Saturday, September 19, 2009

Nifty Nasturtiums

I have a spot that I save every year for planting nasturtiums. I think they are such a homey kind of flower, and edible too, although I've never been brave enough to eat one. I think edible flowers probably fall into the vegetable category. :) Their seeds look like shriveled peas- a sure indication of nasty taste. I've tried different varieties of nasturtiums, but my favorites are the Empress of India which are red with dark green leaves. You can't find this kind at the local nursery- mail order only. So, if I don't get around to sending for those seeds, I use Cherry Rose Nasturtium seeds because I think pink flowers look good with my house. That's what I planted this year. The area where I plant these seeds is sometimes plagued with sprinkler problems, so I try to water the Nasturtiums daily with the hose. While I was in Nevada, Bruce put a riser on those sprinklers, and since then those flowers have taken off, doubling the flowers they produce, and finally growing across the sidewalk, which I like! Feel free to come pick some for your next salad!

3 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, your nasturtiums look amazing. I planted some when I first got married, they took a year to bloom and I only got long stringy strands.. Ours were orange blossoms, beautiful when they actually blossomed (few and far between). Now that I see that they can look wonderful Maybe i'll try them again. What are your secrets?

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  2. I've never tried nasturtiums...either for growing or eating.

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