Growing Nasturtiums

Growing nasturtiums (tropaeolum majus) will enhance any window box garden and provide you with a steady supply of salad garnishes.

The most common use of the nasturtium plant in cultivation is as an ornamental flower. Its easy to grow and is a self-seeding annual.

All parts of the plant are edible, including the flower. It has a slightly peppery taste reminiscent of watercress.

Nasturtiums are also considered a widely useful companion plant.

Nasturtiums are also considered a widely useful companion plant. They repel many cucurbit pests, like squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and several caterpillars.

Description

Nasturtium is an annual that grows up to 1 foot tall; vining to 6 feet.

Flowers: Cherry, open, funnel-shaped flowers bloom from summer through fall in colors from cream to brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. Each five-petaled flower is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across and has a long spur at the base

Leaves: Nasturtium's round, long-stemed leaves feature wavy or slightly lobed margins. The size of the leaves depends on how rich your soil is. In poor soils, they grow only 1 to 2 inches across in ideal conditions about 3 to 4 inches; and in soils that are too rich, as large as 6 inches across.

Flavor and fragrance: Nasturtium leaves and flowers taste spicy and almost peppery with no noticeable fragrance.

How To Grow

When to plant: Sow the seeds in the garden around the time of your last spring frost, or start them indoors, in plantable pots of peat or newspaper, four to five weeks before your last spring frost. You can transplant after all danger of frost has passed.

Where to plant: Nasturtiums prefer full sun. The plants will survive in filtered shade but do not flower as well.

Soil and fertility: Plant in well-drained, only moderately fertile sun.

Plant spacing: Space the plants about 12 inches apart.

Pests: Aphids and leafminers

Diseases: Bacterial wilt, leaf spot, verticillium wilt

Harvesting

When to harvest: You can pic the leaves as soon as the plant is 6 inches tall. Pick the flowers just as they open. Collect the green seedpods when they are just over 1/4 inch in diameter.

How to harvest: Cut the leaves and flowers with their stems attached. Remove old flowers to prolong the bloom period. To collect the seeds, stop deadheading in mid-August.

Preserving seeds: Place fresh green seedpods in a heat-proof jar and pour heated vinegar over them. Let them cure for a week before using. Store in the refrigerator.

Uses

Cooking: Use both leaves and flowers in fresh salads or as garnish. Use preserved seapods as a substitute for capers in tarter sauces and spiced mayonnaises.

Cosmetic: To clear skin eruptions, crush the seeds very finely and spread them on a hot washcloth. Hold the cloth against the skin until it cools.

Growing nasturtiums requires a fair amount of attention, but at the same time are very easy to grow.