Growing Nasturtium : How to Plant, Grow and Care Nasturtium

Nasturtium (Botanic name: Tropaeolum majus) flowers are very attractive, colorful, fragrant and useful in the garden.  The make beautiful cut flowers with pretty fragrance. They attract bees in the garden and lure and trap aphids in the garden. Nasturtium is an annual plant whose leaves and flowers are edible.

Nasturtiums are very easy to grow. They need minimum care, actually they don't need any care.

Nasturtiums are good for containers or as ground covers with their bright green, umbrella-shaped leaves and vibrant flowers in shades of orange, red and yellow. The flowers are of single, semi-double or double. They look very good in hanging baskets. Kids love to plant nasturtium.

How To Grow Nasturtiums From Seeds

Position

Plant seeds in early spring in moist, well-drained soil in full sun. They can grow in partial shade, but they will not bloom well.

Soil

Nasturtium grows well in any soil but prefers a well-drained soil. So add some river sand in the soil to make it free draining. No need to add any fertilizer. A poor soil will produce more and bigger flowers.

Planting and Care

Sowing Seeds

1. Sow from spring to early autumn in warm areas, and n spring in cold areas.
2. The nasturtium seeds should be planted directly into their permanent location, as the plants do not transplant well.
3. Plant the seeds about half an inch deep and 10 inch apart. The seeds will germinate in about 10 days. You may soak the seeds overnight to speed up the germination.
4. Place a trellis near the nasturtium plant to train the vines to climb. I just leave the vines to cover the ground with colorful foliage and colored flowers.
5. You can start the seeds indoors in peat pots or paper pots, about 4 weeks before the last spring frost. These pots can be planted into the ground without disturbing the roots of the seedlings.

Nasturtiums Flowers

Watering

Water regularly throughout the growing season, but do not over-water.
Cut the dead flowers to prolong blooming.

Nasturtium Plant

Pests and Problems

Aphids, caterpillars, slugs, whiteflies, flea beetles an slug are the problems.
Fertilizer: No need of fertilization. Fertile soil will produce more leaves and fewer blooms.

Collecting Seeds

Nasturtium Seeds

1. When the flower finishes, let the seeds dry out on the plant. Cut out the chick-pea size seeds when the flowers die. Collect, dry and store the seeds in a paper envelope in a cool and dark place.
2. Use these seeds for growing in the next season.
3. In my garden in Sydney, the nasturtium plants come every year without planting them as the seeds from the previous year's plants fall in the ground and they germinate easily.