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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Nasturtium Flowers
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.
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:
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.
Pests/Diseases
- Aphids
- Caterpillars
- Flea beetles
- Slugs
- Whiteflies
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.
Catherine Boeckmann
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Re Cooking: I have also used the dried seeds in stews. They add a nice peppery flavour.
If I use these as pest control, should I be worried about the pests destroying them? How do I also keep them healthy?
Your hardiness zones for nasturtiums is incorrect. The hardiness zones are not 10-11; they are 2-11. Big difference.
The hardiness zones listed on this page indicate where the plant is capable of surviving winter. Nasturtiums can be grown in zones 2-11, but are typically only hardy in 10 and 11.
I love how this page is laid out. It has all the valuable information about Nasturtiums. Is there a book with this same information, all of it, on other specific plants?
This literally ALL the helpful info on this plant and I鈥檇 love to see more of this.
I found 4 seeds in the bottom of a packet so planted them. They have gone mad. Trailing 6feet and more. I have hung them on some string stretched across a fence. They are looking very healthy. Are they winter hardy? we have had a couple of frosts and that doesn't seem to have bothered them. If I just leave them, will they be OK or should I try to pot them up and over winter them in the greenhouse?
Hi The Editor,
I live in zone 10. Some of my Nasturtium from last year reseeded themselves and have grown plants back in my yard now in December. I just purchased some more seeds. Can I start seedlings now or need to wait until Spring? Thank you.
Perfect for the living room
If I did this would I see more of the flowers
The leaves are the way the plant gets its food to grow so don’t cut the leaves too early. However, if your nasturtium is getting out of control, then it’s best to trim back the tips and undersides of nasturtiums every few days even if it means trimming off flowers that have yet to bloom. This is hard to do but will keep the plant more compact and healthier. If you have too many leaves at expense of blooms, it may be because you are using fertilizer. It鈥檚 better to not fertilize them to have plants with good blooms that last longer rather than a crazy, full knockout plant that will only last a few weeks.
