previous Hutchinson Farm Flower Guide next Nasturtiums Photo: Nasturtiums  'Alaska', David MacTavish, Home Garden, Burlington, ON, June 28 2006

Grown at Hutchinson Farm since before we can remember. Available May 2022, in 4½" pots.

Please note, Nasturtiums won't be available until late May, 2020, sorry, we forgot to plant them on time!

• Description
  
  Winter Hardiness: Tender Annual
  Light Requirements: Full sun - part sun

  Where to plant: Large Containers or 
Beds

  Height: 6" - 10"

  Width: 10" - 24"
  Spacing: 12"
  Edible Blossoms -the 'tail' of the blossom is very sweet, strong spicy flavour throughout.
  
  
• Garden Performance
  Nasturtiums are a carefree plant that will spread and fill in any area where they are planted. Nasturtiums do not climb, but they will spread. We used to grow them in hanging baskets, where they look absolutely fantastic -once they even made the front page of the Burlington Post! Unfortunately too keep them looking nice in hanging baskets requires a lot of daily maintenance. The blossoms are edible and will add zest and colour to your salads.
  
  
• Growing Guide
  Nasturtiums prefer to be planted in the ground. They will out-grow small containers (they keep putting up babies). Ignore them in the ground. If the soil is rich you will get more leaves than flowers. In containers fertilize lightly, and deadhead blossoms.
  
  Aphids love Nasturtiums. You can ignore them if there are only a few, because Nasturtiums will grow faster than the aphids can do harm, and soon someone will come along and eat the aphids. For serious infestations: spray with dish soap (soap, not detergent) and water (1:40), rinse off after five minutes. We highly recommend testing a small area first, as the soap can burn the delicate Nasturtium leaves.
  
  
• Colours and Varieties
  
  
  Whirlybird Series: The largest nasturtium we grow -there are really large nasturtiums available (such as Californa Giants), but they're not practical they're so big. Watch out for those posh names:
  
  Whirlybird Cherry Rose (red)
  Whirlybird Mahogany (deep scarlet)
  Whirlybird Peach Melba (pale yellow with dark splotch)
  
  Orchid Cream
  Bloody Mary Striped burgundy-red on cream
  
  Alaska Mix: 'Alaska' has a more compact habit than the Whirlybirds, it's the only type we ever put in containers. The series is named for its unique creamy-white and green foliage which would be beautiful enough on it's own, without any blossoms. The colours have not been isolated, which means if it isn't in bloom we can't know what colour it will be. There is a large range of colour -yellows, oranges, and reds.
   
  
•