- Author: Lynn Young
These jeweled toned beauties are wonderful in the garden.
Nasturtiums are quite easy to grow and usually planted in the Spring after the last frost has passed. I have seen Nasturtiums begin to grow from the previous season as early as January. Many believe they are perennials when in fact, they are annuals. There are so many varieties of Nasturtiums, my favorite being the trailing variety which I love to see climb walls, trellises, and fences. If you are without space, or have minimum garden space, Nasturtiums can be planted in a pot. Hanging pots are great for trailing Nasturtiums. They look amazing when they spill over the edges.
They grow full, flower vibrantly during the spring and early summer with jeweled tone colors, and have bright green leaves reminiscent of lily pads. Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds love this plant.
Nasturtiums grow best from seed sown directly in the soil. I have also propagated from cuttings that performed well in the garden.
Many gardeners plant Nasturtiums in the garden as a trap crop to draw away aphids from neighboring crops. Try planting Nasturtium next to cucumbers, kale and tomatoes for healthy company and natural pest control.
CARE
Nasturtiums do not need to be fertilized. In fact, fertilizer can produce more leaves than flowers. Developing a good weekly watering system should be sufficient. These beautiful blooms love full sun exposure and show tolerance for shade and some drought, although lack of water will cause flowers to wilt. When it comes to maintenance, trailing varieties can benefit from a light pruning and removal of yellowing leaves. Add the fresh green leaves to salad or enjoy a few pieces prior to discarding.
HARVEST
All parts of the nasturtium plant can be harvested for culinary use. The best time to harvest leaves is when the plant is young - approximately 6 inches tall. Harvest flowers just as they open. You can cut flowers and stems together. Collect the green seed pods when they are just over 1/4" inch in diameter. These can be used for pickling. Discard small, hardened pods.
Nasturtium seeds for future planting are easy to collect. The plants often self-sow. When they self-sow, the seeds fall to the ground, making collecting a breeze. Seeds will be a mixture of small and mature green and brown pods. I save the green pods for culinary use and collect the brown pods to grow for next season. Discard small, immature seeds, as they do not have a good germination success rate.
How to enjoy your Nasturtiums Leaves, Flowers and Seed Pods
All parts of Nasturtium plants are edible. The leaves, flowers and green seeds are used in cooking. The spicy leaves and flowers can be used fresh in salads. The green seed pods, which have a zesty tangy peppery flavor, have become known as “Poor Man's Capers.” I enjoy them fresh. There are so many culinary uses for fresh or pickled parts of the nasturtium plant. I have shared a use below.
Nasturtium Pickled Capers: 1-1-1
1 Cup of firm green seed pods
1 Cup of White Vinegar or Apple Cider
1 teaspoon of Sea Salt
8 Peppercorns
*Add a drizzle of honey for a sweet & tangy taste. Alllow the mixture to sit for 20 minutes or longer. Enjoy. Refrigerate whatever is left!
- Author: C.J. Crockett (MG ’21)
- Author: Christina Sergy
Soil, rather than dirt, is a living ecosystem that supports plant life. When soil is healthy and aerobic, it protects plants from disease, retains and gives access to nutrients, decomposes toxins, and builds soil structure.
One very important component of healthy soil is organic matter.
Soil scientists teach us that regular additions of organic matter, such as leaf litter, compost, mulch, worm castings, etc., contribute to making the soil that perfect loam that we all wish to attain. Organic matter attracts and feeds the crucial components of the soil food web. As it decomposes, it feeds fungi, bacteria, and nematodes. These in turn feed the next level of microorganisms, and on and on up the food chain. During this feeding frenzy, the byproducts produced are oxygen and essential nutrients that are now accessible by plants. Additionally, good soil structure is created in the process, allowing for air and water migration and then storage, thus allowing better access to the plant's root system.
How can you tell how healthy your soil is?
Look at it. Smell it. Touch it. Are there nice dark chunks of matter that crumble in your hand? Do you see worms? How about other signs of insect activity or tiny bright white feeder roots? Does it smell earthy? These are all signs of soil that's doing well. Conversely, if your soil is a dusty light brown and seems lifeless, or is black and smells putrid, these are definite signs that remediation is in order.
You may choose to have your soil tested to see its specific nutrient structure and amend accordingly. The truth is that by creating a healthy aerobic soil, you can help ensure that your plants get what they need to thrive. As it turns out, Mother Nature knew how to do it all along.
- Author: Martin Saiz
- Author: Anna Judy de Torres
What is California's native milkweed and why should we plant it?
Native milkweeds are perennials with clusters of small (usually white or pink) flowers that grow in every eco-region of California. The native milkweeds are an important nectar source to a range of pollinators including bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Native milkweeds go dormant during the winter and sprout anew during the spring.
Milkweed is especially well known for its importance to monarch butterflies, since they are the required host plant formonarch caterpillars. No milkweed means no monarchs. Land development and use of herbicides have dramatically reduced the presence of native milkweed by taking away the flatlands and meadow areas where the plant grows well. The monarch butterfly population has dramatically declined and the best way that gardeners can support the monarchs is by planting their necessary host plant - the milkweed - as well as other needed nectar plants and by avoiding the use of pesticides.
The Xerces Society lists 15 different native milkweeds to California but recommends that Narrowleaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) and Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) as the best species to plant due to their ability to grow in the widest range of conditions and the opportunity to buy them commercially.
Is native milkweed hard to grow?
Antonio Sanchez of the Rancho Sierra Vista native plant nursery says, “Of all the native milkweed species, Narrowleaf Milkweed is the easiest to grow. It is true that it is a little more difficult to grow than the very easy and showy tropical milkweed, but not by much. It is like the difference between growing spinach and watermelon, you just have to know where and when to plant it. If growing from seed, always start the seed in the warm months, from April to July. If
growing from live plants, always install from March-August. Water deeply and frequently the first year, once or twice a week. After the first year, plants normally thrive on twice a month waterings. Plants thrive in full sun, but tolerate part shade as well, and can be successfully grown in sandy or clay soils.”
Where can I buy it?
Unfortunately, buying native milkweeds is not as easy as a visit to your local outside box store. Many only sell tropical milkweed. You could certainly request it though! Ventura County has even taken the unprecedented step of banning the sale of tropical milkweed.
Most native plant nurseries and many independent nurseries will have narrowleaf milkweed for sale during its prime growing season, from March to August. You can search on the California Native Plant Society website Calscape.org to find nurseries in your area that carry one of the native milkweed species.
If I have tropical milkweed planted, what do you recommend?
Most experts agree that if you have tropical milkweed planted, you should cut it down to the ground as winter approaches in order to mimic the growth patterns of native milkweeds and allow a healthier regeneration of the plant in the Spring.
The controversy over tropical vs. native milkweed stays strong in some gardening circles but native plant nursery manager Antonio Sanchez recommends the following, “If you have tropical milkweed in your garden, keep it going as you get your native milkweed patch established. The first year, cut back your tropical milkweed to the ground around Thanksgiving, and to the ground again around Valentine's Day. After one or 2 years, your native milkweed patch should become established, and you can then completely remove your tropical milkweed plants.”
What are the Los Angeles Master Gardeners doing to support the monarchs?
Los Angeles UC Master Gardener Martin Saiz collaborated with the native plant nursery at Rancho Sierra Vista to successfully request a major grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Fund (NFWF). The purpose of the grant is to address population declines and ensure the survival of the monarch butterfly. Over the next two years, the grant will fund gathering native milkweed seed from across the Santa Monica Mountains, propagating thousands of milkweed plants at the nursery, planting milkweed in 150 nearby acres, and establishing a network of milkweed way stations in 300 community, school, senior, and shelter gardens across Los Angeles County.