The Growers Guide to Nasturtium

Growing Nasturtium: A Grower's Guide

The nasturtium is that rare kind of plant that thrives on neglect and still manages to steal the show. It's like the friend who shows up late to the party, mismatched and a little wild, but somehow everyone gravitates toward them by the end of the night.

These bright, cheerful blooms—ranging from fiery oranges to buttery yellows—aren't fussy. In fact, they prefer soil that’s unimpressive. Too much fertility, and you’ll end up with a jungle of leaves and hardly any flowers. The irony isn’t lost on me: give them less, and they give you more.

Why Nasturtium Deserves a Spot in Your Garden

Nasturtium isn’t just eye candy; it’s a multi-tasker. The leaves, flowers, and seeds are all edible, sharp in flavor, and can jazz up anything from salads to cocktails. I’ll confess, I once pickled the seeds pretending they were capers. They weren’t *exactly* capers, but the tangy bite made me feel smugly self-sufficient.

Beyond the kitchen, their peppery presence in the garden acts as a natural pest deterrent. Aphids? They’ll line up on the nasturtium and leave your prized veggies alone. It’s essentially a sacrificial lamb, though I’ve noticed the lamb tends to bounce back beautifully.

Planting Nasturtium: Timing and Technique

Timing Is Everything

These little rebels prefer to skip the drama of frost. Wait until the soil warms up in spring, and sow seeds directly into the ground. If you're impatient, you can start them indoors a few weeks earlier, but they despise transplanting. Handle them like you’re holding a soap bubble.

How to Sow

• Pre-soak the seeds: Nasturtium seeds are as tough as a coffee bean. Soak them in warm water overnight to speed up germination.
• Plant depth: Push the seeds an inch into the soil, about 10 inches apart. They’ll sprawl happily and cover ground quickly.
• Choose your spot wisely: Full sun makes them happiest, but they tolerate part shade if you’re lacking bright corners.

The Art of Growing Nasturtium

Once planted, nasturtium is the definition of low-maintenance. Water it like you’d water a cactus—deeply and rarely. Overwatering creates a lush display of foliage but robs you of those glorious blooms. Don’t let it con you into thinking it needs more than it does.

If you live in a windy area, consider a support system. While most varieties scramble and sprawl, climbing nasturtiums appreciate a trellis or fence to cling to. I once let them creep up a tomato cage, and they turned the whole thing into a riot of color.

Pest Control Without Breaking a Sweat

Nasturtium doesn’t just tolerate pests—it attracts them strategically. I’ve had whiteflies cluster on these plants, sparing my kale a slow, torturous death. Let the nasturtiums take the hit, then simply pull off heavily infested leaves and toss them in the compost.

They can, however, develop black aphids if the weather is particularly hot and dry. In that case, a quick blast with the hose or a homemade oil spray usually does the trick. But honestly, they’re so resilient it’s hard to mess this up.

Harvesting: When and How

The flowers are best picked early in the morning, before the sun gets too ambitious. They’re more vibrant then, with an intense peppery kick. Leaves are fair game anytime, though smaller ones taste less assertive. And those seeds? Harvest them green for pickling or let them dry to plant next year.

“Nasturtium seeds can remain viable for up to five years if stored properly. They’re like the prepper’s dream—always ready for the apocalypse or next spring, whichever comes first.”

My Favorite Varieties

• ‘Empress of India’: Dark green leaves with fiery scarlet flowers. A compact choice for containers.
• ‘Alaska’: Variegated foliage paired with vivid blooms. It almost looks like it walked out of a Monet painting.
• ‘Jewel Mix’: A medley of colors perfect for those who can’t commit to just one.
• ‘Moonlight’: Pale yellow blooms that glow like lanterns in the evening light.

A Few Quirks Worth Mentioning

Nasturtium can be sneaky. If happy, it’ll reseed itself with reckless abandon. I’ve had volunteers pop up in the cracks of my driveway, looking smug as if they’d planned it all along. Honestly? I let them stay.

And while they’re technically annuals, in frost-free climates they’ll stick around like a houseguest who didn’t read the calendar. You might not mind.

Whether you’re growing nasturtium to add life to your garden, flavor to your plate, or protection to your plants, one thing’s for sure: they’ll surprise you. Every single time.

Growing Nasturtium is an excellent way to add a bright, vibrant splash of color to any garden. Not only are they a beautiful addition, but they attract beneficial insects that ward off bad pests and are naturally disease-resistant. The edible flowers, leaves and seed pods provide an incredible array of culinary and medicinal uses, making them an incredibly rewarding plant to grow!