Nasturtium Benefits: Flowers Throughout the Garden
Make room for a few more flowers
Nasturtium benefits start with something simple: more flowers without a complicated job. A few seeds can bring color to a bed edge, fill a bare corner and give you peppery leaves and flowers to eat. They also bring insects into the garden, including pollinators. There is a lot here for a plant that is easy to start.
Spread them through the garden where there is room. Let a trailing variety spill outside a raised bed, or tuck a compact one beside vegetables. The goal is flowers throughout the garden while leaving your crops space to grow.
Researched seed options
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These are shopping options, not seeds I am claiming to have tested. Check the selected packet and growing habit before ordering.
| Product | Size | Key spec | Where it fits | Our note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed Needs Jewel Mix | 1.5-ounce pack | Mixed flowers | Bed edges | For a broad color mix. |
| Sow Right Seeds Alaska Mix | Check packet | Variegated leaves | Compact planting | Foliage adds another color. |
| Isla’s Garden Empress of India | 50+ seeds | Red flowers | Single-color patch | Dark leaves and red blooms. |
Nasturtium benefits beside vegetables
Flowers earn their space here. UC Marin Master Gardeners lists bees, hummingbirds and butterflies among nasturtium visitors. The rounded leaves and bright flowers also soften the edges of a vegetable bed. Choose single flowers when easy access for visitors matters; heavily doubled blooms can be less accessible.
Young leaves and flowers have a peppery bite. Add a few to a salad rather than letting the flowers do all their work outside. Use correctly identified garden nasturtiums grown for eating, and follow any pesticide label restrictions. UF/IFAS covers their edible leaves, flowers and pickled seed pods.
Companion planting: useful, with limits
University of Minnesota Extension summarizes research where nasturtiums helped reduce squash bug populations and some caterpillar damage in brassicas. That makes squash, broccoli and cabbage sensible combinations to explore. It does not promise the same result in every garden, or protection from every insect.
Nasturtiums can also collect aphids and caterpillars. A trap crop only helps if you watch it and manage the pests. Check leaf undersides and nearby vegetables. Remove heavily infested material when needed. Think of flowers as one part of garden care, alongside healthy plants and regular checks.
Nasturtium varieties: choose the habit first
There are dozens of cultivars, with new mixes and names appearing in catalogs. This covers the main garden types and a broad selection of named varieties, rather than claiming every packet ever sold. Wisconsin Extension and the University of Saskatchewan describe these choices.
| Type | Varieties and what changes |
|---|---|
| Compact classics | Jewel: mixed colors; Alaska and Tip Top Alaska: variegated leaves; Empress of India: red with dark foliage; Tom Thumb: small mounds. |
| More compact choices | Baby: rose, red, gold or yellow; Tip Top: flowers above foliage; Peach Melba: cream with warm markings; Black Velvet: deep maroon; Vesuvius: salmon-orange; Whirlybird: semi-double blooms. |
| Trailing and spreading | Jewel of Africa and Troika: variegated foliage; Gleam: classic mixed flowers; Vintage: double blooms; Moonlight: pale yellow; Spitfire: orange; Indian Chief: orange-red. |
| More color choices | Buttercream and Milkmaid: pale yellow; Cherry Rose: pinkish red; Copper Sunset: red-orange; Crimson Emperor: ruby; Just Peachy: apricot; Ladybird and Vanilla Berry: contrasting markings. |
| A different species | Canary creeper, Tropaeolum peregrinum: lobed leaves and fringed yellow flowers. It is a separate climbing option, not a standard garden nasturtium mix. |
Compact types fit small spaces. Trailing types need an exit route. Standard “climbing” garden nasturtiums scramble on long stems and need guiding or tying to support. Check the packet's spread instead of assuming every nasturtium stays small. For changing flower color, Orchid Flame shifts from yellow toward red.
Check price on Amazon: Jewel Mix seeds →
Check price on Amazon: Alaska Mix seeds →
Check price on Amazon: Empress of India seeds →
Winter sowing: keep it simple, check your climate
In mild coastal California, fall and winter can be a good time to get nasturtiums started. UC Cooperative Extension’s Los Angeles December sowing list includes nasturtiums. That is useful regional guidance, not a rule for every zone 9 garden.
The casual version is close to throwing seeds down, but give them soil contact. Push them in about half an inch, cover and water. Bare seed scattered on dry mulch is less reliable. Keep the area moist while it sprouts. You do not need to turn this into a seed-tray project.
Where winter brings freezes, wait until after the last spring frost and let the soil warm. Nasturtiums are frost tender. A hardiness-zone number alone will not tell you whether this week's weather suits sowing. RHS guidance uses planting after the last frost.
Specs that matter
- Light: sun for good flowering, with some shade useful in hot settings.
- Soil: ordinary, well-drained ground. Heavy feeding can mean more leaves and fewer blooms.
- Water: keep seedlings moist and established plants watered during dry spells.
Transplanting: small plants, roots intact
Moving a small nursery start can be straightforward. Dig the hole first, slide out the whole root ball, set it at the same depth and water. Harden off indoor starts before planting outside. Avoid pulling roots apart or waiting for a tangled, overgrown plant.
UC Marin distinguishes nursery starts from seedlings dug out of the ground: starts do well, while lifted seedlings transplant poorly. Burpee also advises keeping root disturbance low. Direct sowing is the easier starting point if you have the space.
How to sow nasturtiums around a raised bed
- Choose the spot. Pick a sunny, well-drained edge. Allow room for the mature variety without covering vegetable seedlings.
- Choose the season. Sow after the last frost in cold climates. In mild winter areas, use local planting guidance and avoid an approaching freeze.
- Cover the seed. Sow about half an inch deep. Space compact types roughly 10 to 12 inches apart, adjusting to the packet for the variety.
- Water and thin. Keep the seedbed moist while seeds sprout. Thin crowded seedlings and water regularly as plants establish.
- Keep a little room. Guide trailing stems outward, inspect leaf undersides and remove unwanted seedlings before they crowd the bed.
Anything to skip?
Skip extra fertilizer just for the nasturtiums, sowing into soggy ground and letting vines bury small vegetables. Pick spent flowers for continued bloom, or let a few seeds mature if you want volunteers. Pull the extras early. In mild climates they can reseed enthusiastically, so keep them in your garden and out of nearby natural areas.
FAQ
Can I scatter nasturtium seeds in winter?
In mild, frost-free conditions, winter sowing can work. Cover seeds with about half an inch of soil and keep them moist. Where winter freezes, wait until after the last spring frost.
Are nasturtiums easy to transplant?
Small starts can be planted with their root ball intact, but nasturtiums dislike root disturbance. Direct sowing is usually simpler than moving established plants.
Do nasturtiums keep pests away?
Some companion-planting studies report reduced pest damage, but nasturtiums do not repel every pest. They can attract aphids and caterpillars themselves, so inspect the planting.
Which nasturtiums suit a raised bed?
Compact types such as Jewel, Alaska, Empress of India and Tom Thumb suit edges. Trailing types need room outside the bed or support so they do not cover nearby vegetables.
Are nasturtium flowers and leaves edible?
Yes, garden nasturtiums have peppery edible leaves and flowers. Confirm the plant identification and use only plants grown for eating without unsuitable pesticide treatments.
Photo credits
Public domain and CC0 photographs, cropped and resized from Wikimedia Commons: Leon Brooks (Public domain); Gogerr (CC0); Wouter Hagens (Public domain); Mary Hutchison (CC0). These are illustrative photos, not Matt’s garden.
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