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How to Grow Nasturtiums: The Complete Nasturtium Flower Guide

Photo Credit
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Tropaeolum majus, T. minus
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Orange
Red
White
Yellow
Hardiness Zone
10
11
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies

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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Nasturtium Flowers

Catherine Boeckmann

The nasturtium is a cheerful flower that does it all! This annual adds a pop of color to the garden, fights insect pests, and is even edible. Pop one in your mouth! Here鈥檚 how to plant and grow nasturtiums (as well as some tasty ways to enjoy them after you harvest the flowers).

About Nasturtiums

These lovely plants, with their unique greenery and vibrant flowers, grow well in containers or as ground cover around vegetable gardens. In fact, they are often used as a trap crop in companion planting, drawing aphids and other garden pests away from the more valuable vegetables. 

  • Nasturtium is a friend of beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, kale, melon, pumpkin, and radish.

Pests aren鈥檛 the only thing nasturtiums attract, however. They are also a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and their pretty fragrance makes them a good choice for cut-flower gardens, too. 

Nasturtiums are grown as annual plants in most areas, though they may perennialize in frost-free zones.

Types of Nasturtiums

There are many varieties of nasturtiums, which are divided into two main types: trailing or climbing types (Tropaeolum majus) and bush types (T. minus). As their names suggest, the main difference between them is their growth habit, with trailing nasturtiums forming long vines and bush nasturtiums remaining more compact. (Bush types are also sometimes called 鈥渄warf鈥 nasturtiums.)

Trailing nasturtiums are a great choice for growing in a window box or hanging basket, as their vines will drape and climb beautifully. Bush nasturtiums are a better choice for smaller gardens where space is limited. 

Nasturtium climbing up fence

Nasturtiums as Edible Flowers

An important feature of all nasturtiums is their edibility! Nasturtiums鈥 leaves, flowers, and seedpods have a peppery, almost mustard-like taste, which makes them lovely as a salad garnish. The seedpods may also be pickled and used like capers.

Check out our video to learn more about the benefits of growing nasturtiums:

Read Next

Planting

Plant nasturtiums in full sun (6+ hours of sunlight) for the best results. They will grow in partial shade (3鈥6 hours of sunlight), but won鈥檛 bloom as well.

Soil should be well-draining. Nasturtiums do well in poorer soils and do not typically need extra fertilizer (unless your soil is extremely poor). Too much nitrogen will encourage more foliage than flowers.

Be conscious of the growing habit of the type of nasturtium you鈥檙e growing. Plan to provide support for trailing types. 

When to Plant Nasturtiums

Nasturtium seeds may be sown directly in the garden (recommended) or started indoors. Their fragile roots are sensitive to transplanting, so we prefer to sow them directly.

  • Indoors: Start seeds 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date.
  • Outdoors: Sow seeds 1 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost date. Soil temperatures should ideally be between 55掳 and 65掳F (12掳 and 18掳C). Plan to protect young seedlings from late frosts.

How to Plant Nasturtiums

  • Sow the seeds about half an inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart in the garden.
  • Plants should appear in 7 to 10 days.

Nasturtiums with colorful flowers

Growing

  • Water regularly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to overwater your plants. Nasturtiums are somewhat drought tolerant but still prefer to grow in moist soil. Plus, water-stressed plants will have subpar blooms and flavor.
  • Cutting off the faded/dead flowers will prolong blooming.
  • If you’re growing nasturtiums in containers, they may need to be trimmed back occasionally over the growing season. This encourages the plants to produce new foliage.
  • In summer, nasturtiums may stop blooming if they become heat-stressed. Their flavor may become more intense, too. Keeping them sufficiently watered can help to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures.

Types

  • 鈥楢laska Mix鈥 has variegated foliage and a mix of flower colors.
  • 鈥楽almon Baby’, to add a pretty salmon-pink color to your garden.
  • 鈥榁补谤颈别驳补迟耻蝉’, which is a trailing type with red or orange flowers.
  • 鈥楶each Melba鈥 has creamy yellow flowers with orange-red centers.
  • 鈥楢mazon Jewel鈥: variegated foliage; gemstone flowers of gold, pale lemon, orange, peachy-rose, and ruby 
  • 鈥楨mpress of India鈥: heirloom; blue-green foliage; scarlet flowers 
  • 鈥楯ewel of Africa鈥: variegated foliage; cream-color, orange, peachy-pink, scarlet, and yellow flowers
  • 鈥楳辞辞苍濒颈驳丑迟鈥: green foliage; pale yellow flowers

Harvesting

  • Leaves and flowers can be harvested at any time.
  • Seedpods should be harvested before seeds have had a chance to mature and harden. 
  • Snip off leaves, flowers, and seedpods with scissors to avoid damaging the plant.
  • If you allow the seedpods to mature, you can save the nasturtium’s chick-pea鈥搒ize seeds and replant them in the spring! Let the seeds dry out on the vine; they’ll fall off. Collect them, brush off the soil, dry them, and store them in a paper envelope in a cool and dark place.
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Wit and Wisdom

  • Nasturtium flowers are said to symbolize patriotism. Find out more flower meanings here.
  • Nasturtium flowers are one of several common garden flowers that are edible!
  • Every spring, as many as 10 gardeners at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, hang baskets of nasturtiums on the balconies above its courtyard, from which fall 20-foot-long trailing vines. Seeds for the plants are started in June and then trained at the museum鈥檚 greenhouses throughout the winter to be ready for the following spring鈥檚 exhibition. The display lasts about 3 weeks.

Pests/Diseases

Nasturtiums planted near cabbage as companion plants
Nasturtiums are often used as a trap crop, attracting pests like aphids away from vulnerable vegetables. Photo by Catherine Boeckmann.

Recipes

Nasturtium and Shrimp Salad Appetizer

Cooking Notes

Leaves, flowers, and immature seedpods are edible and make for a beautiful garnish on any summer meal! The seedpods may also be pickled.

Flowers
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

cheshire-stan (not verified)

9 years 5 months ago

Hi, I have some nastrurtiums that I have grown from seed, I have planted them out in a sunny position but the leaves are becoming full of holes. I have checked for pests as in previous years I have had problems with cabbage white caterpillars but there is nothing to suggest why the holes have appeared路

Does anyone knoe what the problem is and how to treat it?

Hi, Stan: This would seem to be a pest of some sort, even one that eats and leaves. Try spraying very carefully with a very weak solution of dish soap and water, being very careful to cover both sides of all leaves. If this doesn't work, progress to a safe insecticide according to directions. It's not that we don't believe you when you say there's nothing there; it's just that it doesn't take very much to cause a lot of damage and then "disappear." Good luck!

jen625 (not verified)

9 years 6 months ago

My nasturtiums were planted April 28 in organic compost soil that i bought from walmart. They germinated pretty well with little water lightly wetting the top since then. Now theyre 6" tall with 4-5 leaves each but theyre small leaves with leggy stems. Now theyre starting to lean and i think its because theres only about 4-5 inches of soil. They sit in the sun on the balcony from 12pm to sundown, i live on the west side of the building so its in the shade until noon. I know they dont like for their roots to be disturbed but will it help if i transfer the 6" leggy seedlings into a bigger pot with more soil? Or are they just not getting sunlight at the best time?
I should also mention i wet the top of the soil every two days.

Notlazydaisy (not verified)

9 years 6 months ago

I planted nasturtiums form seed and the soil good, light is good and they appear tooooo happy. Very tall - second set of leaves 6 1/2 inches tall with tiny leaves showing at first leaf fork. Should I pinch back and if so, when. Thanks

Sounds like all is well!  You can train nasturtium to climb up a lattice or have them cascade over a handing basket. If you wish to create more flowers, pinch the runners from time to time.

JiaRen (not verified)

9 years 6 months ago

Hi,

I live in Malaysia where the weather is hot and rainny whole year. The weather would range from 30C to 35C daily and I do try to plant Nasturtium Empress of India. It start to grow from seeds for about 2 weeks and then it start to die slowly. May I know is it the weather that affect it?

You may be getting root rot if it is always raining. You could try starting the seeds inside and once they are stronger little plants then maybe plant them out.

MelissaCase (not verified)

9 years 6 months ago

Hi. I am fairly new at gardening. I have read and followed all the tips on starting nasturtium seeds and have had absolutely no luck. Of 15 plus seeds only one germinated. Please tell me if there are any tricks as I have now purchased more seeds and want to try again. All the sites say that these are extremely easy to grow yet I haven't had any ease growing them! Lol. Please help!

Robin Ruby (not verified)

9 years 5 months ago

Hi, have you tried scarifying the seeds. Take off the outer coating of the seed. You can peel this off with out to much problem. If you are having problems soak them in water overnight, this helps soften the coating. You don't need to remove the outer layer, just a portion of it.

LoriLynne (not verified)

9 years 6 months ago

I plant my seeds in the biodegradable planting cups with potting soil.. I slightly rub a nail file on the seed, to help with germination. I leave them in an area with full sun daily. They pop up in 10-20 days, depending on weather. I have about a dozen ready to transplant. They recommend not using an overly fertile soil. I didn't have any issues with regular potting soil. Lots of sun is crucial. Good luck!! I hope that your next go round with them works out!! :)