Nasturtiums

I planted Nasturtiums in my garden last Fall. They were still healty about a month ago but (for some reason) I thought I needed the space for something else. Last week at Parkview Nursery, I found more nasturtiums and planted them again. My question is: Are nasturtiums annuals or perennials? Or does it matter where you are?

Thanks,

Chuck

I grow them as annuals -- they pretty much disappear after a good freeze here. But PF lists them also as Tropicals/Tender Perennials... so I'd say in your zone, you could probably keep them going year to year (as you observed).

They certainly reseed easily enough to be considered perennial even in my zone (5).

What do y'all feed them? Just like last year, I'm getting enough leaves to have a salad every night, but no blossoms. (No, I'm not actually HAVING a salad every night, I just have enough nasties growing.)

Here they are growing out of (one is now trying to come out the top of) my little chimenea:

Sorry to say, nasturtiums bloom best in mediocre soil... they tend to produce foliage only (no blooms) if the soil is too rich or the plants are fed. And do enjoy them before it gets warm, mine went bye bye in the heat last spring!

Yep, Nasturtiums are the plant preferred by those of us with lousy soils. I had a bumper crop last year. This year I'm ammending the soil in the garden so I will have to find some other places to plant them. I love this little plant. And I discovered the vining ones last year! WOW! One vine was over 12' long in the fall!

Pod, I'd always heard that also... but they've bloomed fine for me in potting mix with Osmocote (slow release fertilizer) added... maybe that's not the same as a rich, high-nitrogen soil though.

The leaves (or blooms) are a very nice addition to salads, I think... but I wouldn't want a whole salad of nasturtiums alone, as they are pretty peppery-hot!

I just chew them every once in a while -- an entire salad would indeed be overwhelming. I might pop a few leaves in next time I make cole slaw, though.

And guess what I had when I got home yesterday? A bright red blossom! I love it when my garden proves me wrong! I do hope at least some of them survive the heat. We've only had one brutal day so far (my apologies to those still shovelling snow...) but summer is coming. Looking forward to it in a way, of course, but OH it gets so hot and humid down here.

Here's that first blossom. There are several more now, all red so far.

Congratulations, Brigidlily!! It is beautiful. My nasturtiums haven't started blooming yet but they have new growth. I am getting impatient because I planted them four weeks ago already.

Thanks for sharing,

Chuck

Ah, patience! It's highly overrated! But mine were nothing but leaves for a long, long time -- probably six weeks.

Thanks for the compliment. I love them, and they were my grandmother's favorite. I found a packet of seeds (Burpee) for a nasturtium called "night and day" which is (according to the package) a combination of cream colored blooms and maroon blooms. I just need to pick a spot to plant them and hope they get gorgeous. I'll post a picture if it happens.

Dear Brigidlily,

I just wanted to tell you that six weeks to the day after I planted my nasturtiums, they started blooming. Now they are trailing all over the place with beautiful flowers and foilage. They are so robust now with many, many blossoms. I will try to send a photo soon.

Thanks again,

Chuck

YAY! I have them everywhere now, some with leaves 3" across, and some really beautiful blooms. Post pics!

Ann

I took this about a week ago. I had trouble sending the photos online. I think I figured it out now.

Take care,

Thanks,

Chuck

I usually grow my nasturiums from seed since its so easy, but I picked up a variegated plant at an herb sale this weekend because it was so pretty. It's already pretty leggy and one of the people from the herb society told me I should plant it deeply -- up to the first set of leaves. Has anyone tried this?

Dear Twonewfs,

I have never heard of that before. We started some zinnias inside this late winter/early spring. While waiting for other kinds of plants to germinate in the same flat, they turned pretty yellow and leggy. I just planted these normally and now they are strong plants. I don't know if the same would be true of nasturtiums or not.

Sure would like to see a photo of variegated nasturtiums.

Happy Gardening,

Chuck

Sounds like good advice... burying stems on leggy plants works especially well for plants that will grow additional roots from the buried part of the stem (tomatoes, basil)... Aren't nasturtiums one of the plants that can be rooted in water? I think I've also had them "layer" themselves, growing new roots at the point where a stem touches the ground... So I would guess that they would benefit from being planted deeply.

Actually, I also plant pepper seedlings and others more deeply in their pots than they were growing in the seedling tray, especially if they look a little leggy... they may not grow more roots from the buried stem, but it doesn't seem to hurt them either, and they end up sitting more sturdily in their new pots.

sorry, duplicate post.

This message was edited May 21, 2007 1:35 PM

Here ya go Chuck ... I'm still hardening it off so I just plunked it on the chair for it's big Kodak moment. It's called Alaska. Is supposed to bloom in mulitple colors.

What a lovely, vigorous looking plant! I hope it does well for you. The blooms and the tender new leaves are great for garnishes and salads, and they have quite a spicy, peppery "bite" to them!

That is really beautiful. Thanks Toonewfs!! I have noticed that about nasturtiums that one plant may have two or three colors of flowers. If you get any seeds, let me know what you want for them.

Thanks again,

Chuck

If you want seeds for this year, I think they might not be hard to find... seems to me I've even seen 'Alaska' at WalMart.

Thanks, Critterologist!!!

Chuck

A friend who's on a seed-planting kick gave me two little nasturtium seedlings in peat pots. I love nasturtiums but have never done well with them. I know about using regular soil, so that's not it. I suspect it's the long hot summer. So, should i plant them in the shade or semi-shade? I have always heard they love sun so don't know if that makes sense.
advice appreciated
jo

Mine seem to be doing fine in full sun, but I suspect they'll be fried by mid-June or so. I'm a full zone hotter than you technically, but I think the sun is pretty brutal in GA as well as TX. Here are some around my little angel.