nasturtiums

can anyone tell me why my two flower pouches filled with nasturiums have suddenly become covered in green/black catapillers and i mean covered 3-4 on each leaf.nothing else seems to be affected.whats my best form of attack
thanks in advance :confused:

 

Sounds like cabbage white caterpillars, they love nasturtiums. Only solution is to pick them off and squish them (if you really must :( )You could also plant lots more nasturtiums so that there's enough for the caterpillars and yourself :D

 

Alan, Definatly Blackflies, for that reason I never grow Nasturtiums and any any other prone to this pests... :rolleyes: Cut them back, burn them and hope they will the plant will come back again, plenty of time still.....best put a systemic in soil after,to last last the rest of season.
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Ladybird

[ 28. June 2005, 11:26 PM: Message edited by: Ladybird ]

 

Ladybird, surely 2 inch long caterpillars do not become blackflies. My dad told me to put a systemic into the soil will that not kill the cabbage white butterflys?

Cathysue have loads of nasturtiums growing up back fence untouched by the caterpillars, they have only smothered the ones in the pouches hanging on the wall. Why?


thanks
:confused:

 

Nasturtiums are very prone to blackfly and also to cabbage white butterfly caterpillars

But all parts are edible to humans..seeds leaves and flowers...just make sure there are no caterpillars on first

 

Hia, I live in Preston and I always find mine get covering in stripy caterpillars, like cathysue I thought they were cabbage white caterpillars and have always just left them to munch as they don't seem to bother anything else in the garden

 

Alan, sods law means that the plants in your nice decorative baskets/pouches, that your neighbours are supposed to look on in envy will always be the ones that will get eaten by caterpillars, covered in blackfly, suffer from mildew etc etc :rolleyes: Time to try something else in the pouches?