Garden Vegetable Garden Ideas 9 'Trap Crops' That Will Naturally Lure Pests Away From Your Favorite Plants Learn how to protect your favorite plants using trap crops to distract unwanted insects. By Samantha Johnson Published on July 28, 2024 Close Photo: Getty Images What if you could protect your plants from unwanted insects by simply planting carefully chosen "trap crops" elsewhere in your garden? These sacrificial plants would naturally attract pests and distract them from devouring your favorite garden plants, thus providing protection without the use of pesticides. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? The great news is that this clever form of natural pest management has proven successful and is commonly used by home gardeners and in commercial agriculture. To learn more, we talked to garden experts for their best tips on using trap crops in the garden. Annie Klodd, manager of interpretation and visitor learning at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Debra Knapke, aka The Garden Sage, horticulturist and author Laura Irish-Hanson, extension horticulture educator at the University of Minnesota Extension Use Our Companion Planting Chart to Grow a Thriving Vegetable Garden What Are Trap Crops? Trap crops are plants intentionally chosen to attract particular garden pests, acting as decoy crops to protect other crops you care more about. "If done effectively, trap crops can help keep insect pests away from the plants you value most in your garden, without needing to use pesticides,” says Annie Klodd, manager of interpretation and visitor learning at the University of Minnesota Extension. Why Trap Crops Are Good for Your Garden Minimizing the need for pesticides is one of the key benefits of trap crops, but there are other benefits, too. "Seeing the pest on a trap plant is a signal that the gardener needs to pay attention to what may be a problem in the garden," says Debra Knapke, horticulturist and author. "When I see aphids on a nasturtium, it tells me to go looking for aphids on my 'treasured' plants and to dispatch any I see with a strong stream of water. But if I notice that lady beetle larvae and adults are on the job, I back off and let them do the work. This is often the case in my garden." Trap crops are excellent indicators of what pests and predators you have in the garden, and you can use that information as a guide to make further corrections. 17 Bug-Repelling Plants That Keep Unwanted Pests Out of Your Garden Tips for Planting Trap Crops Set yourself up for success with trap crops by considering these tips. Manage Expectations Klodd points out the importance of managing your expectations but adds that there's really no harm in trying a trap crop. "Some reasons they might not work include high insect pest populations (meaning, if there are enough of them, they'll go after all of it), and placing the trap crop in the wrong spot," she says. Study the Subject "The recommendations for how to use each trap crop differ, so be sure to read up on the best way to use each one. University Extension services are a good resource for this because the writers use thorough research studies to inform their recommendations,” says Klodd. Space Appropriately Be sure to plant trap crops at least 8 to 12 feet away from the plants you’re trying to protect. Consider Relationships The trap value of a plant can be relative, says Knapke. "For the grower of brambles, a rose is a trap plant for Japanese beetle. For the rosarian, raspberry and blackberry are the trap plants for the Japanese beetle. So, any plant that has an associated pest is technically a trap plant." Pay Attention "Overall, if gardeners want to be monitoring for emerging pests, they can plant some species that are known to attract them," says Irish-Hanson. "That way the gardeners can be ready to manage any pests on their desired crop." Common Trap Crops If you'd like to plant some trap crops in your own garden, try one of these common plants that our experts recommend. 01 of 09 Marigolds Danil Bukharov / iStock / Getty Images Plus A happy and colorful addition to any garden, marigolds are easy to grow, widely available, and provide beauty throughout the summer and into the fall (plus deer don’t really bother them, so they can be planted outside a fence). Marigolds can be used as a trap plant for thrips—an annoying insect that preys on a variety of garden plants from alliums to avocados to citrus. Thrips just seem to love marigolds. Zones: 2 to 11 Mature size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; be sure not to over-water How to Find Your Gardening Zone—Plus, the Best Plants to Grow in Your Region 02 of 09 Mustard Sandra Standbridge/Getty Images Flea beetles can be a problem early in the growing season and they love to eat tiny circular holes in the leaves of all kinds of plants—like corn, potatoes, or lettuce. But mustard plants excel at attracting these little nuisances; it’s a fast crop that’s easy to grow. "Arugula, mustard seed, and napa cabbage can help keep flea beetles off of other brassicas like broccoli," says Klodd. Zones: 2 to 11Mature size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Full or partial sun; well-drained soil; plenty of water 03 of 09 Sunflowers Westend61 / GETTY IMAGES Sunflowers add such impact to a garden—whether a 10-foot tall mammoth species or a petite, decorative variety. Additionally, sunflowers have a reputation for success as a trap crop for brown marmorated stink bugs. Zones: 3 to 9Mature size: Depends on variety; 2 to 10 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil (sandy, loam); plenty of water during germination How to Grow Sunflowers and Harvest Their Seeds, According to Experts 04 of 09 Nasturtiums Amit KUMAR / GETTY IMAGES Nasturtiums have charming blossoms that come in various colors and are a noted favorite of pollinators. They’re a fast-growing annual that also has edible leaves and flowers. Nasturtiums also have a reputation as a very effective trap plant for aphids. Zones: 2 to 9Mature size: 18 inches tall x 24 inches wide.Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained (maybe sandy) soil 12 Edible Flowers to Beautify Your Garden—and Enhance Your Cooking 05 of 09 Blue Hubbard Squash Getty Images Blue Hubbard squash is a winter squash in the same family as pumpkins and decorative gourds. While you can eat Hubbard squash, you might plant it as a trap plant for your pumpkins. "Blue Hubbard squash can sometimes work to attract squash vine borer, to keep it off of pumpkin plants," says Klodd. "It doesn't always work, however, it's worth a try since it's not doing any harm." And you’ll grow some attractive fall decorations in the process. Like other winter squash, Hubbards can have a long growing season, so plant early and let them take their time. Zones: 3 to 12Mature size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 6 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; plenty of water 06 of 09 Millet Getty Images You probably don’t grow a lot of grains in your garden, but you might try a bit of millet—it’s a cereal grain that can be ground into a flour or cooked like rice. Whether you actually consume the millet is beside the point—the grain grows quickly, and attracts squash bugs, so Knapke suggests that it can serve as an early warning system for those "infuriating" annual menaces. Zone: 2 to 10Mature size: 12 to 48 inches tall x 12 inches wide Care requirements: Full sun, well-drained soil 07 of 09 Brassicas Wera Rodsawang/Getty Images Sometimes it’s all about perspective. "Most plants have the potential to be a trap plant," says Knapke. "It depends on which plants are important to the gardener. I watch all of the brassicas (collards, kale, kohlrabi) for the larval stage of the cabbage white butterfly. This is a case of the preferred plant being its own trap plant." Zone: 2 to 10Mature size: Varies; 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil How to Grow Brussels Sprouts at Home—Plus the Secret to Ensuring a Healthy Crop Each Year 08 of 09 Radishes Roger Sherman / GETTY IMAGES Not everybody loves radishes for eating—they’re a bit spicy—but they grow incredibly fast, tolerate cold weather, and are inexpensive to grow. Regardless of your flavor preferences, why not grow a row or two of radishes early in the spring as a trap crop for the cabbage worm? Zones: 2 to 11Mature size: 4 to 8 inches tallCare requirements: Loose soil; full sun Our Step-by-Step Guide to Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Radishes 09 of 09 Dill Ekaterina savyolova / Getty Images Caterpillars have a reputation for being destructively ravenous, and the tomato hornworm certainly falls into this category—hungrily munching away at the leaves of your precious tomato plants until they are severely damaged. But these heavy diners also enjoy dill. While your dill plants may make charming conversation pieces and smell wonderful, you probably won’t care too much if the tomato hornworms chew down a few—especially if it saves your tomatoes in the process. Zones: Perennial in zones 8 to 10; annual in zones 3 to 7Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tallCare requirements: Full sun, well-drained soil 12 Dill Companion Plants That Repel Pests, Provide Shade, and Help the Herb Thrive Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Martha Stewart is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Resources, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural. “Sunflower Trap Crop Study.”