Nasturtium Seeds

Garden Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is one of the most generous ornamentals you can grow, a fast climbing and trailing annual native to South America (Peru, Colombia, Brazil). Its rounded leaves and bold, spurred flowers in red, orange and yellow earned it the Arabic name "abu khangar," the dagger-bearer, after the blossom's dagger-like spur. Train it up a fence or let it spill from a hanging basket for a warm splash of colour.

Planting

Soak the seed in water for 8 to 24 hours, then sow 1.3 to 2.5 cm deep and cover fully, since these seeds need darkness to germinate. At a soil temperature of about 16 to 18°C they sprout in roughly 7 to 14 days. Thin plants to 20 to 30 cm apart, or 3 to 5 plants in a 25 cm container. Direct sowing is best because the roots dislike disturbance; for transplants use peat pots 3 to 4 weeks ahead.

Fertilizing

Keep it lean. Plant in well-drained, poor soil and avoid feeding, as high nitrogen encourages leaves instead of flowers. Only on very poor ground apply a light, low-nitrogen feed sparingly at planting and again when plants reach about 13 to 15 cm tall.

Care

Grow in full sun for the best flowering; it will grow in partial shade but bloom poorly. Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist. Watch for aphids and cabbageworm caterpillars. Deadhead to prolong the show of red, orange and yellow blooms, which continue until flowering stops above about 29°C.