Nobody should do without nasturtiums in the garden. Because it not only looks good, it also tastes wonderfully spicy and drives away pests.
The nasturtium is both an ornamental and a useful plant and a real feast for the eyes in the garden. In addition, it is very easy to plant and is also very easy to care for. So it doesn't need much to grow vigorously. That's why everyone can plant them in the garden.
If you want to bring the nasturtium into the garden, onto the balcony or onto the terrace, then you have the choice between growing it on the windowsill in the house and sowing it in the garden. It doesn't really matter which variant you choose. The plants, which are as tasty as they are floriferous, thrive with both methods.
Prepare nasturtiums indoors
You can start growing nasturtium on the windowsill indoors from the beginning of February. You will need:
- Nasturtium Seeds
- Growing substrate (peat-sand mixture or garden soil)
- Cultivation pots (diameter approx. 6 cm)
- Clear Film
- Household rubbers
Nasturtium seeds can be bought in garden stores or online (e.g. at Amazon). Sometimes they are also offered in discount stores. Just keep your eyes open.
How to do it:
❶ Soak the nasturtium seeds in water for a few hours.
❷ Then fill the growing pots with substrate, put two to three seeds in each pot and sprinkle another thin layer of substrate on top.
❸ Then slightly moisten the seeds, cover the pots with cling film and fix them with a rubber band.
❹ Now place the pots in a bright spot on the windowsill. The room temperature should be between 18 and 22°C.
❺ The germination time of the nasturtium is now about two to three weeks. During this time, keep the substrate moderately moist and later also water the seedlings regularly.
❻ After the ice saints in mid-May, you can put the nasturtiums in the gardenput. Cultivation in a bucket or balcony box is also possible without any problems.
Sowing nasturtiums in the garden
If growing indoors is too cumbersome for you, you can also sow the nasturtium directly outdoors from mid-April.
How to do it:
❶ Let the seeds soak for a few hours with this method as well.
❷ Then keep a sufficient distance of at least 30 centimeters in the row, because the nasturtium grows strongly in width. Therefore, always choose the location with care, because once sown or planted in the garden, the plants should remain in their place. The nasturtium does not tolerate changes of location well.
❸ Now place the seeds about 3 centimeters deep in the ground. Then cover them with some soil and press them down a little.
❹ Now all you have to do is water the seeds and keep them evenly moist.
This is what the correct location looks like
Choose a partially shaded to full sun location. The more sunlight the nasturtium gets, the more lush your plants will thrive. If you choose a shady location, then you have to expect that your nasturtium will not have any flowers or will only bloom very sparingly.
The soil at the site should be permeable and loose. If the soil in your garden is heavily compacted, you can easily optimize it with fresh compost and sand.
Tip:
If there are suitable climbing aids such as a fence or a trellis, the nasturtium will grow tall without any problems. When cultivating in tubs or window boxes, attractive visual effects can also be achieved with the hanging, flowering shoots.