The flowers of the nasturtiums are not only beautiful to look at, they are also extremely tasty and a nice addition to a salad. If the plant does not bloom, it can be very frustrating – even if the plant is otherwise growing vigorously and thriving well. With a few simple measures, however, the cress can be made to flower quickly.
Table of Contents
Check culture conditions
If the nasturtium is weak, care should be checked. Too much or too little water? Wrong location? Inadequate protection? A comparison with the requirements of the nasturtium can reveal problems and errors.
- Use nutrient-poor, loose substrate
- choose a sunny or semi-sunny location
- Keep the soil moist but prevent moisture
- Protect plants from cold wind
location
A possible reason for the lack of flowering or very little flowering can be the wrong location. If the cress is too shady, flower formation will be delayed. Whether grown outdoors or in a bucket – the nasturtium should be sunny to semi-sunny.
If it was planted outdoors and the location is not so easy to change, branches on surrounding plants or on the cress itself can be cut to increase the incidence of light and stimulate the flowering force.
Substrate
The nasturtium thrives best in a lean, nutrient-poor and loose substrate. If the selected soil is too rich in nutrients, flower formation can be delayed or even prevented. A change of substrate can help. In the case of plants that have been planted outdoors, adding sand or changing them can be useful.
fertilization
Some hobby gardeners are particularly good at cress and hope that regular fertilization will result in stronger growth and vigorous flowering. Unfortunately the opposite is true. If the plant is oversupplied with nutrients, it will not flower.
In addition to the lean soil, nutrients should be avoided. If fertilization has been carried out up to now, the supply of nutrients is interrupted. Partial replacement of the substrate can also ensure that the nasturtium recovers more quickly.
Remove flowers
In addition to an unfavorable location or an excessive supply of nutrients, withered flowers can also be responsible for the lack of further flowers. Because after flowering, seeds begin to form. This drains the plant’s strength and prevents it from allowing more buds and flowers to follow.
It is therefore a sensible measure to remove the existing flowers shortly after they have wilted at the latest. On the one hand, this conserves the plant’s energy, as it is not put into the development of seeds. On the other hand, renewed flower formation is stimulated if no seeds can form.
