Edible flowers
Flowers not only fill the garden with colour, but play a vital role in the continuation of the life of a plant through pollination and then seed production. In the process they provide abundant nectar for bees and other beneficial insects, as well as ensuring we have vegetables and fruit to eat. Some flowers can also be eaten or used in many culinary ways.
However first note: Never harvest flowers from plants sprayed with chemicals. Never harvest flowers growing by the roadside. Identify the flower exactly and eat only edible flowers and edible parts of those flowers. Always remember to use flowers sparingly in your recipes to avoid possible digestive complications.
Common and botanical names and decriptions:
Angelica (Angelica archangelica): Celery-like flavour.
Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum: Sweet, anise-like, licorice.
Apple (Malus species: Eat in moderation; may contain cyanide precursors. Delicate floral flavour.
Arugula (Eruca vesicaria): Nutty, spicy, peppery flavour.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum): Different varieties have different, milder tastes like lemon, mint.
Bee Balm (Monarda species): Makes nice tea.
Borage (Borago officinalis): Light cucumber flavour.
Burnet (Sanguisorba minor): Faint cucumber flavour, mild.
Calendula* (Calendula officinalis): Poor man’s saffron, spicy, tangy, peppery, adds golden hue to foods.
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus): (aka Dianthus) Spicy, peppery, clove-like.
Chamomile* (Chamaemelum nobile): Faint apple flavour, good as a tea.
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): Mild onion flavour.
Citrus: Lemon (Citrus limon): Waxy, pronounced flavour, use sparingly as an edible garnish, good for making citrus waters.
Coriander (Coriander sativum): Pungent.
Cornflower* (Centaurea cynaus): (aka Bachelor’s Buttons) Sweet to spicy, clove-like.
Dandelion* (Taraxacum officinalis): Very young buds fried in butter taste similar to mushrooms. Makes a potent wine.
Day Lily (Hemerocallis species): Sweet, crunchy, like a crisp lettuce leaf, faintly like chestnuts or beans.
Dill (Anthum graveolens): Tangy and stronger than leaves.
English Daisy* (Bellis perennis): Tangy, leafy.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): Sweet, licorice flavour.
Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana): Flavourful.
Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus): Eat immature bud bracts and base by cooking half hour in water. Sweet, zingy.
Heartsease (Viola tricolor): Sweet to bland flavour.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica): Berries highly poisonous.
Lavender (Lavendula species): Floral, perfume flavour.
Marjoram (Origanum majorana): Flowers milder than leaf. Use as you would the herb.
Mint (Mentha species): Minty.
Mustard etc (Brassica species): Bland.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus): Buds are often pickled and used like capers. Sweet, mildly pungent, peppery flavour.
Pansy (Viola X wittrockiana): Very mild sweet to tart flavour.
Pea (Pisum species): Flowering ornamental sweet peas are poisonous.
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans): Sweet.
Radish (Raphanus sativus): Milder, sweeter than root.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): Pine-like, sweet, savoury.
Sage (Salvia officinalis): Sage should not be eaten in large amounts over a long period of time. Taste: varies by type.
Savory: Summer (Satureja hortensis): Hot and peppery.
Scented Geranium (Pelargonium species): Citronella variety may not be edible. Varies from lemon to mint.
Squash Blossom (Cucurbita pepo species): Sweet, nectar.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Lemon, adds a nice light scent.
Violet (Viola species): Sweet, nectar.
*Only the petals are edible. The pollen of composite flowers is highly allergenic and may cause extreme reactions in sensitive individuals. Sufferers of asthma and hayfever should not consume composite flowers.
Fruit care:
Prune newly planted fruit trees and water shoots on established trees.
Liquid fert and irrigate fruits with comfrey from last year.
Plant strawberries.
Prune citrus when harvesting. Wind-protect young plants. Spray citrus with all-purpose oil for scale insect.
Spray everything with diluted seaweed solution or fish-based foliar spray for added nutrition. Spray berryfruits with BT vs caterpillar damage and copper oxychloride vs dry berry.
Spray lime sulphur (after blossoming) on fruit trees vs peach leaf curl, black spot, powdery mildew, as well as scale, mites and borers.
Spray garlic and pyrethrum with neem oil on fruits like apples vs bronze beetle attack.
Watch for silver leaf. Prune out affected branches and apply trichoderma to cuts, insert bio dowels into trunk asap.
Hang pheromone traps out in orchard, and paste and cardboard fruit trees to trap moth larvae.
Herb care
Weed herbs and mulch.
Sow herb seed indoors and directly, eg coriander, parsley.
Plant herbs.
Harvest herbs for drying.
Vegetable care
Water to avoid stress - early in morning best.
Set out stakes for beans, etc, or string lines off frames. Harvest broad beans.
Weed.
Watch for slugs and snails. Mulch with ash or crushed egg shells.
Make compost.
Keep planting potatoes and mound.
Complete planting hot crops (eg eggplants, melons, etc). Make sure beds have lots of compost, dolomite, blood and bone and organic compound NZ fert. Weed mat best for melons and eggplants.
Continue preparing seed beds for root crops etc.
Prepare rich beds for sweetcorn and sow.
Prepare shallow, rich beds for kumara and plant.
Liquid fertilise weekly.
Stake or tie up crops to save for seed, eg silverbeet.
Hothouse: Continue sowings into punnets/trays. Plant tomatoes and cucumbers etc. Set out yellow sticky cards for whitefly control. Keep well ventilated. Spray with garlic and pyrethrum vs aphids.
For transplanting: All seeds 20 November. Leafy greens (spinach, spinach beet, silverbeet/chard, lettuce, endive, cabbages, celery and leeks)(also 8 Nov). Tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini (also 28 - 29 Nov). Herbs and flowers, eg Zinnias (also 25 Nov).
Sow direct: All seeds 20 November. Mesclun salad and spring onions (also 8 Nov). Peas, climbing and French beans, sweetcorn, cucumbers, zucchini, squash and pumpkins (also 28-29 Nov). Radish, carrots, beetroot and parsnip. Flowers, eg cornflower.
Plant: Salad greens, silverbeet, spinach, cabbages, sweetcorn, cucumbers, zucchini, melons, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. Main potatoes. Flowers, eg marigolds.
General garden care
Prune shelter for airflow and shred to make woody compost/mulch.
Mulch-mow lawn.
Collect seaweed/seagrass and mulch.
Cut comfrey regularly and fill liquid fertiliser drum.
Sol Morgan, GroWise Consultancy
