Planting nasturtium for seedlings in a year. How to grow nasturtium for abundant blooms

Nasturtium flowers are so good that not a single garden plot can do without them. They decorate flower beds, rabatki, they plant the area near the arbors, paths. Nasturtium growing from seeds at home - this information is useful for those who like to plant flowers in a garden plot or house adjoining area. Landscape designers use this culture to create gardens in a variety of styles.

Remember! Useful buds, stems, leaves, boxes. Stems and buds are put in salads, soups, pickled green boxes. The seeds are dried and ground and used as a spicy seasoning. Flowers serve as an ideal decoration for culinary masterpieces.

In medicine, the following properties of nasturtium are known: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and others. However, treatment should not be done on its own, as with any remedy, there are a number of individual contraindications.

Nasturtium is a plant of the nasturtium family. Approximately 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 replaces another. In warm climates it can be a perennial, more often an annual plant. It is worth noting that in a cool climate it will require more care for good flowering.

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

The fruits are like boxes, in which there are three shares. Seeds ripen in them, which ripen gradually, approximately 45-50 days after the fall of the flower petals. The green color of the boxes closer to the ripening time changes to cream or light brown.

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

The leaves are alternate, may be lobed, entire, palmate or thyroid. Known useful properties of stems and buds. In Peru, species are grown that have edible tubers. They are also used in cooking.

Species, varieties

Perennial nasturtium grows in warm climates in nature. In temperate climates, it is grown every year as an annual, as the structure of the root system does not withstand severe frosts.

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

Nasturtium foreign (Canarian). Liana up to 3.5 meters long. It is valued by gardeners for being able to very quickly close gazebos, arches, and trellises. Light green stems with medium-sized leaves. The flowers are small bright yellow with interesting corrugated petals. Lianas, as a rule, are exclusively tropical representatives. For the ripening of boxes, the warm period is short in the Middle lane, so it is unlikely that you will be able to get seeds on your site.

Nasturtium is big. The species combines many varieties. It can be in the form of vines up to 2.5 meters or in the form of small bushes. Flowering from June to the first sub-zero temperatures in autumn.

It is important to know! Propagated by self-sowing, which is especially interesting planting material retains its germination capacity up to 4 years. The leaves are large, up to 8 cm in diameter, two-color - the top is light green, the bottom is blue-gray.

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

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

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

Selected 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 bright red flowers.
3. "Moonlight" - a climbing plant up to 2 meters, the buds are pale yellow.

Nasturtium is small. 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" - terry cherry blossom petals, 30 cm bush height.

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

Important! The variety is common for creating cozy gazebos, used to cover various types of partitions or hedges with a colored carpet. Planting material ripens well, easy to collect.

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

Propagation methods: without seedling, seedling

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, where they will germinate perfectly, you just need to focus on the timing of the landing, choose a suitable place and prepare the soil.

You can also grow seedlings in advance. This will take time and additional effort, 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 preparatory garden work in advance, you can start by growing seedlings.

It is important to know! The cutting method is suitable for propagation of individual species.

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

Watch a video about growing nasturtium without seedlings.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

With the end of the cold weather, when the night temperature does not drop below zero, it is time to plant the seeds. Planting material is immediately introduced into open ground. Dates: from mid-May to early June, depending on temperature fluctuations and the 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 appear faster. To do this, there is the following technique: before planting, the ground is shed 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, crops for warmth and better germination are covered with plastic wrap instead of non-woven material.

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

Should know! If it is not possible to grow seedlings yourself, and it is desirable to plant them, you can purchase them in specialized stores.

However, it should be noted 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. Another important point is that the acquired seedlings can be affected by pests, since it is not known exactly under what conditions it was grown. It is better to take the time and grow it yourself or plant boxes directly into the ground.

Preparing seeds for sowing. Seeding tanks, 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 pots are used to grow seedlings. This is convenient, no further diving is required. The whole seedling, together with the container, will go into the soil. A weak root system will not be damaged, and a peat glass will be an additional fertilizer. Glasses not less than 8 cm in diameter.

There are gardeners who prefer to use peat tablets. To do this, they are pre-soaked, pouring plenty of water. After waiting for the tablets to increase several times, the material for sowing is placed in them. Further courtship 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. 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 temperature, it is possible to close the area with plantings with any covering material, for example, non-woven or polyethylene film.

You need to be careful with polyethylene, as during the day the shoots can get sunburn. The film is more suitable for covering at night. Water only with warm water. Seedlings may 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 seedling care

The container or tray with peat cups is left in a warm room with good lighting. A temperature of 20-22 degrees in the room is suitable, and the plants should have enough light so that they grow proportionally - the stem should not be allowed to be long and the leaves small. After two weeks, the temperature for 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, growth will be slow. In addition, there will be certain difficulties with flowering. To avoid further problems, it is easier to immediately follow some rules for planting, growing, hardening, and so on.

Seedling hardening, picking

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

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

How and when to sow outdoors

Important! Seedlings are planted in open ground from mid-May to early June. Once again, we pay attention, we need to look at the possibilities of the climate - night frosts should pass and stable warm weather should be established without a sharp temperature drop.

Planted with seeds or seedlings. Distance 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 clod of earth or immediately in a peat glass. Water well after planting. In the first week, it is desirable to cover the plantings with covering material or film. After strengthening the sprouts, covering material is no longer needed.

To get lush bushes or decorate a small area, it is better to plant seedlings more closely. Care will have to be more careful, removing yellow leaves, dry stems, and so on.

Choosing a landing site, soil

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

If the bush or vine does not have enough light, the soil is poor, you can not expect large bushes with lush bright hats 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 to water, as the foliage and stems may turn yellow.

Nasturtium care in the ground

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

Yellowed greens are removed, appearing boxes with seeds are also removed. If you want to collect seed, leave a small amount to ripen on the stems. You can collect when the boxes are dry and will be easily separated from the stems.

After maturation, the material is collected, dried and used for future plantings. It can also propagate by self-sowing, if you miss the time and the boxes open. There are gardeners who prefer self-seeding plants, legitimately believing that only the strongest will survive the winter. So you can get seed suitable for a particular climate.

It should be remembered! Seeds can tolerate winter well, especially if the soil is covered with a layer of leaves or needles. You need to store the collected 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 weekly until the buds appear with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.
In autumn, the annual 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 a balcony

It's nice to have a green flowering corner in the house. Nasturtium is perfect for landscaping a balcony. You can choose several varieties with buds of different colors. Depending on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe 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, rapid flowering will delight until late autumn.

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

Boxes are planted in a seedling box, planter or other convenient container. If a vine 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 juicy flowers will quickly decorate the balcony space. Carefully caring for plantings, you can ensure the incessant flowering of the plant. The soil is loosened, watered, fed, 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 until the first frost, so you can extend the life of an annual in this way.

When to plant in Siberia

In Siberia, the period of warm time is shorter, so it is appropriate to plant an unpretentious seedling plant in the ground. Planted in early June, and flowering is guaranteed until the end of August.

If possible, you can sow seeds in a greenhouse. A special microclimate and the ability to regulate the temperature will allow you to grow strong seedlings that are easy to transplant into open ground.

Important to remember! It is necessary to transplant a seedling to another place along with a clod 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 fertilizer. Fertilizers will help future bushes or vines to better adapt 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 at the seed germination stage and at the growing stage. Seeds may not germinate in the following cases:

• the expiration date of the seeds has expired, the seeds are poorly dried, and so on;
• the soil did not warm up, but they hurried with planting or suddenly night frosts occurred;
• the soil is too wet, poorly drained;
• planting material was buried in the ground more than necessary.

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

1. Grow in a well-lit place, it is desirable to exclude drafts.
2. The soil should be fertile with good drainage. Thus, we 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 the presence of pests, in case of appearance, treat in time.

Diseases and pests (treatment)

Important! The plant, though unpretentious, but it can also be subject to disease.

Of the 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 so that the causative agent of the disease disappears.

From the defeat of aphids, there are different ways to fight:

• 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 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, thus the vegetables remain undamaged.

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

Nasturtium in landscape design

The plant is relevant when decorating gardens and plots in any style - Russian, French and others. It is easy to choose the types of the desired shapes, colors. In terms of functionality, they are also suitable for flower beds, rabatok, 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. Arbors, arches, any decorative elements in the garden will perfectly cover. If the site is fenced with a chain-link mesh, certain types of vines will easily braid it, creating a dense flowering wall.

Remember! Nasturtium will go well with climbing roses, 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 encourage in the future to create a decorative corner with this wonderful plant rich in color. It will make you prove yourself as a real landscape designer.

A little modest, but at the same time bright and memorable - all this can be said about nasturtium in the garden. Even despite the fact that most gardeners prefer to grow more exotic plant species, nasturtium does not make it any less popular. This is due not only to its outstanding appearance and variety of colors, but also to unpretentiousness, resistance to various negative influences.

Nasturtium or Capuchin large (some know this plant by that name) belongs to the Nasturtium family. The culture is distinguished by single flowers of small or large sizes, painted in various colors. Most often found nasturtium with pink, crimson, yellow or scarlet flowers. But also flowers can be painted in apricot, cream, salmon or cherry.

On a note! The diameter of semi-double or double flowers can reach 8 cm, but, as a rule, they do not grow more than 5 cm. Each flower has 5-7 petals and a funnel-shaped tube. The plant is distinguished by its delicate and delicate aroma.

Most species of nasturtium have large, rounded, shield-shaped leaves, although plants with palmate, entire, or alternate leaves can also be found. Their surface is glossy, and the stems can be upright, curly, branched or creeping - it depends on the variety of nasturtium.

Varieties

There are several types of nasturtium, each of which differs in its color, leaf and flower shape, as well as the method of decorative use. Consider some popular types.

Table. Common types of nasturtium.

Species name, photo	Description
	Based on the name, it is easy to guess what the peculiarity of this plant is. We are talking about low growth (from 15 to 30 cm). Dwarf (or small) nasturtium has small yellow flowers and the same small leaves. Most often it is grown to decorate balconies or window sills.
	An annual bush plant grown by gardeners for landscaping. It is considered a compact flower, so it is often used to decorate garden paths.
	A chic plant grown as an ampelous or ground cover crop. It has long stems and lush flowers, so housewives often decorate their flower beds with climbing nasturtium.
	A popular plant that reproduces both vegetatively and with the help of seeds. There is another name - super-terry nasturtium. In most cases, it is grown as an ampelous crop due to its bright double flowers.
	With the help of this type of plant, gardeners create vertical gardening, and also form a hedge. The length of the shoots can reach 3 m, the diameter of the flowers is from 3 to 6 cm. There are many varieties of climbing nasturtium, including those with double inflorescences.

Optimal sowing time

There are only three ways to propagate flowers: seedlings, cuttings and seeds. Among them, the simplest is sowing nasturtium seeds in open soil, but if you decide to do this business in the spring, it will be more efficient to sow the crop for seedlings, and then plant the latter in open ground. Thanks to this cultivation, growth is greatly accelerated. The optimal period for sowing seeds is the end of March or the first half of April. If you live in cold regions, then it is better to plant seeds in early May.

On a note! Some varieties of nasturtium - for example, terry - can be grown from cuttings. To do this, before planting, they should be rooted in wet sand. This is a good way to preserve the decorative and external features of the plant.

Growing nasturtium

Nasturtium belongs to unpretentious cultures, but for lush and long flowering, care must be taken to create optimal conditions for the plant.

Nasturtium - seedling cultivation

Soil preparation

For the growth of flowers, a moderately fertile and light soil with a slightly acidic environment is perfect. The soil must also have good drainage properties. If you plant this plant in soil well fed with organic fertilizers, then it will not bloom and please with its bright appearance. In this case, nasturtium will "fatten". But if you plant a crop in too poor soil, then the plant will lose its decorative qualities: the leaves will be small, and the stems will grow bare.

In addition, there is a possibility that when planting a plant in heavy soil, its root system will soon begin to rot. As a result, the flowers may die. Therefore, you need to take into account the preferences of the culture when planting and leaving. The soil should be moderately fertilized.

Seed preparation

Nasturtium seeds do not require any preparatory measures before planting, it is enough to buy a package of seeds of the variety you like, open it and start sowing. But you can also collect the seed yourself. To do this, collect the seeds as the plant wilts - during this period they just ripen.

You can find out when to start collecting seeds by evaluating their appearance. When ripe, the seeds change their color from green to whitish, and are also quite easily separated from the peduncle. Try to collect the seed before it falls to the ground. Use small cardboard boxes to store seeds.

Lighting Requirements

Nasturtiums are light and heat-loving plants, so a well-lit place is required for planting. When growing plants in a semi-shaded area, instead of lush and long flowering, a lot of green mass awaits you. It is also necessary to protect the flowers from drafts, as they will interfere with normal growth.

On a note! Even slight temperature changes can adversely affect plants. Also, severe frosts can kill nasturtium, and any cold will adversely affect its appearance.

Sowing seeds in hot sawdust

Step 1. Place a small amount of sawdust in the bottom of a plastic container. In this case, cat litter pellets are used. In fact, these are the same sawdust, only in pressed form.

Step 2 Pour the granules with boiling water so that they swell well. This should happen in seconds.

Step 3 Mix everything thoroughly with a spoon and check if there are any hard lumps left. Top up with a little more water if necessary. As a result, you should get a thick slurry.

Step 4 Open a pack of nasturtium seeds and plant them in hot sawdust, carefully falling asleep with your fingers. The optimal distance between seeds is 2-3 cm.

Step 5 After planting all the seeds, cover the container with cling film. You can also use a regular plastic bag for this purpose.

Step 6 After 4-6 days, the plant should respond to such conditions and soon you will see the first shoots. Once this happens, remove the container from the package. Now it's time to transplant the plants from the container into individual pots. Do this carefully so as not to damage the root system.

Aftercare

Proper care of nasturtiums consists of regular weeding and watering. During the period when the plant is actively growing, it especially needs frequent watering. This period ends with the beginning of flowering - then it is necessary to reduce the frequency of watering. It is necessary to focus on the condition of the soil - if it began to dry out, then moisten it. At the same time, remember that abundant watering can lead to poor flowering of the crop or its absence.

To ensure air access to the root system and maintain moisture in the soil, weeding should be carried out periodically. You can resort to mulching if you do not have time to do weeding. Regularly remove wilted flowers - this will ensure a well-groomed and beautiful appearance of your garden dweller. By following this procedure, you can also ensure that the nasturtium blooms luxuriantly.

On a note! As you have already seen, growing nasturtium is a simple task that even a novice gardener can handle. And providing optimal conditions for growth and the right place for planting will certainly lead to inevitable success, that is, to abundant flowering.

Transplanting seedlings into the ground

Despite its unpretentiousness, nasturtium is considered a rather delicate plant, so the transplant process should be approached with caution and accuracy. Various disturbances can harm the superficial root system, because it is too sensitive. To prevent this from happening, a plant transplant must be carried out together with an earthen clod, trying not to destroy it at the same time.

It takes some time for the plant to adapt after transplanting, so don't be discouraged if the nasturtium looks a little lethargic at first. Regular watering and time will definitely bring the plant back to normal.

Disease and pest control

The peculiarity of nasturtium is that this plant is not attacked by Colorado potato beetles, whitefly, cabbage and other omnivorous pests. Therefore, many gardeners plant a crop next to cabbage beds or near nightshade crops. But as for other insects, for them nasturtium plays the role of an excellent honey plant.

Diseases also affect the culture not very often, but still it happens. Most often, the plant is affected by bactericidal wilt, accompanied by weakening of the leaves, and, as a result, the death of the plant. Rust may form on the plant in the form of spots or stains of brown or black. Gray root rot, as a rule, is accompanied by the appearance of brown spots on the leaves of nasturtium. Also, flowers can be exposed to the ringspot virus, while the leaves become covered with small spots.

The appearance of any of these diseases should be a signal for the removal and burning of affected plants. After that, be sure to treat the hole with a special weak solution of potassium permanganate. It is advisable to use a hot solution - it is more effective. Healthy plants should also be treated. For this purpose, you can use Oksihom, Topaz, Ridomil and other insecticides.

On a note! An excess of moisture can provoke the development of diseases. And loosening the soil and regular weeding will protect nasturtium from infection.

Decorative uses

Nasturtium is a unique plant used as a border plant or to decorate garden paths. Plants planted in small groups will look very nice. In addition to decorating the garden, housewives grow nasturtium in garden flowerpots and put it, as a rule, in the bedroom or living room. This arrangement is associated with a calming and pacifying effect on the human body. It is not uncommon to find a balcony or terrace decorated with different varieties of nasturtium. If we talk about combining with other flowers, these are definitely bright double flowers.

Video - Growing nasturtium seedlings

Angel

I want to decorate a flower bed near the house with nasturtium. I got seeds. But not sure when to plant them. Tell me how to grow nasturtium from seeds?

If you want to make your site irresistible, bright and original, then try to grow charming nasturtium from seeds on it yourself. We will tell you about the code and how to plant this unpretentious and beautiful plant. This process will not require any special skills from you and will not take much time.

Growing nasturtium from seeds

Amazing nasturtium (capuchin) belongs to the Nasturtium family. This herbaceous plant (perennial and annual) today has about 90 different species. Nasturtium is often used in modern landscape design, as it is characterized by long and very attractive flowering. It has lobed alternate leaves and fragrant, axillary flowers of irregular shape. Also, it is known for its healing properties and excellent taste, which earned it a place of honor in medicine and cooking.

Nasturtium is a fairly unpretentious plant that is very easy to grow yourself.

This unique plant is propagated by seeds:

• seedling method;
• reckless method.

The seeds of these plants, with the right content, remain viable for up to 4 years. Before sowing, they are recommended to be placed in hot water for 10 minutes, and then soaked for a day.

The second half of May will be the perfect time for sowing nasturtium seeds in open ground, since the frost ends at this time. First, you need to make holes in the soil about 2 cm deep and place them at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Seeds are placed in the hole in 4 pieces (using the nesting method). Growing nasturtium in a permanent place (without transplanting) makes it more resistant to all kinds of diseases and dangerous pests.

Nasturtium seeds

If there is a possibility that the cold may return at night, then cover the seedlings with any protective covering material, and take only warm water for watering. With this method of reproduction, the first shoots should appear in just a couple of weeks.

If apply seedling method, nasturtium will delight you with earlier flowering. At the same time, seeds are sown in early May in special peat cups, throwing 3 pieces into them to a depth of about 2 cm. Seedlings should be kept at a temperature of 20-23 degrees. Seedlings need a large amount of light, which contributes to their normal development and growth. Shoots in this case will also appear in a few weeks. After that, the room temperature should be reduced to 18 degrees.

Nasturtium sprouts

Attention! Nasturtiums have a rather weak root system. Transplant them into open ground very carefully, along with an earthen clod, so as not to damage.

Features of the planting process

For planting nasturtium, the most optimal area will be with good lighting and protection from strong gusts of wind. These plants prefer slightly acidic soil, fertile and very light. So they will delight you with their inimitable flowering and lush green foliage. Be sure to provide them with a good drainage system, as excessive moisture can cause rotting.

Choose a sunny place for nasturtium

To avoid breakage or breakage of the fragile roots of nasturtium, plant it in an open grant along with peat cups or an earthen clod. Depending on the dimensions of the different varieties, keep a distance of 20-40 cm between plantings. If you did everything correctly and accurately, then you can admire the first flowering of the charming nasturtium somewhere in 30-45 days.

From this moment on, your site will be transformed beyond recognition, because now you can grow fantastic nasturtiums in it with your own hands. Bright, rich and bewitching, they will cause a lot of admiring glances and pleasant compliments.

Planting nasturtium: video

In the warm climate of South America, where nasturtium comes from, these plants are often grown as perennials, producing lush flower caps almost all year round. But neither powerful stems nor fleshy roots can survive Russian winters.

Therefore, the culture is well known to domestic gardeners as a spectacular annual, pleasing with flowering almost throughout the summer. The first buds, planting which with seeds or seedlings is not so difficult even for a beginner grower, appear in mid-June or July, and the last flowers under a wave of autumn frosts.

In order for the plant to give green mass earlier and enter the flowering time, it is necessary:

• correctly select a landing site for nasturtium;
• provide seedlings with proper care, including watering and fertilizing;
• protect stems, flowers and leaves from pests and diseases.

Much depends on the planting material.

Common types of nasturtiums are propagated by seeds that mature in temperate climates and can be used for sowing in the next season.

Place for planting nasturtium in the garden

Both bush and climbing forms of nasturtium prefer light, well-aerated soils with moderate nutrient content and slight acidity. Nasturtium in the garden, planted on depleted soils, is easy to distinguish by elongated internodes, small leaves and corollas of flowers.

The high density of organic-rich soil can play a trick on the grower. Not only will the seeds experience serious difficulties with germination, but the young plant will begin to "fatten", giving a lot of foliage, not flowers. If the soil with a high content of clay or black earth is also excessively moistened, the roots of the nasturtium quickly rot and the plant dies.

The best choice of site for planting nasturtium is sandy loam or loam with good drainage, regular watering and top dressing, if necessary.

There is a famous saying about "warm feet and cold head". Nasturtium is the opposite. With all the love of this culture for warmth and light, it is important to choose a place so that the roots of the plant are shaded. But the foliage and flowers that are in the sun will be able to express themselves in full force, especially if they are protected from the wind and possible frosts.

With the role of a support for climbing and climbing species of nasturtium, a trellis, a garden fence or a backyard wall will do just fine. Bush forms are good in flowerbeds, and ampelous ones - in hanging planters or decorative flowerpots.

Ways to plant nasturtium

There are three main ways to plant and grow nasturtiums:

• Obtaining nasturtium from seeds simplifies the process of plant acclimatization, seedlings take root in warm soil without problems and grow actively.
• The seedling method of planting a crop allows you to bring flowering closer and make it longer, but there is a risk of losing seedlings after being transferred to the soil.
• With the help of cuttings that quickly take root in wet sand or water and are ready for planting in a permanent place in the garden. This method is indispensable when it is not possible to obtain seeds of an exotic species or a new variety.

In addition, some types of nasturtium form tubers suitable for winter storage at temperatures close to zero and spring planting in the ground.

Growing nasturtium from seeds

Most types of cultivated nasturtium can be grown from seed, bypassing the seedling stage. This method saves a lot of time and effort. Nasturtium, the cultivation and care of which begins with seeds, initially develops in open ground and does not get sick. The only negative is that it will be possible to see blooming nasturtium in the garden only by the middle of summer.

And sometimes gardeners complain that the seeds do not want to hatch at all. This may happen due to:

• low quality or immaturity of the seeds themselves;
• too cold soil at the time of planting nasturtium;
• excess moisture in the soil;
• strong deepening of seeds;
• high soil density in the place chosen for nasturtium.

In order not to encounter these troubles, before sowing, the seeds are dipped in water from 40 to 50 ° C for a quarter of an hour and then soaked for another day. This activates the sprout and softens the dense surface peel.

Nasturtium planting is carried out in May, only in sufficiently warm soil. In holes located at a distance of 20–30 cm, two or three seeds are lowered to a depth of 2 cm.

Nasturtium seedlings do not tolerate cold snaps and need to be protected during frosts with shelters made of film or non-woven material. The same technique, as well as watering with warm water, will make the plants develop faster.

Planting nasturtium seedlings for early flowering

The main danger of the seedling method of growing nasturtium is the risk of damage to the rather juicy and brittle roots of the plant, so the seeds are sown in separate containers to avoid picking and transfer to the ground along with an earthen clod.

Even better if for planting nasturtiums or pots.

• Sowing in April or early May is carried out to a depth of not only 2 cm, 2–3 seeds per hole.
• Landings need to provide an air temperature of about +22 ° C.
• When shoots appear in two weeks, the temperature is slightly lowered to +18 ° C and good lighting is organized for the sprouts.

You can move the plants to the garden if the threat of frost has passed. Most often this happens by mid-May, less often - in June. If, after planting, bad weather or cool nights await the nasturtium, it is better to protect the plantation with covering material.

And the gardener will be able to take the first photos of nasturtium flowers a month or a half after planting the seedlings in the ground. The flowering will end only with the onset of stable cold weather.

Growing and caring for nasturtium during the summer

Caring for nasturtiums during the summer months is not difficult at all. The plant requires only regular but moderate watering and removal of weeds in the root zone. If you take care of the mulching of the loosened soil in advance, then both mandatory measures are greatly simplified and are required less frequently.

The mode and method of watering for nasturtiums is chosen so that the moisture does not stagnate and does not remain on the green during the hot time of the day. Otherwise, instead of being useful, watering can lead to root rot and sunburn of foliage and flowers.

The lack of water during cultivation and care of nasturtium causes a disproportionate elongation and weakening of the stems, crushing and yellowing of the leaves, mass shedding of flowers and buds. You can support a weakened plant with mineral top dressing, as well as regular pruning of old and dry stems, removing wilted leaves and corollas.

If signs of diseases or traces of pests are found on the nasturtium, the damaged parts of the plant are removed and destroyed, and the crown is treated with insecticides or other drugs.

Collection of nasturtium seeds in the garden

Many types of nasturtium common in Russia, in addition to foreign ones, produce seeds suitable for planting. It is not difficult to collect the fruits formed in place of the calyx with three seeds under a thick folded peel.

If you look at the nasturtium and photos of flowers, you can see how, increasing in size, the fruits change color from bright green to pale. This is the process of maturation, and then the seeds with dried skin, ready for germination, fall off and remain viable for at least four years.

When to collect nasturtium seeds in order to prevent their unauthorized dispersal? Indeed, unlike stems and leaves, nasturtium seeds are not afraid of frost and will certainly start growing even in autumn, but the sprouts will not be able to overwinter.

The average period of fruit ripening on cultivated species is 40 days after the appearance of the flower. When collecting, they are guided by this period. If the coming frosts force to pick off still green seeds, they can be made to ripen by drying and stirring at room temperature for 1-2 months.

Amazing nasturtium flower - video

Nasturtium or Capuchin in its homeland of South and Central America is considered a perennial plant. In ornamental horticulture, this plant is known as an annual. In nature, nasturtium is found in mountainous, forested areas and lowlands. In Russia, this flower appeared thanks to Dutch flower growers.

The plant has a long flowering and is not demanding to care. It is because of these features that many gardeners choose it. Nasturtium is suitable for decorating any garden, decorating flower beds, borders, arches, arbors, window sills, balconies, hanging baskets, pots, vertical trellises.

flower description

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum) comes from the Nasturtium or Capuchin family. It has bright large or small (depending on the species) solitary, zygomorphic flowers of various shades.
The color of nasturtium flowers can be cherry, brown, raspberry, salmon, pink, scarlet, pale yellow, cream, yellow, orange and apricot.

Simple, double, semi-double flowers grow from 2 to 8 centimeters in diameter. The flower consists of a funnel-shaped tube and five or more petals. The flower has a delicate, delicate scent.

Bright green rounded shield-like large leaves are found in most species, but alternate, lobed, entire or palmately divided leaves are also found. They are arranged alternately and have a glossy surface with a wax coating.

The stems, depending on the variety, can be creeping, branching, curly and upright.

Types and varieties of nasturtium

Nasturtium is provided by many types and varieties. In floriculture, there are about 25 species of this beautiful flower, while scientists know more than 90 species.

Depending on the place of growth, shrub, ampelous, liana, climbing, creeping varieties are selected. The most common plants are found in the form of vines and shrubs.

Shrub view forms compact plants, holds its shape and is used in the design of borders and flower beds.

Nasturtium tricolor It has powerful roots and weaving stems. Coloring is bright, combines different shades. The look is decorative.

ampel view is a cascade of falling shoots with flowers.

Nasturtium is beautiful has thick rhizomes or tubers. The stems curl, the color of the flowers is red.

climbing view forms long stems and is used for planting on lawns, in flower beds, in pots, baskets, for decorating balconies, nets, arbors, as a ground cover or ampelous plant.

undersized view forms upright compact plants 25-30 centimeters high.

Dwarf (small) nasturtium is distinguished by thinner stems 15-35 centimeters high. The flowers and leaves of the species are small (no more than 3 centimeters in diameter). Flowers with dark spots of yellow.

creeping nasturtium forms a living flower carpet.

Tuberous nasturtium forms tubers underground.

Canarian (foreign) nasturtium is very different from all other species. Curly stems form a vine that grows up to 3.5-4 meters and needs support. It is this nasturtium that is called curly.

This flower has corrugated leaves and small bright yellow flowers. This type of nasturtium grows rapidly and blooms until the first frost. Due to the low resistance to cold in the cultural floriculture, nasturtium is grown for no more than 1 season.

This species is the most demanding for heat and moisture. The plant is suitable for decoration of arbors, fences, outbuildings.

The most famous species is big nasturtium. An upright plant grows up to 25-70 centimeters. The creeping plant reaches 2.5 meters. The flowers of both subspecies are bright, large. Large nasturtium is a parent plant for many hybrids that are united by a common species (hybrid, cultivated).

Also, nasturtium can be extra-double or thick-double. This species reproduces by seeds or vegetatively. Mostly these flowers are grown as an ampelous plant.

Nasturtium is very popular and breeders bring out new varieties every year.

Popular varieties of nasturtium include:

Variety Yeti has climbing shoots, the length reaches 2 meters. The leaves are light green. The flowers are a delicate white-cream with yellow spots in the center of the color.

cherry rose- this variety can decorate any flower garden with its beautiful and bright colors. Terry flowers have a raspberry-pink color. The plant grows up to 30 centimeters in height.

Variety Vesuvius has compact, small bushes 25-30 centimeters high. The stems are erect, the leaves are large as the plant grows, it becomes semi-creeping. Flowers with maroon spots on the upper part of the flower, salmon pink with an orange tint.

canary liana or Canary (South American liana) is a variety with long curly light green stems, 3.5 meters high. The leaves are light green in color and unusually shaped, with 5-7 separate leaves. The flowers are small, about 2 cm in diameter. The edges are fringed, the color is canary yellow with green spurs.
Flowering of this variety lasts from mid-summer to the beginning of cold weather.

Sort Day and night, is a low bushes about 30 centimeters high. The shoots are erect, the leaves are light green. Flowers are cream and red. This contrast of colors attracts many gardeners.

There are a lot of varieties and can also be distinguished: variety Peach Melba, Alaska, Ladybug, Terry Mix, Gleming Mahagani, Tom Tamb, Lucifer, Golden Globe, Type Top, King Theodore, Moonlight, Black Lady and others.

When to plant nasturtium seedlings

The flower propagates in three ways:

• seeds,
• cuttings,
• seedlings.

The easiest way to breed nasturtium is direct sowing in open ground. But in a cool spring, it is advisable to sow flowers at home for seedlings, and then plant stronger plants in the garden. This cultivation allows you to accelerate flowering. Seeds at home are planted from late March to early April. In regions with a cool climate, sowing is pushed back to mid-April - early May.

Terry and new varieties can be propagated by cuttings. Cuttings are rooted in water or wet sand before planting. This method allows you to maximize the specific (varietal) qualities of flowers.

Growing seedlings

Biocontainers (compressed vermicompost in granules), peat pots, cups with a removable bottom (10 cm in diameter) or peat tablets are suitable for this purpose.

Due to the weak roots of nasturtium, diving is not recommended.

Sprouts in peat tablets, when 2 main leaves appear, are transplanted into a pot. The tablets dissolve quickly in the soil and improve the quality of the soil and save on fertilizers.

The grown plants are transplanted with an earthen clod or directly in peat pots, biocontainers. Flowers are hardened before planting. In warm weather, seedlings are taken out for 2-4 hours a day in the air. Flowering occurs in 1-1.5 months.

Seed and soil preparation

Before planting nasturtium seeds for seedlings, they need to be prepared.

1. First of all, the seeds need to be sorted and the best ones selected. Underdeveloped, small and damaged are removed.
2. Then, for disinfection, the seeds are placed for 15 minutes in a potassium permanganate solution heated to 60 degrees.
3. After that, they need to be placed in cotton cloth or gauze and placed for a day in cool water.
4. For faster germination, they can be germinated a little and only then planted in pots.

You can buy ready-made soil mixture or make it yourself.

• A sod layer of earth is taken (1 part),
• sand (1 part),
• peat (1 part).

The mixture is thoroughly mixed and sieved. After that, it undergoes heat treatment with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. Potassium permanganate and boiling water disinfect the earth. The soil mixture remains at room temperature for 1-2 days. Then it is distributed in containers and can be taken for sowing.

Potassium permanganate can be replaced by watering with Fitosporin solution.

Sowing

Prepared seeds can be planted in the ground.

Varieties that will continue to grow indoors are planted immediately in a pot in a permanent place.

In any container, a recess of 2 centimeters is made. 2-3 seeds are placed in each container.

The earth is pressed a little and watered from a watering can with a nozzle or with a spray bottle. Such watering does not erode the soil and allows you to keep the seeds in their places.

Peat tablets are placed in a container and watered. Each tablet contains 1-2 seeds.

Containers with seeds are placed on a bright and warm windowsill.

Care

Subject to the temperature regime (20-22 degrees), the first shoots appear in 13-15 days. After 2 weeks, the growing temperature should be reduced by 2 degrees.

Seedlings should not stretch, otherwise the plants will be weak and will not take root well when transplanted into open ground. In case of poor lighting, seedlings need to provide additional lighting with a phytolamp. Light day should be about 15 hours.

Watering is carried out when the soil dries up. Flowers love dry air and spraying is not required for them. Moisture on plants should be excluded. If possible, water is poured directly into the pan and the roots of the plants receive moisture immediately from the soil.

One strong plant remains in the container with seedlings, the other (weaker) ones are removed.

Nasturtium: cultivation and care - video

Transplanting nasturtium seedlings into the ground

The place of cultivation should be protected from drafts and well lit.
An important factor for plant development is fertile, water and breathable, slightly acidic soil. Depleted soil is reflected in the splendor and flowering of the flower. Land with a high content of organic matter leads to the growth of green mass and the absence of flowers. Plants respond well to mineral fertilizers.

Transplantation is carried out depending on the climate from early May to early June. The weather should be sunny and warm. Seedlings by this time should reach 7 centimeters.

The gap between plants should be at least 20 centimeters, for tall and bushy varieties, the distance increases to 40 centimeters. The pits should be slightly larger than the volume of the pots (cups).

The plant is carefully, together with an earthen clod, rolled into a prepared hole, squeezed with earth and watered under the root. Peat, compost or any other type of mulch is scattered around the plants to contain moisture.

For the first time, in order to avoid freezing at night, the plants are covered with a film.

When to plant nasturtium seeds in open ground

Sowing in the ground is carried out at the end of frost, depending on the regions from late April to early June. Sown seeds are covered with a film or non-woven material to keep warm and quickly germinate. Covering material is removed in early June.

Seeds before sowing are immersed in hot water (for 15-20 minutes), and then soaked for a day in water at room temperature. Seeds are buried in the ground by 2 centimeters. The gap between the pits is 25-30 centimeters. 3-4 seeds are placed in one hole. The air temperature during cultivation should not fall below 16 degrees.

For faster spitting of seeds, plantings are watered with heated water up to 45-50 degrees.

The first shoots appear after 15 days. This planting allows you to grow plants that are more resistant to diseases and adapted to the conditions of the local climate and soil. Flowering occurs an order of magnitude later than planting grown plants.

Summer flower care

Nasturtium care consists of weeding, regular watering, loosening and top dressing. Weeding retains moisture and helps the roots get air. When planting weaving varieties, the soil can be mulched with sawdust, straw, dry fine grass, and needles.

Watering is done with warm water. The first weeks, before flowering, watering should be plentiful, then it is sharply reduced. Moisture is supplied after the soil dries. Excess water leads to the growth of green mass and the absence of flowers.

Before flowering, potash-phosphorus fertilizers are applied to the soil every 7-10 days.

To stimulate lush flowering, all wilted flowers are removed from the plant. Dead stems and leaves are trimmed with a sharp knife.

Diseases and pests

Nasturtium is not damaged by omnivorous pests (cabbage, aphids, whiteflies, Colorado potato beetles).

For this reason, this useful plant is planted between beds with nightshade crops and cabbage. This planting reduces the number of pests.

For other insects, nasturtium is an excellent honey plant.

Of the diseases, nasturtium is affected by bactericidal wilt. The lower leaves at the beginning become weak, and then the plant dies.

Black or dirty brown stains, spots on the plant characterize rust.
With the appearance of gray rot, brown dry spots appear on the leaf plates.

Mosaic is manifested by variegated, bright stains.
Also on the flowers you can see the ring spot virus, leaf spot.

When any of the diseases appears, the affected plants must be removed from the site and burned. The well is treated with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. Healthy flowers are treated with insecticides (Ridomil, Topaz, Oksikh).

An excess of moisture and top spraying harms the plant and leads to diseases.
Weeding and loosening the soil avoids infection, and saves planting.

How to collect your seeds

If possible, you can not buy nasturtium seeds, but collect them yourself. To do this, you need to monitor the condition of the fruits formed from the flowers. For seeds, the largest fruits are left. Ripe fruits become whitish.

The ripening period after withering of the flower is 40-50 days. Seeds must be collected immediately, otherwise the seeds will fall to the ground.

Seeds that fall into the soil remain viable and begin to germinate in the spring.

The only type of nasturtium in which the seeds do not fully ripen (in the middle lane) is foreign. The collected seeds reach the windowsill.

Dry seeds are packaged in paper bags and stored indoors (at 22-23 degrees) until the new season.

Nasturtium seeds remain viable for 4 years.

After collecting the seeds, the withered stems are removed from the site, and the soil is dug up.

The healing properties of nasturtium

This beautiful ornamental plant has many useful properties. The flower is used for medicinal and culinary purposes.

This plant is used for beriberi, anemia, depression, urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, in the treatment of acne, skin rashes, to stimulate hair growth.

The plant has an expectorant property and helps with coughing.

Provitamin A and phytoncides restore metabolism, help with atherosclerosis. A large amount of vitamin C in the plant helps in the treatment of scurvy. Essential oils are effective in vascular diseases. Carotene and sulfur from the plant are useful in sclerosis.

It contains a lot of phosphorus, iodine, potassium.

Infusions, decoctions are prepared from the plant, juice is squeezed out, vinegar and oil are made. Can be used fresh.

In cooking, the flower is used as a component for soups, salads, and to decorate dishes.

Dry, crushed seeds replace black ground pepper. Pickled fruits resemble capers.

They can be used as seasoning for various dishes. Young leaves can be added to salad. Vinegar and oil are made from nasturtium.

Unpretentious flowers for the Nasturtium garden: video

Observing all the necessary rules for growing nasturtium from seeds, you can get strong and healthy seedlings, and later beautiful bright flowers.