As you will learn in this article, there are numerous reasons to grow nasturtium in your garden - they are incredibly useful in the garden itself, and when harvested for culinary use.

5 Reasons to Grow Nasturtium in Your Garden

Nasturtium is an exotic plant that blooms profusely. They can bring color and visual appeal to your garden. But there are many practical reasons why growing these flowers is a good idea.

1. Attract beneficial insects

Nasturtium will attract beneficial insects to your garden - including bees and other pollinators. Adding nasturtiums to your outdoor space is one way to help bees and other bee species that are threatened by climate change and human activities. We need bees to live on this planet. So as gardeners and growers it is very important that we all do our part to protect and help them. Of course, the presence of pollen in your garden will also help ensure that you get the best fruit harvest each year if you grow your own food.

2. As a supplement to your fruits and vegetables

Pollinators are not the only ones attracted by nasturtiums. These plants attract insect species such as aphids, moths, and beetles, which makes nasturtiums an excellent accessory plant in the vegetable garden. This may not seem like a good thing right away - but as these pests are attracted to nasturtiums, they will leave your fruits, vegetables, or other crops alone. Therefore, nasturtium is known as a trap crop.

3. Ground cover

Sub-planting is not a proper science and many of how plants interact with each other and with garden wildlife are not fully understood. Nevertheless, the nasturtium can help other plants through interactions with various insect species. But this is not the only way nasturtium can help nearby plants.

Plants that tolerate this drought will also have better terrain. It can be very effective - especially in dry, hot areas - to reduce moisture evaporation and protect the fragile soil ecosystem. Their dense coverage and rapid spread help to expel weeds.

Landscaping, the nasturtium can be used to feed poor soil over time. When used as a type of green manure, these plants can improve the soil in a given area by adding nutrients when they decompose at the end of the growing season, or when they are cut and abandoned.

4. Cover geometric walls or fences

The fast-growing nasturtium will also make it easier to enhance the visual beauty of your garden as it can be used to cut down unsightly walls or fences. This will transform the unpretentious and useless area of your space into a beautiful and abundant part of the garden.

5. For their yield

Many people are surprised to learn that nasturtium is edible.

Not only will these plants help other plants in your kitchen garden, but they will also be an incredibly useful edible crop.

As an edible crop, these plants can really justify their place in your kitchen garden. Flowers, leaves, and flower buds can all be used in a variety of recipes. Below are some excellent examples: