One of the simplest hardy annual flowers to cultivate, Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) produces an abundance of vibrantly colored blooms throughout the summer and fall. They are ideal for developing with kids. Nasturtiums are very adaptable since they come in both bushy and climbing types.
Some cultivars have lovely marbling or mottling on their leaves. Nasturtiums have beautiful blooms, leaves, and seeds in addition to being tasty. The vibrant nasturtium blossoms are a favorite of bees, and the leaves are a food source for the huge and little white butterfly caterpillars.
Nasturtiums are annual plants, therefore they last just one growing season.
Growing nasturtiums
Nasturtiums thrive in a variety of sunny locations around the yard, including containers. Nasturtium types that climb are ideal for twining through other plants and may be taught up vertical supports.
Climbing Nasturtiums may be used as trailers to cover a surface in gravel or to cascade down a bank or slope. Nasturtiums need free-draining soil, but unlike many other flowers, they can grow well in less-than-ideal soil conditions.
Locations for growing nasturtiums
Nasturtiums thrive in locations protected from wind and need sunlight for at least half of the day to grow well. Nasturtiums need a soil that drains well, and they bloom best in poor, low-fertility soils since rich soil promotes excessive leaf development at the price of flowering. Therefore, adding fertilizer before to seeding is not necessary.
Nasturtiums thrive on rocky or gravelly soil, as well as on banks. To lower fertility and guarantee proper drainage, combine two thirds peat-free multipurpose compost with one third fine gravel or grit in pots.
The best way to grow nasturtiums
Nasturtiums grow quickly and don't need transplanting, so for optimum results, seed them just where they will bloom. To speed up germination, put the seed 1.5 cm deep into damp soil. If the soil is dry, moisten the seed before planting.
To assure blooming up to the first frosts, you may start planting the first seeds in mid-spring and continue until mid-summer. Seedlings should be spaced 30 cm apart.
But planting in pots also works; just put one seed in each container, then move it outdoors after all danger of frost has gone.
Nasturtium care instructions
Nasturtiums are low-maintenance and need minimal attention. While not being fed, plants growing in pots need to be watered to keep the compost uniformly wet. Nasturtiums' dead flower heads should be removed to promote additional blooms over a longer period of time.
The best way to grow nasturtiums
When mature, nasturtium seeds may be harvested and preserved for sowing the next year. Nasturtiums are also prone to self-sow in moderate climates, so you could see seedlings emerging in subsequent years. If desired, they are simply pulled up.
How to grow nasturtiums and utilize them
The leaves, flowers, and seeds of nasturtiums may all be eaten. The blooms may be used as a vibrantly colored garnish on salads and other raw foods. Nasturtium leaves should be gathered while they are young to use in salads since they have a spicy flavor. When picking nasturtium seeds for pickling in vinegar, harvest them when they are fully ripe but still green.
Solving issues when growing nasturtiums
Huge and little white butterflies, often referred to as cabbage white butterflies, are likely to be attracted to nasturtiums. These butterflies deposit their large, greenish eggs on the undersides of the leaves, where the eggs hatch into caterpillars that consume the leaves. This may be advantageous if you want to prevent caterpillars from consuming brassica crops, but it is not ideal if you want to raise nasturtiums for their blooms. The easiest way to manage it is to frequently check plants for eggs or young caterpillars and destroy them or transfer them to plants you don't mind being eaten.
Nasturtiums are very appealing to blackflies, which are aphids. Aphids may be deterred from your crop by planting nasturtiums next to bean crops, but you might not want them on the nasturtiums you are cultivating for their leaves and flowers. You may either use a water jet to eliminate them or you can allow ladybirds, hoverflies, and lacewings do it for you since all three species deposit their eggs on aphid colonies and their young swiftly consume them.
Kinds of nasturtiums to cultivate
To create coordinated planting schemes, choose flower kinds in a variety of colors or go with variations in a single color.
• Nasturtium 'Alaska' - The cream and green marbled leaves contrast well with the yellow, orange, and red blooms. 30 cm high and bushy.
• Nasturtium "Empress of India," which has dark reddish-purple foliage and crimson-red blooms. 25 centimeters tall.
• Nasturtium "Milkmaid": Cream-white blooms on trailing or climbing stalks. 180 cm tall
• Nasturtium "Paintbox Mixed": This kind of vividly colored blossoms faces upward and is thus more noticeable than others. 30 centimeters tall.
• "Salmon Baby" Nasturtium. Stunning salmon-pink blossoms 30 centimeters tall.
• Tip Top Velvet Nasturtium. Dark crimson blossoms that contrast well with new, emerald-green foliage. 30 centimeters tall.
• 'Trailing Mixed' and 'Tall Mixed' Nasturtium. atop tall stalks that may climb or trail, masses of orange, yellow, and red flowers are produced. 180 cm tall
How to Grow Nasturtiums
