Nasturtium ~ Time To Say Goodbye

Tropaeolum minus

After struggling through a long hot summer, the last of my Tropaeolum minus (Nasturtium) is ready to "buy the farm" so to speak. I should have cleared them out long before now as they were becoming leggy and scraggly even in July. Moreover, flower production became sporadic as summer dragged on, and the leaves were chlorotic. Their bedraggled appearance signaled the end was near, or should have been, but I just let them be until now.
Although the flowers of Nasturtium are attractive and colorful--I like the 'Dwarf Jewel' mix--my major reason for growing them is that I love to use the leaves and flowers in salads. The taste reminds me of watercress; others think Nasturtium tastes like radishes. Some even think it's too bitter to eat. It definitely has a spicy, peppery flavor. The name, Nasturtium, is of Latin origin and means "nose twister," no doubt referring to its pungent flavor.

Nasturtium leaves are especially good when the plant is young. As the plant gets older and the weather gets hotter--so does taste of the leaves and flowers. Since I am not a cook, I haven't expanded beyond salads and Nasturtium Vinaigrette, but there are numerous recipes using Nasturtiums that sound delicious. I wonder if I could convince my nieces, who are quite the chefs, to whip something up for me!