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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2007 - 10:15:57 AM |
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) are a wonderful (and edible!) addition to any garden. They flourish in poor quality soils, and even in dry clays. They typically grow well in sunny to partly-shady parts of your garden or where they will get a good dose of morning sun. Nasturtiums work great in containers, in your flower garden, or even scattered among the squash and tomatoes of your vegetable garden.
There is some debate whether or not nasturtiums should be classified as an herb or simply an ornamental flower. If you consider that the entire plant is edible, the definition of an herb makes sense. However, many people simply plant them for their colorful flowers without ever taking advantage of its spicy and peppery leaves and flowers! I prefer promoting it as an herb or a salad green as it makes such a wonderful addition to your mixed salad. You can also use nasturtiums for making salad dressings and as a garnish. The seeds, once dried and ground into a fine powder, make a great supplement to spice mixes. The flavor is remarkably like black pepper.
Nasturtium plants are native to the tropical jungles of Peru and Mexico. In addition to being edible, they have been discovered to be excellent “companion plants.” The concept of companion planting is a very useful tool for the organic gardener as certain plants grow in thoughtful combinations can eliminate the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides. For example, nasturtiums are useful in deterring whiteflies, aphids, and squash bugs, among other pests. They make especially nice companion plants for tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabbage.
Another thing we like about nasturtiums is that they are available in almost every color of the rainbow! There are also cultivars available with variegated leaves, and others that grow quite large and act more like vines that the other more compact varieties.
Another benefit is that they are so easy to grow! They do fine in poor quality soils with minimal nutrients, but make sure the soil is well drained. Add a little sand to improve the drainage if necessary. If you’re growing nasturtiums in a bed with other kinds of plants that require soil that is very rich in nutrients, your nasturtiums may grow more foliage than flowers. So if you’re looking for lots of flowers, you show perhaps isolate them in containers or a bed that has more appropriate soil. Regardless, if you pick off a few flowers here and there, you will always induce more blooms.
Plant your nasturtiums seeds directly in the ground in the spring when the last frost has passed. You can also start them indoors in containers about three weeks before you plan on planting them outdoors. They are sensitive to being transplanted, so use large containers. Give them plenty of room for their roots. A pot around 8 inches wide will work fine.
Plant your nasturtiums in full sun to partial shade. Although they love the sun, you don’t want to let them get too dry. Regular watering will help them produce lots of flowers. Nasturtiums grow great packed densely together. As they grow, simply thin them out. Plants spaced five inches apart will grow well and won’t be too crowded.
Learn more about nasturtiums at the University of Vermont’s Department of Plant and Soil Science .
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