Nasturtium in Zone 5a & 5b
Tropaeolum majus
Yes, nasturtium grows in zones 5a and 5b. Plant it outside May 17–May 24.
When to plant nasturtium in zone 5b
Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | May 17–May 24 |
| Estimated bloom | Jul 11–Jul 18 (~55 days after direct-sowing) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.
Plant alongside it in zone 5b
These go outside within two weeks of nasturtium in zone 5b, so one planting day can cover them.
- MarigoldMay 17–May 24
- Ageratum (Flossflower)May 17–May 24
- Annual Geranium (Pelargonium)May 17–May 24
- Butterfly Weed (Asclepias)May 17–May 24
- Campanula (Bellflower)May 17–May 24
- Castor BeanMay 17–May 24
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 5's season
Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Nasturtium needs about 55 days from sowing to first bloom.
Nasturtium planting windows in every zone
Zone 5b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2b | Not usually | May 27–Jun 3 | Jul 21–Jul 28 |
| 3a & 3b | Not usually | Jun 6–Jun 13 | Jul 31–Aug 7 |
| 4a & 4b | Not usually | May 22–May 29 | Jul 16–Jul 23 |
| 5a & 5b (your zone) | Not usually | May 17–May 24 | Jul 11–Jul 18 |
| 6a & 6b | Not usually | May 2–May 9 | Jun 26–Jul 3 |
| 7a & 7b | Not usually | Apr 17–Apr 24 | Jun 11–Jun 18 |
| 8a & 8b | Not usually | Apr 1–Apr 8 | May 26–Jun 2 |
| 9a & 9b | Not usually | Feb 22–Mar 1 | Apr 18–Apr 25 |
| 10a & 10bFall window | Not usually | Oct–Jan | ~55 days after direct-sowing |
| 11a & 11b | Not usually | Jan 8–Jan 15 | Mar 4–Mar 11 |
Bloom dates are about 55 days after the sow or plant-out date.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
- Zucchini: Trap crop for aphids, drawing them away from squash.
Where to buy nasturtium seeds
Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds (each supplier's nasturtium seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- Empress of India (Tropaeolum majus): A compact, mounded type rather than a trailing one. If the point of planting it is to sit near squash and take the aphid hit, a plant that stays put at 16 to 20 inches does that job without swallowing the bed the way a trailing variety would. Buy: True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
- Alaska Mix: Johnny's Alaska Mix has green-and-white variegated foliage, so the plant itself is decorative even before it blooms, unlike Empress of India's plain dark leaves. Buy: True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
- Jewel Mix: Johnny's Jewel Mix includes both single and double blooms in red, pink, orange, and yellow at a slightly taller 16 inches, against Empress of India's single-form flowers and Alaska's variegated leaves. Buy: True Leaf Market Full notes
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 5b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Nasturtium in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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