Nasturtium in Zone 8a & 8b

Tropaeolum majus

When to plant nasturtium in zone 8b

Zones 8a and 8b 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.

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 8's season

Zone 8b's frost-free window runs about 230 days, from March 25 to November 10. Nasturtium needs about 55 days from sowing to first harvest.

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

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 8b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Nasturtium in USDA zone 8b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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