How to Grow Nasturtium

Let’s work our way from the ground up, shall we? If you’re new to gardening, don’t underestimate the importance of preparing your soil! Think of it as greasing your pan before you cook or lacing up your shoes before going for a run – not thought of as huge parts of the process, but integral to getting effective results along the way! 

Now that we’ve made that clear, back to nasturtiums. Nasturtium oddly thrives in poor soils. All they ask is that they be planted in well-draining soil. We’d suggest avoiding fertiliser entirely when it comes to these bushy blooms, as it will only contribute to the growth of the plant’s greens, rather than the flowers themselves. 

As for sunlight, be sure to select a spot where the flowers are within full view of the sun for at least half of the day to ensure proper growth.

Let’s explore how to grow nasturtiums from seeds. 

When to sow nasturtium seeds

When growing nasturtium from seed, you’ll need to sow your seeds either indoors or under cover between the months of March and May. It’s completely up to you whether you’d prefer to sow them in their final position under cover or in the home in containers. 

How to grow nasturtium from seed

Begin by lightly watering your soil. Sow your seeds about 1.5cm deep into your soil, leaving around 10cm of space between each seed – this way, they’ll have plenty of room to thrive as they grow into fully established plants. Next, you’ll need to lightly cover your seeds with soil.

Whether you’re planting out your home-grown seedlings or are starting with nasturtium plants, here’s how to plant your nasturtiums.

Whilst this can depend on when your seeds were sown or the growth of your plant, you should generally plant your nasturtiums outside between late May and early July. 

If you want to plant your nasturtiums in beds, you’ll need to dig yourself a hole about the size of the pot they were originally in. Bury your plant deep enough so that its leaves are at the same level as the surrounding soil and water. 

You also have the option to plant your plants in containers or pots, which involves slightly different steps. To create the best growing conditions, combine multi-purpose compost with gravel for improved drainage and reduced fertility. From there, dig your hole and bury the plant as described earlier. 

As we mentioned, nasturtium plants are relatively easy to grow and care for. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways in which you can show them that little bit of extra love for even more beautiful results!

Watering

Water your nasturtium plants regularly during dry spells. These flowers benefit from a well-draining soil, so they definitely don’t want to be surrounded by too much moisture.

Fertilising

Most plants would be more than happy to have a good bit of fertiliser in the mix, but it won’t actually benefit your nasturtium display. These are bushy plants with numerous leaves and abundant greenery. Fertilising your plants will help the greenery flourish, but to the detriment of any flower heads.

Deadheading

Deadheading faded flowers can help your plants focus their energy on producing new flower heads, keeping your flowers bright and healthy throughout the entire season.

These flowers aren’t just pretty; they’re pretty tasty too! You can actually eat the leaves, seeds and flowers of nasturtiums. 

How to harvest nasturtium seeds

Feeling hungry? Let’s talk harvesting. Just take a clean pair of scissors, trim the leaves, and they’re ready for your salad whenever! As for the flowers, they’re best harvested when fully open and should be cut directly underneath the flower.

But if you’re wondering when to harvest nasturtium seeds, you’ll notice that they’re ready as individual flowers begin to fade. So, keep a close eye on the inside of your flower heads and pluck the seeds as you deadhead your flowers. You’ll notice that they’re ready for eating when still green.

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of how to grow nasturtium from seeds, it’s time to start growing them with the help of Fothergill’s! Each of our products aims to make gardening as simple, straightforward and accessible as possible, so why not invite us on your growing journey? 

You can order plenty of nasturtium seeds, garden tools and garden accessories to help with your gardening. If you’ve got any more questions about nasturtiums, don’t hesitate to contact us or dig deeper into our gardening blog!