Sharon Hull This Week in the Garden

With the warmer weather comes days when a cold dinner is the most appealing. And at the end of a hot day spent in the garden, or on vigorous outdoor pursuits, nothing tastes more refreshing than a mix of fresh crisp greens and veggies. You may grow many of the salad "fixin's" yourself: lettuce, mesclun mixes, tomatoes, radishes and chard are all grown by many Central Coast gardeners. What you may not have tried yet is growing edible flowers, specifically for use in your salads and other dishes.

If you order a salad at some local restaurants, you are almost sure to find flowers among your greens. Nasturtiums, violas and calendulas are the flowers that are most often used. These are easily grown here, offering beautiful blooms to dress up both your garden and your dinner table. Nasturtiums flower in summer, while violas and calendulas flower in winter or year round in cool coastal climates.

The flowers of some of our vegetables are as tasty as the vegetables themselves, and can be eaten fresh from the garden. Try adding to your salad the flowers of arugula, peas, beans, mustard, pumpkin, or squash. (We're already eating flowers when we consume broccoli, cauliflower or artichoke, though we often forget this fact.) The flavor and appearance of cooked dishes can also benefit from added flowers. Fried squash blossoms are considered a delicacy in Mediterranean cuisines, and since zucchini and other squashes often out-produce our appetites, try eating their blossoms to cut down on the numbers of squashes you have to eat – or give away. (I have just harvested the first two zucchinis from my plants so know that the annual squash flood is starting…)

Quick and easy fried squash blossoms

Gather the flowers in the morning while they are freshest. Clean and check for insects. On the female flowers, if the young squash at the base of the flower is over ½ inch in diameter, slice both flower and squash in half lengthwise. Dip the flowers in water, shake off the excess, then dip in flour. Fry in a thin layer of hot olive oil until slightly crisp and light brown. Salt and pepper to taste, or add a bit of soy sauce, and eat immediately, by themselves or as accompaniment to other dishes.

Other tasty flowers you can try (be sure they are free of pesticides):

Carnation – use petals only. Sweet flavor, for salads or desserts.

Chives – use petals. Mild onion flavor, good sprinkled over salad, meats and veggies.

Chrysanthemum – use petals only. Aromatic flavor, good in soup, salad, cheese spreads.

Citrus flowers – use whole flower. Tangy flavor, nice as garnish or in fruit salad or citrus desserts.

Day lily – remove stamens and pistils. Flavor is nutty and slightly sweet. Good in soups, stir-fries, salads and egg dishes.

Fuchsia – use whole flowers. Acidic flavor, good as garnish or in salads.

Geranium, scented – use whole flowers or petals. Bake in cakes or add to fruit salads.

Marigold, Signet – use petals only. Tangy flavor varies by type. Sprinkle on salads.

Pineapple Guava – use petals only. Sweet flavor, good on ice cream or salads.

Rose – use petals. Flavor matches scent. Use in meat dishes, fruit salads, desserts.

Shelter-in-place restrictions

And finally, here is some good news for local gardeners: as COVID-19 restrictions are gradually being eased, some local garden centers are moving from phone or online ordering with parking lot pickup, to in-store shopping but with social distancing rules still in place. The Garden Company on Mission in Santa Cruz wrote this: "We ask for your patience and courtesy as we operate in compliance with County Coronavirus protocols for the safety of our employees and fellow customers." They and San Lorenzo Garden Center on River Street are both now open for safety-minded in-store shopping though with reduced hours. Call before visiting any local garden center if you want to know exactly what to expect under those new rules, their hours of operation etc.

Garden tips are provided courtesy of horticulturist Sharon Hull of the San Lorenzo Garden Center. Contact her at 831-423-0223.

Oli Rockberger - The Garden (Cover by Sharon Renold)