Empress of India Nasturtium

The vigorously growing plants feature attractive and tasty leaves of a very dark bluish-green growing as tall as a foot. They carry large 2-inch blooms in shades of red ranging from dark ruby red to fiery red. Blossoms are a spicy addition to a salad. 

30 seeds

PLANTING

Tropaeolum majus

Annual

Germination: 10-12 days, soaking seeds overnight aids germination

Seed Planting Depth: Sow 1/2” deep

Starting Indoors: Start indoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost. Provide 60-65ºF soil temperatures until germination. Using individual biodegradable peat/cow pots/paper pots helps to reduce root damage when transplanting. Transplant 8-10” apart after the last frost date.

Sowing Outdoors: 2 weeks before the last frost into early summer 

Spacing: 8-12”

Growth Habit:  Trailing

Height and Width: 10-12” x 36-48"

Light Needs:  Full sun 

Soil Needs:  Average, well-drained. An abundance of nitrogen in the soil promotes excess foliage with limited blooms

Approximate days to flower from seed: 55-65 days

Uses: Attracts pollinators, flower beds, containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, edible flowers and leaves, companion plant in the vegetable garden-brassicas, cucumbers, melons, squash, radishes, and tomatoes

Care: Low maintenance, minimal care required. Deadheading is not necessary but promotes vigorous blooms. When growing in containers they might need to be pruned back during the middle of the season to maintain their shape and watered more frequently