Leave them there, they resent transplanting. If you enjoy nasturtiums, next year you can pick up a packet of seeds and poke those into your planter, even in winter for an early start. (Or make it even easier, save a few seeds from this years plants. They self sow reliably year after year in this mild climate)

Keep them watered during the entire growing season, especially when they are in containers. They love full sun, but they don't do well in drought-like conditions. If you fertilize, you will have more leaves and fewer flowers.

Why do you think they won't thrive? Any nasturtiums I have grown do best in full sun! The best was in full sun with out a tree or building to shade tham at any time.
Linda C

hot, dry and sunny make nasturtiums happy. I think the cultural requirements for nasturtiums vary by where you live, at least for sun.

In my zone 5 Wisc garden they do best with no water (when in ground, not containers) just the rainfall and summers get fairly dry. They don't seem to respond well to fertilizer so I would not give them any food other than what is already in the ground.

Long story short, I am not familiar with growing conditions in your zone, but in my yard nasturtiums are planted and left alone. They are in full sun. The flowers make very attractive edible garnishes in salads.

oh my gosh I thought they liked it cooler...if they like full hot sun they will be fine where they are...GOODIE! I noticed them growing all over the hillside on the no. cal. coast, so i thought they liked it cooler and moister than my west facing garage!

oh my gosh I thought they liked it cooler...if they like full hot sun they will be fine where they are...GOODIE! I noticed them growing all over the hillside on the no. cal. coast, so i thought they liked it cooler and moister than my west facing garage!

uh oh....the orange flowers are starting to bleach out, and the leaves are yellowing....the red flowers are kind of crisping?? is it too hot? Should i be watering every day? They are west facing in front o the garage in pots. I am worried it's too sunny....do i need to clip back the spent flowers and fading leaf branches? How do you clip back nasturtiums! They went from being full and green and lush to looking scraggly. :( what did i do!

increase watering frequency if the pot is going dry. No way are they getting too much sun with a western exposure. Are they on cement or asphalt? If so try putting an insulating layer under them such as styrofoam, old piece of carpet, whatever. They may be cooking if the pot is directly on cement or other heat retentive surface.

no one pot is sitting on a little stand so it gets airflow under it, the other one is sitting in the dirt next to the garage. Should I clip back scraggly branches and spent flowers?

clip the spent flowers.....and give the poor things a drink!
Linda c

LOL!

Stephanie, I recommend posting in the California gardening forum next time. In the upper midwest, fairly dry is a thunderstorm once a week and a drought is two weeks without rain. It's hard to comprehend months on end of non-stop sun and temperatures in the mid to upper 90's without a cloud in the sky and not a drop of rain unless you've experienced it.

Our area is quite mild (average June through October highs in the mid 70's) but they grow fine with a northern exposure though not as floriferous. It sounds like they're getting fried in their present location. You could try an eastern or northern location or just use them as spring and fall annuals (sown late winter and late summer respectively).

Ryan

If you want to try again in a different location check along the trailing branches for little patches of roots and try either getting them to settle into a small pot (as you would for growing a strawberry runner) or putting the nasturtium shoot/s into a jar of water to let the roots get longer.

When Nasturtiums are growing in the wild they do well on a free-draining (even sandy) soil where they can spread out and forage for moisture. Their leaves help shade the ground and keep it cooler, too. Not easy to do in pot culture.

Over time the Nasturtium colony tends to build up a reservoir of leaf litter - and that helps hold moisture, too, over a long droughty spell.

In a pot: you might find that a soil-based medium for planting helps, and having a dish of water underneath - filled frequently.

If you can - try a south east location for the pots - and use your big pots on the west for a touch of drama, perhaps - such as Aloes, or some of the really hardy bromelliads.

For the colour range - (LOL) how about Eschscholzia?

My nastutiums have always thrived in full sun here in High Desert Albuquerque where the sun is several times more intense than low elev. CA, and we're far drier too ~9in/yr. I don't think its rained here in over 3 mos. (less than a half-inch so far this year, only 1.5 since last Oct) and we're in the 90's almost every day now.

As long as they're getting regular (not too much tho') water, they should do fine. Sounds like yours may be wanting for a drink. Mine are "in ground" and they get a quick drink every morning from a soaker hose and they're doing great.