Nasturtium - aka capuchin - to love or forget

The neighbors had a goat. I ate everything that grows. Flowers in the first place, if caught. Therefore, the stories about nasturtium, how edible and useful it is, aroused one thought in me: "I am not a goat."

However, several comments under various articles in defense of nasturtium have awakened a desire to learn more about it. Looking ahead, I will say: I will!

If, of course, you are lucky enough to grow healthy nasturtium. Someone does not feel any worries or troubles with her, but someone, at least cry.

I studied the contradictory information, weeded out harmful myths, and now I will write what I understood for myself.

They sow seeds (they are large) directly into the ground when the threat of frost has passed. I love it! Any soil is suitable. Only you can not abuse nitrogen, so that there are not only leaves, but also flowers. The seeds fall off, overwinter, and self-seeding is obtained. In short, everything is simple!

Why is nasturtium useful for the garden

There is an idea to plant nasturtium as a compactor for tomatoes, it grows quickly and becomes a ground cover, a living mulch. This does not suit me, the problem is in pests, about them below. And confused by the different watering regime. It is more logical to plant moisture-loving nasturtium with cabbage.

It is sown as a distracting crop so that pests eat nasturtium rather than vegetables.

The phytoncides of this beautiful flower heal the soil and kill microorganisms.

What dangers can await nasturtium in the garden

• Viruses and less critical bacterial and fungal diseases
• Pests - nasturtium, their favorite delicacy is meadow bug, miner fly, nasturtium aphid, cruciferous flea and spider mite.

We have never grown nasturtium, so nasturtium aphids are not expected.

Cruciferous flea... There were scientific studies, in the Saratov region, several varieties. Of these, the undersized bush variety King Theodore turned out to be the most resistant to the cruciferous flea. We had this flea every year, we must reckon with it.

I need a curly, resting place to decorate. And so, I would buy this beauty. I think we need to take one variety so that there is no cross-pollination, and every year there are self-seeding shoots with the expected properties.

Why is nasturtium useful for people

Scientific research on nasturtium has been.

And there is the experience of herbalists. They recommend nasturtium because they have observed:

• Natural antibiotic
• Choleretic
• Diuretic
• Antioxidant (cancer prevention)
• Vasodilator
• Useful for atherosclerosis and sclerosis
• For the prevention of prostatitis
• Has a positive effect on the nervous system
• Immunomodulator
• Used in cosmetology

Special mention should be made of conflicting information. According to some sources, nasturtium reduces sexual activity in men. According to legend, it was added to the diet of soldiers during long campaigns. According to other sources, it increases potency ...

However, here is the composition of nasturtium, quite convincing if you understand the terms: essential oils and herbal antibiotics; vitamin C; selenium, iron and iodine; carotene; potassium, phosphorus and sulfur; tropeolin; vitamins B1 and B2; tocopherol; saponins and alkaloids; isoquercetin; anti-cyanogen dyes; stearic, erucic and linolenic acids.

Tropolein has been clinically tested. Helps with angina pectoris.

One-year-old nasturtium can eat everything except the roots.

Culinary experts recommend nasturtium because they know how to cook it and it is a good preservative. One-year-old nasturtium is eaten with leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds.

The taste of the leaves is said to be similar to the taste of watercress salad. The leaves of nasturtium are fresh all season, this is its advantage over watercress salad.

The taste of flowers, without cooking, is compared to a radish, only the taste of nasturtium is softer.

Not everyone likes it! Flowers are also used as a spice, they are added to jars of pickles.

The most gourmet dish is canned green seed pods. All by analogy with canned cucumbers. For the sake of these boxes, which replace expensive capers in recipes, whole plantations of nasturtium are grown.

It is necessary to collect immediately after flowering, then they coarse.

The simplest dishes: salads and sandwiches.

Why is nasturtium dangerous for people

• Irritates the intestinal mucosa, that is, it is impossible for gastritis, ulcers and bowel disorders
• Allergy possible
• Contraindication is pancreatitis.
• If juice gets into eyes, severe cramps

And yet it is a beautiful fragrant flower

N.F. Zolotnitsky (1911): “The bright orange flowers of nasturtium are distinguished by a remarkable property that sometimes flashes at a bright red sunset. This phenomenon was first noticed by the daughter of the famous Linnaeus, who did not believe her until he himself witnessed it. Since then, this phenomenon has been observed more than once by scientists and always amazed them. In Moscow, he was observed, by the way, in July 1869. Professor of Moscow University Rachinsky and described it in detail in his article "Plant bevels". Each time it was around the time the sun went down in a bright orange western sky. The flowers, which shone in such a light with a bright orange color, from time to time suddenly all flashed even brighter, and at that moment they seemed completely fiery. "

There are varieties of nasturtium that grow vines up to several meters over the summer. They can wrap around gazebos, pergolas, cover unsightly fences. The same varieties of the same gorgeous ground covers There is not a blade of grass under them.

For example, nasturtium Maya terry salmon, shoots reach 3 m. Reviews are excellent. 1 g is 7 seeds (for orientation):

Nasturtium is good in pots. One of the suitable varieties: large nasturtium Orange flare, shoots up to 1.5 m:

And on the balconies, nasturtium looks very presentable!

There are varieties that bloom only in summer, and there are from the beginning of flowering until frost. It must be borne in mind when choosing a variety.

Chose varieties here, there are detailed descriptions and real reviews with ratings for different parameters

Do you grow nasturtium? Share your impressions!

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