blue nasturtiams

Anyone ever sprout blue nasturtiams?

I just planted some nasturtiams the other day before it rained, I put them in a half of a milk jug about 1/4" deep and they sprouted a couple of days after the rain.

May I ask you where you got the blue nastrums? I've never heard of them and I tried to google them and found nothing :) Do the seeds look like the regular nasturtiams, if they do I'm sure you can start them the same way.

I've never grown them, but there's a comment in the Plant Files entry that has some germination info (as well as care info if you are successful in getting them to germinate) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54476/

Those are pretty!

2ndChance... I haven't tried it yet. I bought some seeds last fall from Ursala when she had her classified add.

I lost my seeds for a bit and found them again. I know from dmails from Ursala that because we don't have cold like folks in cooler climates we have to start them in the fridge.

On the plant files site ecrane put up is Ursalas method for propagating them. That what I gonna use for directions for mine.

If you get yours germinated before me, let us know how it goes and what ya did if ya don't mind.

2nd Chance, since you are in a zone 9b (that's the zone these Tropaeolums come from), I suggest you wait until autumn and follow my regular sowing recommendations. Your germination rates will be much better than with the cold treatment in the refrigerator.

Our perennial Tropaeolums are *divas* and like to be treated as such. If you sow them during autumn, you can leave your sowing pots (remember they must be deep) outdoors, unless you have heavy rain. They first develop a root that will later form a tuber - the surface growth (some 4" the first year) will come later.

When it becomes hot, the foliage will die back. At this time, only water them sparingly every fortnight if they are planted in pots. If they are planted in the garden (under a shrub they can climb on or close to a trellis), you can forget about them. Good drainage and not over watering are the key to grow these beauties. I never feed mine with any chemicals - just some occasional humus of leaf mold.

The tubers will do best if you do not dig them to re-pot (upgrade pot size) or plant directly in the garden, but move the whole block (soil with tubers) to a bigger pot or to plant them in the garden. I lost several tubers when I dug them to post pictures in the Plant Files. Besides, perennial Tropaeolums are tricky germinators and will most likely not produce a 100% germination rate the first year. That is another reason why you should re-pot or plant the whole block (soil with tubers) in the garden. Seeds that did not germinate the first year will most likely germinate on the second year.

As I said before: they are divas and want you to follow the sowing process as their 'nature clock' demands: sowing during Fall (underground growth), germinate during Winter and bloom from late Winter to late Spring.

LeBug, our perennial Nasturtiums (Tropaeolums) are quite different from the annual Trops (T. majus & T. minus). Their leaves are palmate, they are climbing vines, tuber-forming perennials, and the flowers are much smaller (but much showier as well!) than the annual species. Yes, the seeds look pretty much the same, just smaller.

Starlight, your climate is colder than mine (equivalent to a USA zone 9b). I suggest you sow them the regular way and keep them either in a cold greenhouse (or cold frame) or bring the in to a window in a room without heating as soon as your soil starts freezing. Don't push the river, wait until Fall ;o).

Please feel free to ask any further questions you might have. Last Fall (it's winter down here) I sowed(sew?) over 200 seeds. I have not counted them, but I have a lot of 3 to 4" babies. Right beside them I have a big pot with just ONE dusty pink T. lepidum tuber and I am afraid the trellis I made will not be enough. This tuber is now 4 years old.

Hugs to all of you,

Ursula

Thanks for jumping in here Ursala and thanks for the heads up on the sale. I gotta wait til about the middle of August before I get more seeds, but glad to see ya posting some of them on the MarketPlace.

2nd chance, Lebug and ecrane. ya outta check out Ursala and her postings on the MarketPlace. She has some really cool stuff from Chile and with a bit of pampering here and there , we could have some of the beautiful flowers down there up here too.

Yep, Ursula is the greatest! I've gotten seeds from her before and haven't had time to check the marketplace out yet. Ursula, 'sowed' is correct, u did good girl ((Hugs))

I guess I'll have to just admire blooms on here from the blue nasturtiums being in z6, you all will just have to show some nice pictures and I'll be dying with envy :)

I just now saw this :)