by johnah on November 5, 2020
Picking Nasturtiums To Eat – Learn How To Harvest Edible Nasturtiums
Edible Nasturtiums are one of the most popular plants in the garden. They’re easy to grow and their flavor is great. There’s no better way to enjoy these little flowers than with a delicious snack or tea!
The best part?
You don’t have to spend too much time or money on them since they’re so abundant.
Nasturtiums are native to Europe and Asia. They were introduced into North America in the 1700s. Today, there are over 5,000 species of edible nasturtiums found all around the world. Some varieties produce only white flowers while others bloom red and purple.
All types have similar characteristics: small flowers that turn pink when ripe; fleshy stems; bright yellow leaves with tiny hairs at the tips; and sweet smelling blossoms.
The edible nasturtiums are grown in many different colors, shapes, sizes and cultivars. They range from a few inches tall to almost a foot high. Most varieties will yield between five and ten blooms per plant depending on variety. The flower color ranges from pale pink to deep purple and even black.
The taste varies widely among the different types of nasturtiums. Most are a little spicy but most have a slightly peppery aftertaste. Most of the leaves and flowers can be eaten. Some of the leaves and buds can be a little bitter, but that can be fixed by removing these from the plant before consuming.
Edible nasturtiums can be easily grown from seed in most climates and conditions. Sow seeds in the early spring or late summer in well drained soil. They like mostly sun, but will also tolerate partial shade. Most nasturtiums will reach full size in about two months if the conditions are ideal.
To get the biggest harvest, it is best to start with at least 20 seeds. These can be planted close together since the plants are small and relatively few in number. In about three or four months you should have a good amount of nasturtiums growing where you can pick as needed.
Harvest nasturtiums as soon as they are about six inches tall. Pick a few leaves and flowers every other day or so. This will ensure a continual harvest for several months if the plants are well taken care of. Cut the stems just below a flower with garden shears.
After about a month you should start to see flowers that are starting to turn brown at the edges. These are some of the most flavorful and aromatic flowers and buds.
Sources & references used in this article:
The edible flower garden by R Creasy – 2012 – books.google.com
Impact of spiked concentrations of Cd, Pb, As and Zn in growth medium on elemental uptake of Nasturtium officinale (Watercress) by D Gounden, K Kisten, R Moodley, S Shaik… – … Science and Health …, 2016 – Taylor & Francis
Fusarium sp. causing withering of nasturtium in Serbia. by ÐS Pavlović, SD Plevljakušić, LG Vuković… – Proceedings of the …, 2012 – cabdirect.org
NITROGEN MANAGEMENT BY WATERCRESS (NASTURTIUM OFFICINALE) IN HYDROPONIC CONDITIONS by C Robertson, B Clothier, S Sivakumaran, A McLachlan… – academia.edu
Grow your own lunch by A Youngman – Child Care, 2010 – magonlinelibrary.com
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