The Plant with Bite (Nasturtiums)

Member Name: jaxm

Product:	Nasturtiums
Date:	21/01/04 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easily grown, Beautiful and edible!

Disadvantages: Susceptible to blackfly

Nasturtiums must be one of the easiest plants to grow - both in sun and in shade. They don't ask to be fed, don't ask for specific soil types but are happy just to pop up wherever you throw them. An added bonus is that, if you leave some of the beautiful bright blooms to seed, you'll get Nasturtiums shooting up again next year. They have such distinctive leaves that you're unlikely to mistake them for weeds (unlike most self-sown seedlings). They spread quite extensively so you don't need many plants to fill a flower bed.

Not only are they beautiful - almost garish bright reds, oranges and yellows - which would brighten the dullest garden, they're extremely tasty when added to salads, and have a watercress type pepperiness. Nothing goes to waste - you can eat the leaves, flowers and seed heads.

I've found that they grow very well in hanging baskets so I have a constant supply of salad right outside my back door.

Unfortunately, they do attract blackfly and I would recommend that, at the first sign, you either treat with a non-toxic bug spray or remove any infested leaves or flowers and throw them away.

They're a superb "starter" if you're just getting into gardening and there aren't many plants that can fill a border, provide a riot of bright colour in Summer months and be eaten too, all for about £1 for a packet of seeds!!

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