How to Start Nasturtium Seeds

Select seed varieties that coincide with your objectives: food, bloom color and/or foliar interest. Find a spot in your garden with ample sun. Remove all weeds. Spade 1 inch of compost into very poor soils. Make sure the sight has ample drainage. Add an 1 or 2 inches of sand if necessary. Do not add fertilizers, because nasturtiums thrive in slightly neglected soils. Adding fertilizers will encourage leaf growth at the expense of flowers but otherwise be wasted.

Plant the seeds directly in the soil, about a half inch deep, after the last frost.You can plant them directly in pots if you prefer, but don't bother sowing them indoors to replant outside. They germinate in only a week and the roots don't do well if disturbed. In hot southern climates, plant them in mid- to late fall and harvest during the winter before a freeze.

Space the seeds eight inches apart if you intend to harvest them often for kitchen use. If they're for show, plant them six inches apart because you will thin them later. Water the seeds thoroughly. Nasturtiums do well in damp soil, but not in standing water or soggy soils. Water deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry.

When the seedlings put on two pairs of leaves, thin showy nasturtiums to one foot apart. Toss the discarded seedlings in the compost pile. Mulch between the nasturtiums to help the soil hold moisture better and to discourage weeds. Remove existing weeds carefully to avoid disturbing the nasturtium roots. If weeds are growing right next to the nasturtium seedling, pinch off the top instead of pulling.