Nasturtium: types, planting and care
Miscellaneous / / May 03, 2023
Even an inexperienced gardener can grow this flower.
The easiest way is to sow nasturtium seeds directly into the ground - this plant sprouts and develops without any extra effort. But if you plant ready-made seedlings on a flower bed, flowering will come 2-3 weeks earlier.
When to plant nasturtium
Start sowing seeds in open ground spring, when the soil warms up to at least 10 degrees, stable heat will be established, night temperatures will not fall below zero degrees and the threat of return frosts will pass. For example, in the south you can plant a flower throughout May, in the regions of the middle lane - in the second half of May, and in the north - in late May - early June.
Ready seedlings of nasturtium are planted in open ground in late spring, when the threat of return frosts has passed and the night air temperature will be consistently positive. In the south, plants can be moved to a flower bed as early as mid-May, in the regions of the middle lane - towards the end of May, and in the north - in early June.
How to choose nasturtium
Think in advance what kind of flower you need for your flower beds, and then go for seeds or finished seedlings.
Decide on the view
There are five main varieties of nasturtium, which differ in flower appearance, leaf shape, and stem length. Carefully study the characteristics of the plant on the package with seeds, so that, for example, instead of a compact bush, you do not get a powerful vine that will capture the entire flower garden.
Large nasturtium forms creeping shoots up to 2.5 m long. Although some varieties can produce exceptionally erect stems about 70 cm high. The smooth leaves of the plant have a rounded thyroid shape, and the flowers are one-color or two-color in different shades - from cream to burgundy.
Small nasturtium grows in a compact bush with a height of only about 35 cm. The shape of the leaves is the same as that of the large nasturtium, however, their size is much smaller. Flowers of various colors are most often up to 3 cm in diameter, but in some varieties they can grow up to 6 cm.
Nasturtium cultivated is a lush, densely leafy bushes. Dwarf forms grow only up to 15-20 cm in height, compact varieties - up to 50 cm, and creeping ones produce shoots up to 4 m long. Rounded leaves can be green or purple. And multiple flowers have different colors. As a rule, their diameter is not less than 6 cm.
Shield nasturtium is a powerful creeping variety. Its height is only about 25 cm, but the shoots reach 4 m in length. The flowers of this variety are simple and monochromatic, up to 6 cm in diameter.
Nasturtium foreign (Canary) differs from all the others in the shape of the leaves: they are not rounded, but look like palms. The flowers of this species are smaller, and the corrugated petals resemble a fringe. This nasturtium grows very intensively, shoots reach 4 m in length.
Select seeds or seedlings
On packages with seeds, you can find not only the name of the variety with a photo, but also the main characteristics of the plant - the height and diameter of the bush, as well as the size and type of flowers. Often there are mixtures of colors or varieties - this is convenient, because you can grow different nasturtiums from one bag. When buying, pay attention to the date of manufacture of the seeds: it is important that they are no older than four years - this guarantees good germination.
For ready-made nasturtium seedlings, go to a nursery or garden center - this way you will be sure that the plant corresponds to the declared variety. A quality seedling should have at least two pairs of true leaves. Make sure they are free of stains, mold and pests.
How to Prepare the Soil for Growing Nasturtium
This flower loves sunny color, so find a well-lit place for it. The requirements for soil quality for both sowing seeds and planting seedlings of nasturtium will be the same. For 1 m² of flower beds deposit 10 liters of river sand, 5 liters of wood ash, 2 tablespoons of double superphosphate and 1.5 tablespoons of potassium sulfate. Pour all the components on the surface of the soil, dig it on the bayonet of a shovel, breaking up earthen clods, and level it with a rake.
How to plant nasturtium
Both methods will take literally 5 minutes.
seeds
1. Make holes or grooves
Their depth should be no more than 2-3 cm. If you are planting dwarf or compact varieties, space the rows or holes 10-15 cm apart. For vigorous and creeping forms, the distance should be 20–40 cm. It is convenient to make grooves with a bar or ruler, and holes with a finger.
Pour the holes with water and wait until it is absorbed.
2. Sow nasturtium
Place 2-3 seeds in each hole to increase the chances of germination. If you plant nasturtium into grooves, place 2–3 seeds in increments of 10–15 cm for dwarf and compact forms and 20–40 cm for vigorous ones.
Cover the seeds with soil, lightly compacting its surface with the palm of your hand. Moisten the crops with water using a watering can with a diffuser attachment so as not to wash out the soil.
3. Wait for shoots
Until the seeds hatch, watering the crops is not necessary. Be patient: nasturtium rises for a long time. If you did everything right, sprouts will appear in 12-14 days.
seedlings
1. Make holes
The size of the hole should be slightly larger than the volume of the pot in which the nasturtium grows. Dig a hole with a small shovel or even just your hands. If you plant several nasturtiums, keep a distance between them: at least 20 cm for dwarf and compact varieties, at least 40 cm for vigorous and creeping varieties.
2. plant a nasturtium
Carefully remove the seedling from the container, being careful not to damage it. roots. Place in the hole. You can deepen the stem into the ground to the bottom leaves. Fill any voids with soil and compact the surface of the soil around the plant with your palms.
Sprinkle the nasturtium with water from a watering can with a diffuser attachment so as not to wash out the surface of the soil. One plant needs 0.5–1 l of water.
How to care for nasturtium
Show a little care, and this unpretentious plant is sure to please with bright flowers.
Water the flower bed
Until the first buds appear on the bushes, you need to water the nasturtium regularly and plentifully. Ground on flowerbed should always be wet, but be moderate and do not turn it into a swamp. As soon as the nasturtium blooms, watering is sharply reduced. They are needed only when the soil in the flower bed dries up. The frequency of the procedure depends on the quality of the soil and weather. If the summer is dry and hot, on average it is enough to water the nasturtium once a week.
Loosen and weed the flower bed
Delete regularly weedsso that they do not take away nutrients from the nasturtium and do not spoil the appearance of the flower garden. At least once a week, try to loosen the soil around the bushes with a chopper so that the roots of the plant receive more oxygen.
Feed your nasturtium
Avoid fertilizers containing nitrogen. Under the influence of this element, nasturtium actively increases the green mass to the detriment of flowering. But potassium-phosphorus mixtures will come in handy - for example, potassium monophosphate.
You can feed nasturtium in two ways: root (pour the mixture under the root of the plant) and foliar (spray the leaves). For root dressing, dilute 1 tablespoon of potassium monophosphate in 10 liters of water, for foliar dressing, only 5 g of the product will be needed for the same volume.
Fertilize the flower once a week. Do this early in the morning or in the evening at sunset so that the solution does not burn the leaves of the nasturtium under the influence of sunlight.
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