How and when to plant nasturtium seeds in 2022, features of growing seedlings at home and in open ground

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum) , otherwise called capuchin, is striking not only for its grace, but also for the fact that its inflorescences and foliage are edible, and are also endowed with a delicate peppery taste.
In Russia, nasturtium is cultivated as an annual flower. Undoubtedly the easiest technique for growing it is the tactic of planting the flower directly into the ground. However, propagating a plant from seedlings grown from its seeds is a fun and exciting activity. Dear readers! For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format!

How to determine the time of sowing Nasturtium?

You can determine the time of sowing nasturtium if you figure out how and in what place you want to grow it. Considering that nasturtium sprouts do not tolerate cold weather, its germs can be sown in the ground only at the end of May. And even in this situation, you will only get pleasure from primroses from mid-July. That is why, if you have a desire to see nasturtium bloom already in the first month of summer and experience the joy of its inflorescences until autumn, be sure to sow its seeds for propagation of seedlings no later than April.

REFERENCE! From time to time, they intend to breed nasturtium so that it blooms on a loggia or in a hanging flowerpot. In this case, seeds for planting are not prohibited from being sown in March or all year round. This growing method is only suitable when it is possible to provide nasturtiums with light and warmth for flowering.

How to prepare planting material for sowing

When propagating nasturtium with seeds, it becomes especially important how accurately the method of sowing seedlings will be carried out.

This important stage is essential in achieving a positive result. In this regard, we will study the most important stages of preparing planting material for sowing:

• before planting seeds, you need to choose strong and not diseased ones;
• selection of a container for sowing is mandatory, because the planted flower may not tolerate transplantation (due to weak roots);
• it would be correct to immediately plant it in a separate container, for example, peat pots, disposable cups, flowerpots (required volume - 200-250 ml);
• it is possible to plant nasturtium without special preparations, but selecting and preparing seeds will speed up the formation of sprouts and strengthen them at the very initial stage;
• the ideal method for preparing nasturtium seeds for planting is to soak them in a special solution, following the attached instructions;
• it is possible to use aloe juice in a 1:1 ratio with water (keep the seeds in the solution for a day);
• a solution of 5 ml honey in 200 ml water (immerse the seeds for 5-6 hours);
• a tablespoon of wood ash - leave for two days in 200 ml of water (the seeds are immersed for at least 5-6 hours);
• self-production of suitable soil - mix an equal amount of crumbly, not heavy, highly nutritious soil in equal quantities with sand, peat and turf.

Varieties of nasturtium, which one is better to choose

There are more than 80 different classes of plants in this flower family. Varieties are selected depending on the purpose of planting: you can plant trees on vertical structures, or you can choose a variety for carpet planting. Plant growers provided a large number of picturesque varieties:

• The low-growing plant can reach a height of up to 35 cm. Touching and elongated stems support small leaves that look like a shield. The hue of small inflorescences, about 3 cm in size, is yellow or pale yellow, and there is a dark speck at the place of origin of the petal. This nasturtium variety blooms from June to October.
• Terry, or fireball , is an example of splendor within the subculture of this plant. Nasturtium simultaneously produces about 15 ovaries, 5-6 cm in size, with thorns and bright red leaves. Such balls are displayed on loggias, fences and front gardens. They bloom from July until late autumn.
• King Theodore pleases with bright red ordinary inflorescences.
• Alaska is 250-300mm long, strewn with an abundance of large marbled leaves and the same yellow or pink inflorescences.
• Climbing nasturtium wraps around fences, loggias, pavilions, and terraces. Its side stems cover large areas in a short time.
• Foreign nasturtium reaches a size of about 3.5 m. It blooms in mid-summer, and fades only with the onset of morning frosts. The inflorescences consist of small buds, a pleasant yellow color. The rudiments of this variety in central Russia often fail to ripen due to lack of time.

Diseases and pests

Nasturtium is not damaged by pests such as cabbage grass, aphids, whiteflies or Colorado beetles. Therefore, the flower is often planted between cabbage or nightshade crops to reduce the number of pests.

Other insects love nasturtium, as it is an excellent honey plant for them.

The plant is most often affected by bactericidal wilt. The leaves below first weaken, then the whole plant dies.

Rust appears as black or brown streaks and spots on the plant. Brown spots appear on the leaves due to gray rot.

When affected by mosaic, motley and bright stains appear on flowers. You can also notice the manifestation of the ring and leaf spot virus on them.

Affected plants are removed from the site and burned. The well is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (it must be hot). Healthy flowers are treated with insecticides such as Topaz, Ridomil, Oksikhom.

When to sow Nasturtium seedlings in 2022 according to the lunar calendar?

You can choose a favorable time for sowing seeds for seedlings for further cultivation using the lunar calendar.

Favorable days for sowing nasturtium in 2022

• in March: from the 14th to the 27th of the month;
• in April: from the 13th to the 26th of the month;
• in May: from the 12th to the 25th of the month;
• in June: (directly into the soil) from the 11th to the 23rd.

Bad days for sowing nasturtium seeds in 2022

• in March: 13, 28;
• in April: 12, 27;
• in May: 11, 26;
• in June: (in the ground) 10, 24.

Unfavorable days

In addition to favorable days, when seeds sent into the ground show high growth rates, there are periods during which sowing/planting work should not be carried out. The celestial body has a depressing effect on plants. Having sowed a crop in prohibited numbers, the seedlings will sprout weakly, sparsely, or may not appear at all.

Landing cannot be done on the “turning” days of the month - the new and full moon. At this time, the entire plant world “freezes” and is in a state of stagnation. The waning moon is a neutral phase for sowing nasturtium. It is more useful to feed and weed the plantings.

When to plant depending on the region?

The time of planting a flower is directly related to which planting method is chosen and in which region the planting will take place. The maintenance of nasturtium after planting consists of constant watering, weeding and getting rid of fading flowers, mainly while the shoots of the inflorescences are young. It is necessary to avoid too frequent watering, because... When the soil is constantly moist, the nasturtium will begin to grow leaves. Before the flowering period, nasturtium must be fed regularly. The time for planting a flower is selected depending on the region in which it will grow.

PECULIARITY! It will take 45-60 days from the beginning of the first sprouts to the nasturtium to bloom. If you plant it from seedlings, the first embryo will hatch a little earlier.

• In Moscow and the Moscow region, it is preferable to plant nasturtium from mid-April.
• In central Russia, nasturtium mainly grows from seedlings, due to which it has a longer flowering period. For the seedling method, it is advisable to plant nasturtium in March and transfer it to the soil in April, but no later than June. This can be done only when the earth has completely warmed up.
• In the Urals and Siberia, seeds are sown in April, but no later than May. It is necessary to have time to plant the sprouts in the soil at the end of spring. The deadline is early summer.
• In the Leningrad region , the end of the second month of spring and the beginning of the third is the time when you can sow nasturtium.

The best conditions for flower growth

In order to quickly get large and beautiful flowers, it is recommended to plant seeds for seedlings in a timely manner, and also follow several mandatory rules:

1. Ensure adequate watering and good soil drainage. You should not overwater the plant, but you should not allow the soil to dry out too much, otherwise the nasturtium may die.
2. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil and also weed out weeds. To prevent weeds from growing so intensively, mulching with sawdust, pine needles, straw, etc. is used.
3. Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out in the period before flowering. For this purpose, nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, as well as a solution of copper sulfate, are used. In addition, fertilizing promotes faster ripening of seeds in the future. However, you should not get carried away with organic fertilizers, as they stimulate the growth of leaves, not flowers.
4. Shoots that are too long can be pinched - this will create a more luxuriant bush. Climbing varieties need to be tied up.
5. To control pests, nasturtium is sprayed with solutions of fungicides and insecticides.
6. Be sure to trim dry leaves and flowers.

Nasturtium feels great both in flower beds and on balconies

How to choose a container for planting?

You can grow nasturtium in a small container that can fit 2-4 holes. To plant the seed, you can use peat pots or containers with a movable bottom. The best choice would still be a container intended for planting in the ground along with the seedling. It has the ability to be processed independently, while fertilizing the seedlings. The soil for future foundations must be light and have good air permeability. You can use peat, sand and turf in equal proportions. Also, the soil should not be acidic. If there is too much organic matter in it, nasturtium will produce a lot of greenery, but not inflorescences. If, on the contrary, there is little organic matter, then there will not be many inflorescences.

Propagation by cuttings

You can acquire nasturtium by using the method of propagation by cuttings, which preserves all the varietal and species characteristics of the mother plant.

To do this, cut off mature, well-grown shoots with 3-4 leaves. It is recommended to treat the lower cut with a growth stimulator.

Root cuttings in wet sand or water. Once the roots are formed, they must be transplanted into prepared soil in containers or in a flower bed. It is important to be careful not to damage the root system when planting.

Terry nasturtium is bred in this way; it is also recommended for very rare varieties, the seeds of which are difficult to buy.

Planting Nasturtium seeds step by step

Planting a nasturtium seed is not at all difficult, but there are some conditions for successful planting. They depend on the planting method, which is of two types: planting seeds for seedlings and planting in open ground. Let's look at each method step by step.

Growing a flower from seedlings:

• pour about 15 mm of expanded clay, small pebbles or broken bricks onto the bottom of the container - this is necessary for air exchange in the container;
• pour soil into containers for planting, being sure to leave a gap of 20-30 mm between the wall of the container and the soil;
• moisten the soil with water, but not cold;
• using your finger or stick, prepare a depression in the middle of the container, it should be no more than 15-20mm;
• place the seed in the hole;
• add as much soil to the hole as needed so that it is equal to the rest of the soil;
• pour warm water and cover the container with the planted seeds with polyethylene so that a greenhouse effect is formed in it;
• place the container where the air temperature warms up to 20-22 degrees.

Sowing seeds directly into the soil (in open ground)

The generally accepted method of planting nasturtiums. It is popular with many people because... not costly in terms of time and effort. Another advantage of this method of growing a flower is that it does not require picking the plant, which can damage the susceptible root system of the seedlings.

Features of growing nasturtium from seeds in open ground:

• sowing the seed into the soil is allowed only after the cold weather has completely passed, and this depends on the region;
• just as in the case of planting seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to create conditions for the greenhouse effect to occur, i.e. cover the planting with polyethylene;
• seeds must be planted in a well-lit place and protected from drafts;
• before planting in the soil, sand, peat or compost must be added to the seed hole;
• before planting seeds, they should be immersed in warm, but not hot water with manganese and soaked for 24 hours in clean warm water;
• make small depressions in the soil approximately so that there is 25-40 cm between them, plant the seeds no deeper than 2 cm;
• 2-3 seeds are dropped into one hole, sprinkled with earth on top and watered.

ATTENTION! Experienced gardeners give advice: when planting seeds in disposable containers, it is suggested to place it in a box or stable container, because They are light in weight and if they tip over, the soil will fall out along with the seedling.

Plant requirements for soil and climate

Most cultivated species come from warm climates and have similar cultivation requirements.

The best position for nasturtium is a sunny place, warm, protected from the wind.

The soil should be:

• light;
• moderately fertile (for a large nasturtium it can be quite weak);
• slightly damp.

Plants do not tolerate low temperatures and swampy soils; in such conditions they often get sick and their development is inhibited.

Attention! For nasturtiums to bloom profusely, they must grow in relatively poor soil; fertile soil will cause vigorous leaf growth at the expense of reduced flowering.

Regular garden soil is best. The plant needs a permeable substrate, so we must not forget about a layer of expanded clay in pots.

Nasturtiums planted in the shade almost stop blooming or bloom poorly, so the abundance of sun is an important criterion for choosing the right position in the garden. With less sunlight, the plant spreads quickly throughout the area, but blooms little.

You should immediately plant nasturtium in a permanent place; it does not tolerate damage to the root system and is unlikely to take root in a new place after transplantation.

How to plant Nasturtium in peat tablets

Today, peat tablets are one of the most optimal ways to grow seedlings. Thanks to the fertilizers that are included in their composition, they help to grow strong seedlings that are resistant to stressful conditions in a short period of time. Planting seeds in peat tablets is not difficult:

• to begin with, using the small recess available on the tablet, you need to mark where it is top and where it is bottom and transfer them to the stand;
• for their high-quality swelling, pour cold water in several stages; after half an hour, the water that the tablet has not absorbed must be drained;
• deepen pre-sprouted seeds into the recess of the tablet by 10-15mm;
• cover the container with the planted seed with polyethylene and put it in a dark, not cool place;
• do not forget to periodically remove the film for ventilation, and after the sprouts appear, the polyethylene should be removed and the container should be moved to where there is enough light;
• In this case, picking seedlings is not necessary, because When the seedlings reach the desired size, they are transferred together with the tablet into a container of a suitable size.

Wintering and storage of tubers

In autumn, the bushes of perennial nasturtium are completely pruned. In the northern regions, the tubers are dug up and stored in a box with dry peat in a cool place.

Perennial varieties are propagated by dividing the tubers in March. They are divided and left to germinate or immediately planted in pots, and after good weather sets in, they are taken outside.

How to care for Nasturtium seedlings, what are the tips for growing them?

A specific stage of seedling growth is combined with specific instructions for its maintenance. At the first stage of seed growth, the containers in which they are placed need to be covered with polyethylene. This point is important because... triggers the growth mechanism due to the greenhouse effect. The first shoots will appear within two weeks. Until they appear, the soil must be moistened regularly, but only with a syringe or sprinkler.

The nasturtium seeds have sprouted, what to do next?

As soon as the first shoots appear, the film covering them is removed, and the container itself is placed in a bright place to provide the required amount of light. For proper growth, sunlight should illuminate the shoots for at least 12-16 hours. If there is not enough light for the sprouts, they will begin to stretch in length, then weaken and stop developing. From the moment the sprouts appear, the temperature is maintained in a certain way: it cannot be less than 18 degrees, but it cannot be above 22 either. The emerging shoots require constant watering, depending on the frequency of drying out of the soil.

How to feed Nasturtium seedlings?

For a luxurious and long flowering period, nasturtium needs to be fed with fertilizers. At the beginning of planting seeds, the application of mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen is required, but when the shoots have sprouted and gained strength, it is necessary to switch to fertilizing containing potassium.

The first fertilizing is done with nitrogen-containing fertilizers no later than ten days after planting in the ground. The deadline is two weeks. Thanks to this, the flower is activated in growth and the first inflorescences appear.

The second feeding is done with fertilizers based on phosphorus and calcium and is repeated no later than after half a month. With the help of the second feeding, nasturtium will begin to actively grow and gain strength for luxurious flowering.

Rules for picking Nasturtium

This process is considered the most difficult, because raises many questions. The method of ordinary pinching a plant is not suitable here, since it does not bring the expected results. Replanting nasturtium can have a bad effect on it due to the weakness of the root system. If possible, it is better to do without picking at all. However, if the shoots have grown very long and there is a need for picking, then when replanting them, bury the nasturtium sprouts into the soil until the very beginning of the first leaves.

IMPORTANT! It is best to plant this flower immediately in a high container, so that if necessary, you can simply add the required amount of soil and do without picking.

Features of care

Caring for nasturtium is quite simple, but you need to know some rules for growing this plant:

1. Watering. It is recommended to water young specimens with plenty of warm water. When buds appear on the bushes, the frequency of watering is reduced and the soil is moistened only after the top layer has dried.
2. Weeding. During the season, be sure to remove weeds. The flower bed must be cleared of weeds especially carefully in the first month after planting the capuchins in the ground, otherwise the weeds will crush the young plants.
3. Feeding nasturtium. Capuchins should be fertilized rarely, without using organic matter or nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Before flowering begins, fertilize with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers once a week. Then, about once a month, the bushes are watered with a solution of Nitrofoska or Agricola-Rosa fertilizer.
4. Trimming. In order for flowering to be long and abundant, faded buds must be removed in a timely manner. If you want to get seeds, then it will be enough to leave a few flowers, from which fruits with seeds will form.

You will be interested to know: Heliotrope: growing from seeds, when to plant seedlings, planting and care in the garden

Answers to frequently asked questions

What soil should I buy for growing seedlings?

You can make your own soil for growing seedlings (for more details, see the chapter “How to prepare planting material for sowing”)

How can you stimulate seeds for further growth?

The ideal method for preparing nasturtium seeds for planting is to soak them in a growth stimulant liquid (more details in the chapter “How to prepare planting material for sowing”)

Why don't the seeds germinate?

The reason why the seeds do not germinate may be due to their long storage at home or in the store. If there are a lot of seeds, you need to check them in advance for germination by soaking several pieces.

Why are seeds soaked?

Seeds are soaked to test for germination, to encourage them to germinate in open ground and to prevent them from becoming infected with any disease.

How to harden nasturtium seedlings?

Temperature hardening of seedlings: when planting, the container with seedlings is covered with a covering - polyethylene, a lid, etc. to harden, the covering is removed for a while. In turn, the seedlings receive the necessary oxygen and sunlight, which has a beneficial effect on their growth.

What to do if Nasturtium seedlings do not grow?

If the seedlings do not grow, they need to be fed (for more details, see the chapter “What to feed nasturtium seedlings”).

Plant species

The nasturtium family includes about eighty plants, which mainly grow in South America. These plants do not tolerate cold climates, so in our country they are planted in open ground only for the summer season. Let's look at the most basic types of plants.

Cherry rose

A very attractive flower, with its very rare color (pink-crimson) it has captivated many flower growers.

Black lady

The color of these flowers is dark burgundy; the peculiar dark color of the buds is complemented by the dark green leaves of the plant.

Vesuvius

The special delicate pink color of the buds of this plant is liked by many female gardeners.

Terry mixture

Very attractive appearance of the plant. Its luxurious terry buds do not leave any gardener indifferent.

Yeti

The color of the flowers of this species is usually white with yellowish spots. The leaves of the plant are rich green.

Alaska

I would like to pay special attention to the leaves of this plant; they attract the eye with their non-standard painted patterns.

Diamond

The flowers of this plant are bright scarlet, their beauty is very difficult not to notice.

There is another very interesting variety of this plant, it is called Canarian nasturtium. However, its seeds are not able to form in the harsh climate of our country.