From Seed to Flower in 49 Days
By Dr. Ann
@drannhh (15219)
United States
June 19, 2008 3:00am CST
I have been experimenting with what I guess they call cloning devices for plants. The idea is that instead of planting a seed you can grow nice plants from cuttings in water instead of dirt. The trick is to put a little inline aquarium pump next to the planter (any bowl will do) and run tubing (with a check valve or drip loop to keep water from running back into the motor in case of a power out!) and on the end of the tubing an air stone. I put liquid seaweed and a tiny amount of growth hormone in the water, and then cover the pots with flat panels that have holes in them.
The plants live in little baskets suspended from the cover with the roots partly in the air and partly in the aerated water. Does anyone else do anything like this? Plants can be started from seed in the same way and the photo uploaded here is the first flower that opened from the seed I put in this kind of apparatus a little over 1 1/2 months ago.
This flowers is supposed to be edible, but I have not tasted one yet. Do you eat flowers?
Have you ever eaten one that looks like this?
I would love to hear which flowers people eat and why. Please share!
6 people like this
9 responses
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Jun 08
I have seen my grandpa growing plants from branch cuttings in out country home. But then it was in the open air and in the garden.
AS a child I remember sucking a sweet juice from some red, lilish kinda flower. Do not remember the name though. It was more out of fun and our gang was a nightmare in the neighborhood. lol..
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
19 Jun 08
Could it have been a honeysuckle? We used to suck the juice from them growing up on the farm. Here are some of the 180 species of honeysuckle.
http://home.att.net/~larvalbugbio/honeysuckle.html
1 person likes this
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
10 Aug 08
hi drannhh! 
you sound like a real botanist who experiments on plants. ^__^;; i won't be surprised if you'll tell me the next time that you already have your own greenhouse. ^__~
i have heard before that there are flowers that can be eaten but i just didn't know what kind of flowers they are. i never have eaten one too. and then i read this discussion of yours. i wanted to attach a picture of any kind of flower so i searched for pictures in the net and i'm quite surprised to learn the different flowers that can be eaten either as a garnish, a spices, or am ingredient. i didn't know that there are some kinds of lilies, lavenders, carnations, chrysanthemums, and even roses that can be eaten. it is truly surprising. i'm kinda curious on how they would taste when eaten with a dish. i wish i can experience that in the future. 
you sound like a real botanist who experiments on plants. ^__^;; i won't be surprised if you'll tell me the next time that you already have your own greenhouse. ^__~
i have heard before that there are flowers that can be eaten but i just didn't know what kind of flowers they are. i never have eaten one too. and then i read this discussion of yours. i wanted to attach a picture of any kind of flower so i searched for pictures in the net and i'm quite surprised to learn the different flowers that can be eaten either as a garnish, a spices, or am ingredient. i didn't know that there are some kinds of lilies, lavenders, carnations, chrysanthemums, and even roses that can be eaten. it is truly surprising. i'm kinda curious on how they would taste when eaten with a dish. i wish i can experience that in the future. 
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
19 Jun 08
I went an commented on your pretty dianthus, which is a part of the carnation family. I could see me eating it. I do not serve flowers, but I have been tempted and given in from time to time to just grazing off of them. The one that stands out in my mind is that I like to eat rose petals.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I was going to immediately say "yes", but decided to give it a quick look up, and I still will say "yes". The description makes me feel like I should plant it sometie.
@olivemai (4738)
• United States
19 Jun 08
I have a carrot top that is in water! It recently started a "flower" that looks like it has seeds in it! I have eaten a few flowers that were in my organic produce package, but I can hardly tell you which ones! I think one of them was called nasturtium!
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
19 Jun 08
Wow. Sounds like a lot of work. LOL I have only eaten rose petels and the flowers that grow on my pineapple sage bush. The rose petels I candied and put on a cake. The pineapple sage flowers, I put on fish and the taste was out of this world! Last year I grew elephant garlic which also flowers. I used the little seed balls that were on the flowers to cook with. I mashed them up on my cutting board and put them in my recipes instead of garlic and the flavor was wonderful. I need to plant more of that!
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I totally love elephant garlic and have never grown that. I have to try some in my contraption, although I'd have to find a nutrient formula that would encourage the flower growth at the expense of the bulbs, as with my method the roots would go in the water but the bulbs, I presume, would have to be suspended in air just above the water and below the growing surface. Did you buy garlic sets or plant some from the grocery store?
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I bought them at the grocery store. Although, if you can find them, sets are always better. I cut the flower stalks off of the ones that I wanted to use for garlic bulbs and left the others for the flowers. Personally, I think the flowers taste better than the bulbs. LOL
1 person likes this
@dragonstar1 (330)
•
19 Jun 08
Hi there,
I've just had a cheese plant keel over on me, I hadn't repotted it for years and it seems some kind of rot set in. I tried various things to save it and in the end cut the last 4 remaining stems and put them in water. I have potted 2 of them on and just waiting for more root to develop of the others.
I remember Mum doing this with all sorts of soft cuttings when I was young.
I also remember visiting a Medieval House, where they acted out each day as they would have then. In the kitchens they were preparing a banquet and we got to try sugar coated fresh rose petals for a huge platter. I'm also sure that their are varieties of orchid that are edible.
@dragonstar1 (330)
•
20 Jun 08
Hi there a Swiss Cheese plant or Monstera Delicosa. They grow great big leaves with holes in them. I've not worked out how to add photos yet. Maybe if your stuck I can get a pic uploaded? The place we went to was Kentwell hall if you ever visit the UK. Although I'm sure there are other places that do that type of thing around.
1 person likes this
@plumwish07 (4057)
• Indonesia
19 Jun 08
actually what kind flower that you gonna try to plant in here, dear? i become curious to know
hm, about eating flower, i never directly eat fresh flower but i eat flower when its dried and mix with tea leaf to be tea flower as like chinnesse tea used to. it can be rose, jasmine, chrisantymum or lots more.
anyhow, in my country there is some people who likes to consume fresh jasmine. they believe that this jasmine can bring bright and youngest look to their face
hm, about eating flower, i never directly eat fresh flower but i eat flower when its dried and mix with tea leaf to be tea flower as like chinnesse tea used to. it can be rose, jasmine, chrisantymum or lots more.
anyhow, in my country there is some people who likes to consume fresh jasmine. they believe that this jasmine can bring bright and youngest look to their face
@diansinta (7544)
• Indonesia
21 Jun 08
Hi Ann,
Wo00w! that is too pretty to be eaten. I love the color. And i never seen a flower like this before in Indonesia. Can you take their picture when its 100% bloom? i wonder what this flower from inside, i wanna see the center of it.
@aseretdd (13729)
• Philippines
20 Jun 08
We have lots of edible flowers in my country but i don't really know most of thier name... but i sure love eating them... one thing i know is the cauliflower... i am not even sure if that is really a flower... but it is quite tasty and nutritious...
You put a lot of time and work for your little experiment... and judging from the photo... it is quite successful... but i don't think i can eat the flower... it looks too beautiful... i might just put it in a vase to decorate my home for a while...
Congratulations on your successful experiment...
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
20 Jun 08
That is my problem too, I could not ruin the blossom in its prime just to satisfy my taste. On the other hand, I eat the greens from my Okra plants so fast than I doubt if they will ever have a chance to make the vegetable. The leaves are probably more healthy anyway, but I want to see the flowers. After flowering, however, they say the leaves of the plant are not tasty anymore. I will have to choose!
