Vesuvius

In nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus), aphids and slugs/snails are common, especially on tender new growth and buds. Rinse aphids off with a strong water spray and use insecticidal soap if numbers rebound, while hand-picking slugs at dusk or setting copper barriers/beer traps around the plants. Avoid overhead watering and remove heavily spotted leaves early to reduce downy mildew and leaf-spot issues that worsen in damp, crowded foliage.

Harvest edible flowers and leaves once plants have formed multiple healthy stems and open blooms, which typically begins around 40 days from sowing. Pick flowers in the morning when they’re freshest, and harvest leaves when they’re about palm-sized or tender enough to snap lightly. For the best flavor, keep harvesting regularly—if you wait until seed pods are fully mature, flowering slows and the plant focuses on seed production.