Botanical name: Tropaeolum majus
Plant type: Flower
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Flower color: Red, Orange, Yellow
Nasturtium is an easy-to-grow annual whose leaves and flowers are edible. These plants with their bright greenery and vibrant flowers are good for containers or ground covers. Their pretty fragrance also makes them a good choice for cut flowers. Nasturtiums are perfect to grow with children because they grow so easily and rapidly.
Planting
- You can start the seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant seeds in early spring in moist, well-drained soil in full sun. They can grow in partial shade, but they will not bloom as well.
- Nasturtiums prefer poorer soils and they do not need fertilizers (unless your soil is extremely poor). Fertile soil will produce fewer blooms.
- Plant the seeds about half an inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart. Plants should appear in 7 to 10 days.
Care
- Water regularly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to over-water your plants.
- Cutting off the faded/dead flowers will prolong blooming.
- If you're growing nasturtiums in containers, they may need to be trimmed back occasionally over the growing season.
Pests
- Caterpillars
- Flea beetles
- Aphids
- Slugs
- Whiteflies
- Viruses
Recommended Varieties
- Salmon Baby, to add a pretty salmon-pink color to your garden.
- Variegatus, which is a trailing type with red or orange flowers.
- Peach Melba, which is derived from nasturtiums and has creamy yellow flowers with orange-red centers.



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Comments
Nasturtum Honey Butter
This recipe is AWESOME on any warm bread/rolls. Take bloomed flowers, remove stamens inside, gently rinse in cool water, air dry on paper towels. When dry, chop up and mix with softened butter and honey. OMG! My daughter begs me to plant nasturtium every year for this recipe! So yummy!
Thanks for sharing! Yes,
Thanks for sharing! Yes, nasturtiums are edible flowers! The flowers and leaves are peppery flavored like watercress and are used in salads and as a garnish.
Is it too late to start growing nasturtiums?
I live in Orlando, FL and am just starting my hand at growing and in the above article it mentioned planting 4-6 wks before the last spring frost. That point has passed, is it still fine to plant them or should I wait for a better time of year here in my area?
You can plant the seeds from
You can plant the seeds from spring through fall throughout Florida, year-round in South Florida. Nasturtiums are easy to grow where you live!
growing
my son came home with a seed in a pot a while ago, its just started flowering and i have identified it as a nasturtium, it is currently in the kitchen window and is growing rapidly, its getting rather tall, currently about 2 foot tall, does it need trimming to stop it gaining height or do you just leave them to grow? thanks
When plants of the tall type
When plants of the tall type are about 7 inches tall, place a stake or trellis near them for support. It is not necessary to stake or trellis the dwarf type.
Indoors or Out?
Hi, I just bought nasturtium, sweet pea and zinnia seeds. It is the end of April in the Columbus area. Should I sow the seeds into the soil directly right now, or should I start them inside? OR- should I wait and sow them into the garden in a few weeks. Thanks!
Nasturtiums in Raleigh
Will nasturtiums handle full sun in the humid summers of Raleigh?
In your area, nasturtiums do
In your area, nasturtiums do best blooming in spring/early summer. Sow mid-March or earlier in pots. Or, you could also sow in late summer for fall bloom.
fresh nasturtium seeds
I have just picked some large green seeds. Can I plant them right away or do they have to dry.It is April first and I live in New Orleans.
You want to grab those seeds
You want to grab those seeds when they are still green and let them dry on a baking sheet in a cool dark place for a week. Once they are hard, you can store them for next year.
how long to bloom
I planted Nasturtiums from seed in hanging pots (about 4-6 inches deep with about 6 - 18" spacing), roughly 4-6 wks ago. I They get full sun from 12ish to 7pm in the Houston heat. I am doing best to provide terrible conditions, which they seem to love. I have 3 doing well with several arms coming off on each. I am anxious for them to bloom...is that more of a summer event even in Houston?
Nasturtiums in Houston
In Houston, nasturtiums do best in the cooler months. You can plant them in the early fall, in which case they might bloom later in the fall before a frost stops them; the plants may even survive through the winter if it is an especially mild one.
You can also plant in early spring after the last expected spring frost date. They will bloom until the hot weather starts; peak bloom is usually about May into June.
They do not like high heat. When summer hits, move the containers to deep shade, and keep up with the watering. The plants may perk up again in fall to give you another floral display.
(Please note: We'd recommend sowing nasturtium seeds about 1/2 inch deep.)
Hope this helps!
My flower stop growing
My nastartiums are in a pot and under a shade but gets full sun in the morning but they stop growing about 9inch and stay at the same tall without blooming or any change! What can I do? Thanks
Some thoughts: They grow in
Some thoughts: They grow in shade but not quite as well as full sun; too much shade limits their blossoms. Also, make sure you are not using any fertilizer. They thrive on neglect--poor, lean soil and spare watering.
climber or dwarf?
I've just purchased a couple 4" pots of Empress of India from Annie's Annuals. Her stuff is usually good, so I'm not gonna be afraid to transplant them with lots of soil, my question... is the Empress a climber or bush variety?
Thanks, barb
The Empress of India is a
The Empress of India is a non-trailing annual and quite compact (only 1 foot high).
plant/seeds
Can I purchase nasturtium plants. Seeds have not done well for me.
You'll have to check with
You'll have to check with your local garden center, but nasturtiums do not fare well when transplanted; use peat pots and plant these directly in the soil. Nasturtiums are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. They prefer full sun. They are not choosy about their soil, though they prefer a light, sandy soil. Don't spoil them with rich, fertile soil and fertilizers as this will only result in lush foliage and few blooms.
dimpled nasturtium leaves
hi, the leaves on my nasturtium have gone dimply. do you have any thoughts?
trudy
The bumps could be insect
The bumps could be insect damage. Spray with a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray.
thank you!
thank you!
How much will it grow from a seedling?
I planted my seedlings from seed packets and they r growing tall but I was wondering how much will grow from a seed and if I should seperate each stem/seed growing or if I keep them together will it be too crowded? Never grown them before
Following spacing on packet.
Following spacing on packet. As the seedlings grow: If the plants are crowded then thin them out to about 12 inches apart.
about nasturtiums
do nasturtiums come up every year ???
Nasturiums are an annual so
Nasturiums are an annual so they need to be seeded each spring. However, if you let them go to seed, they may self-seed in the fall and come up the following year on their own.
bought seeds for red flowers grew to be yellow
If the expensive pkg of red nasturium seeds grew into a faded yellow flower does that mean i put too much miracle grow on them to begin with or what else could it be?
If it's not meant to be a
If it's not meant to be a pale yellow variety, then it may be the weather. This flower enjoys cool soil. If the ground is too hot, forget it. Plant in a shady spot that gets some morning sun and water consistently.
What are the signs of overwatering?
My flowers are in window boxes in partial sun. Some of the leaves are turning yellow. Is this a sign of over watering?
Yellow leaves are a sign of
Yellow leaves are a sign of over watering. Nasturtiums prefer really dry soil, even in the summer months!
Make sure that the soil is well-drained.
Thank you for your interest in the Old Farmer's Almanac and our Web site.
wet or dry?
Thanks for your info, but I am confused; here you say Nasturtiums prefer really dry soil, but further on you state that they love water! What is it to be???
They like well drained soil
They like well drained soil so that the roots don't sit in water. Water when the leaves show signs of wilting.
Edible seeds
If anyone is interested, you can harvest the seed pods before they firm up, and pickle them. They taste very similar to capers, with a bit of spicyness!
wilted leaves
What would cause the nasturtium's leaves to be wilted? They are in full sun and clayey soil.
If nasturtiums are showing
If nasturtiums are showing signs of stress, such as wilted leaves, then it may be a simple fix of giving them more water.
Nasturtiums love their water.
Thank you for your interest in the Old Farmer's Almanac and our Web site.
growing nasturtiums
I understand they are a vining plant and can get up to 6-7 ft in height. How do I get them to start growing UP toward the side of my deck? Should I use string, sticks, etc??? Thanks!
Nasturtiums should grow on
Nasturtiums should grow on their own. If you feel they need help, using small stick to "direct" them is OK.
Thank you for your interest in the Old Farmer's Almanac and our Web site.
trimming nasturiums
my nasturtiums are in 4 in pots and they are about 12 inches tall. can i trim them and if so where do i trim and how much? they seem to have a single stem coming out of the soil. i want them bushy.
trimming nasturiums
For bushy, you'd want a dwarf variety. If you have the climbing variety, they're going to spread. Just trim with scissors or clippers. You do not need to trim at a node or any special place. They are big growers. Did you know: They are edible flowers! If you didn't use chemicals, add to salads!
Nasturtiums
check out http://www.sunriseseeds.com/NASTURTIUM%20FLOWER%20SEED.0.html for the nasturtiums you are looking for.
seed source for Salmon Baby and Peach Melba Nasturtiums
Anyone know where I can find seeds for these variaties of nasturtiums? I havn't seen these this year.
nasturtium seeds
hi, you can get many nasturtium seeds via ebay seller around the world and they are cheap. means you must have an ebay account. otherwise search from google.
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