IN THE SPOTLIGHT…Nasturtiums: not just for sacrificing!

Nasturtiums: not just for sacrificing!

Before you start visualising me dancing around the garden bonfire just stop and don’t go there.  Not unless some beverage of an alcoholic nature has been involved and even then I think the nasturtiums are safe…well, sort of!

After all they have been around for a long time.  The first mention in England was by Gerald in his Herball of 1597, and he received his seeds from Europe where they were first described by Nicolás Monardes in 1567.  One of many important botanical imports into Spain – it wasn’t just gold coming in from the south Americas.

Nasturtiums are a popular plant to grow under fruit trees and close to vegetables as they attract aphids and other sap suckers so that they stay away from your crops.  Interplanting further confuses those pesky bugs thus nasturtiums are often known as companion plants.  They can be planted with or among brassicas such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts & kale.  They have a deterrent effect on those almost invisible pale green caterpillars that so love your cabbages.  They are used to draw aphids away from peppers and tomatoes. Their ability to gather blackfly means that nasturtiums have a reputation for being the best plant to grow near broad beans. 

And the truth is Nasturtiums don’t repel these unwanted pests, they attract them.  If you simply plant nasturtiums near other plants, they won’t solve your bug problems…it is even possible that you could inadvertently be storing up a bigger problem.  You have planted a bug heaven from which the happy bugs can spread – particularly with the help of ants farming the bug’s honeydew and moving those bugs on to pastures new…your tasty veggies next door!  So, step up and play your role – you do not need to rip out all your nasturtiums and sacrifice them but you do need to pluck off those infested leaves: simple but necessary. 

And no need to worry that your nasturtiums will run out of leaves.  Rich soil amongst your vegetables will result in lots of leafy growth, in fact leaves rather than flowers.  And here is another useful role for your nasturtiums: beneficial ground cover, helping retain soil moisture and promoting overall garden health.

We have talked about their role with unwanted bugs so it is time to move on to the nicer side as they also attract pollinators.  Those bright flowers fall within the visible spectrum of many pollinators including bees.  The particularly sweet nectar makes it understandable why some insects nip round the back of the flowers to steal it unless they have long tongues!  For more flowers provide your nasturtiums with good drainage and poorer soil, particularly if growing them in pots.  Pop some flowering nasturtiums near to your courgette, cucumber, squash and pumpkin plants to help direct pollinators to where they are needed.

Plus you are actually growing an edible crop for yourself…with a clever trick and hidden secrets.  The circular leaves are water repellent, watch the raindrops just roll off them washing any dirt away!  These leaves contain as much vitamin C as parsley, and more luetin (research is ongoing about its importance for eye health) than any other leafy green vegetable.  And the glucosinolates, responsible for the nasturtiums flavour, turn out to be an important part of the fight against bacteria & viruses

The fresh leaves and flowers have a peppery taste which can vary in intensity depending upon the time of day you pick them – milder early in the day. Add leaves or flowers, or both, to salads.  Chop up and stir them into cottage or cream cheese.  For a quick and easy dip simply mix into some natural yoghurt.  For a peppery change scatter on potatoes instead of mint.   Combine with scrambled eggs or sprinkle over poached or fried ones.  Some chopped leaves strewn on a pizza just before serving or mixed into pasta will add flavour too.  The flowers have a mellower, softer flavour with their natural sweetness…think of a flowery fanfare on pudding or cake or frozen in ice cubes for summer drinks.

Blue Pepe ~ steel blue & purple leaves with dramatic flowers

Black Velvet ~ rich velvety red-black petals surround a dusky centre

Empress Of India ~ opulent crimson flowers with deep green star effect leaves

Gleam Mix ~ spread to 1m, a restrained tumble in a myriad of colours

Jewel Mixed ~ small leafed with flowers standing clear

Tall Climbing Mixture ~ scrambling up or trailing down 150-180cm,

Tom Thumb Alaska ~ marbled leaves and flowers in shades of red