A flower like nasturtium can decorate any garden plot. Moreover, in the care of this plant is quite unpretentious. Therefore, growing nasturtiums on your own is quite simple and pleasant: even a novice amateur gardener can do it.
This sunny flower fits perfectly into absolutely any flower arrangement, creating a bright accent in the flower bed. The gazebo or wall of the house, decorated with long curly varieties, is transformed for the better. Urban dwellers can also successfully use nasturtium flowers (cultivating and caring for them below) to make their balconies look more inviting.
What is nasturtium
Nasturtium, which is native to South and Central America, is a plant that can be grown both as an annual (this state of affairs is typical for Russia due to the climate that does not differ in warm winters) and as a perennial (in those countries where temperatures allow beautyfrom the tropics to stay in the soil for the winter). Also in use is another name for the flower (more ancient), namely, capuchin. It received this name because the buds resembled the hoods of monks.
You can see nasturtiums either in the form of a shrub, or in the form of a climbing vine with a thick stem. Flowers (double or semi-double), reaching a diameter of 70 mm, usually yellow, orange or red. And the green shiny leaves have subtle veins.
Note! There are varieties with variegated leaves.
Useful properties of the plant
In addition to being beautiful, nasturtium can be eaten without any fear (all parts of the plant are edible except the roots).
It also has a large list of useful (healing) properties:
- anti-inflammatory;
- antiseptic;
- diuretic;
- expectorant;
- laxatives.
Therefore, nasturtium is used to treat kidney stones, anemia, skin rashes, vitamin deficiency, scurvy, metabolic disorders, bronchitis, atherosclerosis, and also with the help of a plant you can improve blood circulation.
Important! Remember: an overdose of the drug can lead to significant irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa. People suffering from stomach ulcers or gastritis should not use this plant to treat their diseases.
Growing nasturtium
In Russia, nasturtium is propagated:
- Seeds. Highlycommon method. Growing nasturtium through seeds is carried out using seedlings, as well as without it (directly immediately into open ground).
- Cuttings (that is, in a vegetative way). This method, by which terry plant species are propagated, allows you not to lose varietal characteristics. The cuttings are rooted in water or moistened sand.
Growing with seedlings
Growing flowers in this way allows you to enjoy flowering much earlier than if the seeds were sown directly in open ground. For planting seeds for seedlings, either peat pots are used, or any suitable container for this purpose (for example, cups of sour cream or fermented baked milk).
Important! Due to the fact that nasturtium cannot boast of a developed root system, planting seeds should not be done in a common container. This should be done exclusively in separate pots, so as not to carry out picking in the future, which can adversely affect the condition of the roots.
Growing nasturtium at home is not difficult. You only need to have a desire, and you will succeed.
Preparing seeds
The dates for planting nasturtium for seedlings are at the end of April and the beginning of May. A few days before planting, it is worth taking care of the seeds, which, by the way, retain their germination capacity for 4 years:
- Planting material can be wrapped in a damp cloth and kept in this form for 2-3 days.
- Can be soakedfor one day seeds in hot water (about 40-50 degrees).
- Some gardeners recommend placing planting material for 10-12 hours in an Epin solution (or another with a similar effect).
You can either buy seeds in specialized stores (moreover, from trusted manufacturers), or collect them yourself.
Note! Remember: when growing nasturtium from seeds collected with your own hands, some varietal features of the plant may be lost. First of all, this applies to terry types.
How to harvest nasturtium seeds
It's easy to do. Seeds are fully ripe when they turn from green to whitish and easily separate from the peduncle. Planting material must be collected before the moment when it begins to fall to the ground.
Note! Seeds of all plant species have time to ripen before frost. The exception is foreign nasturtium. Seeds of this species are harvested unripe: they reach “condition” already at home.
Planting material should be stored in paper bags or cardboard boxes.
Planting seeds
The work algorithm is as follows:
- Pour soil mixture into pots.
- Make indentations into which we lay out 2-3 seeds.
- We deepen the planting material by 1-2 cm.
- Close up the holes with earth and lightly compact.
- Water carefully.
- Cover with transparent plastic wrap or glass and put in a warm place (the temperature should be about20-22 degrees).
- After the appearance of the first shoots, remove the film, transfer the seedlings to a brighter place. But the temperature should not exceed 18 degrees. Keep an eye on it.
Important! First: immediately after planting, the seeds should be watered only with warm water. Second: an excess of fluid is unacceptable (if it appears, check the drainage). And one more tip: do not spray the seedlings, as they need dry air.
Transplanting plants in open ground
Grown seedlings of nasturtium can be planted in open ground when the danger of night frosts has passed, and stable heat has come. As a rule, this is the end of May and the beginning of June (in especially severe climatic regions - June 10-12). At the same time, it is necessary to remember the peculiarities of growing nasturtium and follow certain recommendations:
- Since the flower is very photophilous, we allocate to it a place illuminated and protected from the wind on the plot. In the shade, the plant does not produce the lush flowering it is capable of.
- Due to the very weak root system, we transplant nasturtium seedlings into open ground along with a peat cup or earthen clod (when using a plastic container).
- The distance between plants should be about 30 cm for bush varieties and about 50 cm for climbers.
- The conditions for growing nasturtium require the removal of weeds. But if you mulch the bed after planting the seedlings, then you will not have to do this boring business.
- In case of night cooling, we cover the seedlings (for example,plastic wrap).
- With the onset of autumn, we burn the tops of cut flowers, and dig up the plot in the usual way.
If all the requirements of the agricultural technology of nasturtium are met, then after 15-30 days (after planting on open beds) the first flowers will appear that will delight you until the very autumn frosts.
Note! If there is no need to collect seeds, then we remove all dried flowers.
Nasturtium soil mix
When growing nasturtium, soil preparation is a very important point. The plant grows well and develops on moderately fertile soils with a slightly acidic environment. When grown on poor lands, the leaves become small, and the buds lose their decorative effect. On heavy and waterlogged soils, the root system of nasturtium dies. Organic matter is also not good for the plant, as it contributes to the growth of only green mass (to the detriment of flowers).
Irrigation recommendations
Basic requirements for the adoption of "water procedures":
Young crops should be watered with warm water moderately but regularly
Important! Don't forget: with an excess of moisture, many leaves are formed, but few flowers.
- After the flowers appear, simply moisten the soil.
- Every day (especially in hot weather) monitor the condition of the soil: water as soon as the soil becomes crumbly and dry.
A little about top dressing
Frequent and abundant feeding of nasturtium is not needed: in this case, a lot of green mass appears, and there are very few flowers (or they are completelydisappear). It is enough to feed the plants with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers once a month (for example, dissolve 30 g of nitrophoska in 10 liters of water and pour this solution).
Important! Nasturtiums should not be fed with organic fertilizers that promote leaf growth, not flowers.
About plant pests and diseases
Cabbage, Colorado beetles, whiteflies and other harmful insects bypass, or rather, fly around nasturtium side. For some reason they don't like her. Very good.
But some diseases still overcome plants. These include:
- Gray rot in the form of brown spots on the leaves.
- Black spots (similar to rust) or variegated stains in a mosaic pattern.
If these manifestations are caused by the fact that the plants either do not have enough light, or they are too waterlogged, or lack nutrients, then this can be corrected by transplanting the flowers to a more sunny place, reducing the "water procedures" or feeding with nitrophos. If the cause is a viral disease, then only cardinal measures will help: the plants affected by the disease must be removed from the garden without fail, burned, and the garden tools disinfected. Treat he althy flowers with special preparations (fungicide), and shed the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Important! In addition to all the above methods of dealing with viral diseases, we must not forget about the fight against insects (for example, spider mites or cruciferous flea), whichmay be carriers. For these purposes, you can use such chemicals as "Aktara" or "Decis", as well as folk remedies - tobacco dust or wood ash.
Growing method without seedlings
Despite the fact that nasturtium does not tolerate frost well, sometimes its seeds planted in open ground can still withstand slight low temperatures and still retain their germination capacity. Therefore, the method of growing nasturtium without the use of seedlings has the right to exist.
It is necessary to plant seeds in open ground at the end of May, dropping 2-3 seeds into each hole to a depth of 20 mm (in increments of 200-300 mm). If there is a danger of returning frosts, then you should not rush to plant nasturtium. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, some gardeners resort to this method - they spill a piece of land allotted for plants with hot water (40-50 degrees), then sow the seeds and cover with plastic wrap.
Note! At night, the sown area can be additionally covered with non-woven material. Only from June 1-12, young plants can be left open.
Cultivation of nasturtium Alaska
An annual beautiful plant (from 30 to 40 cm high, bud - 7 cm in diameter), with a delicate pleasant aroma and rather bright flowers of various colors, perfect for designing flowerbeds, balconies, borders and flower boxes (outside residential buildings). Flowering can be enjoyed from June until frost. distinctivecharacteristic - light green leaves (irregular shape), with white spots. The plant responds well to heat and light.
Sowing planting material can be carried out in open ground. The seeding depth is about 15 mm. Before sowing, planting material must be soaked for a day. Growing Alaska Nasturtium from seeds requires light to moderately fertile soil.
It is recommended to make frequent and regular watering in the initial period of plant growth, and after flowering - only if the soil dries out. It is necessary to feed with complex mineral fertilizers infrequently - once every 8-10 days, and only until flowering.
Nasturtium Maiden beauty
Annual light-loving and heat-loving plant of the nasturtium family (about 30 cm high) is a bush (about 35-40 cm in diameter). It has semi-double flowers (buds - 5-6 cm in diameter) of three colors (yellow, orange and red). Lush flowering - from June until the start of frosts.
Cultivation of nasturtium Maiden beauty suggests the presence of moist and moderately fertile soils. Although in general the plant is distinguished by unpretentiousness. Flowers can be grown with or without seedlings (seeds germinate well when planted in open beds).
For growing seedlings of nasturtium Maiden's Beauty, both pots and peat tablets, as well as simple plastic cups are perfect.
Advice! Nasturtium tolerates any transplant very painfully. Therefore, we recommend that you give preference to peat pots due to the fact that seedlings can be transplanted to the "permanent place of residence" with them.
The best time for sowing seeds is the period from late April to mid-May.
As for growing and caring for Nasturtium dwarf from seed, they are identical to the method described above.
Curly Nasturtium
This type of plant sometimes grows up to 3-4 meters. Nasturtium Curly (or Foreign) is very different from the traditional species: small (only 3-4 cm in diameter) bright yellow flowers have carved corrugated petals (that is, a fringe along the edge), and the leaves are very dissected.
Note! The plant is fast growing, but there is a danger that the seeds may not sprout in cold climates.
It is recommended to sow the plant in May "for permanent residence", and at the end of April - in peat pots for seedlings. The site for flowers must be selected sunny and calm. In the shade, nasturtium can grow, but it will not bloom. Keep this in mind.
What "dislikes" Curly Nasturtium? Excess moisture and fresh manure (that is, organic fertilizers are excluded). But the cultivation of nasturtium Curly involves the use of a solution of potassium humate (exclusively for flowers) as a top dressing.
Important! The concentration of the solution must comply with the recommendations from the manufacturer.
In the distribution network, this type of nasturtium is sold under the name Canary nasturtium (or Canary liana).
In conclusion
Based on the above,it is quite obvious that growing nasturtium from seeds, planting and caring for it is not such a difficult task. Hold on and you'll love it. It is worth trying both methods (seedling and seedless) of growing such a cheerful and sunny flower as nasturtium. If you succeed, you can share with others your experience of growing nasturtium. Each owner of the plot chooses different varieties for his garden or vegetable garden, depending on preferences and tastes.
