Edible Flowers

Take time to smell the flowers and eat them, too.

You may have a variety of gourmet garnishes just waiting to be plucked from your own garden.

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"If a flower looks good enough to eat and smells good enough to eat, it just might be good enough to eat," says master gardener Paul James. Learn how to truly savor your garden with edible flowers.

While many gardeners want color, fragrance, texture and diversity in their gardens, James suggests adding a bit of flavor as well for an appetizing flower garden. "Flowers add an unmatched elegance to a serving plate both visually and gastronomically," says James.

Edible flower expert Kurt Schroeder has been growing delicious flowers for more than 16 years. He grows acres of edible flowers, but any gardener — no matter the size of their garden — can grow an assortment of edible flowers, too.

Marigolds, seen here, are a common flower in gardens, but have you ever considered using their brightly colored blossoms in the kitchen? Some other common edible flowers include nasturtium, society garlic, Mexican sage flower, lavender and snapdragons.

However, do your research before munching on a plant. Check with a respected gardening book or your local nursery to make sure that what you're eating is safe. These resources can also be helpful in selecting what will grow best in your climate.

Edible flowers require the same conditions as ornamental flowers — well-drained soil, sunshine, mulch and sufficient water. However, you must resist using any sort of pesticide because chemicals can be toxic if consumed. Rather than treating plants chemically, James suggests growing a variety of flowers that attract good bugs to keep bad bugs at bay.

You can buy flowers to transplant in your garden, but with so many choices in the garden, it's fairly easy to propagate new plants yourself. To start a new plant, cut a small portion of stem and about two leaves from an existing plant. Schroeder uses rooting cubes to propagate cuttings. Rooting cubes keep moisture around the plant's roots at all times. Thoroughly saturate the cubes with water.

When planting Mexican sage, Schroeder recommends using smaller stems for the best results. Strip away the bottom 1 inch of leaves along the base. Then, make a fresh cut along the base of the stem to help stimulate nutrient absorption. "Smaller cuttings allow the plant to focus its energy on the task of growing a new root system rather than growing new leaves," says James.

Place the stem in the cube. Because geraniums have fewer leaves to strip back, you'll need about 1 inch of stem for the plant to root correctly. Sprinkle the plants in the rooting cubes with water about three times a day. Occasionally mist the cuttings as well. In 6 to 8 weeks, the cuttings are ready for transplanting, with good root systems developing underneath the cubes.

Take care removing the cubes so that you won't damage the roots. Simply break the cubes off gently. Schroeder uses about two to three cubes per pot when planting. Place the plant — still in its cube — in the pot, but be sure to leave the top of the cubes exposed. Otherwise, the plant stem may easily rot.

Harvest edible flowers in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Keep the flowers cool until you're ready to eat. For the best color, flavor and texture, use the flowers the same day as they are picked.

"Edible flowers are becoming true American beauties, expanding a gardener's palette in more ways than one," says James. But remember: don't eat the daisies, or any flowers for that matter, unless you know they're edible. And if you have never used edible flowers with food, or have no experience eating flowers, start with small quantities.

Bear in mind that flowers grown in different regions will taste different. "Soil type, fertilization, temperature variations and other environmental factors all play a role in the flavor of the flower," explains James. "But no matter where you grow them, edible flowers can make a tasty addition to any garden."