You should harvest these herbs now, otherwise they will break

Nasturtium is one of the last great treasures of the fall garden. Its flowers, leaves and seeds are rich in spices, vitamins and precious plant substances. A real immune package for cooler days. But many people leave the plant too long and it loses all its strength. Now, in September, is the perfect time to harvest and preserve nasturtiums before the first frosty nights destroy everything. In this article you will find out how to use the plant correctly and what mistakes you should definitely avoid.

When should you harvest nasturtiums?

Nasturtium is a very precious plant. The beautiful flowers are suitable as edible decorations, but nasturtiums are also very valuable in the medicine cabinet. We will show you how to use them and how a natural antibiotic can be produced. In ours you will find many articles suitable for the season on the world of wild herbs and medicinal plants Wild herb magazines (available here).

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Nasturtiums are wonderful in a salad. It is spicy and has a similar flavor Garden cress OR Brunnenkresse and it grows incredibly fast. You have a long-growing plant if you have it on the balcony or in the garden. It can be harvested from April to November. Nasturtium is very sensitive to frost and reacts to temperatures even slightly below zero. It can also become damaged at temperatures as low as 0°C and usually dies completely between -1 and -2°C. When frost occurs, the leaves and flowers begin to wilt and rot, causing irreversible damage to the plant. Therefore, it is important to harvest them before the first frost to take advantage of the fresh leaves, flowers and seeds. Growing it is also excellent for children because the seeds germinate well, the plant grows quickly and fascinates adults and children alike with its red, yellow and orange flowers.

Which parts are edible?

Both the leaves and flowers can be used in salads or as a garnish for other dishes. The leaf stems are also edible, but are a bit cumbersome in the mouth. I always cut them into small pieces. Since the flavor of the leaves is very intense, I recommend not preparing the salad with 100% nasturtium, but rather using watercress in proportion. We usually prepare the base of the salad with leaves and then add other wild herbs or vegetables on top.

Recognize and better use native medicinal plants and wild herbs

There are many medicinal plants that are available to us for free and grow right on our doorstep. You just need to rediscover them and know how to use them. For this reason we have written a book that wants to encourage people to focus more on wild herbs and medicinal plants. It’s called «With wild herbs and medicinal plants all year round“(available here) and takes a look at the rediscovery of wild herbs and medicinal plants in our territory. You can purchase the book and others in our online witch herb shop www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de We post each book ourselves and include a little greeting for you.

Use nasturtium flowers

The flowers in particular are beautiful and very tasty. They are more delicate than leaves and really enhance any dish. And not only visually, but also in terms of taste! I really like cooking it. Here’s a recipe we really like. The base is nasturtium leaves, followed by a cold salad of courgettes, carrots, rocket, sorrel, tomato, apple cider vinegar, mustard and herb salt. Cooked lentils also pair very well. For us the plant is a real superfood and also a real eye-catcher. We have climbing plants on the balcony and the neighbors praise how beautiful our balcony is.

Fall reading material

Autumn is the perfect season to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of wild herbs and medicinal plants. For all those who wish to learn how to collect and use these natural treasures, our… Autumn starter set (available here) the ideal introduction! This set contains everything you need to discover the world of herbs in autumn and use the knowledge sustainably:

• Seasonal calendar of wild herbs – Use it year after year to always know which herbs are growing, when and where.
• Books “Using wild herbs and medicinal plants all year round” and “Conserving wild herbs” – Acquire in-depth knowledge and practical advice for use and storage.
• Latest autumn issue of our wild herbs magazine – Get inspired by seasonal recipes and interesting articles.
• Set of suits and postcards – So you can convey your love for herbs or create a small autumn garden yourself.

What benefits does nasturtium offer for our health?

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum), best known as a natural antibiotic, is also used medicinally. Now this has also been proven scientifically. THE Particularly valuable are the mustard oils contained in it (mustard oil glycosides), which also give the nasturtium its slightly spicy aroma. Especially in remedies for sinusitis, bronchitis or Cystitis You can find the plant because it is also a diuretic. It can also be useful in case of cough and sore throat.

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Know when to harvest which herbs

If you want to know when to collect wild herbs and local medicinal plants, take a look at our Seasonal calendar of wild herbs (available here), which we developed and designed ourselves. Month by month we will show you which plants you can currently harvest. It is a perpetual calendar that can be used every year. The calendar is in ours Herb Witches online shop Under www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de find.

Prepare a natural antibiotic

If you have nasturtiums in the garden or want to process them before winter, you can make a tincture or herbal vinegar from them. Leaves and flowers are coarsely chopped, placed in a jar with a screw cap and poured with apple cider vinegar or 40% alcohol. This is left to grow in a bright, warm place for at least two weeks. To do this, gently shake the container once a day, then strain the plant parts after two weeks and pour the liquid into a dark bottle. Both the vinegar base and the alcohol extract have proven effective. Both approaches are possible for a natural antibiotic. We prefer the vinegar version because apple cider vinegar is also used against bacteria and fungi. Stored in a cool, dark place, both approaches last for one year and can be taken as needed.

Grow watercress on your windowsill

If you want to enjoy the aromas of nasturtiums even in winter, you can’t do without them. The closely related one Garden cress and even the nasturtium itself can be grown wonderfully as a mini vegetable on the windowsill. Our beautiful handmade bowl from is ideal for this Love sprouts (available here). Here you can find the seeds, substrate and seed trays: For beginners we recommend the Starter Set (available here). There’s everything to get started right away.

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