To make the nasturtium rise faster. Growing and caring for unpretentious nasturtium

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

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 (Canary). Liana up to 3.5 meters long. It is valued by gardeners for being able to very quickly close gazebos, arches, 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-colored - 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! Although the plant is unpretentious, 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.

Nasturtium (lat. 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 South and Central America, but it also settled in our latitudes for a long time and reliably, as it is distinguished by unpretentiousness, sought-after 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 sophisticated 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 given to nasturtium by Carl 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.
• Watering: from the beginning of the growing season - regular and plentiful, during flowering - as the soil dries.
• Top dressing: 1 time per week before flowering with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Nitrogen is not needed. From the beginning of flowering, top dressing is stopped.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphids, cabbage moths, whites, spider mites.
• Diseases: gray mold, rust, viral mosaic, black ring spot and bacterial wilt.

Read more about growing nasturtium below.

Nasturtium flower - description

Nasturtiums, both annuals and perennials, are often vines with a succulent stem, and sometimes subshrubs. The leaves are most often lobed, alternate, entire, palmate or thyroid. Flowers - simple, double and semi-double - irregularly shaped, fragrant, zygomorphic, bisexual, axillary, consisting of five (sometimes more) petals, the same number of sepals, a funnel-shaped tube with nectar.

The color of the flowers is usually 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 healing properties, and are also of interest to culinary specialists.

Growing nasturtium from seeds

Sowing nasturtium seeds

Nasturtium reproduces by seed, and even a beginner can cope with this. Large nasturtium seeds are sown directly into the open ground in mid or late May, when the last frosts have 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 nested way - 3-4 pieces per hole. If there is a possibility of overnight temperature drops, cover the seeded area with plastic wrap or other covering material and use only warm water for irrigation. Seedlings will appear in a week or two.

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In the photo: Nasturtium seeds

Nasturtium seedling

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, in which in April-May seeds are sown 2-3 pieces to a depth of 2 cm. The temperature in the room with seedlings should be 20-22 ºC. Shoots will appear in a couple of weeks.

Make sure that the seedlings have enough light, because the lack of lighting makes them stretch out, 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 cup.

Planting nasturtium

When to plant nasturtium

Nasturtium planting is carried out in the first decade of June. Select a well-lit and wind-sheltered spot in your garden, as nasturtium flowers do not bloom as profusely in the shade as they do in good light. The soil on the site should be slightly acidic, with good drainage, light and fertile. On soils rich in organic matter, plants turn lush green, but they do not want to bloom, on soils that are too poor, nasturtium blooms are not so beautiful, the leaves are small, and the stems look bare. In stagnant, moist soils, nasturtium rots.

In the photo: Flowering of yellow nasturtium

How to plant nasturtium

So, the beginning of June is 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 along with the pots to avoid breakage or breakage of 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 for the night. Nasturtiums will bloom in a month and a half.

Nasturtium Care

How to care for nasturtium

Nasturtium care consists in weeding the site and watering the plants. If you mulch the bed after planting, then you will not have to fight weeds.

At the very beginning of growth, regular and plentiful 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 be lush green, but there will be few flowers.

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

Nasturtium is fed weekly with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer until it blooms. Nasturtium nitrogen fertilizers will not be needed.

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Reproduction of nasturtium

In addition to the seed method for propagation of nasturtium, the vegetative method is also used - cuttings. Cuttings are rooted in wet sand or water. Most often, terry varieties of nasturtiums or new ones are propagated in this way, the seeds of which are difficult to find in flower shops. The vegetative method allows you to save 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 potato beetles, whiteflies, aphids, cabbage bugs, and other insect pests.

But diseases of nasturtium sometimes affect, primarily such as bacterial wilt, expressed in the weakening of the lower leaves, and then withering of the whole 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 damage by these diseases, infected specimens must be removed and burned, and healthy plants should be treated with special preparations that destroy pathogens.

In the photo: Growing red nasturtium

How to collect nasturtium seeds

If you feel like breeding, you can collect nasturtium seeds yourself. As the flowers wither, the seeds mature. 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 separated from the pedicel, fall to the ground.

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

Store ripened seeds in cardboard boxes. Foreign nasturtium seeds are harvested unripe and ripened at home.

In the photo: Large orange nasturtium flowers

Nasturtium after flowering

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

Types and varieties of nasturtium

In the wild, 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 most commonly grown are:

In the photo: Several varieties of nasturtium side by side

Foreign nasturtium (Tropaeolum peregrinutn)

Or Canarian nasturtium - a liana from South America, the light green stems of which reach a length of 350 cm and very quickly braid arbors and trellises. It blooms from mid-summer to frost with bright yellow small flowers with corrugated petals and green spurs. The leaves are medium-sized, five- or seven-parted. 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 upright, 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 capacity up to 4 years. The leaves are asymmetrical, large, round, thyroid, the surface is light green, the underside is gray-gray, the petioles are long, diameter is about 8 cm. The species is represented by dozens of varieties, including compact bush forms:

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

Cultivated nasturtium (Tropaeolum cultorum)

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

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

In the photo: Large nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Small nasturtium (Tropaeolum minus)

Branched, furrowed thin stems up to 35 cm tall, the leaves of small nasturtium are rounded, small, thyroid, petioles are very long and thin. Small flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, yellow with dark spots, three upper velvety petals are pointed along the edge, 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. Sometimes this variety is called the Black Lady.

Shield nasturtium (Tropaeolum peltophorum)

It is a creeping semi-shrub with dark green, succulent and brittle shoots reaching up to 4 m in length. Leaves are thyroid, dark green. Juicy dark red flowers. It blooms from June to October, the seeds ripen perfectly. The most common variety.

Nasturtium is an unpretentious annual, which you definitely need to plant in your summer cottage. Once it was brought to the territory of Russia from Holland and was called capuchin because of the hood-like shape of the flower. But over time, capuchin became nasturtium, and today it takes pride of place in the list of the most popular annuals.

In flowerbeds, flower beds and flowerpots, mainly several types of nasturtium are grown.

Nasturtium is large, the whips of which reach a length of 2.5 meters. The most popular varieties are King Theodore, Ladybug, Peach Melba, Salmon Baby.

Cultural nasturtium, combining hybrids of large nasturtium and shield-bearing nasturtium. Varieties vary from dwarf to giant. Popular varieties: Moonline - a giant up to 3 meters, Gleming Mahagani - a medium-sized bush up to 35 cm high, Golden Globe - a compact bush up to 40 cm.

Small nasturtium - represented by undersized varieties, such as Cherry Rose, Black Velvet.

Nasturtium: growing from seeds - when to plant?

Before planting nasturtium, you need to choose a suitable place for it - well lit by the sun and protected from the wind. Nasturtium prefers moderately fertile soil. On humus-rich soil, it will “fatten” and wildly increase its green mass to the detriment of flowering, and on poor soil it will lose its decorative effect.

You can grow nasturtium using seedlings and directly sowing seeds in open ground. Sowing directly into open ground is more suitable for southern regions, because nasturtium is a sissy and does not tolerate frost.

Nasturtium seeds are planted in the second half of May, when the threat of frost has passed. Seeds are pre-soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, and then kept on a damp cloth for another day. Seeds can be germinated to speed up germination. The seeds that have hatched, 2-3 pieces each, are planted in holes to a depth of 2 cm at a distance of 20-30 cm. When the temperature drops, it is advisable to cover the crops with a non-woven covering material.

To speed up the emergence of seedlings, experts recommend pouring hot water over the wells before planting, and then cover the crops with non-woven material, and additionally cover with plastic wrap at night. Water the seedlings with moderately warm water and do not open them until the beginning of June.

Growing seedlings of nasturtium

For central Russia and more northern regions, it is preferable to grow nasturtium in seedlings, which will allow you to enjoy long summer flowering. Seeds for seedlings are planted in mid-April. It is not worth planting earlier, because seedlings will take root worse when planted in open ground.

Seeds are prepared for planting in the same way as for open ground: soaked in hot water, and then on a damp cloth. It should be noted that nasturtium does not tolerate transplantation well, so the seeds are immediately sown in separate peat pots, 2-3 seeds per container. The temperature for seed germination should be between 20-22 degrees.

After 10-14 days shoots will appear. In order for seedlings to grow strong, they need a well-lit place. Seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early June, when the threat of frost has passed completely.

Nasturtium care consists of regular watering, especially when the plants are still young, weeding, and removing faded flowers. You do not need to be diligent with watering, because the nasturtium begins to grow leaves if the soil around the plant is moist all the time.

Nasturtiums for the splendor and brightness of flowering need regular top dressing, but not with nitrogen fertilizers. Nasturtium is fed every week with potash and phosphorus fertilizers until flowering begins.

Home gardening is not only interesting, but also healthy. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world are fond of growing plants and flowers. Many of these plants not only look good, but are also very healthy. Nasturtium is one of those.

In this article we will talk about nasturtium - its transplantation, flowering and pests. We will tell you how to grow nasturtium from seeds and how to care for it so that the plant is healthy and strong.

The homeland of the flower is Central and South America, and in the biological genus of this plant there are more than 45 species. The name "nasturtium" was derived from the Latin word meaning "little trophy". This is due to the shape of the flower and leaves of nasturtium, resembling a helmet and a shield, respectively. Nasturtiums can be either annual or perennial.

In appearance, it is a herbaceous plant or a medium-sized shrub with a powerful succulent stem and many branches. Round succulent leaves, covered with a wax coating, are arranged in a strict order on the stem. The flowers are irregularly shaped, solitary, placed in the axils of the leaves and have a very pleasant, delicate aroma.

How to grow nasturtium from seeds?

Medium-sized nasturtium seeds - in 1 g from 10 to 40 seeds in a dense shell. Germination of seed is well preserved for 3-4 years.

Nasturtium is a southern, which means it is a very heat-loving plant. If you decide to sow it immediately in open ground, wait until it warms up well (not earlier than May). For seedling cultivation, nasturtium can be sown as early as March-April. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked in warm water for 12-24 hours. Sow in groups - 2-4 seeds per hole, after which the surface of the soil is wetted with water. Then the pot with seeds is covered with a film and cleaned in a warm place. The first shoots appear after 12-14 days. Flowering begins on average a month and a half after germination.

Why nasturtium does not rise:

1. Low temperature.
2. Excessive humidity.
3. Poor seed quality.
4. The soil is too heavy or the seed is planted too deep into the soil.

Planting nasturtium in the ground

The plant has a rather delicate root system and does not tolerate transplantation well. If you decide to grow nasturtium through seedlings, take care to minimize injuries during transplantation - sow it in peat cups or containers with a removable bottom. When planting in the ground, the distance between plants should be about 25-30 cm.

Nasturtium should be grown in well-lit and calm places. In the shade, the plants become thin and stunted, flowers practically do not form. It is very important to take care of good drainage and moderately fertile soil for the plant - this is the only way to ensure truly lush flowering. An excess of organic or mineral nitrogen fertilizers causes the nasturtium to kick out many leaves, but few flowers. Nasturtiums respond well to potassium-phosphorus supplements.

To prolong flowering, dead flowers should be removed before the seeds ripen (of course, only if you do not plan to collect a lot of seed next year).

Pests and diseases of nasturtium

Nasturtium is susceptible to attacks by pests of cruciferous crops - aphids, cruciferous fleas, whites, cabbage moths, and. To combat them, you should regularly destroy pests manually or use appropriate chemicals.

Very often, with improper care, the leaves of the plant change color. There can be many reasons why nasturtium leaves turn yellow, but the most common ones are:

In addition to yellowing of the leaves, their spotting can also be observed - small dark dots with a reddish edge, gradually spreading to the entire leaf. In addition, the plant can be affected by bacterial wilt, gray mold, ring spot viruses and rust.

To combat diseases, it is very important to remove and burn the affected areas in time, and treat the healthy parts of the plant with specialized preparations.