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Nasturtium

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Season

Spring

Name

Tropaeolum majus

Common Name

Nasturtium

Description

Nasturtiums are edible flowers like marigolds, so not only do they look really colourful but they taste good too! The flowers come in creams, yellows, oranges, reds and burgundy colours, look at the seed packet to find out if the variety you have chosen is a bush or climbing variety.

Growing conditions

Nasturtiums like to grow in the sun in well drained soil.

When to grow

Sow from March to May, outside where they are to flower. They will flower from the summer through to the autumn.

What you need

A packet of nasturtium seeds
Gardening gloves
Rake
Trowel
Plant label

How to grow

Nasturtiums can be sown straight in the ground they are going to flower, so make sure the space where you are going to sow is weed free.
Rake the soil to a fine tilth and make some drills 20mm deep. The rows should be spaced about 30cm apart. If you made a measuring stick from last month’s activities you could use this to help you.
Sprinkle the seed in carefully and cover them up with soil. As they grow, if the plants are crowded then thin them out to about 30 cm apart.
The petals from nasturtiums are edible and can be added to salads, they taste quite peppery and hot. Look out for our rainbow salad recipe in the summer to add your nasturtium flowers too.