Do Nasturtiums Come Back Every Year? A Guide to These Colorful Annuals

Nasturtiums are one of the most popular annual flowers grown in gardens thanks to their colorful blooms and ease of care. Their trumpet-shaped flowers come in shades of red, orange, yellow, cream, and mahogany and add a pop of color wherever they are planted

While many gardeners enjoy nasturtiums, a common question is whether these plants come back year after year The short answer is no—nasturtiums are annuals, meaning they complete their life cycle in one growing season. However, that doesn’t mean you have to replant nasturtiums from seed every year With a little knowledge of their growth habit, you can enjoy these flowers season after season.

The Life Cycle of Nasturtiums

As annuals, nasturtiums sprout from seed, grow, flower, set seed, and die in the same growing season. In areas with mild winters, they may last for more than one year, but in most climates, the plants die off completely with the first hard frost in fall.

Nasturtium seeds have a hard, waterproof coating that enables them to overwinter in the soil. As the weather warms in spring, the seeds germinate and produce new nasturtium plants.

How to Get Nasturtiums to Return Each Year

While you’ll have to replant nasturtiums you grow from seed purchased at a garden store each year, there is a handy way to get them to come back on their own:

Allow some plants to go to seed. As your nasturtiums complete their life cycle during the summer, they will produce round, three-parted seed pods. Allow some of these seed pods to fully mature, dry out, and burst open to disperse the seeds.

Scatter seeds around the garden. As the pods open, scatter the seeds around your flower beds and borders. You can also collect the seeds and intentionally sow them where you want nasturtiums to self-seed the following spring.

Disturb the soil. Nasturtium seeds need to come in direct contact with the soil to germinate, so lightly disturb the soil where you scattered seeds in fall to help them sprout the following spring.

Recognize volunteers. In spring, tiny nasturtium seedlings will emerge from the places you scattered seeds the prior year. Recognize these volunteers and allow them to grow.

Thin or transplant as needed. You may get an overabundance of self-sown nasturtiums. Thin or transplant the seedlings to give plants adequate space.

By following these simple steps, you can ensure a self-sowing supply of nasturtiums year after year without having to purchase new seeds or plants.

Tips for Managing Self-Sown Nasturtiums

If you allow nasturtiums to self-seed, you’ll likely end up with more plants than you want in subsequent seasons. Here are some tips for managing self-sown nasturtiums:

• Recognize volunteer seedlings in spring and decide where you want plants to grow. Transplant extras or discard those growing where you don’t want them.

• Be diligent about cutting off spent flower stems before seed pods can form to prevent excessive self-seeding.

• Pull young plants growing where you don’t want them. Nasturtiums don’t compete well with established plants.

• Cut back rampant growth during the summer to keep plants tidy and discourage seed production.

• Turn under areas where nasturtiums grew in fall to bury seeds deeply in the soil. This prevents excessive germination the following spring.

• Grow nasturtiums in pots or designated garden beds rather than scattering seeds throughout the landscape beds.

With some seasonal maintenance, you can reap the benefits of self-sown nasturtiums while keeping them from spreading rampantly.

Reasons Nasturtiums May Not Return One Year

While allowing nasturtiums to self-seed is an easy way to ensure a continuous supply of these flowers, you may occasionally find they don’t come back one season. Here are some potential reasons:

• Cold winters: In areas with very cold winters, prolonged freezing temperatures may kill overwintering nasturtium seeds.

• Animal predation: Squirrels, chipmunks, and birds may dig up and eat buried nasturtium seeds over winter.

• Competition from other plants: If the area where nasturtiums grew becomes overgrown with other vegetation, it may prevent seeds from germinating in spring.

• Herbicide use: Non-selective herbicides applied to garden beds may kill nasturtium seedlings as they emerge.

• Inadequate seed production: If you deadhead plants too aggressively and don’t allow seed pods to form, plants won’t produce any seed to self-sow.

• Changing soil conditions: Soil compaction, periods of drought, or overly wet soil may create conditions unsuitable for seeds to germinate.

The good news is, if your nasturtiums fail to make an appearance one spring, you can simply replant fresh seeds and start the self-seeding cycle over again.

How to Plant Nasturtium Seeds

If you need to start over with new nasturtium seeds, here are some tips for successful planting:

• Choose a site with full sun and well-drained soil. Nasturtiums will tolerate partial shade but bloom best