Edible flowers offer so many beneficial relationships within a home garden. When creating a sustainable permaculture garden, everything should have multiple functions and uses. The more the better! Edible flowers not only look beautiful, but they also aid in pollination, provide food and habitat to beneficial insects for pest management, add diversity to the soil and provide food, and in some cases, offer medicinal qualities for us.
Without adequate pollination, crops may be smaller, less abundant or may not produce at all. So, it is important that we attract pollinators to our gardens to increase yields along with the quality of produce.
Note: not all flowers are edible. Make sure you identify them correctly. Do not eat flowers from florists or areas unknown, as they may have been sprayed with pesticides. The safest option is to grow your own.
Pick your edible flowers in the morning but after the sun has come up. First thing in the morning the flowers will still be closed, so wait until they fully open up. They will be at their best in the morning, full of life and well-hydrated. If you are serving them fresh, pick your edible flowers as close to serving time as possible. Otherwise, place stems in a jar of water or keep in a moistened towel somewhere cool.
Cauliflower (Brassica oleraceabotrytis) is a hearty winter vegetable that provides large yields of nutritious food that can be used in so many ways! Cauliflower is great at holding flavours and can form the base of many meals. Growing your own Cauliflower at home means you will have nutrient-rich veggies but you will also get access to all the extra parts of the plant such as the leaves and the stem that are both edible and delicious. Cauliflower is easy to grow and can be grown in containers or garden beds. They are heavy feeders and can be susceptible to bugs such as caterpillars, slugs, and snails
‘First Early’ – Fast growing, small, compact heads. Harvest 90days.
‘ All-year round’ – Popular English heirloom. Dwarf size plant with medium/standard sized cauliflower heads. Harvest 110 days.
‘Purple Sicily’ – Large bright purple heads. Italian heirloom. Mild, sweet flavour. Harvest in 190 days.
‘Green Macerata’ – Bright lime green heads. Southern Italian heirloom. Good for cold climates. Large heads 1-1.5kg. Harvest in 190 days.
How to Grow Cauliflower
Cauliflower likes cool temperatures and a full sun location. Cauliflower is a heavy feeder so much sure your soil is topped up with compost and try to plant your Cauliflower in a different area of the garden each year to help the soil replenish the nutrients. Cauliflower can grow quite large with big leaves so plant your seedlings about 40- 50cm apart in compost-rich soil, water in your seedlings directly after planting. Add a layer of mulch to keep the soil protected from weeds and moisture in.
When to Plant Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a cool weather plant so you typically want to be harvesting your Cauliflower during winter and early spring. However, in some climates it can be grown all year round. There are many varieties available and some that can tolerate warm or cold weather. Sow your seeds in the last few months of Summer or during Autumn so that your Cauliflower plants are ready to harvest over winter.
Care/ Maintenance
Keep the plants well-watered on warm days. Water the plant at the base to avoid excess water pooling in the leaves and causing rot. For an extra boost you can feed your plants with a liquid seaweed solution every 2-3 weeks. Once the heads start forming it is best to protect the white Cauliflower from the sun. You can do this by folding the outer leaves over the head or tying them together above. The sun will “burn” or discolour your white cauliflower varieties.
Pests / Disease
Cauliflower is a prime target for white butterflies and caterpillars. Check your plants regularly by lifting the leaves and checking for caterpillars or larvae and remove. A barrier of crushed eggshells or a small container of beer can help keep the slugs and snails away especially while the plants are young and delicate. Plant a few extras throughout your garden and you will be sure to have more than enough Cauliflower to eat! Click here for more natural pest management to help keep the pests at bay.
How/ When to Harvest
Depending on the variety Cauliflower will be ready to harvest in 90-190 days. The Cauliflower head should be tightly packed and not have started going to flower. Once the little buds start separating and moving apart you will want to harvest ASAP as the flowers will be quite bitter in flavour. To harvest your Cauliflower cut the stem using a sharp knife. You can also harvest the younger leaves and use them in cooking as extra greens.
Reproducing / Saving Seeds
Cauliflower seeds can be saved after letting one of the Cauliflower florets go to flower and seed. Yellow flowers will appear and then after that, seed pods will form. Once the seed pods have dried off you can harvest all the seed pods. The Cauliflower seeds can be removed from the dried pods and stored to replant the following season. Save the seeds in a cool, dry, dark space.
Cooking and Using Cauliflower
Cauliflower is such a hearty vegetable and can provide nutritious and filling meals. Cauliflower can be used in so many ways such as raw in a salad, roasted, grilled, steamed, stirfried, and added to any curry or soup. Cauliflower is a great vehicle for flavour! As it absorbs and holds flavour so well. Cauliflower is a great source of fibre, vitamin C, B,A,K and Folate.
Cauliflower is super versatile and can be used to replace many grains and legumes. Try Cauliflower versions of mash, pizza base, rice, hummus, flat bread and more.
Preserving the Harvest
Cauliflower can be frozen to add to soups and stocks. To prepare the Cauliflower, rinse and remove the stalks. The stalks will take longer to cook so I like to freeze them separately. Blanch the Cauliflower in boiling water for 40seconds – 1minute then add to a bowl of iced water. Cut the stalks into slices or cubes and blanch for 2 minutes and then add to the ice water until completely cool. Shake off the excess water and add to freezer bags or ziplock bags. Try to remove as much of the air from the bags as possible to reduce freezer burn. Keep frozen and use within 6 months. The stems can also be pickled and stored in the refrigerator.
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is a hearty winter vegetable that provides large yields of nutritious food that can be used in so many ways! Growing your own Broccoli at home means you will have nutrient-rich veggies but you will also get access to all the extra parts of the plant such as the leaves and the stem that are both edible and delicious. Broccoli is easy to grow and can be grown in containers or garden beds. They are heavy feeders and can be susceptible to bugs such as caterpillars, slugs, and snails
Fertilise fortnightly with organic seaweed solutions.
PESTS
Watch out for slugs, snails, aphids and caterpillars.
HARVEST
8- 12 weeks. Harvest before the head starts separating.
REPRODUCE
Seed pods appear after the head goes to flower.
Broccoli Varieties
De Cicco – Traditional Italian Broccoli. Harvest the central head first to promote vigorous side shoots for up to 6 months.
Waltham – A popular Farmers’ Market variety forms large heads. High yields. Very cold tolerant. Great all purpose variety. Pick side shoots for up to 3 months.
Green Sprouting Broccoli – An Italian variety, the blue-green head is followed by `broccolini type’ side shoots that can be harvested for up to 3 months. Harvest main head 9 weeks.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli – Green stalks with small to medium-sized purple heads that are ideal for stir-frying or steaming. Purple colour is reduced when cooked. The plant continues producing small heads after each pick. Very nutritious.
Romanesco – Large pale green heads with an attractive spiralling pattern that grow to 20cm. Very tender and excellent flavour. Does best in cooler weather. This variety is often eaten raw and is very attractive in salads but can also be cooked with only a small loss of flavour.
Kailaan – Long succulent stems topped with compact broccoli heads that open to white flowers. All parts, even the leaves, are good eating. The taste is sweet to start, then the mustard flavor comes through. Excellent steamed, in stir-fries and laksas. Can be planted close together as its upright narrow habit grows well en masse. Harvest the whole plant. Heat tolerant. Fast-growing.
How to Grow Broccoli
Broccoli likes cool temperatures and a full sun location. Broccoli is a heavy feeder so much sure your soil is topped up with compost and try to plant your Broccoli in a different area of the garden each year to help the soil replenish the nutrients. Broccoli grows best in rich, moist soil with a soil pH between 6.0 and 7. Broccoli can grow quite large with big leaves so plant your seedlings about 40- 50cm apart in compost-rich soil, water in your seedlings directly after planting. Add a layer of mulch to keep the soil protected and moisture in. Depending on the variety Broccoli will be ready to harvest in 2-3 months.
When to Plant Broccoli
Broccoli is a cool weather plant so you typically want to be harvesting your Broccoli during winter. However, in some climates it can be grown all year round. The key is to have the broccoli floreats ready during cooler temperatures so that they dont bolt and go straight to flower. There are many varieties available and some that can tolerate warmer weather. Sow your seeds in the last few months of Summer or during Autumn so that your Broccoli plants are ready to harvest over winter.
Care/ Maintenance
Keep the plants well-watered on warm days. Water the plant at the base to avoid excess water pooling in the leaves and causing rot. For an extra boost you can feed your plants with a liquid seaweed solution every 2-3 weeks.
Pests / Disease
Broccoli is a prime target for white butterflies and caterpillars. Check your plants regularly by lifting the leaves and checking for caterpillars or larvae and remove. A barrier of crushed eggshells or a small container of beer can help keep the slugs and snails away especially while the plants are young and delicate. Plant a few extras throughout your garden and you will be sure to have more than enough Broccoli to eat! Click here for more natural pest management to help keep the pests at bay.
How/ When to Harvest
Depending on the variety Broccoli will be ready to harvest in 50-80days. The Broccoli head should have tightly packed buds and not have started going to flower. Once the little buds start going to flower you will want to harvest ASAP as the flowers will be quite bitter in flavour. To harvest your Broccoli cut the stem on a slight angle using a sharp knife. This will allow more broccoli heads to sprout off the main trunk over the next few weeks and you will get extra Broccoli! The angled cut will allow water to drain off so the main stem so it won’t rot. You can also harvest the younger leaves and use them in cooking as extra greens. Once you have harvested the side sprouts you can remove the plant and use up the rest of the stem and leaves.
Reproducing / Saving Seeds
Broccoli seeds can be saved after letting one of the Broccoli florets go to flower and seed. Yellow flowers will appear and then after that, seed pods will form. Once they have dried off you can harvest all the seed pods. The Broccoli seeds can be removed from the dried pods and stored to replant the following season. Save the seeds in a cool, dry, dark space.
Cooking and Using Broccoli
Broccoli is such a hearty vegetable and can provide nutritious and filling meals. Broccoli can be used in so many ways such as raw in a salad, roasted, grilled, steamed, stirfried, and added to any curry or soup. Broccoli is a great source of fibre and protein. Plus it contains iron, potassium, calcium, selenium and magnesium as well as the vitamins A, C, E, K and B vitamins including folic acid.
Preserving the Harvest
Broccoli can be frozen to add to soups and stocks. To prepare the Broccoli, rinse and remove the stalks. The stalks will take longer to cook so I like to freeze them separately. Blanch the Broccoli in boiling water for 40seconds – 1minute then add to a bowl of iced water. Cut the stalks into slices or cubes and blanch for 2 minutes and then add to the ice water until completely cool. Shake off the excess water and add to freezer bags or ziplock bags. Try to remove as much of the air from the bags as possible to reduce freezer burn. Keep frozen and use within 6 months. The stems can also be pickled and stored in the refrigerator.
Rainbow chard is a standout plant in the garden with its vibrant coloured stems and lush green leaves. Chard is super easy to grow and will produce an abundance of edible leaves quickly. You can harvest the outer leaves as you need them and the plant will continue to produce more. This powerhouse vegetable is packed full of vitamins and minerals and can be used in many dishes. It is so versatile!
Watch out for slugs, snails, aphids and caterpillars.
HARVEST
8 + weeks. Harvest outer leaves throughout the season.
REPRODUCE
Biannual. Seed pods appear from a central flowers in the second year of growth.
Rainbow Chard
Rainbow Chard or Swiss Chard is actually part of the Beetroot family – Beta vulgaris. Although Rainbow Chard doesn’t form a root-like beetroot, it does have beautiful lush leaves with colourful stems. Rainbow chard is a staple crop to grow because it produces a lot of food on just a couple of plants. It also adds beautiful colour to your garden and dishes during the winter months.
How to Grow Rainbow Chard
Rainbow Chardlikes cool temperatures and a sunny location. It will also grow in dappled shade at a slower rate which can be good because it is such a generous plant. This slower growth can be a strategic move if you want to plant multiple colour varieties and not be overwhelmed with too much produce. Rainbow Chard grows best in rich, moist soil with a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Plant your seeds or seedlings about 30cm apart in compost-rich soil, and water your seed or seedlings directly after planting. You can direct sow seeds in location or plant them in trays and transplant them when they have produced their first 4 leaves.
When to Plant Rainbow Chard
Rainbow chard can be grown all year round in some climates. It is usually best to grow Rainbow Chard over Autumn and winter as it does not like hot weather. Sow your seeds in the last few months of Summer or during Autumn. Choose a sunny location to plant your Rainbow Chard. You may get away with growing chard over summer if you plant it in a cool shaded area of your garden. In warm weather, the chard leaves will go limp and may get burnt or bolt and go straight to seed. Here in Perth, our summers tend to be too hot for Rainbow Chard but I have had success growing it in shaded areas and making sure it receives water in the mornings. Rainbow chard can handle some frosts.
Care/ Maintenance
Rainbow Chard grows in such abundance so it is best to pick the outer leaves regularly. Keep the plants well-watered on warm days.
Pests / Disease
Chard is pretty hardy against pests but slugs, snails and slatters can be a problem, especially while the plants are young. Plant a few extras throughout your garden and you will be sure to have more than enough chard to eat! Click here for more natural pet management to help keep the pests at bay.
Reproducing / Saving Seeds
Chard seeds can be saved but they usually will only go to seed after their second season as they are Biennial crops. Once the weather gets too hot they will send up flowers and these will turn to seeds. Save the seeds and keep them in a cool, dry, dark space to plant the following Autumn.
Cooking and using Rainbow Chard
Rainbow chard not only brings colour to the garden, but also to the plate. Use chard leaves just like spinach and the colourful stems can be stir-fried, sautéed or even pickled. Add Rainbow Chard to the end of any meal such as curry, soup, stir-fry, omelette or in a salad. Just like spinach, chard cooks down to a small amount so don’t be afraid to add in a little extra. The leaves can be blanched and used to make wraps or dolmades. The Rainbow Chard leaves can be added to pesto. Sautéed Rainbow Chard in butter and garlic makes a quick and easy side dish.
Preserving the Harvest
Rainbow Chard can be frozen to add to soups and stocks. To prepare the Chard, rinse the leaves and remove the stalks. The stalks will take longer to cook so I like to freeze them separately. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 40seconds – 1minute then add to a bowl of iced water. Do the same with the stalks but blanch for 2 minutes and then add to the ice water until completely cool. Shake off the excess water and add to freezer bags or ziplock bags. Try to remove as much of the air from the bags as possible to reduce freezer burn. Keep frozen and use within 6 months. The colourful stems can also be pickled and stored in the refrigerator. Another way to use up your harvest is to make pesto and freeze it in ice cubes. This is great to add extra greens to a dish or for a small serving of pesto for entertaining.
