Nasturtium is one of the most popular flowering plants. In our region it is grown as an annual, and there are a lot of nasturtium varieties. It is enough to buy only one sachet of seeds - and the next year you will be provided with seed material in sufficient quantity. The main thing is to collect and properly store seeds in time until the next season.
So, your attention is offered an article about when and where it is possible and necessary to collect seeds of nasturtium.
Nasturtium - collection of seeds
This plant gives a very large self-seeding. This is both a plus and a minus. On the one hand, it is very convenient to simply collect the seeds fallen to the ground: you can be sure that they are fully ripe. But on the other hand, it's easy not to notice a pea of yellow-brown seeds on the surface of the soil and accidentally skip them, and then next year nasturtium shoots will appear in the same place, even if you plan to change the place of its planting according to the crop rotation.
The nasturtium seeds ripen and begin to fall off in about 40-50 days after the plant has faded and the petals have fallen. Seed capsule dries up, and its shade from light green turns yellowish brown.
You can pick up only those seeds that do not stick well on the peduncle and fall when you touch them. The rest, not yet ripe, can be collected before the start of frost and let them dry out at home. For this, the stem of the plant is cut, and then hung upright, lining the paper. When ripe, the seeds themselves will fall down.
As for the preparation and storage of seeds of nasturtium , this should be done as follows. First, within a month, dry the collected seeds, scattering them in one layer on a flat surface (this can be paper or cloth). Then gather in a paper bag or linen bag and store until spring at room temperature or in the cool (loggia, pantry). Well-dried seeds retain their germination for 3-4 years.
Interestingly, seeds of nasturtium are used not only as a seed, but also for food. They are used as green (as an additive to salads), and pickled. The last dish, by the way, to taste very much like capers.
And one more very important point. Only varietal nasturtium will give seeds suitable for planting. If this hybrid plant, then from its seeds, a flower that inherits parental qualities will definitely not grow. In this case, you will have to buy seeds again.