The Versatile Nasturtium
Hello, and welcome to my first post in the the Yorkshire Kitchen Garden blog.
We are now at the end of October, and so far no sign of a frost. I’m not sure how long this situation will continue, but for the moment we still have a few tomatoes left, they will need to be harvested very soon. Plus, nasturtiums, one of my favourite kitchen garden plants are thriving, creating a glorious array of colour. Because so many people simply think of them as an annual bedding plant, I thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you more about the versatility of nasturtiums.
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum)
Originating in South America, Nasturtiums have become a cottage garden favourite. Great as a plant for children to grow, they are also edible, and make a good companion plant.
To Grow: Sow your seeds in the spring once the last frost has passed. The seeds are very large which makes them ideal for young children. Choose a light, well draining soil, in a sunny spot. There is no need to fertilise the area, in fact this is best avoided because an overly fertile soil will result in a large number of leaves and few flowers.
Flowering: Nasturtiums flower from mid summer until the first frost, when the whole plant usually dies back.
Propagation: It is unlikely that you will ever need to propagate your nasturtiums They self seed very easily and will reappear year, after year. If you want to plant some in another part of your garden, simply collect the seed once it has dried. Store it over winter in a cool. dark place. The best way is to pop it into an envelope, which you then place in a glass jar, which is in turn kept in the fridge. Make sure the jar is airtight to avoid any chance of the seed becoming damp.
Uses: Nasturtiums make a brilliant companion plant. Grow some in amongst your vegetables to protect them from caterpillars and aphids. However, nasturtiums are also an edible plant themselves, so keep some to use in your kitchen.
The leaves, flowers and seeds can all be eaten. Try adding a handful of flowers to a salad, to give a colourful variation. Or, for a tangy alternative to chives, chop nasturtium leaves finely, and sprinkle them over a jacket potato. Nasturtium seeds have traditionally been added to herbal vinegars. This isn’t something I have tried yet, but if I do, I will report back with the results. In the meantime, if anyone has used nasturtiums seeds in their own vinegars, I’d love to hear from them.
For more information and recipes:
http://www.gardenguides.com/flowers/annuals/nasturtium.htm
http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/gilbert/nasturtiums.htm
http://www.rainyside.com/herbs/nasturtium.html