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Friday, March 22, 2019

Edible Flowers for the Pots and Baskets this Summer


I had planned on buying some flowering annual starts for some pots and hanging baskets that I have in the yard. I have now rethought that idea and am now planning to plant edible flowers from seeds in those containers. As it is now the 3rd week of March, and I haven't started any seeds indoors, I went looking for quick-to-grow flowers. Nasturtiums came up on the list.

I know from past experience that they do grow well in my yard and we enjoy them added to cooking. The flowers, petals, and seed pods are all edible. They can be added to egg dishes, salads, used in place of lettuce on sandwiches, or sauteed with other veggies. The leaves and petals are peppery in taste.

According to WebMD, nasturtiums contain Vitamin C and may help fight bacteria, viruses, fungi, and tumors. As with all foods, they may pose health complications for some people. WebMD specifically cautions against ingestion of nasturtiums for those with kidney disease.

Nasturtiums are easy to grow, requiring with minimal care. Some say they thrive on neglect. For about $2, I can buy a packet of 20 to 25 seeds, enough that I hope will fill about 5 baskets or small pots with nasturtium plants. These should save money over buying flowering annual starts and provide some edibles for our meals. One question -- should I take the seeds out of the gardening budget or the food budget?

Anyone else grow edible flowers?

6 comments:

  1. My husband has grown them, and we've talked about eating them, but haven't actually tried it. I think it's a great idea for you--they are decorative and edible. I would follow suit with using the budget you use for all of the other food items you plant in your garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kris,
      You should try adding some petals to the rest of the lettuce and greens of a salad, sometime -- it looks very pretty. In small amounts, it can always be picked out by the eater.

      Delete
  2. I think you have made a good choice for your patio. Nasturtium are very pretty and inexpensive to grow from seed even if you didn't eat them. With that being said, mine never seem to last the whole summer. I think the hot days of August do them in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi live and learn,
      I think I've read that nasturtiums do okay in cool summers, so maybe the heat of August it's just too much. We'll see how they do in our yard. For the hanging baskets, I could always move the baskets to a shadier spot for the really hot days. Thanks for the heads-up on that.

      Delete
  3. Love those flowers, I grown them in my flower beds, they re-seed themselves and the seeds are easy to pick and dry to replant in a different location. I've heard they're edible; however, my husband treats our grass so I've always been hesitant to consume them.

    Have a great week!
    Shelby

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shelby,
      One of my neighbors used to collect the seeds to resow the next season, and that worked out really well for her. Yeah, I understand not wanting to eat the flowers and leaves if they could be tainted with products that are not designed for edibles. I would feel the same way.
      Hope your week is off to a great start!

      Delete

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