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Balconies and loggias, gazebos and attics, curbs and paths - nasturtium will help decorate any corner of the garden, emphasize the advantages and hide some of the flaws of the walls or a rickety fence. It is advisable to grow this picky flower on scarce soil.
Abundant and long flowering is another advantage of the plant. Planting nasturtium outdoors and following care is not cumbersome. But there are some nuances that you need to know about in advance.
Familiar stranger capuchin
Nasturtium has another name - Capuchin. Some sources mention that "Capuchin" is the real name of the plant, but nasturtium was named much later.
Nasturtium belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants of the family. Nasturtium. This genus includes about a hundred species of plants, which are native to Central and South America.
The Nasturtium family includes perennial and annual flowers with a juicy, weak and branched stem and unusually bright and beautiful inflorescences, in shape resembling the pointed hood of the monks of the Franciscan order. It is for this similarity that he got his name "Capuchin".
The variety of nasturtium species is very great. Among them you can find creeping, bushy plants, and there are also "climbing", the so-called vines (not to be confused with climbing), which cling to any support or other plants.
Plant height varies on average from 20 cm to 200 cm, depending on the type and variety of flowers. Creeping nasturtiums have a height of 20 to 50 cm, while climbing plant varieties grow up to 1.5-2 m. More recently, new varieties have appeared on the market, reaching 3.5-4 m in height and they belong to long-leaved plants.
The leaves of nasturtium are thyroid or lobed, the arrangement is alternate, attached to the stem with a long petiole.
Flowers in Capuchins are single, mostly bisexual, emit a very delicate and pleasant aroma, consist mainly of five uneven petals (more petals can be found only in varietal plants), the same number of sepals, ovaries and tubes in the form of a funnel.
Previously, the color range of nasturtium flowers was represented by only three colors - red, yellow and bright orange. But the variety of shades is striking in its brightness and originality. Thanks to breeders, many new varieties of this plant have recently appeared, and among the usual colors you can find snow-white, crimson even brown inflorescences.
Despite the fact that in their homeland nasturtiums are perennials, in our country, in harsh climatic conditions, they are grown exclusively as annual flowers.
Nasturtium has long been known for its medicinal properties, and some parts of the plant are often used in cooking as a component of second courses and salads.
Annual flowers are most often propagated by sowing nasturtium seeds in open ground. They sprout rather quickly, grow superbly and bloom profusely and luxuriously throughout the summer.
Growing rules
Growing nasturtium (pictured below) is not such a difficult process. A novice florist will be able to cope with a number of familiar and familiar recommendations, and you will not be required to have any specific skills and abilities. However, it is worth familiarizing yourself with some of the features that are the key to the lush, delicious bloom of nasturtium.
When to plant
The timing of planting nasturtium seeds depends on the method of growing flowers (seedling or seedling), as well as the climatic characteristics of the region.
If you decide to sow nasturtium seedlings, you can start working around early to mid-April. Flowers are transplanted into open ground no earlier than 1-1.5 months after sowing.
The grown seedlings are transplanted into the flower garden only after the threat of spring night frosts has passed. In the central regions, flowers are transplanted in mid-late May. But in regions with a more severe climate, it is not worth starting planting work before the end of May - beginning of June.
Growers start sowing nasturtium seeds directly into open ground no earlier than mid-late May. Such a late planting date is due to return frosts characteristic of the beginning of the month. And in some regions, this period may be shifted by 1.5-2 weeks later. With sharp drops in temperature, young flower shoots will inevitably die.
Which site to choose
The Capuchin is very fond of light and warmth and is intolerant of drafts. Therefore, the place for growing nasturtium in the open field should be selected according to its preferences.
A well-lit area, protected from piercing winds, is an ideal place for a future flower bed. The weak and juicy stalks of nasturtium instantly break with strong gusts.
In shaded areas where the amount of sunlight is limited, nasturtium will grow weak. The bushes will have a large number of stems and an abundance of green foliage. It is unlikely that you will see flowers on plants during the summer season.
Areas with a high level of groundwater and also places where water stagnates in spring and after rain are completely unsuitable for growing nasturtium in open ground. Excessive moisture is the first enemy of flowers and the root cause of the occurrence of putrefactive diseases.
It will be very disappointing if, after making so much effort, these beautiful flowers die from such a trifle as a wrong place.
What soils are preferred
Before planting nasturtium, it is important to decide which soil the flower prefers. Sometimes, even with the observance of agricultural cultivation techniques, some growers note that the plant is gaining green mass well, but flowering is not observed. Or rare flowers with a pale color appear on the nasturtium bushes.
The reason for such failures can be either an incorrect feeding system, or too fertile soil. The flower will put all the forces into the formation and active growth of young shoots.
Therefore, it is desirable to plant nasturtium in the lungs, with moderate indicators in the composition of soil minerals.
Too poor soil is also not the best place to grow nasturtium. In such conditions, the plant will stretch upward. The appearance of a flower grown in sparse soil will be unattractive - long, weakened shoots with few small leaves and no flowers.
Growing nasturtium in heavy, clayey soil will not be successful either. In this case, the flower is often affected by various diseases, which leads to the death of the plant.
Lightweight, with low soil acidity, with a good drainage layer - this is an ideal option for planting nasturtium in open ground and subsequent care.
Which growing method to choose
There are two ways of planting nasturtium seeds in the ground - seedling, which is familiar to all growers, and seedless. Each has its own tricks and restrictions, which dictate the structural features of the plant root system and the recommended agricultural practices.
Features of growing seedlings
Before growing nasturtium seedlings from seeds, it is important to know that the root system of a plant is very fragile and takes a long time to recover with the slightest damage. It is advisable to take care in advance so that in the future, when transplanting flower seedlings into open ground, traumatize the roots as little as possible.
Please note that when growing nasturtium for seedlings, you will have to exclude the picking process. Therefore, sowing seeds should be done in separate cups with a retractable bottom or peat cups.
One seed is planted in each container with a drainage layer laid at the bottom and filled with soil, covered with a two-centimeter layer of earth and proper care is provided.
The recommended room temperature for growing nasturtium seedlings is between + 20˚C + 22˚C. You will see the first green shoots of flowers in about 1.5-2 weeks. Make sure that the seedlings receive enough light, otherwise the seedlings will stretch out and be very weak.
When planting nasturtium seedlings outdoors, observe the recommended spacing between seedlings, which depends on the variety and type of plant. So, for creeping varieties of flowers, the optimal planting step varies within 20-30 cm, for lianas - up to 40-50 cm. The instructions for each variety of nasturtium indicated on the package will help you more accurately determine the acceptable distance.
It is necessary to transplant nasturtium seedlings into moist soil, along with a lump of earth, in order to avoid damage to the delicate root system. When growing seedlings of flowers in peat cups, the seedlings will be placed in the planting holes along with the cups.
When planting nasturtium in the ground, pay attention to the weather forecast - even a slight frost will bring your work to zero. Flowers die immediately when the temperature drops. Start work no earlier than the daytime temperature of + 18˚C + 20˚C is established outside.
Flowers bloom 1-1.5 months after transplanting into open ground. The flowering process continues until the first night frosts. So you can enjoy the luxurious, vibrant colors of nasturtium until fall.
Seedless method
A seedless way of growing nasturtium flowers outdoors is less troublesome and requires much less effort and time. In addition, the plants gain color 2-3 weeks earlier than those grown by the seedling method.
Moreover, when planting nasturtium seeds directly into the soil, growers noted that they grow stronger and less susceptible to various diseases.
Planting a capuchin
To accelerate germination and in order to provoke an earlier appearance of the first inflorescences, flower growers resort to one trick. Before planting nasturtium with seeds in open ground, the seed is soaked for 2-3 days in warm water. The hard surface shell will get wet, the seeds will swell, and then they can be planted in the ground.
On a previously prepared flower bed, make small holes with a step of 25-30 cm and a depth of 2-3 cm.In each planting hole, evenly place 3-4 seeds of nasturtium flowers and sprinkle with soil no more than 2-3 cm thick. ...
Immediately after planting nasturtium, it is recommended to cover the beds with lutrasil or agrofibre to keep warm and speed up seed germination.In addition, this measure will protect your plantings from possible frosts.
If there is a threat of a drop in temperature, you can additionally cover the sown flowers with plastic wrap or rags. After just 12-15 days, you will see the first shoots.
Subsequently, the beds need to be covered only at night for 2-3 weeks. After that, the shelter can be removed.
Follow-up care of flowers
As with all flowers, caring for nasturtium after planting (photo below) comes down to performing standard procedures. And although this plant requires minimal attention to itself, do not forget about watering, weeding, pruning wilted inflorescences and feeding. And then the Capuchins will surely thank you with magnificent, bright colors.
To guarantee long-term flowering after planting nasturtium in the open field, care is reduced to regular and moderate watering. At first, you need to water the beds only with warm, settled water. During the period of active growth, flowers will need abundant watering.
With a lack of moisture, the flowers become very weak. With excessive moisture, the roots of flowers rot and the plant may die. Moreover, on moist soils, there is a very poor flowering of nasturtium with active growth of bushes.
When the first buds appear, the amount of watering must be reduced. Water the nasturtiums only as needed. Keep the soil in the flower bed moist, and this will be enough for the plants.
An important step in caring for nasturtium after planting in the open field is weeding. Make sure that the weeds do not drown out the flowers, otherwise they will stretch upward. Outwardly, such plants look naked and unattractive.
As soon as the flowers grow to a height of 15-18 cm, you can mulch the soil. This simple procedure will greatly simplify your work. The mulch layer will retain moisture. Weeds in mulched beds are much less.
For a longer and lush flowering, flower growers promptly remove wilted flowers from the bush. This activity will help the plant to direct all the forces and nutrients to the formation of new inflorescences.
However, if you want to independently prepare the seeds of the flowers you like, you can leave several ovaries on the selected plants.
In general, flowers do not need additional nutrition. But if you wish, you can feed the nasturtium with potash-phosphorus fertilizers. Top dressing can be applied every two weeks until the first buds appear. Subsequently, fertilizing the flowers is not recommended.
By autumn, the splendor of the flowering of nasturtium gradually decreases. From this point on, you need to reduce watering. When the vegetative process comes to the final stage, the annual bushes are removed from the site, and the soil is dug up.
Diseases and pests
Pests very rarely choose nasturtium as a home and food. Moreover, it repels many pests from neighboring plants. Therefore, plant these flowers between vegetable beds and you will notice that:
- whitefly;
- aphid;
- Colorado beetle;
- cabbage butterfly
will be rare guests in your garden.
But flowers are less resistant to diseases. When growing nasturtium, you may encounter the following problems:
- The lower leaves wither and turn yellow, subsequently the whole plant becomes ill and dies. The reason is bacterial wilting.
- Small dots on the leaves, surrounded by a red-brown border, indicate a disease of the plant with ring spot.
- Dry, gray-brown spots on foliage and shoots. The reason is gray rot.
- The appearance of mosaic patterns on the leaves. This is how the mosaic manifests itself.
- The appearance of black and brown spots on the foliage, turning into tubercles. The reason is rust.
In all cases, the affected plants must be removed from the site and, if possible, burned. Healthy flowers urgently need to be treated with special preparations to prevent the spread of diseases.
How capuchins breed
Both perennial and annual nasturtium reproduce predominantly by seeds. But flower growers are essentially testers and experimenters. And, wanting to preserve and increase the most exquisite and rare specimens of flowers, they resort to cuttings.
Collection and preparation of seeds
You can collect and prepare your seeds from almost all varieties of flowers. Except, of course, hybrid ones. They are not able to maintain the varietal qualities of the plant. And what will grow from such seeds is unknown.
When growing nasturtium, it is important to mark in time the strongest plants on which beautiful and excellent flowers have bloomed. This can be done using colored ribbons or strings.
Not all types and varieties of nasturtium have time to ripen before the onset of autumn. Therefore, you need to monitor the seed pods. Once they change their color and become whitish, they easily separate and fall off. Don't miss this moment and try to harvest the nasturtium flower seeds early.
Nasturtium seeds ripen perfectly at home. Dry the seed, let it ripen, and store it.
Can I propagate by cuttings
Recently, a lot of information has appeared about the vegetative way of reproduction of nasturtium. But this method, unlike seed, does not guarantee the production of healthy and strong plants.
You can try to propagate very rare or hybrid varieties of flowers by cuttings. In this case, with a successful outcome, young plants will retain all the characteristics of the original variety.
Carefully separated cuttings of flowers are rooted in water with the addition of a stimulant for the formation and growth of roots, and then transplanted into bulky flower pots. Until spring, rooted nasturtium is grown on a windowsill, and with the arrival of spring, it is planted in open ground.
The author of the video will tell and show you how to properly plant nasturtium in open ground.
Conclusion
Bright, inimitable lanterns of nasturtium flowers, sparkling in bright green foliage, can decorate any corner of your garden, balcony or loggia, attic or gazebo.
Planting nasturtium in open ground and subsequent care is not particularly difficult and does not require any skills. Even a beginner can cope with this simple task. A grateful plant will give you a wonderful mood and the pleasure of contemplating magnificent and unique flowers.
