Hi! I'm from Chile and this plant grows naturally everywhere here, it's known as "espuela de galán" and is very famous for healing bruises VERY fast, so that is another use that is practical. I hope that this information will be helpful for someone ✨✨✨
They're an absolute favourite of mine 💗 They always make me laugh, because they remind me of my Mum. Dad prefers a VERY manicured, regimented garden. Mum prefers a free flowing, cottagey garden. The last home they built, Mum was too unwell to take the garden in hand, so it was all hedges and square edges. So she ran through, throwing nasturtium seeds through everything 😆😆😆 Dad was twitching, but couldn't say anything lol... Every time they reseeded Mum and I would be chuckling 😆
That's a nice story. The way a person gardens says alot about their personality. With my own garden I like my vegetables fairly regimented and neat with appropriate companion plants sharing the space although anything that leaves volunteers seedlings outside the planter beds I tend to leave grow as they will. My herb garden out the front though I let it go wild and interplant with colourful flowers, I only step in to cut back any plants that are overtaking the others, it's coming along very well.
I had someone stop by to ask for a Nasturtium seedling and I was more than happy to share. This person said it’s a medicinal plant too. He said indigenous people from where he is from use it to cure eye infections. He said they just rub the leaves with their fingers to release the oils and dab the oil underneath the eye (not in the eye). He was very happy to get the seedling.
The leaves of nasturtium are a natural antibiotic. I only know about the Alaska mix. It’s good to make tinctures out of them to have them when they’re not in season. Helps with healing infections.
There is something to note re: positioning if you are growing it as an edible. If you put it in the shade, the leaf is milder and less peppery but the texture is tougher. If you put it in the sun, the leaf texture improves a ton but it also gets very peppery.
The cause for this may be the more moist environment in the shade. It's the same with radish. More watering results in milder taste. His plant looked like it experienced pretty dry periods, the leaves aren't as flexible and nurtured as in well watered plants.
They are great in hanging baskets. I had one that grew about 6ft long in a hanging basket and it looked like magical tendrils with little orange flames.
Aren't they??? At one place I lived, I had them cascading down off the balcony in little trough baskets. I love the play of light through them too, I always have to grab my camera.
Oh man, I am so happy you'd mention nasturtium:) When I was a kid my granny used to grow a bunch in her garden and after the rain me and my sisters used to go there and roll droplets of water form a leaf to leaf, because they keep a perfect shape, like little beads:D
I have grown nasturtiums for many years. My preference is for the trailing varieties...they are spectacular! They are a great source of vitamin C, and all parts of the plants are edible. The seeds can be pickled and substitute for capers
@@capuchinosofia4771 thank you! Mine have been struggling mightily...finally got ONE beautiful flower, but the plants stay very small...I will try again, in the ground😊
I grew nasturtiums for the first time this year. They went wild in the garden and look amazing. They have medicinal qualities as well and you can use the flowers in tea. Also, the leaves make a delicious pesto.
I grew up eating a lot of watercress when there a lot watercress farms in Pearl City, Hawaii. Nasturtiums have a watercress-like flavor to me. Every time I eat nasturtium, I remember my youth playing at the watercress farm.
@@O2life Yes, it is. The German name is "Kapuzinerkresse". :-) But cress is often used as young sprouts. So you have to plan ahead when to use it. This plant can be used, when you have the need. Because it is there the whole summer.
My mum grows this, I knew vaguely it was edible but had no idea how to cook with it. I'm glad you've described this as a "trap crop" and not as a "repellent". There is this odd myth floating around that some plants repel aphids, because they smell, when that really is not true. I've had ahids on mint, coriander, lavender, magnolias and many other supposed "aphid repelling" plants. I'm glad there is a channel that properly explains how trapping works versus repulsion, because they are two different things.
I use it as herb for salads or with other herbs and garlic chopped in butter for steaks. I hope, I wrote everything correctly since English is not my native language. But it is also lovely to look at because it sprouts so many flowers from June till late October (in Germany)
It's cool to see people realizing they've been sleeping on nasturtiums the last year or so, now that more people are getting into or broadening their gardening after spending more time at home. Nasturtiums and peas were the first plants I learned to grow well, and I've always had a batch of each growing in containers on opposite corners of my patio. I enjoy brewing them into floral tea mixes (black velvet petals give you a surprisingly blue tea, unless you add lemon, due to pH sensitive pigments breaking down at different temps), or wilting the greens into light pasta sauces, and toasting into sandwiches, besides the most obvious lettuce-like applications. You can basically use nasturtium anywhere you'd see arugula recommended.
My family grew this all the time when I was little in the Midwest, and we'd eat the flowers with cream cheese as a dip of sorts. Otherwise mix in with butter to put on corn. I can't believe I've forgotten about it until this video 😦 I'll have to plant some this year
That sounds so good. I will be trying that as soon as my nasturtium are big enough. I am allergic to black pepper and 🍅tomato. I am always looking for things to eat instead. I started to put Basil into cream cheese and smear it on corn on the cob. I will definitely try using nasturtium instead of basil.
I'm in London, UK. I first planted some Nasturtiums (can't remember the variety) directly in my garden in 2018. I planted 5 seeds and it has self sown itself right across the bed. It died off in the winter and no plants were visible but as soon as it warmed up the bed was full of them again. They really don't require much care and brighten up my garden every year without fail. One of my fav flowers for the garden 👍🏽
if you want something more edible-focused, I'd recommend checking out the mashua which is a nasturium with edible roots. It was domesticated in the Andes (same place that gave us potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and many many other important crops)
@@nicolerose5024 It was great! She loved the nasturtiums but only if she could eat them directly from the plants. If I plucked the flowers and leaves myself and put them in her food bowl, she wouldn't touch them.
In France we call it "Capucine". It is a common flower to add around your garden fences for decoration and it is trendy to put it in salads for decoration in summer. Very nice to add to your bento boxes to add color. A must have. Love it
I'm growing nasturtiums in the mild sea-climate of North-Western Europe. Their growth is fantastic as soon as the days warm up and they appreciate our wet weather. They'll also survive the winter, if it's not too harsh. I love the way water just pearls on top of the leaf, like on a gore-tex fabric. Even if you submerge them in water, they'll come out completely dry!
I wish I could share pictures of my MASSIVE nasturtiums. I planted a couple in my raised beds last summer as trap crops, but I fell in love with their gorgeous flowers. I'm in Zone 9b, central California and they just carried right on through the winter and are showing no signs of stopping!
Our house came with naturalized nasturtiums in the backyard, and I've managed to pare them back to some small wild beds. Here in Berkeley they are amazingly invasive and cannot be stopped. About 20 years ago a solid freeze turned the plants to an amazing green gel but the seeds on the ground were fine. Now I pull a couple of seedlings and grow them up my cucumber and bean trellises just for decoration. They are my most beautiful weed!
Nice to know more about this gardener's friend, nasturtium. I found out by accident that this really helps keep the cabbage moths away from my collards. My neighbor's trailing nasturtium is very established and trails into my backyard. Really amazed at how beneficial this plant really is and appreciate it even more.
Been growing these and marigolds in small planters and containers around my food crop containers for a few seasons. It has been a very helpful combo for pest control.
I grew Nasturtium around my Mom's roses last year to combat a nasty pest problem they had. Between the Nasturtiums and spritzing the rose leaves with diluted dish soap and water the roses did way better than previous years. Before, one tea rose we had only ever grew to 4 feet maximum, with rose sawflys eating the buds before they flower. After, we had an 8 foot beast of a rose with dozens of fist-sized gorgeous flowers. The rose got so tall that we had to stake it for the first time in the 15 years it's been in the garden. As a bonus, the seeds of the Nasturtium are super easy to collect, dry and store. From 2 packages of seeds (Alaska and Jewel Mix) we got 50 plants and I harvested ~150 seeds for this year's crop. Jewel mix was easier to grow overall, but the beauty of the Alaska is worth a little extra care. Perfect seeds for kids with those nice big seeds for little hands with lower motor control.
For those who don't know, this plant has leaves which have the highest content of Lutein, an antioxidant. Plus, it's loaded with the awesome fiery flavour like Radishes. Make a salad out of it. You'd like it. It's the leaves that are more beneficial than the flowers. Its seeds can be an awesome capers replacement. See some videos on it over RU-vid
@@cindyvan635 I was told by a friend who uses food as medicine that nasturtium pods (capers) eaten raw out of the garden are the natural equivalent of an antibiotic against harmful bacteria, without the drug versions resistance effect.
As well as the capers angle, the dried seeds, ground, make either a good seasoning or an interesting alternative to coffee. You call it a 'trap' plant. We call it a 'companion' plant, as it also attracts not only aphids, but, here in the UK, the Cabbage White butterfly, whose caterpillars will utterly dessimate _all_ of the brassica family! I grow both the dwarf and climbing varieties. Food, drink, decoy, pollinator attractant, aesthetic beauty, a vastly underrated plant, taking a worthy joint first place with stinging nettles and dandelions, in my opinion. Other companion plants are calendula, poached egg plant, basil, tansy, marigold, alyssum, thyme and I'm sure others know of many more. No herbicides, pesticides or fungicides, so I'm not talking out of my ozone friendly aerosol. 🤪😂😂😂
I love this! Please do more videos on flowers! I think they're so underrated...we all learned and started to grow veggies last year that we likely forgot about flowers 😅
Last year my roommate and I grew nasturtium in with our pumpkin patch. They were very easy to grow and are beautiful! I harvested so many seeds for this year. And roommate made a delicious dish using the flowers and the leaves with lemon and capers. All around a really great plant to throw in your garden!
I totally agree Kevin! I got a packet of "Whirlybird" nasturtiums this year and put them into the veggie garden here and there and they are MINDBLOWINGLY gorgeous. The flower colours go from the palest lemon, to multi yellow/reds, oranges and even a terracotta colour. They are beautiful.
I have always loved nasturtiums! My mother grew them in her garden on the coast of Oregon, and I now grow them as a summer crop in my Central Oregon high desert climate! They do grow large and lush in the dappled light, but you are right, fewer flowers that way.
Love it! Favourite plant down here in Australia, which grows like a weed in Melbourne. They definitely can creep and climb up things too! One thing I have noticed down here is that they HATE direct hot summer sun and will only last a couple of days in it. They love cold weather (just above frost) and tend to thrive from late summer to late spring. Once you plant it, you'll always have it. Love your work Kev (from themelodygardener)
a gardening friend showed me how to make nasturtium vinegar last year. SO beautiful, and a unique peppery flavour. Just cover the flowers in a good quality vinegar for several days - I used white wine vinegar - and the solution takes on the colour of the flowers, with a nice peppery zing. Decant into interesting bottles, and you have a unique garden gift. 🌺
@Katie Kirkup do the flowers lose their colour and go opaque when the vinegar extracts them? Do you strain the flowers out after or leave them in? Thanks
@@trishdavi7049 hi Trish - you can test the vinegar to see if the flavour is to your liking, then strain out the flowers. My vinegar was a gorgeous cherry colour.
I have recently found your channel and I can't stop watching your videos. The information you present with honesty and experience is in such a digestible format and friendly manner, I can't stop watching and learning. Thank you for all of your content. You are a natural teacher.
Grew this in the past and received so many compliments. Makes a nice border along walkways or around trees. They grow better in partial sunny areas. Nice if planted in area above a wall as they cascade down and over. Very nice change.
This is the first plant I grew in my own little garden as a four year old and sixty three years later, I still grow it every year. It looks great in hanging baskets and the taste it adds to salad is great if you like strong flavours both as flowers and leaves. We pickled the seeds to eat like capers through winter months. Versatile, easy care and cheerful, even in my heavy, wet clay garden in Wales.
I am going to have to watch this video a few more times. I so want to grow nasturtiums, and everyone says it is so easy, but I can never make them thrive I used think it was because it isn't warm enough here (coastal temperate climate with very narrow zones 6-7-8). But last year I successfully grew tomatoes and basil outside. And lots of people have luck with them here.
don't be surprised when they disappear...they will be back everywhere...they are very easy to pull out if you have too many. They are delicious- a sort of radish taste that leaves after you chew it! ! love them and think you will too.
Someone gave me 2 seeds nearly 30 years ago. Since then from the original plant I've had literally thousands of seeds. Great with marigolds as companion plants when growing veg. Pet rabbits love them too 😁
I had a bad problem with aphid on my peppers last year, so I did some research and found out about the Nasturtiums. I got myself the Alaska Mix because I loved variegated plants and as a bonus, they also come in many colors. Planted them a week ago and they are already starting to come up.
This was huge to learn about! I hate dealing with pests, aphids especially, and was lucky enough to have ladybugs already hanging around on my property. This will help provide my ladybugs with a localized spot for food by trapping them with the Nasturtium. Big ups, love your channel brother.
@@trishdavi7049 maybe but I’ve always read not to use fertilizer. They really don’t need it in my experience and I’ve grown several varieties very successfully.
I planted next to some kale, lettuce, Brussels sprouts and I think they fixed the soil with nitrogen... I have much bigger leaves and less frequent flowers than the ones I planted in pots which have many flowers (mixed bone meal at sowing time) and smaller leaves
I left the same comment without realizing someone else did already. I’ve loved nasturtiums for so long and came to the same conclusion. They do not like fertilizers, especially miracle grow and they do not like “blooming” fertilizers, either. You’ll have a ton of green leaves and no blooms. They seriously like soil that’s straight from the ground, no additives. You can use potting soil but use the recycled kind like that has been used over and over by other plants previously.
Discovering you could cook these and it takes a lot of the pepperiness out was a game-changer for me. They're very, very popular for kids to grow here in the UK, but as an adult I don't really like the taste of them raw and I'd never seen any of the more subtle colour morphs. Now I know I can just stir fry it, I'm excited to grow it when I get the chance.
The very first seeds I ever planted as a child, probably about 9 or 10, 60 years ago, was nasturtium directly in the garden and they sprouted and I have been growing ever since.
My nasturtiums do best when I totally neglect them! Took 5 months to get blooms the first time I planted from seed because the fertilizer was boosting foliage, not flowers. Lesson learned 🌱
Really easy to grow from seed. I plant seeds in the corners of my vegetable beds for some colour in summer. It definitely attracts aphids. The seeds are huge so easy to save each year. We are in West Coast of Canada.
My mom always planted nasturtium seeds with her petunias. I've planted nasturtium seeds in my fabric pots back in 2o19. The were the Alaska variety from Ed Hume Seeds. I even planted some seeds in the soil around the fabric pots. But, the seeds that were planted in the pots did better. I planted them to add a spot of color; but, if the earwigs chewed them up, it was better the nasturtiums than any of the veggies. I've never tried eating nasturtiums.
HEY Kev! I grow and eat theses every year for beauty and to eat every single year and have done so the last 25 years! Right here in Chicago's zone 5b! I love that you are featuring them! They are my absolute favorite flower of all time! 💖💖Blessings of Bounty and May Your Gardens and your Life always Bring You Joy, Inspiration and Abundance!" - Hope( & Mark)! P.S. I taught the day campers at my church that these are "strike match seeds about 5 years ago to teach them to scarify them before planting! They had fun, and the church was GORGEOUS that summer!
Nasturtium is one that of my favourites ever!! I grew 32 from seed last year and my garden was COVERED in them! My favourite variety is Empress (or Princess depending on what seed company you use) of India, beautiful orange/red flowers with these gorgeous dark green leaves :) Lots of love from England!
I grew Nasturtiums 2 years ago (zone 7a) and its growth of how fast they spread surprised me. I had zero knowledge of planting then. I just planted the seeds and forgot about them till my dad complained about it, he was afraid of snakes hiding there and was nearly covering the house AC. You can arrange them nicely as long as you give it that vine support.
I got some seeds the other day! I’m attempting Nasturtium, marigold, daisy and zinnia as a pollinator attractor and as a feed supplement for our chickens!
I have seen ones that "got away" growing in a wooded area. They were basically in full shade but did well. The leaves were very large and the flowers further apart but it was still a nice healthy looking collection of plants. It seems it was reseeding its self each year so the area it lived in grew with time. The area was a naturally damp environment. I have grown them on purpose in a nearly full sun environment just relying on rain for water for most of the year. Only in hot periods did it want water added.
Yes, mine have reseeded for 2 years now! Here in San Diego they started coming up in late February, however, now that it is June, they seem to be dying back.
I'm from MN and I first discovered your channel last year when I found this plant growing in my cousin's snake plant she gifted me when she moved away. I have loved it ever since I learned more about it! :) Been binging all of the videos from your team learning more and getting ready for this spring's seeds and all year round fun in the garden!
Nasturtiums also have a lovely fragrance. I find it incredibly appealing. For me, I direct sow dwarf varieties in my containers in early fall and still get them growing all fall, winter, and into early spring in Houston. It's great for the pollinators because e dwarf flowers are the same size as regular nasturtiums. I do find that they tend to not like our very hot summers -- I think mostly because the night time temperatures are just too much for them. By that time, I yank em and replace with my warm summer growers.
Thank you for mentioning it's origin. Often neglected, but important I think to give a sense for how it grows. I have always grown nasturtiums. I love them!
LOVED this guide to nasturtiums. Such a lovely little plant with a multitude of uses! It's also not one I see a lot of attention being given to so I'm really glad you did a guide for it. I've actually read that you shouldn't plant them in overly fertile soil since that inhibits flower production.
I think I got this by coincidence. There were a few small branches mixed in with my bag of sphagnum moss. As an experiment I planted them in my terrarium and they grew super quickly, and I noticed these round leaves just like in the video
i dumped a seed pack out on top of gravel with a little bit of soil just incase it wanted to climb up a trellis around our rabbit cages, and it grew well. I helped it climb up a bit and watered every once in a while but I basically ignored it and it was a fun experiment
I love them. I have being growing them for about 6 year now. I'm always amazed that they self seeds every year in my garden. I'm in the midwest zone 5 so we have very cold weather conditions. Plus they taste soooooo good! Thanks for sharing! ❤🙏
One of my favourite annuals, have been growing it since forever, also collecting seeds, so l have my own for years now. I have it growing around everything, such a beautiful plant. And also tasty!
Tks Kevin, for highlighting Nasturtiums; I love 'em for many reasons. I use the leaves in Spring and Summer in salads YUM, they're lovely, krispy, and flavorful, and add beauty to salads and appetizers. The flowers, I use to add beauty to various dishes. Collecting the flowers, drying them naturally, and storing for cups of warm tea in winter........ a most healthy and lovely plant.
I planted a few seeds of Fiesta nasturtiums in each of my front yard veggie boxes last year, thinking to add some color. I was initially concerned that "a few seeds" wouldn't be enough. Was I wrong! These things look off and bloomed beautifully all season. I harvested seeds to plant this year and had so many I gave them to friends. They've just started sending me pictures of their nasturtiums coming up. :)
Love it! I put the flowers in cocktails to dress them up... I also freeze them in ice cubes to make drinks look nice . They just make dishes look so fresh... I will make sure I plant another one in the new garden... some volunteers came up but I want some in pots I think...
HUGE PLANT APPEARED IN OLD GREENHOUSE LAST WEEK. YESTERDAY CUT BIG ARMFUL AND CUT UP AND PUT IN WITH BOILED RICE. TASTED FINE. THIS MORNING PEEING IS LIKE ACID, BUT FEEL FINE. IT SEEMS TO AFFECT KIDNEYS
Nice spotlight on a wonderful plant Kevin! Nasturtiums are also one of nature's most powerful natural antibiotics. They have some healing properties with the skin too IIRC. Be safe, keep up the great work man!
Hummingbirds love them! My veggie gardens are dotted with marigolds, borage and nasturiums. I grow climbing nasturiums and scarlet runners up the pergola for the rubies and bees to enjoy. My little urban garden is a haven for pollinators.
I planted two of the late last spring and they didn't do well in the heat. One of them made it through to this spring and it's so wonderful to enjoy this year. I love the looking at the flowers everyday. :)
On my way to get one of these pretty babies! Love your videos~ been watching a lot lately - great facts and tips, no wibbly wabbly fillers, environmentally friendly, and genuine investment into your plants
I live in Maine and have found I can skip the starter pot step and plant nasturtium seeds right in a big pot. I choose a pot that's at least 12" in diameter and plant the seeds about 2" apart around the outer edge, and a few in the center. If night time temps are above 35, I put the pot outside, and I water it well and then anytime the soil appears dry. Within a couple of weeks, I see the first sprouts, and that's it. I grow nasturtiums every year, as they are one my favorites and so easy to grow. This method has never failed me.
Thanks! After watching your video I went outside and harvested my nasturtium seeds and some flowers and pickled them. I added fresh bay leaves, fresh thyme and fresh dill from my herb garden.
They're great in hanging baskets and the seeds are easy to cultivate and keep. The seeds from 1 marigold flower will make enough seedlings for your whole garden.
Same here! My 5 year old planted the marigolds at school and brought them home for mother's day. They're doing very well. This is my first year trying gardening so I'm just trying to keep them alive at this point 😅 I planted nasturtium at home and they're sprouting now. My 5 y.o planted some at school but I think the seedlings got way too much sun (zone 8b) and died. I'm keeping the newer nasturium in the shade outdoors and they seem to be good so far. Also planted some zinnia, cosmos, and cat grass which are all growing well. It's super exciting!
@@VividVerse that is really cool, here most schools would never let kids do things like that. Nor there are many gardens around schools anyway. Some schools tried it but didn't let boys because of the fear they may destoy it (and partially because boys should not be interested in flowers, or if they did join gardening they give them practical plants like vegetables)
Last year, I had marigolds sprinkled all throughout my container garden. This year, I'm adding raised beds and nasturtiums. This was a timely post for me to see. I'm adding the nasturtiums both for their pest control and pollinator attractant properties.
This is the kind of plant I am planning to sow this year for my flowery balcony project. I am lucky because I have a balcony awashed with sunlight from dawn to dusk so these will look vibrant.
I’m planting these for the first time this year and I’m really excited! I got the Alaska mix. I’ll be putting some right next to the vegetable garden in full sun, and some more in my pollinator garden which gets partial sun. I can’t wait to see how they do and how they taste!
I grow these at 46°S in New Zealand, both for the blooms and as insect traps. I pop them in the corners of raised beds, and I have an annoying urn left by a past owner that I've planted them in this past summer. They look terrific and I haven't managed to kill them! They've endured 80mph winds, drought and storms. I'm waiting to see how long they last this autumn but I'm picking the first frost will be the end. I've got them in a bed with my (brag) tomatillos and late tomatoes. I do think they are working well to attract bees and trap other bugs. I got much more fertilization of the tomatillos after the nasturtiums bloomed.
One of my favorite "easy" plants, easier than radishes. Grows very vigorously, flowers are blooms all season long. Plus, I haven't had issues with over/underwatering or pests. The only thing you have to do is remove dead flowers/leaves and it will continue blooming for months
I had half a dozen of those in my garden last year, and I made a good amount of pesto out of them. I'm not a big fan of basil, so that was excellent. I froze some of it in a big ice cube tray, there are still some cubes left. Basically, leaves, some flowers, oil, garlic, Parmesan, salt - blend it. It's also really great to just snack on them. They were mostly between my tomatoes, and pruning (the tomatoes) usually involved eating. They're pretty commonly grown in Germany.
There are two forms of nasturtium. The dwarf kind like Charm, which grow about a foot tall, and the tall; vining type which can grow six feet long. Nasturtiums are also excellent hanging basket or window box plants for a sunny exposure. They are highly drought resistant and don't need a rich potting soil.
I love nasturtiums! Their so beautiful and have so many healthy benefits and ways you can use them. Plus their a great companion plant for different plants, or like he said, a trap crop. Great all around plant. Ive been growing them for a few years now.
