Nasturtium Salmon Mousse

Definitely yes! This ornamental, and furthermore edible, annual is absolutely ideal for beginners. It requires no complex care, grows very reliably, and blooms beautifully. It just needs a sunny to semi-shaded location, well-draining soil, and regular, moderate watering. It is a great choice for your first gardening successes.

You can safely choose either option. Sow directly from April to June (ideally about 2 weeks before the last frost) and space the seeds 25-30 cm apart. If you wish to speed up flowering, start by pre-growing them indoors from March to June, roughly 3-4 weeks before the planned transplanting outdoors. Sow 2 seeds in deeper pots, and once two true leaves appear, thin them out to leave one strong plant.

The key secret to success when sowing is darkness. Nasturtium seeds absolutely require darkness to germinate, so you must sow them 1 to 2 cm deep and cover them well with soil. The germination temperature should ideally be in the 16-22 °C range. Under these conditions, you will see the first leaves in 7 to 14 days.

This plant does not suffer from diseases, but it is a major attraction for certain pests. You will most often find aphids, as well as flea beetles or slugs and snails. Check the plants regularly and intervene using organic oil-based or potassium soap sprays, or collect the pests manually.

Yes, Nasturtium is 100% non-toxic and completely safe for people, cats, dogs, and other pets. Furthermore, its highly aromatic flowers act as a magnet for pollinators, so it will readily attract hardworking bees and small butterflies to your garden.

Yes, Nasturtium is completely edible and very beneficial for human health! Its beautiful flowers and young green leaves have a slightly spicy, peppery to radish-like flavor. They are excellent for brightening up summer vegetable salads, sandwiches, or as a luxurious and colorful edible garnish for cakes and desserts.

You can look forward to a very long and abundant flowering period, which usually begins in June and continues throughout the summer until the first autumn frosts (often until October). The flowers are roughly 5 cm in diameter and shine in magnificent shades of light and deep salmon, mandarin, and bright orange.

Nasturtium is sensitive to frost; it is grown here exclusively as an annual and will not survive the winter outdoors (it dies at 0 °C). However, it has one excellent quality: it very readily self-seeds in its location. Because of this, it is very likely that a new generation will grow on its own in the spring from the fallen seeds.

Interestingly, nasturtium literally loves poor, sandy, and well-drained soil. You should definitely avoid excessive fertilizing and growing in highly nutritious substrate. In soil that is too rich, the plant would produce an abundance of green leaves, but you would see very few flowers.

Although it is not a classic commercial cut flower with meter-long stems, the 'Salmon Mousse' variety can definitely be used for cutting. Its strong stems reach lengths of 15 to 20 cm, making them look amazing in delicate summer arrangements in low vases or when tied into small wildflower bouquets. However, they are not suitable for drying due to their high water content.

Experienced gardeners often use it for so-called companion planting. It serves as an excellent trap crop—it acts as a natural lure that intentionally attracts aphids and other pests, thereby reliably protecting more valuable nearby crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, or cabbage.

Absolutely! Once the green pods full of seeds begin to form after flowering, let them ripen and dry naturally right on the plant. You can then collect them and store them in a cool, dry place for spring sowing. Interestingly, the young, green, and still-soft seeds can be pickled in vinegar and act as an excellent homemade substitute for capers.

This common problem occurs if the plant is grown in soil that is too rich or if you are actively fertilizing it with products high in nitrogen. The plant invests all its energy into creating lush green foliage at the expense of flower production. Therefore, do not fertilize your Nasturtium and prefer to grow it in poorer, well-draining soil.

The most common reason for failure is a lack of darkness. If you sowed the seeds too shallowly and exposed to light, they will not germinate. Another cause could be unsuitable temperature (too cold in early spring) or waterlogged soil, which causes the seeds to simply rot. Keep watering moderate and don't forget to cover the seeds with a layer of soil.