How to grow Nasturtiums in Hanging Baskets

Growing nasturtiums in hanging baskets is an easy way to add some color to your garden without taking up too much space.

Nasturtiums are one of my favorite annual flowers because they’re easy to grow and require very little maintenance.

In this article I’ll teach you how to grow and care for nasturtiums in hanging baskets so you can enjoy their beautiful flowers all summer long.

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Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) have beautiful brightly colored flowers that can be orange, yellow, white or red.

They bloom from summer until fall and all parts of the plant are edible, not just the flowers!

Nasturtiums act as an aphid trap, helping to keep aphids away from vegetable plants, while also attracting beneficial insects to the garden.

Try these stunning nasturtiums in your hanging planters:

HOW TO PLANT NASTURTIUMS IN HANGING BASKETS

Choose a hanging basket or planter that is at least 12 inches (30 cm) wide so there’s enough room for the plant’s roots to spread out.

Nasturtiums grow well in poor quality soil and they actually produce more flowers in poor soil than in rich soil, so you can get away with using a cheaper potting mix.

Nasturtium seeds are large so they’re easy to handle and they can be planted after the last frost of the season or keep the baskets indoors until the risk of frost has passed.

Plant the seeds half an inch (about 1.5 cm) deep.

I like to plant at least 3 seeds in each basket to make them nice and full.

It usually takes 10 to 14 days for nasturtium seeds to germinate but you can soak the seeds in water overnight before planting to speed up germination.

Place the hanging baskets in a spot that is in full sun with some afternoon shade.

In hot areas they can become scorched in the very hot afternoon sun.

Nasturtium plants start blooming 5 to 7 weeks after planting the seeds and they flower from summer to fall.

CARING FOR NASTURTIUMS IN HANGING BASKETS

Nasturtiums in hanging baskets need regular watering, especially if they’re exposed to winds and hot sun.

Water the plants every day or two as they’re becoming established and then cut back to once or twice a week during spring.

Try to water your plants early in the morning or in the evening so that the water doesn’t evaporate too quickly.

During the hot summer months you’ll need to increase the watering to once a day or every second day, depending on how hot and dry the weather is.

Nasturtiums don’t really need to be fertilized. If you give them too much nitrogen-containing fertilizer you’ll end up with lots of leaves but not many flowers.

If you notice your hanging pots are getting a bit untidy, you can cut the plants back and they’ll produce fresh new growth.

It’s also a good idea to deadhead the spent flowers to prolong the bloom time.

Pests and diseases affecting nasturtiums

The good thing about growing flowers in hanging baskets is that they’re less susceptible to pests like snails, slugs and caterpillars, but they can still be affected by annoying pests like mites and aphids.

Check the leaves regularly and if you notice any pests on your plants you’ll need to spray the entire plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil to get rid of them. [1]

Also, be sure to leave enough space between the plants so that air can circulate to reduce the chance of powdery mildew.

Collecting nasturtium seeds

If you’d like to save some nasturtium seeds to plant the next year you’ll need to leave the flowers on the plant until they turn brown.

Nasturtium seeds are round, about the same size as a pea, and they’re located in the middle of the flower.

You might also find them underneath the planter if they’ve fallen off.

Collect the seeds in late summer or early fall, before the first frost and store them in a paper bag or envelope in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant them in spring.

So there are my tips for planting and caring for nasturtiums in hanging baskets.

By following these steps your nasturtium baskets should provide you with a beautiful display of flowers from summer until fall.

Have you tried growing nasturtium flowers in hanging planters? Let me know in the comments below.

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