This spring I will attempt to grow nasturtiums (again). Nasturtium is native to the South American Andes from Bolivia to Columbia. Some consider them to be herbs as the leaves and blooms are edible. The leaves have a crisp peppery taste that ’s great as salad greens.
I especially love the cheerful crinkly flowers of orange, red and yellow. And the leaves remind me of small lily pads. Photo from Hume Seeds.
They are suppose to be some of the easiest flowers to grow. Yet when I attempted to grow them last spring, I didn’t have much luck at all.
This is all that grew in 4 weeks (photo from last spring). When I decided to transplant it, the whole thing just died a few days later.
I must not have seen this helpful tip from the seed packet: “Does not transplant well.” This year, I will be sure to plant them in a large pot or just straight into the ground.
A few more tips:
* Garden nasturtium enjoy sandy soils.
* Too much water and fertilizer could result in more leaves then blooms.
* It also enjoys full sun or light shade and prefers some shade in the summer sun.
* Nasturtium are somewhat drought tolerant but enjoy regular watering.
* Nasturtiums also do best with warm days and cool nights.
* They do not flower in the heat of summer.
* They can tolerate a hard freeze and will usually sprout back after a light frost.
Brenda Hyde of Old Fashioned Living even notes, “Nasturtiums help deter aphids, whiteflies, squash bugs, cucumber beetles and other pests. Plant them with tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees.”
My mom loves to grow tomatoes, so this would be a good idea to grow next to the tomatoes. I may just grow them near the rose bushes to control the aphids.
Renee’s Garden has many varieties, from “Cherries Jubilee to Amazon Jewels”. I was trying to decide between the bright red or cream color, but I decided on the mixed variety with all colors, including bright orange.
Planting source gathered from Floridata.
Update: May 30, 2010. The very first bud just bloomed. It’s a really cheerful red.
9:25 am on March 30th, 2010
I planted nasturtiums last year and they really took off near the coming of fall. I wish I could have save them. The leaves got so big, my mom said it reminded her of lotus leaves. The plant seems quite fragile though when starting out. I will plant more this year, thanks for the reminder.
9:34 pm on March 31st, 2010
I had some in my garden last year (must have came with PaNoy’s Pennyworth plants)and I thought they were weeds with colorful flowers, the strangest weed I had ever seen. I think it might come up again this year, I have to keep an eye on it this time.
9:11 pm on April 1st, 2010
Hi PaNoy,
I think it likes the cooler autumn weather rather then the hot summer sun. The leaves also remind me of lily pads and even pennyworth too. I want to grow them so I can add the leaves to salads. Even the flower is edible, but my mom has something against eating flowers. Some Lao old wives tale that say you don’t age gracefully if you eat flowers. Either way, I just don’t find petals to be too substantial enough to eat.
Hi Nye,
They would make pretty weeds. They seem to thrive in NC too. This reminds me of when PaNoy thought his artichoke seedlings were weeds and pulled them out. You guys are too funny!
12:08 am on May 21st, 2010
[...] pictured here are the nasturtiums, that are turning out really nice. I am hoping to pot some more flowers too. Especially [...]