How to Grow Nasturtium
'Alaska Apricot' from Seed
Cream-marbled leaves and soft apricot flowers held clear of the foliage. Every part is edible and peppery, and it flowers best in poor, dry soil.
Half the appeal of 'Alaska Apricot' is its leaves. They are marbled and splashed with cream over green, so the plant is attractive long before it flowers. When the soft apricot blooms arrive, they are held clear above the leaves rather than hidden among them.
Everything on a nasturtium is edible and peppery: leaves, flowers and green seed pods. It is also one of the few plants that genuinely does better in poor, dry soil. Give it a hungry spot and it will reward you with flowers all summer.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Half-hardy annual
Sowing Time
March to May
Flowering
June to September
Position
Full sun, poor soil
Edible
Leaves, flowers, seed pods
Difficulty
1 out of 5, very easy
Understanding the Plant
'Alaska Apricot' is a variety of Tropaeolum majus, the garden nasturtium from South America. The Alaska series is known for its variegated leaves and compact, bushy habit, which makes it suitable for pots and border edges as well as the veg patch.
Nasturtiums are frost-tender, so wait until frosts have passed before sowing outdoors or planting out. The large seeds are easy for children to handle, and seedlings appear quickly.
Grow it hard
Rich soil or regular feeding gives a magnificent mound of leaves and almost no flowers. Plant 'Alaska Apricot' in poor, dry, unimproved ground and don't feed it at all.
When & How to Sow
Sow under cover in March or April for early plants, or direct outdoors in May once the risk of frost has passed.
A decoy for blackfly
Plant a few nasturtiums near broad beans and runner beans. Blackfly often choose the nasturtiums first, drawing them away from the crop.
Sow 2cm deep. Sow one or two seeds per small pot under cover, or in pairs direct outdoors after frost. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks.
Thin to the strongest. Keep one seedling per pot or station.
Plant out after frost. Harden off and plant out in late May or June, around 30cm apart, in full sun and poor soil.
Growing On Tips
Sun and poor soil
The poorer and sunnier the spot, the more flowers you will get.
Don't feed
Skip compost and fertiliser entirely. Feeding gives leaves at the expense of flowers.
Eat the whole plant
Add peppery leaves and flowers to salads, and pickle green seed pods as a caper substitute.
Pots and edges
The compact habit suits pots, window boxes and the front of borders.
Check for caterpillars
Cabbage white caterpillars sometimes feed on the leaves. Pick them off when you see them.
Companion plant
Grow near beans as a decoy for blackfly.
Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Lots of leaves, few flowers | Soil too rich or fed | Stop feeding and grow in poorer ground next time. |
| Black insects on stems | Blackfly | Rinse off, or leave as a decoy away from crops. |
| Leaves stripped | Cabbage white caterpillars | Check under leaves and remove caterpillars and eggs. |
| Plants blackened overnight | Frost | Wait until frosts have passed before planting out. |
| Less variegation than expected | Heavy shade | Grow in full sun for the best marbled leaves. |
When to Expect Flowers
Plants sown in spring flower from June and carry on until the first frosts, often into September and beyond.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Sow | ||||||||||||
| 🌸 Flowering |
Plant Specifications
Marbled leaves and apricot flowers you can eat
Sow in spring, plant in your poorest sunny spot and don't feed it. You will have peppery leaves and soft apricot flowers from June to the frost.
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