Which Flowers to Pick from the Vegetable Garden
by Rachel Tayse • June 22, 2010 • Gardening & Pets • 8 Comments
Most annual vegetables send out flowers. It’s their way of ensuring their own reproduction.
The home gardener must manage flowers, tending the ones that will develop into fruits we want and removing those that distract the plant from its functions.
Leave the flowers on these plants, as they develop into vegetables:
tomato
cucumber
pepper
eggplant
peas
beans
squash, including zucchini, acorn, and pumpkin (a special case, as the blossoms are edible but if you eat them all, no squash will grow)
flowers on kale must be removed
Remove the flowers on these plants, as their desirable leaves will bitter if flowers are allowed to bloom:
greens including spinach, kale, mustard, bok choi,broccoli raab, and lettuces
radish
herbs including basil, cilantro, thyme, and mint
Harvest from these plants before they go to flower:
broccoli
cauliflower
brussel sprouts
These flower stems are edible in addition to their root. If you do not remove these, the plant may use energy producing flowers at the expense of making root bulbs:
garlic (picked as curlicue scapes shown above)
onion
The delicate potato flowers may be picked or left on the plant. Marie Antoinette is said to have enjoyed these beauties in her hair. They may pull a slight bit of water and energy from growing tubers, but I enjoy leaving their blooms in the garden.
Of course, you may grow these flowers as edibles:
sunflowers
nasturtium
violet
These lists are by no means exhaustive. Which flowering vegetables have I forgotten? Which do you have questions about?
I can’t think of any others to add but I will admit that last year some of my broccoli got away from me and flowered. It was fine so I thought it could go one more day before picking but one day was one too many. This year I won’t be so greedy about getting huge heads, especially since I planted 17 broccoli plants!
I was hoping the garlic guy would be at the farmer’s market today with some garlic tops but I didn’t see him, darn. Perhaps it’s still a little early??? Or late???
Garlic scapes should be in season for one more week, maybe. They were best about a week ago so perhaps you missed it.
I interested in Hibiscus. It makes a great iced tea, kind similar to cranberry popular in Mexico – Jamaica. Ever had it? Know how to grow it? Dry it?
Hmmm…I don’t know much about Hibiscus other than it has to be grown in a pot here to be brought inside during the winter. I suppose you could put the blossoms in a dehydrator to preserve but I have no experience with that.
Thanks for the tip. I’m off to pick the flowers off my basil plant!
Great list! I’ve never picked any of them because I’m so scared of messing something up.
Good list! My neighbor lets us use their mint leaves and yesterday I got a batch that was bitter and I didn’t know why. Now I do!
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