Nasturtium ??

I read SFG from the library while I was waiting for my All New SFG book to arrive. I made notes that Mel said nasturtiums were good to have somewhere in each SFG to protect the other plants from aphids. In book 2 I can't find anything about nasturtiums & wanted to know if they're still OK to plant 1 square or so in each SFG?

I bought the Whirlybird Mix .. anyone have experience with them ?

I put 4 per square in 2 square of my "sauce" bed. That may be too many, I'm not sure. I've never grown them before, so I'm excited to see them. I also plan on putting them near my milkweed because of the aphids!

I think I was told that there are different kinds? One is more bush like one more viney bush? IDK though.

Last year I got one, yes ONE in a sf and it got HUGE, like taking over huge! BUT it did its job of bouncer.

Well, I had a brain-fart one night and bought seeds that I "thought" would grow to 6". Silly rabbit - it said 6 FEET!! So I went back out and found a 12" variety. I hope I can maintain it! So if anyone wants nasturtiums that will get very tall, let me know. I have those seeds!

If you have or know of an Iguana, they LOVE nasturtiums. We have a seven year old Iguana (Polla). She munches them down. I plan of lots of them this summer.

I planted them 1 per square. The seed packet read 12" high, 15" spacing. Since I didn't trust the info, I planted only on outside squares so if they vine, they can overflow the bed.

I have Dwarf Jewel Mix seeds from Livingston Seed Co. (Tropaeolum minus). Says 6-12 inches for height. One internet site said grows to 18".


I copied the following from Carolina Pet Supply on-line catalog:
Annual. Blooms spring to fall frost. 6-12" tall. Full sun or light shade. 2- 2 1/2" flowers in jewel-toned shades of orange, yellow and red. Edible flowers and foliage are a gourmet treat and taste like watercress. This compact variety is well suited for smaller spaces and makes a cheerful edging, border, container, or hanging basket planting. Do not over fertilize, too much nitrotgen will cause lots of green leaves and no blooms. They flower best in average garden soil with loose, light texture. Remove spent flowers to prolong blooming. Perennial in frost-free tropical climates. OUTDOORS: Sow in spring after average last day of frost. In very hot regions, plant in fall for winter bloom. INDOORS: Not recommended. Seedlings do not transplant well. Sow in desired location outdoors. SPECIAL GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS: Seed requires darkness to germinate. Plant at recommended depth of 1/2". Soaking for 24 hours before planting will soften the hard seed coat and aid germination.
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I guess these must be the mounding type, not vining. I think they should work.

Check here for several varieties of nasturtiums http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/flowersN.htm

Claire

Thanks for all the useful info. ! i'm not planting very many flowers, but want the ones I do plant to be both useful & pretty ! I'm planting mexican sunflowers in 2 big pots near the hummingbird feeder to attract the h-birds. I'm planting a few marigolds in just one square b/c they're supposed to be helpful to a couple of the veggies (can't remember why).

nasturtiums also make a pretty (and unusual!) addition to a salad. Just toss a few on top like a garnish -- and make sure you haven't sprayed them with anything.

I once rented a room in a home which had some nasturtiums. I don't know what variety but they grew to couple feet across with fairly dense foliage. Lovely flavor, peppery, sort of like watercress, though the blooms and leaves had slightly different tastes. Very pretty, too. They came back overwinter, even in Portland, and seemed happy in unimproved, gentle but rocky slope around the roots of a mature tree with mostly sun.

I am trying the Dwarf Jewel mix this year, both for food and as a companion plant. The seed packet notes (in what appears to be a blanket statement for nasturtiums in general) that some varieties can vine up to 10 feet. I did a Google Images on nasturtiums and am trying my Dwarf ones at 2 per square foot to start with. We'll see how it goes!

I grew them in one square per box last year and plan to do the same this year on the opposite side. I do this with both nasturtiums and marigolds for bug reellent. Worked well for me last year.
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This was at the end of my fruiting season last year. They can get very big but if they are in an outside box, especially a corner, they don't interfere with the crops.

I have grown the dwarf varieties - "Jewel" and "Alaska" (which has pretty, variegated leaves) and they were well behaved. I accidently got some seeds for a vining type, but haven't been brave enough to plant those, yet, since I don't want them taking over.

I really like the flavor mixed into milder greens. I don't think I could handle too much at once, they can be quite peppery. The flowers are really beautiful mixed into the greens - almost every shade of yellow, orange and red you can imagine. The flowers don't seem quite as peppery, either.

I haven't had any luck with wintering them over (I'm borderline zone 7b/8a), but they certainly could self-sow if flowers are left to mature on the plant. The seeds will absolutely overwinter, and I've seen it recommended to freeze or soak them to trigger better germination. The seeds are quite a substantial size with a very thick coat. They tend not to do as well during high heat here, but will grow well during spring and fall.

Sharon

Any recommendations on which variety tastes the best or are they all pretty much the same? It can be dwarf or vining.

While it is true that I have not engaged my pallet, they have all tasted like Nasturtiums to me (more then they taste like water cress). It comes down to choice of color (you can get all red or all yellow as well as mixes) and growth style that you like. Sometimes it just comes down to what is available on your local rack.

mckr3441 wrote:I have Dwarf Jewel Mix seeds from Livingston Seed Co. (Tropaeolum minus). Says 6-12 inches for height. One internet site said grows to 18".


I copied the following from Carolina Pet Supply on-line catalog:
Annual. Blooms spring to fall frost. 6-12" tall. Full sun or light shade. 2- 2 1/2" flowers in jewel-toned shades of orange, yellow and red. Edible flowers and foliage are a gourmet treat and taste like watercress. This compact variety is well suited for smaller spaces and makes a cheerful edging, border, container, or hanging basket planting. Do not over fertilize, too much nitrotgen will cause lots of green leaves and no blooms. They flower best in average garden soil with loose, light texture. Remove spent flowers to prolong blooming. Perennial in frost-free tropical climates. OUTDOORS: Sow in spring after average last day of frost. In very hot regions, plant in fall for winter bloom. INDOORS: Not recommended. Seedlings do not transplant well. Sow in desired location outdoors. SPECIAL GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS: Seed requires darkness to germinate. Plant at recommended depth of 1/2". Soaking for 24 hours before planting will soften the hard seed coat and aid germination.
----------------
I guess these must be the mounding type, not vining. I think they should work.

Check here for several varieties of nasturtiums http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/flowersN.htm

Claire

I have this same variety. How many can I plant per square foot?

I am planting the vining type with my cukes to go up a trellis and add color to the garden - along with some extra munchables for my salads!

TC

I put about a half dozen seeds in a corner square, cover lightly with soil, then water them in. I let Mother Nature do her thing. I don't thin them out. They do just fine without any extra work.

This year I'll be planting most of mine in pots to place beside my beds. I need the corner squares for more food this year.
I found nasturtiums to taste a bit peppery but they were ok in the salads.

Reading back, I didn't find an answer to the aphids. Does Nasturtium serve as a "trap crop?"

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Reading back, I didn't find an answer to the aphids. Does Nasturtium serve as a "trap crop?"

yes

I see this is an old thread, but just came across this, and I was just about to plant some here to fill a few empty squares.  I'm just curious to see how quickly they'll grow and flower, hoping they'll help my garden look good for a big event (wedding...yes WE are getting married ) on May 9th.  I don't care so much if they die in the S. Florida summer heat.

I'm planting a Jewel mix in pots, as well as a few squares, and Tall mix just in squares.

I read that they grow fast, and I just hope they do well here this time of year.  Thoughts?

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S!!!!!  That's wonderful news.  I'm fairly certain they will explode on you.  I haven't grown any myself but remember them in my grandmother's yard and they seemed to go from nothing to filling the yard rapidly.  But then I was a little girl so I don't know how long it really took, LOL!

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S!!!!!  That's wonderful news.  I'm fairly certain they will explode on you.  I haven't grown any myself but remember them in my grandmother's yard and they seemed to go from nothing to filling the yard rapidly.  But then I was a little girl so I don't know how long it really took, LOL!

Thanks Audrey!  I thought I might add a little color.  The wedding will be on the poolside of the house which is all ornamental gardening, but I know I'll be giving guests my normal SFG garden tours.  

Poolside...

Congrats Dstack! Nasturtiums love the humidity, but to flower lots they like poorer soil. If you give them too rich a mix you will have lots of beautiful BIG leaves, but no blossoms. We will need to see Wedding Garden Pics!

Goosegirl wrote:Congrats Dstack!  Nasturtiums love the humidity, but to flower lots they like poorer soil.  If you give them too rich a mix you will have lots of beautiful BIG leaves, but no blossoms.  We will need to see Wedding Garden Pics!

So they might do better in the ground.  Interesting!  I'll try some in a few squares and pots. And know not to fertilize them.

Goosegirl wrote:Congrats Dstack! Nasturtiums love the humidity, but to flower lots they like poorer soil. If you give them too rich a mix you will have lots of beautiful BIG leaves, but no blossoms. We will need to see Wedding Garden Pics!

This may be the problem I've seen. Tons and tons of green leaves, without all that many flowers to set them off.