Skip to Content

15 Best Companion Plants For Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums are a beautiful and beneficial addition to the garden. They add beauty to flower beds and containers, help control pests in the vegetable garden, and provide a peppery addition to salads and garnishes. Here are the best companion plants for nasturtiums.

nasturtium flowers.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover.

1. Marigolds

marigolds
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Marigolds are a gardener’s best friend. Their vibrant colors add beauty to the garden, and their strong smell keeps bunnies away. They are perfect planted in the garden with nasturtiums.

How to grow marigolds.

2. Chives

blooming chives
Image credit: Depositphotos

This partnership enhances the flavor profiles of each plant. They co-grow effortlessly, providing a robust defense against common garden pests while enriching the garden’s taste and aroma. It’s a simple yet effective strategy for a healthier, more vibrant garden.

How to grow chives.

3. Lavender

lavender plant in bloom.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Its fragrant presence creates an environment in which nasturtiums thrive. Diverse pollinators are drawn to the vibrant blooms of both, enhancing garden health and vitality.

How to grow lavender for fun and profit.

4. Wildflowers

Wildflowers along gravel driveway.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

By attracting a diverse array of pollinators, wildflowers ensure that nasturtiums flourish. This symbiosis brings a vibrant ecosystem to your garden. You might observe bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects being drawn in greater numbers.

Wildflower garden ideas.

5. Basil

basil in the garden.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Basil wards off unwelcome visitors like aphids and mites with its potent aroma. This makes it an invaluable ally for nasturtiums. Adding these two plants promises a garden less troubled by pests and rich in flavors.

How to grow basil.

6. Cucumbers

cucumber growing in my garden.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Nasturtium is known to deter cucumber beetles and other garden pests. Also, the pollinators nasturtium attracts are essential for cucumber flowering and fruit development.

How to grow cucumbers.

7. Beans

hand holding green beans.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

The vibrant blooms of nasturtium help beans flourish by keeping away the bad bugs and attracting good bugs.

8. Radishes

freshly picked radishes.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Since radishes like a bit of shade, pairing them with nasturtiums is perfect. Nasturtiums can act like groundcover, keeping the soil moist.

If you have never had radish seedpods, you need to try them. Here are 9 delicious ways to use radish seed pods.

9. Carrots

a bunch of colorful carrots.
Image credit: Depositphotos

Carrots suffer less from carrot flies and grow more vigorously in the presence of nasturtiums.

10. Celery

celery plants growing in the garden.
Image credit: Depositphotos

Nasturtiums can be used as sacrificial plants to lure aphids away from celery and other vegetables.

11. Peppers

man holding a bunch of red and yellow peppers.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

The nasturtium flowers add bursts of vibrant color to pepper plants, attract pollinators, and deter many pests that can ruin a pepper crop.

12. Tomatoes

cherry tomato plant with cherries ready to harvest.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

The scent of nasturtium repels insects that would eat your tomatoes: that means the insects move on once they smell it.

How to grow tomatoes in containers.

13. Kale

kale growing in the garden.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Pairing these two works to increase the kale crop’s productivity.

14. Broccoli

beautiful broccoli plant ready to harvest.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Planting nasturtium with broccoli will decrease aphids and cabbage worms and add a pop of color to your veggie garden.

How to grow broccoli.

15. Peas

peas growing in my garden.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Attract beneficial insects to your pea plants with one or two nasturtium plants, and get two delicious ingredients for your salads.

How to grow peas.

What Not To Plant With Nasturtiums

sage plants with bi-color leaves.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover

Not all plants get along in the garden: some, like rosemary and sage, need less water than nasturtiums, while others, such as mint, have aggressive root systems that can easily overwhelm them.

How To Plant Nasturtium

Orange nasturtium flowers.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover.

If you have never planted nasturtium, this quick and easy guide to planting, growing, and harvesting nasturtium is all you need.

Benefits of Nasturtium Companion Planting

nasturtium planting benefits.
Image credit: Backyard Garden Lover.
  • Nasturtium companion planting provides numerous benefits, including pest control, nutrient sharing, and vibrant colors that enhance the garden’s visual appeal.
  • As natural pest repellents, nasturtiums reduce the prevalence of aphids, whiteflies, and squash bugs. This makes them an effective form of pest control.
  • Additionally, their deep-rooting system brings nutrients from deeper soil levels, which benefits shallower-rooted plants nearby.
  • The bright flowers of nasturtiums add a pop of color to the garden, creating a visually appealing and vibrant atmosphere.

Pin To Save For Later