Maine Garden Ideas
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How to Grow and Care for Nasturtiums

Picture
Nasturtiums have always been one of my favorite flowers. Not because of their attractive foliage or shimmery blooms, but because I simply love their earthy scent that reminds me of days gone by. These old-fashioned flowers have adorned my family's garden for generations. I'm particularly partial to the climbing varieties, but dwarf nasturtiums make excellent additions to containers and window boxes, too.
​Nasturtiums may be either single or double bloomed and range from dwarf plants that form a rounded mound 6 to 8 inches tall, to climbers that reach heights of 8 feet. Semi-dwarf plants may reach heights of 2 to 3 feet.

​Not only are nasturtiums delightful flowers in shades of yellow, red and gold, they are also edible making them ideal to add to summer salads or as a garnish with summer meals. Of course, if you prefer not to eat your flowers, they make an attractive floral display in vases, too.

Growing Nasturtiums


​
 Location: Nasturtiums are sun-loving flowers that require 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. Although they will grow in less light, blooms are smaller and growth is slow. Plant nasturtiums in a location where they receive adequate light and they will produce an abundance of blooms on robust foliage.
​
Soil: Nasturtiums aren't particularly fussy about their soil and will grow in nearly any soil as long as they have adequate sun and water. Amending your soil with organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or compost, provides them with slow release nutrients during the summer while improving both aeration and drainage. However, the University of Vermont Extension warns that if soil is too fertile, nasturtiums produce lush foliage with few blooms. When grown in window boxes or containers, a mixture of one part potting soil, one part peat moss and one part perlite works well.
​
Planting: Plant nasturtium seeds directly in the soil to a depth of 1/2 inch once the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed in the spring. Some prefer to soak the seeds overnight, but to be honest, I've never seen a difference in the germination rate or speed from soaking the seeds. Nasturtiums typically germinate easily.

Fertilizing:
Nasturtiums do not require frequent fertilizer and may produce large foliage with few blooms if they get too much. Fertilize your nasturtiums sparingly with water soluble fertilizer duing the summer. Use the health and growth of your nasturtiums as a guide to fertilizing them.
​
Watering: Water nasturtium seeds thoroughly when planting and keep the soil evenly moist until germination occurs in 10 to 14 days. Reduce watering to once or twice a week or whenever your plants show signs of wilting. As a rule, flowers should be watered whenever the soil feels dry to the touch 1 inch below the surface.​ ​​​​ If you are looking to add an old-time feel to your flower garden or backyard, nasturtiums will do the trick.
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables