Flower to Food, In The Garden

Though I hear squash flowers (breaded and fried) are quite delicious this isn't what this post is about. Its just a quick post about the lovely flowers I saw in the garden this morning and the role they play other than making my eyes happy.

Boring old potatoes, their flowers are not....

These flowers also mean the potatoes (or tubers) are forming under ground.  Around this time is when some farmers dig them to get 'new potatoes' or 'baby potatoes', the small ones you see in the store.

Little tomato flowers are always a nice site, means a tomato is coming.  Tomatoes are self pollinating, meaning the flower has both the male and female within.  As long as the wind or bee helps pollen fall into the flower then a baby fruit is coming.

Pea flowers can be ornamental alone even if you don't want to eat the fruit of the plant.  Our snap pea flowers are white but I have seen some beautiful other colors.  Just like tomatoes, once pollinated, this flower turns into a sugary pea pod.  Did you know you can also eat the leaves, very good in a salad.

Check out these pretty peas-

http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/t8411-pretty-sights-found-while-walking-thru-the-garden

Last bloom, Ms. Sunflower.  Once those little 'pods' in the center of the flower get pollinated they will turn into a yummy, meaty seeds.  This is our first year growing sunflowers so we will see if the birds get the seeds first.

The young pullets also joined me in the garden this morning enjoying their cool dirt bath.  My kids enjoy the same ritual.