Info about Flowers
How Can You Grow Edible Flowers in Your Garden
Nowadays, edible blowers are quite common. Edible flowers not only taste good but they are also healthy for the body. There are several varieties of edible flowers including roses, violets, hibiscus, lavender, pansies squash blossom, basil, cilantro and others. For example, pansies and dandelions are used in making salad. There are nearly one hundred varieties of edible flowers. You can find out the list of edible flowers by doing some research on the internet.
To prevent poisoning, you can call the local gardening society to make sure the variety of edible flower is not poisonous. The poison control center can gives you information on the poisonous plants. You can contact the poison control center at (800) 222-1222. Although food caterers often use lily, daffodils and azaleas for decorating the dishes, it does not mean that they are edible.
To ensure organic growth, you can use non toxic fertilizer to feed the plants. You can also use the natural ecosystem to kill the pests. For example, you can buy some ladybugs to get rid of the aphid pests on your flower plants. You can also check with the local garden store to find out what they have to prevent pests.
To make the flowers edible, you can use soil enrichers and plant food for example the compost pile. However, other types of soil enricher can also be used. When harvesting, make sure that there is no morning dew on the flowers. The long stemmed flowers should be kept in the refrigerator while the short stemmed flowers should be stored in a plastic bag.
You should only eat flowers that are sure can be eaten. Although some flower seeds are used as garnish, it does not mean that it is edible. You should never eat a flower that is treated with pesticides. If you use pesticides on the plant, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Some edible flowers that can be grown in your garden include borage, calendula, dandelion, daylily, gem marigolds, herb flowers, nasturtium, squash and pansy. Borage has blue flowers with cucumber like scent. Borage is used to make salad or as garnish on dishes.
Calendula, also known as pot marigolds is used as garnish in cooked meals, and saffron substitute. Dandelion taste delicious when it is harvested early. Daylily are often used to stuffed squash meals. Gem marigolds offer a citrus flavor. When eating gem marigolds, make sure you remove the bitter portion so that it will taste sweet. Nasturtium flowers have a peppery tang and are suitable for making salad. Pansy has a minty flavor and can be used for making candy or decorating the cakes. Squash blossoms are edible with cheese.
The flavors of the edible flowers is based on the season and planting site. The best time for harvesting edible flowers is early in the morning. If you plan to not use the flowers, you can cut the stems and soak them in water. You can also store the edible flowers in damp paper towel. Before eating the flowers, you must remove the pistils, stamens and attached sepals to prevent poisoning.