Nasturtium in Zone 11a & 11b
Tropaeolum majus
When to plant nasturtium in zone 11b
Zones 11a and 11b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. Nasturtium doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Jan 8–Jan 15 |
| Estimated bloom | Mar 4–Mar 11 (~55 days after direct-sowing) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.

Nasturtium is one of the few flowers in a vegetable garden that earns its space with an actual job: round, lily-pad leaves and funnel-shaped blooms in orange, yellow, red, or cream, on a plant that's either a tidy 6-inch bush or a trailing vine running several feet, depending on which type you bought. Both the peppery leaves and the flowers are edible, and the plant is widely used as a trap crop, luring aphids onto itself and away from more valuable neighbors.
How nasturtium fits zone 11's season
Zone 11b is frost-free in this dataset, so frost is not what limits the calendar here. What you can plant, and when, comes down to summer heat and daylength instead.
Good companions
- Zucchini: Trap crop for aphids, drawing them away from squash.
Where to buy nasturtium seeds
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing nasturtium" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 11b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Nasturtium in USDA zone 11b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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