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A gardening expert has identified the one plant he considers indispensable for every garden owing to itsnatural pest deterrent qualities. Gardeners of all skill levels recognise the difficulty of managing stubborn pests such as slugs, snails, and various insects. The good news is, you don't have to resort to harmful chemicals to keep them at bay if you just add a few key plants to your usual line-up.

To assist people in tackling this problem, gardener Joe, known online as 'JoesGarden', has shared his top recommendation for keeping these unwanted visitors away, which entails introducing a specific plant into your garden and vegetable beds. "This here is one simple plant that I recommend in every garden," he said at the start of his TikTok video. "Every part of my garden has to have nasturtiums."

He went on to explain the advantages of this plant, highlighting: "What's really cool is the whole plant, including the flowers, the seed pods, and even the leaves, are 100 per cent edible. But more importantly, they're fantastic when planted in your vegetable patch because absolutely everything loves to eat them."

Joe expanded on how the appeal of nasturtiums to pests is genuinely advantageous, as it draws them away from other plants. "Slugs and snails can't get enough of nasturtium foliage, and cabbage butterflies love laying their caterpillar eggs underneath the leaves," he said.

In doing so, nasturtiums function as a natural pest repellent, safeguarding your precious crops from harm. Joe suggested that April is the perfect month to introduce nasturtiums to your garden, whether you choose to purchase an inexpensive plant from a shop or grow them from seed yourself.

He went on to say: "And now is the perfect time to pick up a few cheap nasturtium plants from the shops, or even better, sow some seeds to plant all around the garden, where each year, they'll grow bloom and self-seed to return every spring, giving you an almost endless supply all from a few cheap plants."

In the comments section, viewers shared their own experiences of growing nasturtiums, with many singing the plant's praises for its remarkable versatility. One user wrote: "I till my garden once a year, I planted these guys once, 10 years ago.

"I've never had to reseed. they are currently growing now. once they drop seeds they live there now."

Another commented: "I make a pesto using the nasturtium leaves and flowers! Good way to bulk up a basil pesto, and it's delicious peppery flavour!"

While a third viewer added: "I've got a bunch in purple and a white/yellow colour as they are so good to hide dodgy fencing too."