Way back last early summer I picked up a pack of Burpee Nasturtium seeds. I figured to use them to fill a hanging basket whose previous occupant had keeled over. The seed pack instructions had in bold letters "blooms in Summer".Being a newcomer to Nasturtium I sprouted the basket with the Jewel Mix Nasturtium seeds. The sprouted just fine and looked OK right up until we got some of those 100 degree temperature Summer days around the Sandpit. The Nasturtium's then proceeded to keel over in record time. Here is the picture of the fried Nasturtium plant from August of last year.
I put this picture up on the blog back then and got some gentle feedback in the comments from my fellow gardeners who actually have experience with the Nasturtium. The consensus seemed to be, reading between the lines of the comments , that only morons plant Nasturtiums in Florida in the Summertime heat. You grow them here in the winter months.
So taking the advice of Epictetus back from Around 100 AD who wrote, "We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak". The advice of present day experienced gardeners. As well as the advice of Winston Churchill who stated, "never,never,never ,never give up"it became clear that the best course of action was to try again in the cooler months.
That's what I did replanting the seeds in late November in the hanging basket once again. Here are the results now in this picture.
The Nasturtium plants are growing strong in the cooler weather. They even have started blooming orange and yellow flowers.
So my observations and on hand experiments conclude that Nasturtiums grow best in cool weather [ Seem like I have heard that from somewhere before but I forget just where, gulp ].
Anyway, I know that being able to grow a Nasturtium plant will not go down in history as some monumental accomplishment. But it is to me because it has taken me since last July to do it. But look at the results,way cool, yes? As for the seed pack claiming the Nasturtium plants bloom in Summer I think that I figured that out. The Burpee Seed Co. is located in Warminster,PA. There Summer temps are my Winter temps. I think that a disclaimer on their seed pack , [Grows here in PA in Summer] seems appropriate.
Regardless, once again victory has been snatched from the jaws of defeat with a little help from my friends.
Here are the comments from my fellow gardeners back in August. Quite a funny lesson in tact and no they did not use the word Moron once in print although I'm sure it did cross their minds :-]
It's the same here in my corner of the world too. Nasturtiums are a fantastic addition to the winter garden ... they just don't have what it takes to get through one of our summers! Don't worry, it took me two summers to figure it out! Yours are looking brilliant ... so well done!
ReplyDeleteYep, our hot, humid summers are just too dang much for some flowers and herbs, but they love our winters. Enjoy your nasturtiums.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
Oh I love growing nasturtiums -once they get going they never seem to stop flowering. Although last winter was still too hot for them. I am hoping this winter will be better. I like the way you have them in a hanging basket as well.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteIt took me awhile but I think that I get it now. Plant Nasturtiums in the Winter.
Flowerlady,
You are right the Summer Sun can be brutal here to both plants and people. The Nashturtiums seem very happy now in the mild weather. lesson learned.
Africanaussie,
The Nasturtiums in the hanging basket work better for me here because I can take the basket inside my screened enclosure. We get alot of strong wind here when the winter fronts get down this far and the Nasturtium leaves act like sails. Growing them in the hanging basket that can be moved easily keeps the plants from getting beat up by the wind. Works for me.