Nasturtium

AmI going to be looking for those nice large seeds inside the spent flowers or in pods
Sandy

I'd like to know also' Always get there too late and then wait to see if they come back the next year' Love them and always looking for more' Sis''Zone 5(NE KS.)

After the flower fads, you should see round light green seeds forming..Usually 3-4 of them will form after each flower...They are a little smaller than a dime...Let them turn brown and fall off....They will turn browner and shrivel up...They are ready to store after that or let them reseed...This is how my variety works...Hope this helps....meplant :) :)

Meplant, you're so right, only I gather them before they fall as the birds, especially the doves, really love the seeds.

Jerrie

Me again....BTW did you know that the seeds can be pickled? They're called capers when they are and are used widely in chicken and fish entrees.

Jerrie

Thank you all for the wealth of information,hope to rescue some this year'

Thanks for including the info about the birds...We don't have any doves here, and I haven't noticed any birds that eat them...I'm sure they do though....I like to take my daily walks around the yard, so nothing stays "laying" around for too long..haha....I've already got my seed collecting going; can't wait to start listing them for trade/sase...

Thanks alot, I've been looking hard and still not finding them, guess, i'll have to check more vigorously, I just love hhe plants and velvety flowers

i just pick them off when theyre starting to shrivel and put them straight in the ground where i want them, then i get loads more the next year!

lil

Learning all the time at Dave's. Spent most of my life in grocery business and sold capers but never knew what they were. Thanks eyesoftexas for that information. Jim

georgiaredclay, capers and nasturtiums are not the same thing. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Crops/Caper.html has a description of capers. Nasturtiums are totally different and can be used as a substitute for them.

lil

It is Sept.29 and my flowers are fading and I still can't find the seeds...boo ..hooo..I'll be out there seacrching really hard in the next week or so because the blooms are about gone.maybe my pesky rabbits got to them first(if rabbits even like seeds)

SDoglover - i've just been harvesting mine and there are still flowers forming so give them time, you should get lots of seed. just be patient :)

lil

Thanks Lil

no problem. let me know if you still don't find any.

lil

This 1st year gardener was pleasantly surprised to find seeds growing where the blossoms had been. They look like just a little tiny bump that grows larger and larger (mine are in groups of 1-3) and gradually get ridges and shrivel. I picked some that came off easily - not wanting to lose them to birds or whatever - and others that I pulled gently on and they didn't come off I left for harvesting later. I heard that the blossoms are edible, have a peppery flavor and can be used in salads etc. but haven't tried it myself.

linda, the blossoms and leaves can be eaten, they are great in a salad.. impress your friends at your next dinner party by putting edible flowers on their plates! i quite like the taste, it is said to be an acquired taste, but it's kinda like the taste of hot radishes, only tangier..

lil

The leaves too?? I hadn't heard that but I'll have to give it a try! Thanks for the tip Lil!

mm bit watercressy too the taste.. pick the leaves young as theyre tastier.

lil

the young leaves and newly opened flowers have slight peppery flavor. matured leaves have the tendency to be bitter and strong pepper flavor, very unsavory to my taste bud. the young leaf & flower are very attractive and taste good with salads. a nice conversational piece during dinner time at my house when the guest are not familiar to seeing 'edible flowers' :).

the green seed is what's used in substitute for capers.

the Nasturtiums growth is dense, if you move the plant to one side, u'd be surprise how many brown seeds there are on the ground. when i used to live in zone 10, they grow prolific all year round. the seeds for some reason, once it touched the ground grow on their own. i used to pick the seeds before i water. i never picked the green seeds off the plant. i just gather the browned seeds off the ground.

best way maVieRose, they are not ripe when green. wait till theyre all shriveled and brown.

lil

Pickled Nasturtium Seeds (from Renee's Garden, "Recipes From a Kitchen Garden"): Collect seeds while green and soak them in brine to cover (1 quart water mixed w/1/2 cup salt) Renew the brine every 3 days until enough seeds have been collected. Drain the seeds and pack in small jars. Pour enough boiling white wine vinegar to cover, seal, and store for a week before using.

The stems of the plant are also edible - great chopped into deviled eggs!