Who ate all the flowers?

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) in hydroponics, courtesy of The Functional Plant Co. 

Given the chance, we all appreciate the beauty of flowers, their color, perfume, diversity and sometimes their edible portions. We wonder why more people do not grow these commercially, especially those that love to be grown hydroponically. 

Nasturtiums are often added to salads and both leaves and flowers give a peppery feel to any salad. Many are unaware of  long associations of the Tropaeolum species that have proven health benefits. We know the flowers contain high levels of an antioxidant called lutein, which protects against free radical damage, and is particularly beneficial for eye and skin health.

They can also be good for your digestive health. Research has shown a combination of horseradish root and nasturtium can have a protective effect in bronchial airways. The mechanism is not well understood, but often in nature two compounds synergize to increase bioactive efficacy. If you suffer from UTIs then this combo may provide some protective health benefits for the kidneys, urethra and bladder.

Growing is easy, try a general balanced nutrient with pH 6-6.5, EC 1-2, and LED supplemental light 100-150 umol/m²/s. They need on average 6–8 hours direct light, temperature 15-21^oC and up to 60% humidity to thrive.

Hugely sustainable harvests come from Nasturtium, as the flowers fade (if you can save some from the salad bowl, and you manage to refrain from eating the edible seeds) the seed head forms and can be split and sowed again for new plants. Cuttings can also form roots quickly in hydroponics. 

There’s a whole host of edible flowers that are grown in hydroponics. The most popular of these include cornflower, calendula, rose, hibiscus, carnations and of course pansies, all of which are added to salads and are often used in cake decorations. The advantage of CEA grown flowers  is that they can be protected (without insecticide sprays) to prevent any blemish or insect damage as the visual impact is almost as great as the taste.