Has anybody been successful in growing nastaursiams without the unsightly aphid infestation? I have tried this twice and failed. After trying, soap, spray of water and many other home remedies, I even tried the ecologically unfriendly aphid spray - to no luck. Can you pre-treat the seeds? Is there a solution?
Hiya Tivie, Must be your weather. I can honestly say i have never seen aphids on my Nasturtiums . They have been happily reseeding for over 20 years and growing into enourmous patches that climb around and over with gay abandon. Are they in a sunny position with a good air flow? Apart from what you are doing not sure what else might work. Have you tried them in a different location? Are they the ones that grow runners (mine) or are they the little compact plants? Found this item below..... Widely grown as companion plants, nasturtiums are one of the gardener's best friends because they fend off garden pests from neighboring plants. Grow them near squash to help repel cucumber beetles, and they will also help keep away many different kinds of aphids. Though they do attract one species of aphid, the black aphid, you can use this to your advantage. If black aphids are a problem, grow nasturtiums to keep aphids from destroying other plants. Then when the nasturtiums are covered in aphids, pull those plants up and destroy them, aphids and all. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1082/is_4_43/ai_55439570/ Liz
Hi Tivel08, This works like a charm. Put lime in your nastuaursiam soil. (use the powdered kind) Those nasty aphids will be gone and won't come back. Barb S
not sure if my reply went through so here it is again sorry if it's gone through twice. Put lime in the soil. Aphids hate it and will disappear. I usually lime when the first flowering starts then again half way through the season. If the aphids should come back , just add a little more lime. I use the powdered lime, it works the best. Barb S
I have drawn the black aphids away from peas by leaving some thistle plants which the aphids love more in the garden, watching that no seeds form, usually taking stalks covered with aphids out for disposal. Great to hear about the lime solution tho! And a confirmation of the theory that plants get bugs when something is out of whack with their environment. When I get infestations like this I often just skip a year or two with that plant. D
