Climbing Nasturtium, Moonlight?

[Labradors2]

Has anyone had good luck with tall Nasturtiums? I would like to grow an annual that I can train up a trellis, but reading some of the reviews, it seems that many of them don't really want to climb. I'm wondering about one called "Moonlight" which is a pale yellow, although I don't really mind what colour if anyone has any recommendations.


I made a cute trellis from grape vine cuttings last year to grow Malabar spinach, and while the spinach was perfect for the trellis, I learned that the spot (beside my front door) doesn't get as much full sun as I had thought and the spinach was not a success because the leaves wouldn't grow very big .

Linda

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Has anyone had good luck with tall Nasturtiums? I would like to grow an annual that I can train up a trellis, but reading some of the reviews, it seems that many of them don't really want to climb. I'm wondering about one called "Moonlight" which is a pale yellow, although I don't really mind what colour if anyone has any recommendations.


I made a cute trellis from grape vine cuttings last year to grow Malabar spinach, and while the spinach was perfect for the trellis, I learned that the spot (beside my front door) doesn't get as much full sun as I had thought and the spinach was not a success because the leaves wouldn't grow very big .

Linda

Linda, I’ve grown lots of different types of nasturtiums - I love them. Only issue is that they hate hot weather which I have a lot of. I grow them under my fruit trees and in containers as a trailer.
You’d have to be careful training it up a trellis. The stems are really brittle.

I’ve seen ‘Moonlight’ in Select Seeds catalog. It’s very pretty.

[Labradors2]

Many thanks Jane, I think you've hit the nail on the head about the stems being brittle, so they don't really want to climb up, but hang down. Guess I will have to come up with something else for my trellis.

Linda

How about sweet peas?

[Labradors2]

Thanks.

I had thought about Sweet Peas, but they don't bloom for long and prefer cooler temps .

Linda

[salix]

Do you get the eastern light? Try morning glories.

[Labradors2]

Yes! My planter faces east. Morning Glories might just do the trick.

Thanks

Linda

[Karla]

Morning glories

[Ann123]

Last year I was looking for the opposite. My nasturtiums always climb and I wanted a compact, low variety.
I don't know what variety my nasturtiums are.
We don't have hot weather, so they like it here. But I am a bit confused about the tip to grow sweet peas if your climate is too hot for nasturtiums. In my garden sweet peas flower much earlier, when the temperatures are still low, whereas the nasturtiums flower here only in summer.

Edit: sorry, I misread about the sweet peas.

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

Linda, I’ve grown lots of different types of nasturtiums - I love them. Only issue is that they hate hot weather which I have a lot of. I grow them under my fruit trees and in containers as a trailer.
You’d have to be careful training it up a trellis. The stems are really brittle.

I’ve seen ‘Moonlight’ in Select Seeds catalog. It’s very pretty.

Agree, they are better at scrambling, creeping, trailing than climbing.
How about thunbergia?

[Labradors2]

Ann123, I think "hot" is relative. Plain Jane lives in Florida and I live in Ontario, Canada which is much cooler (even though we don't think so when temps get into the 80's).

I love sweet peas, but can only put so many plants in my planter, so I would like to have something that will bloom all summer long .


Linda

[Labradors2]

Karen,

Thunbergia might be just the ticket!

Thanks,
Linda

I grew Moonlight 2 or 3 years ago; it was a pretty plant but didn't want to climb. I'm still looking for a climbing type to put in amongst the tomatoes.

Sweet peas are a challenge that I'm determined to solve! I think maybe I need to try in that sweet spot in the fall, because it warms too quickly here every spring and they don't like it.

Morning Glory is easy and beautiful here, and so is Honeysuckle. Not sure how they would do in Ontario?

Good luck to you! You're little trellis sounds so pretty

[Labradors2]

Thanks Bee,

Malabar Spinach or Pole Beans might be good to grow amongst the tomatoes - if you have lots of space! I tried growing beans with the tommies one year (sharing the tall trellis) but it got a bit crowded.

Honeysuckle does well in Ontario, but is a perennial that would be too big for my planter.


I think I will try Thunbergia, and the white would would look great for me .

Linda

I just looked Thunbergia up when I read it earlier, and the white was my favorite too. Very pretty!

Honeysuckle can grow in pots and trellises nicely, and the hummingbirds love it; but it does need a bit of room - so does Morning Glory!

Pole beans go everywhere in our garden! We use them as screens, separators, punctuation... I love everything about them and would be hard pressed to choose between them and tomatoes Usually it's three tomatoes or peppers, then pole beans, repeat, and with understory herbs, basil, flowers - but then we are blessed with lots of room as you say.

I have never grown Malabar spinach (or any spinach), but I'll check that out. Thanks for the idea.

If it crosses your mind this summer, post a picture of that trellis and Thunbergia!