Edible Nasturtiums In My March Garden
Nasturtium Flowers: Planting, Growing, and Caring for Nasturtiums
Photo Credit Pixabay
Botanical Name
Tropaeolum majus, T. minus
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun Part Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer Fall
Flower Color
Orange Red White Yellow
Hardiness Zone
10 11
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies
Subhead
The Complete Nasturtium Flower Guide
Catherine Boeckmann
March 20, 2025
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Email Address
Almanac Garden Planner
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The nasturtium is a cheerful flower that does it all! This annual adds a pop of color to the garden, fights insect pests, and is even edible. Pop one in your mouth! Here’s how to plant and grow nasturtiums (as well as some tasty ways to enjoy them after you harvest the flowers).
About Nasturtiums
These lovely plants, with their unique greenery and vibrant flowers, grow well in containers or as ground cover around vegetable gardens. In fact, they are often used as a trap crop in companion planting, drawing aphids and other garden pests away from the more valuable vegetables.
Nasturtium is a friend of beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, kale, melon, pumpkin, and radish.
Pests aren’t the only thing nasturtiums attract, however. They are also a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and their pretty fragrance makes them a good choice for cut-flower gardens, too.
Nasturtiums are grown as annual plants in most areas, though they may perennialize in frost-free zones.
Types of Nasturtiums
There are many varieties of nasturtiums, which are divided into two main types: trailing or climbing types (Tropaeolum majus) and bush types (T. minus). As their names suggest, the main difference between them is their growth habit, with trailing nasturtiums forming long vines and bush nasturtiums remaining more compact. (Bush types are also sometimes called “dwarf” nasturtiums.)
Trailing nasturtiums are great for growing in a window box or hanging basket, as their vines drape and climb beautifully. Bush nasturtiums are a better choice for smaller gardens where space is limited.
Nasturtium climbing up fence
Nasturtiums are Edible Flowers!
An important feature of all nasturtiums is their edibility! Nasturtiums’ leaves, flowers, and seedpods have a peppery, almost mustard-like taste, which makes them lovely as a salad garnish. The seedpods may also be pickled and used like capers.
Check out our video to learn more about the benefits of growing nasturtiums:
Read Next
Companion Planting Chart and Guide for Vegetable Gardens
Growing Edible Flowers in Your Garden
Companion Planting With Flowers
PLANTING
Plant nasturtiums in full sun (6+ hours of sunlight) for the best results. They will grow in partial shade (3–6 hours of sunlight), but won’t bloom as well.
Soil should be well-draining. Nasturtiums do well in poorer soils and do not typically need extra fertilizer (unless your soil is extremely poor). Too much nitrogen will encourage more foliage than flowers.
Be conscious of the growing habit of the type of nasturtium you’re growing. Plan to provide support for trailing types.
When to Plant Nasturtiums
Nasturtium seeds may be sown directly in the garden (recommended) or started indoors. Because their fragile roots are sensitive to transplanting, we prefer to sow them directly.
Indoors: Start seeds 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date.
Outdoors: Sow seeds 1 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost date. Soil temperatures should ideally be between 55° and 65°F (12° and 18°C). Plan to protect young seedlings from late frosts.
How to Plant Nasturtiums
Sow the seeds about half an inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart in the garden.
Plants should appear in 7 to 10 days.
Nasturtiums with colorful flowers
GROWING
Water regularly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to overwater your plants. Nasturtiums are somewhat drought tolerant but still prefer to grow in moist soil. Plus, water-stressed plants will have subpar blooms and flavor.
Cutting off the faded/dead flowers will prolong blooming.
If you’re growing nasturtiums in containers, they may need to be trimmed back occasionally over the growing season. This encourages the plants to produce new foliage.
In summer, nasturtiums may stop blooming if they become heat-stressed. Their flavor may become more intense, too. Keeping them sufficiently watered can help to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures.
Varieties
‘Alaska Mix’ has variegated foliage and a mix of flower colors.
‘Salmon Baby’, to add a pretty salmon-pink color to your garden.
‘Variegatus’, which is a trailing type with red or orange flowers.
‘Peach Melba’ has creamy yellow flowers with orange-red centers.
‘Amazon Jewel’: variegated foliage; gemstone flowers of gold, pale lemon, orange, peachy-rose, and ruby
‘Empress of India’: heirloom; blue-green foliage; scarlet flowers
‘Jewel of Africa’: variegated foliage; cream-color, orange, peachy-pink, scarlet, and yellow flowers
‘Moonlight’: green foliage; pale yellow flowers
HARVESTING
Leaves and flowers can be harvested at any time.
Seedpods should be harvested before seeds have had a chance to mature and harden.
Snip off leaves, flowers, and seedpods with scissors to avoid damaging the plant.
If you allow the seedpods to mature, you can save the nasturtium’s chick-pea–size seeds and replant them in the spring! Let the seeds dry out on the vine; they’ll fall off. Collect them, brush off the soil, dry them, and store them in a paper envelope in a cool and dark place. Learn more about saving seeds.
GARDENING PRODUCTS
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Caterpillars
Flea beetles
Slugs
Whiteflies
Nasturtiums are often used as a trap crop, attracting pests like aphids away from vulnerable vegetables. Photo by Catherine Boeckmann.
WIT AND WISDOM
Nasturtium flowers are said to symbolize patriotism. Find out more flower meanings here.
Nasturtium flowers are one of several common garden flowers that are edible!
Every spring, as many as 10 gardeners at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, hang baskets of nasturtiums on the balconies above its courtyard, from which fall 20-foot-long trailing vines. Seeds for the plants are started in June and then trained at the museum’s greenhouses throughout the winter to be ready for the following spring’s exhibition. The display lasts about 3 weeks.
RECIPES
NASTURTIUM AND SHRIMP SALAD APPETIZER
COOKING NOTES
Leaves, flowers, and immature seedpods are edible and make for a beautiful garnish on any summer meal! The seedpods may also be pickled.
FLOWERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catherine Boeckmann
Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
Edible Nasturtiums In My March Garden
Nasturtium Flowers: Planting, Growing, and Caring for Nasturtiums
Photo Credit Pixabay
Botanical Name
Tropaeolum majus, T. minus
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun Part Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer Fall
Flower Color
Orange Red White Yellow
Hardiness Zone
10 11
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies
Subhead
The Complete Nasturtium Flower Guide
Catherine Boeckmann
March 20, 2025
Print Friendly and PDF
Sign up for daily gardening advice and tips
Email Address
Almanac Garden Planner
The Almanac Garden Planner - Use It Free for 7 Days!
Plan your 2025 garden with our award-winning Garden Planner.
TRY NOW
The nasturtium is a cheerful flower that does it all! This annual adds a pop of color to the garden, fights insect pests, and is even edible. Pop one in your mouth! Here’s how to plant and grow nasturtiums (as well as some tasty ways to enjoy them after you harvest the flowers).
About Nasturtiums
These lovely plants, with their unique greenery and vibrant flowers, grow well in containers or as ground cover around vegetable gardens. In fact, they are often used as a trap crop in companion planting, drawing aphids and other garden pests away from the more valuable vegetables.
Nasturtium is a friend of beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, kale, melon, pumpkin, and radish.
Pests aren’t the only thing nasturtiums attract, however. They are also a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and their pretty fragrance makes them a good choice for cut-flower gardens, too.
Nasturtiums are grown as annual plants in most areas, though they may perennialize in frost-free zones.
Types of Nasturtiums
There are many varieties of nasturtiums, which are divided into two main types: trailing or climbing types (Tropaeolum majus) and bush types (T. minus). As their names suggest, the main difference between them is their growth habit, with trailing nasturtiums forming long vines and bush nasturtiums remaining more compact. (Bush types are also sometimes called “dwarf” nasturtiums.)
Trailing nasturtiums are great for growing in a window box or hanging basket, as their vines drape and climb beautifully. Bush nasturtiums are a better choice for smaller gardens where space is limited.
Nasturtium climbing up fence
Nasturtiums are Edible Flowers!
An important feature of all nasturtiums is their edibility! Nasturtiums’ leaves, flowers, and seedpods have a peppery, almost mustard-like taste, which makes them lovely as a salad garnish. The seedpods may also be pickled and used like capers.
Check out our video to learn more about the benefits of growing nasturtiums:
Read Next
Companion Planting Chart and Guide for Vegetable Gardens
Growing Edible Flowers in Your Garden
Companion Planting With Flowers
PLANTING
Plant nasturtiums in full sun (6+ hours of sunlight) for the best results. They will grow in partial shade (3–6 hours of sunlight), but won’t bloom as well.
Soil should be well-draining. Nasturtiums do well in poorer soils and do not typically need extra fertilizer (unless your soil is extremely poor). Too much nitrogen will encourage more foliage than flowers.
Be conscious of the growing habit of the type of nasturtium you’re growing. Plan to provide support for trailing types.
When to Plant Nasturtiums
Nasturtium seeds may be sown directly in the garden (recommended) or started indoors. Because their fragile roots are sensitive to transplanting, we prefer to sow them directly.
Indoors: Start seeds 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date.
Outdoors: Sow seeds 1 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost date. Soil temperatures should ideally be between 55° and 65°F (12° and 18°C). Plan to protect young seedlings from late frosts.
How to Plant Nasturtiums
Sow the seeds about half an inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart in the garden.
Plants should appear in 7 to 10 days.
Nasturtiums with colorful flowers
GROWING
Water regularly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to overwater your plants. Nasturtiums are somewhat drought tolerant but still prefer to grow in moist soil. Plus, water-stressed plants will have subpar blooms and flavor.
Cutting off the faded/dead flowers will prolong blooming.
If you’re growing nasturtiums in containers, they may need to be trimmed back occasionally over the growing season. This encourages the plants to produce new foliage.
In summer, nasturtiums may stop blooming if they become heat-stressed. Their flavor may become more intense, too. Keeping them sufficiently watered can help to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures.
Varieties
‘Alaska Mix’ has variegated foliage and a mix of flower colors.
‘Salmon Baby’, to add a pretty salmon-pink color to your garden.
‘Variegatus’, which is a trailing type with red or orange flowers.
‘Peach Melba’ has creamy yellow flowers with orange-red centers.
‘Amazon Jewel’: variegated foliage; gemstone flowers of gold, pale lemon, orange, peachy-rose, and ruby
‘Empress of India’: heirloom; blue-green foliage; scarlet flowers
‘Jewel of Africa’: variegated foliage; cream-color, orange, peachy-pink, scarlet, and yellow flowers
‘Moonlight’: green foliage; pale yellow flowers
HARVESTING
Leaves and flowers can be harvested at any time.
Seedpods should be harvested before seeds have had a chance to mature and harden.
Snip off leaves, flowers, and seedpods with scissors to avoid damaging the plant.
If you allow the seedpods to mature, you can save the nasturtium’s chick-pea–size seeds and replant them in the spring! Let the seeds dry out on the vine; they’ll fall off. Collect them, brush off the soil, dry them, and store them in a paper envelope in a cool and dark place. Learn more about saving seeds.
GARDENING PRODUCTS
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Caterpillars
Flea beetles
Slugs
Whiteflies
Nasturtiums are often used as a trap crop, attracting pests like aphids away from vulnerable vegetables. Photo by Catherine Boeckmann.
WIT AND WISDOM
Nasturtium flowers are said to symbolize patriotism. Find out more flower meanings here.
Nasturtium flowers are one of several common garden flowers that are edible!
Every spring, as many as 10 gardeners at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, hang baskets of nasturtiums on the balconies above its courtyard, from which fall 20-foot-long trailing vines. Seeds for the plants are started in June and then trained at the museum’s greenhouses throughout the winter to be ready for the following spring’s exhibition. The display lasts about 3 weeks.
RECIPES
NASTURTIUM AND SHRIMP SALAD APPETIZER
COOKING NOTES
Leaves, flowers, and immature seedpods are edible and make for a beautiful garnish on any summer meal! The seedpods may also be pickled.
FLOWERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catherine Boeckmann
Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann