Nasturtiums as a trap crop?

Nasturtiums are excellent trap crops because they attract pests like aphids and others away from desired plants, acting as a sacrificial decoy to protect crops such as milkweed and vegetables. This practice is a form of integrated pest management (IPM) that uses a trap crop to deter pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.

What are Trap Crops?

A trap crop is a plant that is used to lure pests away from a different, desired crop. Nasturtiums serve as a sacrificial trap crop by attracting pests like:

Aphids: Nasturtiums can be heavily infested with aphids, which are then easier to remove.

Slugs and Snails: These pests can be attracted to nasturtiums, making them easier to control.

How to Use Nasturtiums as a Trap Crop

Plant Nasturtiums: Sow nasturtium seeds directly in the ground near the plants you want to protect or keep potted.

Monitor and Manage: Regularly inspect the nasturtiums for any pest infestations.

Dispose of Infested Plants: Once pests have concentrated on the nasturtiums, you can easily remove and destroy the infested plants

Other Benefits of Nasturtiums

Edible: The flowers and leaves have a peppery flavor and can be used in salads.

Attract Beneficial Insects: The nectar-rich flowers attract pollinators and other beneficial insects to your garden.

How to Start a Butterfly Garden By The Butterfly Botanist

How to Start a Butterfly Garden

By The Butterfly Botanist

There’s something magical about stepping outside and being surrounded by fluttering wings and bursts of color. A butterfly garden doesn’t just add beauty to your yard — it creates a vital habitat for pollinators that help our plants, fruits, and flowers thrive. Whether you’re working with a small balcony or a full backyard, creating a butterfly garden is easier (and more rewarding) than you might think.

Before you plant a single seed, take some time to learn about the butterflies that naturally live in your area. Each species has unique needs — from the plants their caterpillars feed on to the flowers the adults prefer for nectar. A little research will help you design a garden that truly supports them through every stage of life.

Start by identifying native butterflies in your region. Local garden clubs, native plant societies, or even nearby nature centers often have lists of butterfly species and the host plants they rely on. You can also observe what’s already flying around your neighborhood — that’s your best clue about what will thrive in your garden.

Next, learn the difference between host plants (where butterflies lay eggs and caterpillars feed) and nectar plants (which provide food for adults). Understanding this simple relationship will help you build a balanced habitat that supports the full butterfly life cycle.

Finally, don’t hesitate to keep learning as your garden grows. Every season will teach you something new — which flowers attract the most visitors, what blooms last the longest, and how butterflies interact with your space. The more you observe and adjust, the more your garden will become a thriving sanctuary for pollinators.

Once you have an idea of your local butterflies that you want to attract and native plants that you want to use, it is time to get started.

1. Choose the Right Location

Butterflies are sun lovers! They need warmth to fly and prefer sunny spots sheltered from strong winds. Select an area that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily. If your garden is near trees or fences, that’s even better — butterflies like to rest in those shady spots when they need a break. Try to keep your garden away from areas treated with pesticides, as these chemicals are harmful to butterflies and caterpillars.

2. Pick Native Host and Nectar Plants

To attract butterflies, you’ll need two types of plants: host plants and nectar plants.

Host plants are where butterflies lay their eggs and caterpillars feed. Each butterfly species has its favorite host plant. For example:

·         Monarchs love Milkweed (Asclepias)

·         Black Swallowtails choose Parsley, Dill, and Fennel

·         Zebra Longwing and Gulf Fritillaries depend on Passion vine

Nectar plants provide energy for adult butterflies. Go for native blooms like Lantana, Zinnias, Coreopsis, Pentas, and Coneflowers. Native plants are ideal because they’ve evolved alongside your local butterfly species and are better suited to your climate.

Plant in clusters rather than single rows — large patches of color are easier for butterflies to spot from above.

3. Plan for All Seasons

A well-planned butterfly garden can offer food year-round.

·         Spring: Milkweed, Coreopsis, and Pentas bring in early arrivals.

·         Summer: Zinnias, Lantana, and Black-Eyed Susans keep activity high.

·         Fall: Goldenrod and Mexican Sunflowers provide late-season nectar.

Butterflies also appreciate leaf litter and native grasses during winter — many species overwinter in these areas as chrysalides or eggs. Resist the urge to “clean up” too much at the end of the season; your future butterflies are resting there!

4. Provide Water and Resting Spots

Butterflies don’t drink from birdbaths like other wildlife — they prefer shallow puddles where they can “puddle” and absorb nutrients from wet soil. You can create a puddling station by filling a shallow dish with damp sand and a few flat stones.

Add a few flat rocks or large leaf plants like Elephant Ears in sunny spots for resting and basking. You’ll often see butterflies warming their wings there on cool mornings.

5. Go Pesticide-Free

Even products labeled “pollinator-friendly” can harm butterflies and caterpillars. Instead, let nature balance itself out — ladybugs, lacewings, and birds will help control pests. Healthy native plants are naturally more resistant to damage, so choosing local species makes your garden both low-maintenance and butterfly-safe.

6. Be Patient and Observe

A new butterfly garden can take a few weeks to attract visitors. Butterflies rely on sight and smell, so it takes time for your flowers to bloom and send out their signals. Once they discover your space, you’ll soon see a steady stream of returning guests.

Keep a small notebook or take photos to record which species visit. Over time, you’ll learn which plants attract which butterflies — and you can adjust your garden accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Creating a butterfly garden isn’t just about growing plants — it’s about nurturing life. Each flower you plant supports a larger ecosystem that helps butterflies, bees, and birds survive. Even a single pot of Milkweed can make a difference.

So start small, watch closely, and let nature do the rest. Before long, your garden will be filled with the gentle hum of wings — proof that you’ve built something truly special.

Happy Planting!

Planting Milkweed Seeds - Cold Stratification vs Outside Germination

Introduction: Cold Stratification vs. Outside Germination are the two main methods for preparing milkweed seeds to sprout. Cold stratification involves chilling the seeds indoors in a moist environment, usually in the refrigerator for 30–60 days, to mimic the natural winter conditions they require. Outside germination, on the other hand, allows nature to do the work by planting seeds directly in the soil and letting the changing seasons prepare them for growth. Both approaches work well for milkweed, and the best choice depends on whether you want the control of indoor preparation or the simplicity of letting the outdoors guide the process.

Purpose:

The purpose of my experiment is to evaluate the germination rate and overall success of seeds started through direct sowing in a greenhouse, allowing for natural outside germination conditions. This method will be compared to seeds that have undergone cold stratification, a process that simulates winter conditions to encourage sprouting.

All seeds in the study will be treated equally in terms of soil type and watering schedule to ensure consistent growing conditions. By controlling these variables, the experiment will clearly highlight whether cold stratification or direct sowing in a greenhouse leads to higher germination success.

Plants being tested:

·         Butterfly Milkweed

·         Swamp Milkweed

·         Showy Milkweed

·         Common Milkweed

Seed Treatments:

Outside Germination involved planting the milkweed seeds in a seed-starting soil within a small greenhouse tray. The tray provided a controlled space for early growth. Once planted, the trays were placed outdoors to experience natural conditions. They were positioned in an area that received extended morning sunlight to encourage healthy germination.

Cold stratification can be done in a bunch of different ways, but here’s the simple method I used for my seeds. It doesn’t take much—just a paper towel, some plastic bags, and a spot in the fridge.

I started by dampening a paper towel and folding it so there was enough room for about 30 seeds. The seeds were spread out on the towel, then I folded it back over to tuck them in. It made a nice little pocket of moisture to get the process going.

Next, I slipped each folded towel into its own plastic bag. I pressed out all the air before sealing them up, which helps keep everything neat and prevents too much extra moisture from hanging around.

Finally, I placed all the bags in the back of the refrigerator and left them there for 30 days. Once a week, I opened the bags to check on the seeds, making sure there wasn’t any mold and looking for the first signs of sprouting. It’s a simple routine that sets the seeds up for strong growth once they’re ready to plant.

Observations:

Week 1 – August Plantings vs. Cold Stratification

Our test is off to an exciting start! The Butterfly Milkweed is leading the pack with the highest germination rate so far, sprouting a full three days faster than the others. Showy Milkweed, on the other hand, is taking its time and has been the slowest to respond. For the seeds in cold stratification, we’ve tucked 30 of each variety into the fridge, where they’ll rest for another three weeks before being planted. Location: sunny South Florida.

Week 2 – Still Chilled Out

The cold stratification seeds are still snoozing in their little “winter” bags—cool, damp, and resting quietly. No rot and no surprise sprouts, which is a good sign. Just two more weeks before planting day! Outdoors, the Butterfly Milkweed was still the early sprinter last week, but this week the Pink Swamp Milkweed is stealing the show. Its seedlings look sturdier and could be ready for transplanting soon.

Week 3 – Growing Steady

The fridge seeds are in the home stretch, with just one more week until planting. Outside, the seedlings are moving up to bigger homes—most are now in 3” pots, and the Tropical Milkweed has graduated into pairs of 1-gallon pots. Among the natives, the Pink Swamp Milkweed continues to grow strong, while the Butterfly Milkweed still holds onto its “fastest starter” title. Showy and Common Milkweed, however, remain our slowest and least successful germinators. We’re keeping track of everything—days to transplant, germination rates, and which varieties truly benefit from cold stratification. We’d love to hear from you—have you tried this experiment in your garden? Please keep comments kind and encouraging—we’re all learning together!

Week 4 – Planting Day!

Winter is officially over for our cold stratification seeds! They’ve been warmed up and planted this week, and now the real comparison begins. We’ll continue to monitor their progress and see how they measure up against the outside germinated seedlings. Speaking of which, those outdoor starters are looking fantastic—now settled in 1-gallon pots and growing stronger by the day. Pictures coming soon!

Week 5 - Cold Stratification vs. Outside Germination – Week 1 Cold Stratification

We’ve officially reached week 5 of this experiment, but it’s only week 1 for the seeds that went through Cold Stratification. For this round, I started new trays of Butterfly Milkweed and Swamp Milkweed, giving them both a chance under the two germination methods—Cold Stratification and Outside Germination.

The early results are striking! Pink Swamp Milkweed clearly loves a cold nap before sprouting. After Cold Stratification, the success rate jumped to 93%, compared to just 2.5% for seeds planted outside without chilling. Butterfly Milkweed also showed a clear preference for Cold Stratification (70% success) but still performed fairly well outdoors (52.5%).

Common Milkweed and Showy Milkweed followed the same pattern. Common Milkweed had a 96.6% success rate with Cold Stratification versus 63% outdoors. Showy Milkweed wasn’t quite as dramatic, but still leaned toward Cold Stratification with 80% success compared to 75% outdoors.

Overall, it’s becoming clear that most of these milkweed varieties benefit from Cold Stratification—especially Pink Swamp Milkweed, which hardly sprouts at all without it. Butterfly and Showy Milkweed can still manage well with Outside Germination, but even they do just a little better after the cold treatment. I’ll be keeping an eye on how the sprouts grow and how the young plants settle into pots as the experiment continues.