How to plant nasturtium flowers. Growing and caring for unpretentious nasturtium

Nasturtium on summer cottages most often grown to decorate the local area. In matters of cultivation, it is important to know how to grow nasturtium from seeds, when to plant? This plant is not whimsical to care for, blooms for a long time; does not require a lot of space, which allows you to get bright, decorative corners of wildlife in small areas. You can grow nasturtium not only on the site, but also on the balcony, loggia, terrace.

Description, varieties and types

Nasturtium is a herbaceous plant of the Nasturtium family. The Latin name is Tropaeolum or capuchin, which is associated with the shape of the flower, similar to the hood. The family includes over 90 plant species. The homeland of nasturtium is South and Central America. The plant was brought to Russia a long time ago, from Holland, and reliably settled in our territories.

Nasturtium is an unpretentious annual plant that is known for its medicinal and flavoring properties. In shape, the plant is semi-shrubs or vines. Taproot, few lateral shoots, located at a depth of 10-12 cm. Nasturtium flowers are very bright - yellow, orange, red. Simple, double or semi-double, fragrant, consisting of five petals and funnel-shaped sepals. The fruit consists of kidney-shaped lobes, each of which contains seeds.

All varieties and species belong to two garden forms:

• Shrub - forms compact bushes, up to 30 cm high, perfectly keeps its shape, is used to decorate flower beds and garden paths;

• Climbing - forms long stems up to 1 m or more, grown as a ground cover and ampel plant. Creeping nasturtium covers the ground with a carpet. Ampelnaya forms a cascade of flowering shoots. Can be grown on a vertical support.

Breeders are constantly working on developing new varieties of nasturtium, which differ in shape, height of bushes, structure and color of flowers.

Here are some famous varieties:

• Peach Melba is a 30-50 cm high variety with exquisite, delicate flowers on whip-like stems, blooms until frost;

• A bright flower bed - a variety 40 cm high, from a mixture of five shades of bright, large flowers;

• The ladybug is the only cultivar with apricot flowers that has attractive specks on its petals. The plant is compact, up to 25 cm high, blooms all season.

Growing conditions

When growing, it must be remembered that nasturtium is a warm and light-loving plant. She does not tolerate a transplant. The key to successful cultivation is the presence of fertile soil. The flower prefers well fertilized, especially phosphorus, soils, without freshly applied organic fertilizers, excess nitrogen and moisture. Excess nitrogen and moisture cause a powerful development of the vegetative mass to the detriment of flowering, while the flowers hide under the leaves.

Sowing

Nasturtium is grown by sowing seeds.

In advance, before sowing, the seeds should be placed in hot water at + 40 - 50 о С for 20 minutes, and then soak in water for 24 hours. Otherwise, they will germinate only after two weeks.

When grown from seeds, 2 methods are used:

• Seedling;
• Without seedlings.

With the seedling method, the plant blooms much earlier. Sowing is carried out in late April or early May in special cups with a retractable bottom. 2-3 seeds are placed in the ground of the glass to a depth of 2 cm.

Crops are kept in a room with a temperature of at least 20 degrees, preferably on the sunny side. Shoots appear on the 10-14th day. Because root system the plant is very weak, the seedlings do not dive, but are transplanted into open ground with an earthen lump right in the cups, keeping a distance of 20-25 cm from each other.

With the non-seedling method, sowing is carried out directly into the open ground, to a permanent place, at the end of May. Seeds are laid out 2-3 per hole to a depth of 2 cm. The distance between the holes should be at least 20-25 cm. The area with crops is covered with foil. As a rule, the first shoots appear after 2 weeks. Flowering occurs in 40-50 days.

Care

This plant does not like drafts, so the place for it should be sunny and protected from the wind. By itself, nasturtium is not whimsical to care for. She only needs regular watering and regular weeding.

Seedlings require abundant watering for quick and good growth. With the onset of flowering, it is reduced and the soil is moistened as needed. Withered flowers are removed periodically. If your goal is to collect seeds, remember that the ovaries take time to ripen. You regularly need to weed and loosen the soil around the plant. The soil can be mulched. This will significantly help in the fight against weeds, and also will not allow the topsoil to overheat.

After the flower has faded, watering must be reduced and then stopped altogether. Remember that nasturtium is an annual plant, therefore, as soon as autumn comes, the areas where it was planted must be dug up and the remains of the plants burned.

Reproduction

Most nasturtium species reproduce by seed. The seeds remain viable for 4 years.

Terry and new varieties are propagated by cuttings.

Cuttings are a vegetative way of propagating nasturtium. To root the cuttings, use water or wet sand.

Pests and diseases

Nasturtium repels all sorts of pests, for example, the Colorado potato beetle. But she herself also suffers from certain diseases and insects.

Diseases of nasturtium include:

1. Gray rot. It is characterized by the appearance of light brown spots on the leaves.
2. Bacterial wilting. First, the leaves weaken, and then the plant itself withers completely.
3. Rust. Quite a common and dangerous disease. Leaves are primarily affected. Red oval spots appear on them in the form of swellings.
4. Mosaic. Leaves are being damaged. The spots on the leaves are white or green.

All diseases can very quickly destroy the plant, so measures must be taken immediately. It is recommended to remove and burn damaged parts of the plant, then treat the plant with special preparations.

Of the pests, nasturtium affects:

1. Cabbage moth;
2. Spider mite;
3. Medvedka;
4. Belyanka;
5. Cruciferous flea.

Ash, which is scattered or sifted over the plant and the soil, is excellent against aphids, cabbage moths, and cruciferous fleas. Spider mites cannot tolerate drinking alcohol. Plants and soil are sprayed with 96% alcohol. You can use biologically active drugs.

Seed collection

If you have a desire to start breeding, then you can easily collect the seeds yourself. As soon as the flower begins to wilt, you can collect the seeds. When ripe, the seeds quickly crumble, so they need to be collected systematically.

Ripe seeds should be stored in cardboard boxes.

Useful properties of nasturtium

Nasturtium has found application in folk medicine for the treatment of heart and hypertension.

In addition, it is also used as:

• Cough medicine;
• Antiseptic for diseases of the genitourinary system;
• Choleretic agent;
• Firming remedy for scurvy;
• Means that normalize metabolic processes.

Also, nasturtium is the richest source of vitamins. It contains a large number of sulfur and carotene, which is simply necessary for the elderly to prevent multiple sclerosis.

Nasturtium heals the soil from fungal diseases, after which other plants and crops grow better.

Nasturtium has long been used in food as a spice and flavoring additive. It tastes like watercress. The leaves and tops of the shoots, with a pungent mustard flavor, are used in salads. The flowers are the most delicious. The green seeds are pickled like capers.

Decorativeness, use in landscape gardening

Growing nasturtium is a unique opportunity to create beautiful flower arrangements.

As a decoration for balconies or loggias, this flower is hung and fixed to the ceiling. On the plots, it goes well with other plants: marigolds and delphiniums, ageratums and bells, asters and lilies. If each flower is planted close enough to each other, then you get an original green rug.

Nasturtium helps to disguise any unsightly area or building, decorate an arch, create coziness in gazebos, on verandas, and terraces.

Nasturtium is a very attractive plant with large rounded leaves and bright large flowers. Flowers have a delicate scent and many colorful shades. Another name is also known - capuchin. Nasturtium is used for decorating flower beds, balconies, window sills, vertical trellises and hanging baskets. Its homeland is America (South and Central). In nature, it is found in mountainous or rocky areas, as well as in lowlands and forest thickets. Capuchin is represented in horticulture by many species and varieties. Depending on where the plants will be planted, ampel, shrub or vine varieties are chosen. This flower is used in culinary arts and for medicinal purposes.

Among the main advantages of this ornamental plant are its long and lush flowering, as well as unpretentiousness. These features have made nasturtium very popular with flower growers.

There are annuals and perennial varieties nasturtium. Both those and others grow in their homeland. In our climate with cold winters, sowing this flower outdoors is only possible as an annual plant.

How to grow nasturtium in the country or at home?

There are three ways to propagate a plant:

• directly by seeds;
• seedlings;
• cuttings.

Propagated by cuttings rare species when seeds are hard to come by. The same method is used to develop new varieties.

Sowing nasturtium can be done directly into the ground, using seeds for this. This method is preferred by many summer residents, as it is very simple.

Sometimes it is advisable to first grow seedlings at home and then transplant them to a country flower bed or vase. This is usually done to speed up the onset of flowering.

Let us dwell in more detail on the seedling method of capuchin breeding.

How do I prepare the seeds?

Before the future seedlings are planted, it is necessary to carry out a special treatment of the nasturtium seeds.

• First, you need to sort out the seeds and choose the best ones. Small, underdeveloped and defective ones are removed immediately.
• The second step is disinfection. For this, peas of seeds are placed in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for a short time (up to 15 minutes). You can take hot water for these purposes (up to 50 degrees Celsius).
• Then the peas are wrapped in cheesecloth and placed in water for a day. If the seeds are prepared for seedlings, then they can be soaked for a longer period. For example, until that time, until small sprouts appear.

All these actions will help to soften the dense shell of the seeds and create conditions for their accelerated germination.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Planting of pea seeds occurs at the end of March - beginning of April.

Prepared seeds are planted in separate containers with a diameter of up to 10 cm. You can use peat cups or pots, in which the bottom is removed.

The containers are chosen from which it is then convenient to transplant the plants into the ground by transferring them together with a lump of earth. The roots of nasturtium are weak and easily damaged, for this reason the plant does not tolerate transplanting well. The seedling method of reproduction is not very convenient, it is better for beginners not to use it.

Varieties intended for growing in an apartment are immediately planted in a pot of soil and remain there to grow constantly.

Choosing the right soil

The soil where the seeds will be planted can be bought ready-made in the store (a special composition for flower seedlings). Another option is to do it yourself. For example, peat is combined with sand and leafy soil.

Biocontainers and peat tablets are good for future seedlings. What it is?

• Biocontainer is compressed vermicompost in granules. Contains an optimal composition of nutrients of organic origin, there are no chemical additions. Vermicompost is created earthworms processing manure. You can plant seeds in such a container. After the seedlings have germinated, they are placed in the ground. There, the special shell of the biocontainer disintegrates, and a favorable environment for further growth is created in the soil for the plants.
• - products of a rounded shape from a pressed top layer of peat. It contains a nutrient mixture for plants, and thanks to special pores, the roots receive more air. It is convenient to transplant seedlings in tablets. The entire tablet is placed in the soil and the material used to create the tablet is dissolved. Now you won't have to fertilize the planted plants for a long time.

Planting is done as follows: in the ground (or in a finished substrate in the form of a tablet or granule), recesses of 2-3 cm are made. 2-3 peas are placed in each hole.

We create conditions for growth

In the room where the germinated seeds were sown, they maintain a comfortable temperature (slightly more than 20 ° C).

When two weeks have passed, the temperature should be reduced by a couple of degrees. At this time, the seedlings should already sprout.

An important condition is the availability of sufficient lighting. Lack of light creates the prerequisites for the development of weak and painful seedlings. It will stretch out and bloom poorly.

In open soil, ready-made seedlings are planted at the beginning of summer; by this time, the sprouts should be at least 7 cm high. Nasturtium is afraid of the cold, it is unacceptable to sow the plant if frosts still occur on the soil at night.

Transplanting ready-made seedlings: tips

• It is necessary to transplant plants into open ground in early June (in good weather, it is possible from mid-May).
• The gap between individual plants should be at least 20 cm. If the variety grows strongly, then a distance of 30-40 cm will be required.
• The weather should be warm and sunny.
• It can still be cold at night; during the adaptation period, it is better to cover young shoots with a film at this time of day.
• The seedlings must be carefully dumped into the ground along with a clod of earth, without damaging the root system.
• Before the transplant is carried out, preferably seedlings for about three days in the open air.
• The place for future nasturtiums should be well lit, sheltered from drafts.
• Let the soil be selected optimally: too wet will destroy the plants, too fertilized will cause an abundance of greenery and a modest size of flowers, poor soil will not give lush flowering. It is better to choose a land with low acidity, airy and fertile enough.
• Mineral fertilizers are good for nasturtium. Fresh organic ones are best avoided.

How to care for seedlings?

Caring for nasturtium is simple, but should not be neglected. The requirements for the care of germinating seeds and planted seedlings will be the same.

Long colorful flowering, bright green leaves, a variety of species and varieties, unpretentiousness - all this is capuchin. Choose the variety that you like, decorate your house, balcony, summer cottage. Compliance with simple but important rules for breeding nasturtium (how to sow and care) is within the power of everyone.

When you want to speed up the onset of the flowering pore, grow seedlings in advance at home for further transplanting them in open ground. The use of modern biocontainers for seedlings will greatly facilitate this task, especially for novice growers.

There is a special charm in such a beautiful flower as nasturtium. After all, it is surprisingly good not only for its magnificent bright colors, but also for their spicy taste. It is no coincidence that the plant touches the strings of the soul and the flower grower, and the summer resident, and the culinary specialist and is called Indian or Capuchin watercress, a colored salad. In addition, the indisputable advantage of growing nasturtium in a personal plot is the fact that this annual is able to bloom from the beginning of summer (from June) to the very frost. You can grow nasturtium by first planting it on seedlings or immediately sowing it in open ground. Read about how to do this correctly, as well as how to take care of the plant further, in our article.

When and how to sow to sow nasturtium on seedlings and in open ground

As already mentioned, nasturtium can be sown both directly with seeds in the ground and for seedlings. Whoever likes it more.

If you do not want to bother with seedlings, then direct sowing of seeds in open ground can be carried out in late May-early June or even earlier, but it is desirable that the threat of return frosts passes.

If you are used to growing through seedlings, then sowing seeds in cups can be carried out in the second half of April and early May.

Note! Through seedlings, nasturtium, of course, will grow and bloom a little faster, but then the plants will equalize.

Growing nasturtium through seedlings

For the successful cultivation of annuals through seedlings, it is necessary to correctly navigate with the planting container, soil, carefully prepare the seeds and competently carry out direct sowing.

The choice of planting capacity and soil

For growing nasturtium in seedlings, as a rule, individual containers are immediately used, for example, pots or cups (as an option, you can sow in cassettes).

The soil for growing seedlings should be loose and fertile.

But in no case should you plant seedlings in very fertile soil.

Seed preparation

To speed up sprouting, it is recommended to soak nasturtium seeds in warm (about 40 degrees) water overnight or even for a day (the water will have to be changed once), for example, in gauze (in cotton pads), in a glass or saucer with a lid on (so that moisture did not evaporate).

You can sow without soaking, but it will take longer to germinate.

Direct sowing

Step-by-step instructions for sowing nasturtium seedlings:

Seedling care after sowing

After sowing, the soil should be kept constantly moist, otherwise the seeds will sprout for a very long time (for this, the containers are covered with a film).

As a rule, the first shoots appear in 10-14 days.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Planting seedlings of nasturtium is carried out at the same time as sowing seeds in open ground, i.e. approximately in the second half of May-early June, when the threat of return frosts has passed. By this time, the seedlings have already grown strong enough, and they will already have more than 2-3 true leaves.

Plants are planted in prepared holes without disturbing the earthen coma (for this, the seedlings must be watered abundantly the day before planting), and then watered and mulched.

Video: growing through seedlings and caring for nasturtium in the open field

Sowing nasturtium directly into open ground

Sowing nasturtium seeds directly into open ground is carried out in the same way as planting seedlings (planting depth - 1.5-2 cm), including pre-preparing the seeds (soak overnight or better for a day in warm water).

Note! The optimal distance between plants is 15-40 centimeters (depending on the size of the variety), but sowing directly into the ground is better thicker (suddenly it will not grow everywhere), then to thin out or plant.

After watering, it is advisable to cover the crops with a film so that moisture in the soil remains longer - this way the seeds will sprout faster.

Place for planting: light and soil

When it comes to garden space, nasturtium is a thermophilic plant that needs open areas with plenty of sunlight to grow.

By the way! If you have everything sunny places busy, then you can plant in partial shade, but not in the shade. The fact is that due to a lack of sun, the plant will stretch and bloom poorly.

Including you can grow it in containers, on balconies and loggias.

• But undersized varieties are more often planted on ridges, borders and flower beds.

As for the soil, nasturtium prefers moderately or minimally fertile(on a very fertile, nitrogen-rich, it will fatten: drive and grow leaves to the detriment of flowers), but be sure light, loose, well-drained soil.

Outdoor nasturtium care

Nasturtium can be called an unpretentious annual in care, because caring for the plant is quite simple: you just need to water it in a timely manner (especially in the heat), loosen it, weed it from weeds and feed it a couple of times.

Watering

The plant especially needs high humidity during the growth period, and after the beginning of flowering - only as the soil dries up.

Nasturtium does not like waterlogging of the soil.

Top dressing

It makes sense to feed nasturtium only before flowering and at the very beginning, using complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants (with a minimum nitrogen content), such as Fertik, AVA, Agricola.

The plant does not tolerate fresh manure.

Note! With an excess of nitrogen fertilizers (including organic ones), the plant will begin to fatten - it will actively increase its green mass, but the flowering will be very weak (the leaves will be huge, and the flowers will be small).

Collection of young seed pods for capers

Advice! Quickly break off the seed ovaries so that the plant does not waste extra energy on it, which is why it blooms less abundantly. In addition, these young (unripe) green seed pods can be pickled (similar to cucumbers) to make delicious capers.

However, flowers are also edible and even very useful... They can be used to decorate salads.

Popular varieties of nasturtium

Everyone is accustomed to the fact that nasturtium is undersized plant with orange-red flowers, for example, varieties "Symphony of Colors", "Bright Flowerbed".

But there are many other more interesting varieties (especially curly - tall) nasturtium:

• With white flowers - varieties "Snow Queen", "Bigfoot".

• With red flowers - variety "Purple Gloss", "Purple Legion", "Scarlett O'Hara", "Anyutka", "Extravaganza".

When choosing a variety, pay attention to the height of the plants!

Particularly attention-grabbing long-leaved or curly nasturtium, which can be grown on a support (veranda, gazebo, arch).

Worth knowing! The plant cannot curl on its own, so you will have to help it first by placing a support and pulling the twine.

Or you can not make any supports and leave it curling on the ground, so to speak, in the role of a ground cover plant (it will grow with a carpet).

A very unusual and different flower shape is nasturtium. Foreign, for example, varieties "Canary Liana".

Important! Foreign nasturtium must be grown through seedlings.

To achieve a luxurious flowering of wonderful nasturtium, it is necessary to take responsibility for the choice of growing method (seeds or seedlings), choose the appropriate place in the garden plot, suitable soil and properly care for the plant in the open field.

Video: all about varieties and agricultural techniques for growing nasturtium

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Nasturtium (Latin Tropaeolum), or Capuchin, belongs to the Nasturtium family, and is a herbaceous plant, of which there are about 90 species. The nasturtium plant is native to the South and Central America, but also in our latitudes it settled long ago and reliably, since it is distinguished by unpretentiousness, in demand healing properties and taste characteristics. The main thing is that the nasturtium flower with its long flowering is able to decorate any, even the most exquisite garden. The capuchin flower brought from Holland to Russia was called so because of the shape of the flower, resembling a hood, but gradually the plant began to be called nasturtium. The official Latin name Tropaeolum was assigned to nasturtium by Karl Linnaeus.

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Planting and caring for nasturtium (in brief)

• Landing: sowing seeds in open ground in mid-late May or sowing seeds for seedlings in April, followed by planting seedlings in the ground in the first decade of June.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: light, not too fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic reaction.
• Watering: from the beginning of the growing season - regular and abundant, during flowering - as the soil dries up.
• Top dressing: 1 time per week before flowering with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Nitrogen is not needed. From the beginning of flowering, feeding is stopped.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphids, cabbage moths, white beetles, spider mites.
• Diseases: gray rot, rust, viral mosaic, black ring spot and bacterial wilting.

Read more about growing nasturtium below.

Nasturtium flower - description

Nasturtiums, both annuals and perennials, are often lianas with a succulent stem, and sometimes dwarf shrubs. The leaves are most often lobed, alternate, entire, palmate or thyroid. Flowers - simple, double and semi-double - irregular, fragrant, zygomorphic, bisexual, axillary, consisting of five (sometimes more) petals, as many sepals, a tube with nectar in the shape of a funnel.

The color of the flowers is most often red or yellow. The fruit consists of three wrinkled kidney-shaped lobes, in each of which rounded-kidney-shaped seeds ripen. Both flowers and stems have medicinal properties and are also of interest to culinary experts.

Growing nasturtium from seeds

Sowing nasturtium seeds

Nasturtium propagates by seed, and even a beginner can cope with this. Large seeds of nasturtium are sown directly in open ground in mid or late May, when the last frost has passed. In holes up to two centimeters deep, located at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, nasturtium seeds are placed in a nesting way - 3-4 pieces per hole. If there is a possibility of night temperature drops, Cover the planted area with plastic wrap or other covering material and use only warm water for irrigation. Shoots will appear in a week or two.

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In the photo: Seeds of nasturtium

Seedlings of nasturtium

Carry out the cultivation of nasturtium and seedling method, which allows you to achieve earlier flowering than in the case of sowing seeds directly into the ground. To do this, use peat cups or cups with a retractable bottom, into which 2-3 seeds are sown in April-May to a depth of 2 cm. The temperature in the seedling room should be 20-22 ºC. Seedlings will appear in a couple of weeks.

Make sure that the seedlings have enough light, because the lack of lighting makes them stretch, and after landing on the site, they get sick for a long time and do not bloom.

The root system of nasturtium is weak, and the leaf surface is quite large, therefore, in order not to injure the roots, the seedlings are not dived and transplanted into the soil along with an earthen clod, right in a glass.

Planting nasturtium

When to plant nasturtium

Planting of nasturtium is carried out in the first decade of June. Set aside a well-lit and wind-protected area in your garden, since nasturtium does not bloom as abundantly in the shade as it does in good light. The soil on the site should be slightly acidic, with good drainage, light and fertile. On organic-rich soils, the plants turn luxuriantly green, but do not want to bloom; on too poor soils, the flowering of nasturtium is not so beautiful, the leaves are small, and the stems look bare. On stagnant wet soils nasturtium rots.

In the photo: Blooming yellow nasturtium

How to plant nasturtium

So, it's the beginning of June in the yard, it's time to plant seedlings in open ground. Planting seedlings is carried out together with an earthen clod, and if you sowed seeds in peat pots, then right together with the pots to avoid breaking or breaking fragile roots. Depending on the variety of nasturtium, the distance between specimens should be 20-40 cm. At first, it is advisable to cover the landing at night. Nasturtiums will bloom in a month and a half.

Caring for nasturtium

How to care for nasturtium

Caring for nasturtium consists in weeding the area and watering the plants. If you mulch the bed after planting, then you will not have to deal with weeds.

At the very beginning of growth, regular and abundant is very important. watering, when the nasturtium blooms, the area should be watered only when the soil dries up: if the soil is wet all the time, the plant will turn magnificently green, but there will be few flowers.

It is necessary to remove dried flowers in a timely manner, unless you need seeds, but to collect seeds for the next year, it is enough to leave only a few ovaries to ripen.

The nasturtium is fed weekly with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer until it blooms. Nasturtium nitrogen fertilizers are not required.

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Reproduction of nasturtium

In addition to the seed method, the vegetative method is also used to propagate nasturtium - grafting... The cuttings are rooted in wet sand or water. Most often, terry varieties of nasturtiums or new varieties are propagated in this way, the seeds of which are difficult to find in flower shops. The vegetative method allows you to preserve during reproduction species and varietal characteristics.

Pests and diseases of nasturtium

Nasturtium is not only beautiful but also very useful. In addition, it somehow instills fear in Colorado beetles, whiteflies, aphids, cabbage and other insect pests.

But nasturtium diseases sometimes affect, primarily such as bacterial wilting, expressed in the weakening of the lower leaves, and then the wilting of the entire plant.

Or gray rot, manifested by dry brown spots on the leaves. From time to time, brown or black rust spots or variegated mosaic stains appear on the leaves of nasturtium. In case of defeat by these diseases, infected specimens must be removed and burned, and healthy plants must be treated with special preparations that destroy pathogens.

Photo: Growing red nasturtium

How to collect nasturtium seeds

If you feel like breeding, you can harvest nasturtium seeds yourself. As the flowers wither, the seeds ripen. It must be remembered that the seeds of all types of nasturtium have time to ripen before frost, the only exception is foreign nasturtium. When the seeds ripen, they turn from green to whitish and, easily separating from the peduncle, fall to the ground.

Therefore, be careful and try to have time to collect them before they crumble.

Ripe seeds are stored in cardboard boxes. Seeds of foreign nasturtium are harvested unripe and ripened at home.

In the photo: Large orange flowers of nasturtium

Nasturtium after flowering

After the nasturtium has faded, watering is gradually reduced until it stops. Since nasturtium is grown mainly as an annual plant, then with the onset of autumn it is necessary to treat it like an annual, namely: dig up the site, burn the tops, after collecting the seeds, if necessary.

Types and varieties of nasturtium

V wildlife, at home, perennial nasturtium grows, but in our gardens the tropical beauty cannot remain in the ground for the winter, therefore it is grown as an annual. Of the cultivated species of nasturtium, the following are most often grown:

In the photo: Several varieties of nasturtium nearby

Foreign nasturtium (Tropaeolum peregrinutn)

Or Canarian nasturtium - a liana from South America, whose light green stems reach a length of 350 cm and very quickly braid arbors and trellises. It blooms from mid-summer until frost with bright yellow small flowers with corrugated petals and green spurs. Leaves are medium-sized, five- or seven-partite. The seeds in the middle lane do not have time to ripen naturally.

Large nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Very branched, bare, fragile stems reach a length of 250 cm. If the variety is erect, and not creeping, then the stem grows up to 70 cm in height. Blooms profusely from June to autumn frosts. It reproduces well by self-sowing, the seeds do not lose their germination for up to 4 years. The leaves are asymmetrical, large, rounded, thyroid, the surface is light green, the underside is gray-gray, the petioles are long, about 8 cm in diameter. The species is represented by dozens of varieties, including compact bush forms:

• King Theodore- the flowers are bright red;
• Peach Melba- cream flowers, in the center - red spots;
• Salmon Baby- semi-double flowers, salmon color;
• ladybug- apricot-colored flowers with burgundy spots in the middle.

Cultural nasturtium (Tropaeolum cultorum)

It combines hybrids of shield nasturtium and large nasturtium, densely leafy stems, green or purple leaves, thyroid. The varieties of this species differ in shape and height: there are compact varieties of nasturtium (up to 50 cm in height), there are creeping, with shoots up to 4 m long, or dwarf ones - 15-20 cm in height. Varieties:

• Gleming Mahagani- bush up to 37 cm tall with double red flowers;
• Golden Globe- a spherical bush up to 25 cm high and 40 cm wide with round light green leaves and large (up to 6.5 cm in diameter) double golden yellow flowers;
• Moonlight- climbing plant, the stems of which reach two meters in length, flowers are pale yellow.

In the photo: Large nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Small nasturtium (Tropaeolum minus)

Branched, furrowed thin stems up to 35 cm tall, leaves of nasturtium small, rounded, small, thyroid, petioles are very long and thin. Small flowers up to 3 cm in diameter are yellow with dark spots, the three upper velvety petals are pointed along the edge, the spurs are cylindrical, curved. This type of nasturtium blooms from June to October. Varieties:

• Cherry rose- grows up to 30 cm in height, blooms with bright red double flowers;
• Black Velvet- the same 30 cm in height, simple flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, so dark burgundy that they are almost black. This variety is sometimes referred to as the Black Lady.

Shield-bearing nasturtium (Tropaeolum peltophorum)

This is a creeping dwarf shrub, dark green, juicy and fragile shoots of which reach 4 m in length. The leaves are thyroid, dark green. Flowers of a juicy dark red hue. Blooms from June to October, the seeds ripen perfectly. The most common variety.

The flowers of nasturtium are so good that no garden plot can do without them. They decorate flower beds, rabatki, they plant the territory near the gazebos, paths. Growing nasturtium from seeds at home - this information is useful for those who like to plant flowers on garden plot or adjoining territory. Landscape designers use this culture to create gardens in a variety of styles.

Remember! Buds, stems, leaves, capsules are useful. Stems and buds are put in salads, soups, pickled green boxes. The seeds are dried and ground, used as a hot seasoning. Flowers are the perfect decoration for culinary masterpieces.

The following properties of nasturtium are known in medicine: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and others. However, you should not engage in treatment on your own, as with any remedy, there are a number of individual contraindications.

Nasturtium is a plant of the nasturtium family. About 90 species are known. Historical homeland- Central and South America... Unpretentious, can take root in any cool climate. It blooms for a long time, one bud is replaced by another. In warm climates it can be a perennial, more often an annual plant. It is worth noting that in cool climates, it will require more care for good flowering.

It can be a liana or a shrub. The flowers are shaped like a hood, hence the name - capuchin. They can be simple, semi-double, double red, yellow. Many other bright shades are now cultivated - raspberry, white, cream, salmon, pink, orange, and so on.

The fruits are similar to boxes, in which there are three lobes. Seeds ripen in them, which ripen gradually, about 45-50 days after the flower petals fall off. The green color of the capsules changes to cream or light brown closer to ripening.

It's important to know! The readiness of the seeds is easy to determine: if the capsules are easily separated from the stem, the future planting material is ready.

The leaves are alternate, can be lobed, entire, palmate or thyroid. Known beneficial features stems and buds. In Peru, species are grown in which tubers are edible. They are also used in cooking.

Types, varieties

Perennial nasturtium grows naturally in warm climates. V temperate climates it is grown every year as an annual because the structure of the root system cannot withstand severe frosts.

Many cultivated species are known. Some species are so decorative that few gardeners immediately realize that it is nasturtium in front of him. Here are some of them.

Foreign nasturtium (Canary). Liana up to 3.5 meters long. It is appreciated by gardeners for being able to very quickly close gazebos, arches, trellises with itself. Light green stems with medium-sized leaves. The flowers are small, bright yellow in color with interesting corrugated petals. Vines, as a rule, are exclusively tropical representatives. For the ripening of the capsules, the warm period is short in the Middle Lane, so it is unlikely that it will be possible to get seeds on your site.

The nasturtium is large. The species unites many varieties. It can be in the form of liana up to 2.5 meters or in the form of small bushes. Bloom from June to the first freezing temperatures in autumn.

It's important to know! It propagates by self-seeding, which is especially interesting for planting material that retains its germination capacity for up to 4 years. Leaves large size up to 8 cm in diameter, two-color - light green top, bottom - blue-gray.

Varieties are distinguished by different shades of buds, can be one-color and two-color. For instance:

• "Salmon baby" - salmon shade, semi-double petals;
• "Ladybug" - an apricot shade with burgundy splashes in the middle.

Cultural nasturtium. Fusion of hybrids of shield-bearing and large. The leaves can be green or purple. Many varieties: creeping bushes. They differ in shape, height. Bushes from 15 to 50 cm, creeping - up to 4 meters.

Some popular varieties:

1. "Golden Globe" - height up to 25 cm, leaves are light green, round, double yellow-gold flowers 6.5 cm in diameter.
2. "Gleming Mahagani" - height up to 37 cm, double flowers are bright red.
3. "Moonlight" - climbing plant up to 2 meters, pale yellow buds.

Small nasturtium. Low bushes up to 35 cm with small round leaves. It has long and thin petioles. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, yellow. Bright buds disappear only in October. Popular varieties:

• "Black lady" - maroon petals 6 cm in diameter can reach black, 30 cm bush height;
• "Cherry rose" - cherry-colored double petals, 30 cm bush height.

Shield-bearing nasturtium. Creeping shrub, liana of dark green color up to 4 m in length, petals of buds of a rich red hue.

Important! The variety is common for creating cozy gazebos, used for covering with a colored carpet. different kind partitions or hedges. The planting material ripens perfectly, it is easy to collect.

Famous variety: "Lucifer". Low bushes 25 cm. Flowers 6 cm in diameter, red with orange tinge, dark green leaves.

Breeding methods: without seedlings, seedlings

The easiest way is to grow from seeds. The process is simple, anyone who wants to plant bright beautiful bushes can handle it. The boxes are thrown immediately into the ground, there they will germinate perfectly, you just need to focus on the timing of planting, choose a suitable place and prepare the soil.

You can also grow seedlings in advance. This will take time and additional efforts, but flowering will come much earlier, since an already hardened grown plant will be transplanted into the soil. So, if there is a desire to do the preparatory gardening work in advance, you can start by growing seedlings.

It's important to know! The grafting method is suitable for propagation of certain species.

The stalk is placed in water or buried in wet sand. This procedure is used when breeding rare varieties with double petals or if there is a problem with obtaining or purchasing planting material. All the characteristics of the variety and species are preserved. Mainly new varieties are propagated by cuttings.

Watch a video about growing nasturtium without a seedling method.

Dates of sowing seeds for seedlings

With the end of the cold weather, when the night temperature does not fall below zero, it is time to plant seeds. The planting material is immediately introduced into the open ground. Timeframe: from mid-May to early June, depending on temperature fluctuations and local climate. By the way, when purchasing planting material, it is advisable to pay attention to the timing of introduction into the soil and resistance to frost.

You can help seedlings to appear faster. To do this, there is the following technique: before planting, the earth is spilled with warm water (about 50 degrees), and the landing must be covered with non-woven material. At night, if the temperature is still far from summer, the crops for warmth and better germination are covered with plastic wrap instead of non-woven material.

Using this method, we grow strong seedlings, which quickly turn into lush flowering bushes. It is advisable to cover the plantings before the beginning of June or before the establishment of stable warm weather.

You should know! If it is not possible to grow seedlings yourself, but it is desirable to plant it, you can purchase it in specialized stores.

However, it should be borne in mind that the root system and stem are very delicate, and could be damaged during the movement. Therefore, it is not a fact that all seedlings will take root. More important point, the acquired seedlings can be affected by pests, since it is not known exactly under what conditions they were grown. It is better to take the time and grow it yourself or plant the boxes directly into the ground.

Seed preparation for sowing. Sowing containers, soil

To make it easier for the seeds to break through the box in which they are located, the planting material is soaked in warm water one day before planting. However, this procedure can be skipped, but then the soil is watered abundantly.

Peat glasses are used for growing seedlings. This is convenient, no further diving is required. The whole seedling, together with the container, will go into the soil. The weak root system will not be damaged, and the peat glass will be an additional fertilizer. Glasses are at least 8 cm in diameter.

There are gardeners who prefer to use peat tablets. To do this, they are soaked in advance, pouring abundantly with water. After waiting for the tablets to increase several times, the material for inoculation is placed in them. Further grooming will be the same as for growing in glasses.

Important! The soil should be chosen slightly acidic, light, with good drainage, fertile.

Seed sowing technology

Choose large boxes. They deepen into the ground by 2 cm, making a gap between plantings of 30 cm. Several boxes are thrown at the same time, thereby creating more lush bushes for the future. In case of doubt about the constancy of the temperature, you can close the area with landings with any covering material, for example, non-woven or polyethylene film.

You need to be careful with polyethylene, as the seedlings can get sunburn during the day. The film is more suitable for covering at night. Water with lukewarm water only. Seedlings can appear in 9-14 days.

In the case of growing in glasses, large boxes are deepened into the soil by 2 cm, 2-3 boxes are placed in a container. We do the same when using peat tablets: we deepen two or three pieces into the surface.

Features of caring for seedlings

The container or pallet with peat glasses is left in a warm room with good lighting. A temperature of 20-22 degrees in the room is suitable, and there should be enough light for the plants so that they grow proportional - it should not be allowed that the stem is long and the leaves are small. After two weeks, the temperature for the sprouts should be reduced to 16-18 degrees, but the illumination should remain good.

Note! A thin stem indicates that the plant did not have enough light, it will not take root well in the soil, and growth will be slow. In addition, there will be certain difficulties with flowering. To avoid further problems, it is easier to follow some of the rules for planting, growing, hardening, and so on right away.

Seedling hardening, picking

Seedlings are hardened in the usual way. Open the film or covering material, first for a short period of time, gradually increasing it. Then change temperature regime indoors or take out a container with seedlings, for example, on a balcony or veranda. So the plant, when planted in the soil, adapts faster, there will be fewer problems with diseases, weak growth, and so on in the future.

If the peat containers for some reason could not be used, you can plant the planting material in a large container, but transplant it only with a large clod of earth - in no case should you disturb the roots, they are too weak and tender.

How and when to sow outdoors

Important! In open ground, seedlings are planted from mid-May to early June. Once again, we draw your attention to the possibility of the climate - night frosts should pass and stable warm weather should be established without a sharp temperature drop.

Planted with seeds or seedlings. A distance of 40 cm. To create more lush plantings, they are planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other. When planting seedlings: transplanted with a lump of earth or immediately in a peat glass. Water well after planting. In the first week, it is advisable to cover the plantings with a covering material or film. After strengthening the sprouts, the covering material is no longer needed.

To get lush bushes or decorate a small area, it is better to plant seedlings more closely. You will have to take care of it more carefully, removing yellow leaves, dry stems, and so on.

Choosing a place for planting, soil

Choose a suitable landing site. It is best if the place is in a place accessible to the sun, but without drafts. It is imperative to ensure good drainage of the soil, otherwise the roots deteriorate, begin to rot and the plant dies.

If a bush or liana does not have enough light, the soil is poor, you can not expect large bushes with lush bright heads of flowers - everything will be smaller than stated in the variety, and the buds may simply not appear.

Remember! In bright sun, you need to remember about watering, as foliage and stems can turn yellow.

Caring for nasturtium in the ground

The site is periodically weeded and watered. The easiest way is to mulch the surface after planting, then weed control will be quite simple. Water should be abundant at the beginning of growth and before the first buds appear. Then water is required only when the soil is dry. Excess moisture will help the leaves grow, but will prevent the flowers from appearing.

The yellowed greens are removed, the emerging seed pods are also removed. If you want to collect seed, leave a small amount to ripen on the stems. You can harvest when the pods are dry and will easily separate from the stems.

After maturation, the material is collected, dried and used for future planting. It can also multiply by self-seeding, if you miss the time and the boxes will open. There are gardeners who prefer self-seeding of plants, legitimately believing that, having survived the winter, only the strongest will remain. This allows you to obtain seed that is suitable for your particular climate.

Remember! The seeds can handle the winter well, especially if the soil is covered with a layer of leaves or needles. You need to store the collected items in a paper bag or cardboard box. Only one species - "foreign" has its own differences in the collection of boxes. They are harvested green, and brought to readiness already at home.

You need to feed it weekly until the buds appear with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.
In the fall, the annual plant is removed from the site, the seeds are collected, the tops are thrown away, and the planting site is dug up.

When to plant on the balcony

It's nice to have a green blooming corner in your house. Nasturtium is perfect for landscaping a balcony. There are several varieties with different flower buds to choose from. Depending on the area of ​​the balcony and personal desire to get lush bushes with greenery of different shades or long shoots of vines. A lot of time and effort for planting and care will not be required; in return, the rapid flowering will delight you until late autumn.

Important! Planted in March, early April. This time spread depends on the climate.

The boxes are planted in a seedling box, pots or other convenient container. If a liana is grown, then supports are prepared in advance or strong threads (ropes) are tied up so that the stem has room to grow. Soft greenery and luscious flowers will quickly decorate the balcony space. By carefully caring for the plantings, you can ensure uninterrupted flowering of the plant. The soil is loosened, watered, fed, and dried leaves are removed.

Bushes from the garden in early autumn can be dug up, transplanted into pots and placed on the balcony. Unfortunately, the plant blooms before the first frost, so you can extend the life of an annual in this way.

When to plant in Siberia

In Siberia, the warm period is shorter, so it is appropriate to plant an unpretentious plant in the ground with seedlings. They are planted in early June, and bloom is guaranteed until the end of August.

If possible, you can sow seeds in a greenhouse. The special microclimate and the ability to regulate the temperature will allow you to grow strong seedlings, which can be easily transplanted into open ground.

Important to remember! It is necessary to transplant the seedling to another place together with a lump of earth so as not to damage the structure of the roots.

Before transplanting, you need to prepare a place for further growth. Dig up the soil, remove weeds, apply fertilizers. Fertilizers will help future bushes or vines to adapt better after transplanting. After planting, mulch the soil. So we achieve two goals: we get rid of possible weeds and in case of worsening weather conditions we give additional protection to the roots. It is worth planting only varieties that are resistant to a sharp drop in temperature.

Possible problems

Problems can arise during the seed germination stage and during the growing stage. Seeds may not germinate in the following cases:

• the seed has expired, the seeds are poorly dried, and so on;
• the soil did not warm up, but they hurried with planting or suddenly there were night frosts;
• the soil is too wet, poorly drained;
• the planting material turned out to be buried in the ground more than necessary.

There are not many problems with growing a plant. But you should still remember the following:

1. Grow in a well-lit place, it is advisable to exclude drafts.
2. The soil should be fertile with good drainage. This will ensure good growth and lush flowering.
3. Before flowering, the plant needs to be fed and watered abundantly.
4. Avoid excess moisture in the soil. The roots will rot, the plant will die.
5. Check for pests, if they appear, treat on time.

Diseases and pests (treatment)

Important! Although the plant is unpretentious, it can also be susceptible to disease.

Diseases can affect: wilting, the appearance of spots on the leaves (gray, brown, brown, black). In this case, the treatment is carried out with special drugs. Sick bushes or stems are destroyed, it is better to burn them so that the causative agent of the disease disappears.

There are different ways to fight against aphids:

• sprayed with a weak solution of alcohol with the addition of soap;
• sprayed with warm water, which is insisted on tobacco.

Nasturtium useful properties for the garden

It is recommended to plant it in the garden or next to planting vegetables in order to combat and prevent cabbage, Colorado potato beetle, aphids and others. It is believed that the smell of the plant attracts pests, thereby keeping the vegetables intact.

Remember! Plant nasturtium next to garden trees... Allocate a small place in the beds with cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. It can be planted along the paths next to the future harvest, thereby providing protection and delighting yourself with contrasting colors.

Nasturtium in landscape design

The plant is relevant when decorating gardens and plots in any style - Russian, French and others. Easy to match types required forms, colors. In terms of functionality, they are also suitable for flower beds, rabatki, alpine slides, when framing paths, artificial reservoirs. Will look good in hanging molds or drawers.

Low-growing varieties are suitable for creating a Moorish lawn. Perfectly cover gazebos, arches, any decorative elements in the garden. If the site is fenced off with a netting, certain types lianas will easily braid it, create a dense flowering wall.

Remember! Nasturtium will go well with climbing rose, clematis, garden chamomile, calendula, zinnias, marigolds and many others.

Growing nasturtium from seeds at home is an interesting activity that does not require much time and special skills. Bright flowers and decorative leaves will not leave indifferent any gardener and will give real pleasure from the growing process. Perhaps this will push in the future to create a decorative corner with this wonderful plant rich in colors. Will make you prove yourself a real landscape designer.