Nasturtiums

[fruit&vegvirgin]

the 4 I planted straight outdoors are now the same size as the ones I did in trays - but they're not where I planted them!!! I think its coz I pressure washed the patio, and the water that ran off must have moved them.

[valmarg]

I've found that nasturtiums are cabbge white butterfly magnets. Everything is looking great (and I think the variety Alaska, with it's variegatet leaves is wonderful), but then along comes the cabbage white, and the next thing you know is that your plants are riddled with catterpillars. That's the reason I have stopped growing them.

With regard to the seed pods, has anyone tried pickling them as a caper substitute?

valmarg

[Alice]

I agree with you about Alaska. Great nasturiums. Never had the catterpilar problem but do tend to attract black fly. Never pickled the seeds. Usually gather them to provide next years crop but would be interested to hear exactly how other people do it.

[andrewo]

Supposedly, the varigated nasturtiums aren't liked by bugs, especially caterpillars because of the taste - saw in on GW years back - seems they were wrong.

[lyndap]

Def wrong. I grow alaska,cos they look good and scramble everywhere,but they do get munched.But it does work to certain extent as companion plant cos while bugs munching nasturtiums they not eating your precious crops.