Garden

[Madame Lorrraine]

I love nasturtiums and put them in every year (although once in a while they re-seed themselves if I leave them in long enough). A few weeks ago I decided to try planting them in starter pots and setting out the starts. I have in the past sewed them directly into the ground but because of the changeable weather we have in the Pacific Northwest, haven't had a lot of luck.

I was determined to do everything "by the book" so I even scraped them with a nail file, just an the envelope said to do. I thought it was silly and a waste of time but I did it anyway.

And it worked! I just checked the pots and I can see little seedlings starting to come up! I'm so excited. And I won't have to harden them off because I left them outdoors the whole time. I will try to plant them but not right away; I want to give them time to get big and strong first. So I'll wait for a cool, damp day when they won't get blasted in the sun right away.

It's a small achievement but, then, I am easily entertained . And I really do love working outdoors and trying new gardening tricks and techniques.

[JustJazzmom]

Nasturtium seed pods are hard; they can either be 'nicked' or filed with a nail file to get the seed pod to soften and open up.

[candys mine]

It's always a good feeling when a previous fail is overcome! It's a nifty tip. I soaked my rainbow corn seeds and most of them have come up. My hope is that this corn will be harder and less appealing to the squirrels than the sweet corn I planted last year. Stupid squirrel, taunting me from the fence with a corn silk beard. I'm glad your nasturtiums have come up. They are pretty and they taste good too. Decorate your next frosted cake with the flowers and people will think you're a baking genius! Try it!

[JustJazzmom]

Nasturtiums are peppery tasting and are good on salads. Violets are better for decorating cakes.

[Madame Lorrraine]

I've never understood the practice of eating flowers. They're so pretty; why would you want to mash them up with your teeth? I enjoy them for their looks, not their taste.

[JustJazzmom]

People can also eat zucchini flowers too or daylily flowers.