“ Edible flowers
are incredibly
versatile; they are brewed as tea, used as a spice
or vegetable, dried, candied, incorporated into
baking, or simply scattered fresh as a garnish.”
Within the range of edible flowers, some are
merely colorful additions used to brighten up
salads or as garnishes, while others pack a real
flavor punch, creating a gourmet experience
out of even the simplest dishes. Many strongly
flavored herbs produce flowers with a similar
flavor and aroma to the foliage, while others are
completely surprising and provide added inter-
est to taste profiles.
However, as mentioned, edible flowers are more
than colorful petals. Many common hydroponic
crops, including broccoli, cauliflower, and artichoke,
are the floral tissue of the plant. The spice saffron
derives from the stamen of the crocus flower and
capers are the picked flower buds of the caper bush.
Some plants may be grown specifically to produce
edible flowers, while others service a dual purpose
of providing fresh fruit, vegetables, or herbs as well
as a crop of flowers for consumption or garnishes.
Smaller hydroponic growers often don’t intentionally
focus directly on edible flower production; instead,
they simply allow a few plants to flower at the end
of their lifecycle for a harvest of blooms
Cultivation, Harvesting, and
Storage of Edible Flowers
HYDROPONIC CULTIVATION
Hydroponics and indoor gardening offers
some distinctive advantages when it comes to
producing edible flowers. Since the fresh blooms
are very fragile, washing them after harvest is
often not an option. So, a growing environment
that is clean, dust-free, has no contact with
manures or pesticides, and protects the delicate
petals from outdoor elements produces the
highest-quality edible product.
Top: Broccoli and cauliflower heads are actually edible flower
buds. Bottom: The spice saffron is made of the dried stamen of
crocus flowers.
grow cycle
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