Nasturtium Seeds - Climbing Nasturtium as an Edible Climbing Plant

A climbing plant without classic tendrils

Nasturtium climbs differently from peas or passionflowers. It does not form its own tendrils, but pushes its long shoots through neighbouring plants and climbing supports. In doing so, especially the long leaf stalks can rest against fine structures and give the plant additional support.

A finely structured climbing aid is therefore particularly suitable. On trellises, fences or strings, the shoots can spread more easily than on smooth, solid surfaces.

From the Andes to our summer gardens

Garden nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus, originally comes from South America. In our gardens, it is usually grown as an annual because it is sensitive to frost, and within a single season it develops an astonishing amount of foliage and flowers.

Climbing varieties can form shoots several metres long under good conditions. This makes them ideal for places where lively, flower-rich greenery is desired within a short time.

Climbing, trailing or ground-covering

How nasturtium grows depends greatly on the opportunities it is given. With a climbing aid it can be guided upwards, from raised planters its shoots grow decoratively downwards, and without climbing support it spreads across the ground.

This makes climbing nasturtium versatile to use: on fences and trellises, in raised beds, on balcony railings, in larger containers or as a fast-growing ground cover between other summer plants.

Edible flowers, leaves and young fruits

Nasturtium is not only an ornamental plant. Young leaves and flowers are edible and have a spicy, peppery flavour reminiscent of garden cress or horseradish. This is due, among other things, to mustard oil glycosides.

The flowers are suitable, for example, as a colourful addition to salads, herb dishes or cold dishes. Young, still green fruits or unripe seed heads are also traditionally used and can be pickled.

Flowers for bumblebees and other garden visitors

The striking flowers of nasturtium are visited by various insects. Bumblebees in particular, with their strong bodies and long tongues, can reach the nectar in the spurred flowers well.

In this way, nasturtium combines its decorative and culinary use with an additional supply of flowers for the summer garden.

Nasturtium in the vegetable and natural garden

Nasturtium is also often used as a companion plant in the vegetable bed. It covers open areas, grows quickly and can at times be heavily colonised by aphids. For this reason, it is sometimes deliberately used as a trap crop.

However, this does not guarantee that other plants will remain free of aphids. Heavily infested shoots can be removed if necessary, while the rest of the plant usually continues to grow quickly.

Lots of growth does not need lots of fertiliser

Nasturtium copes well with comparatively moderately nutrient-rich soils. A very strong supply of nitrogen can encourage lush leaf growth, while flower formation decreases.

For abundant flowering, sufficient light, even water supply and a location that is not overfertilised are therefore especially important.