Yup!I always keep Nasturtiums in Summer to eat! The leaves are delicious, I add them to potato salads and other salads, along with blooms. The leaves and flowers taste very much like water cress. If I remember correctly, in addition, my mother used the seeds instead of capers. But I have never done that.

Lucy, Marigolds too? that is a new one for me! Now I am curious!

Lynda gave up on Marigolds a long time ago. She got tired of being the lizards caterer.

What kind of lizards eat flowers? No iguanas in Brea, at least that I know.

Most of the flowers seem to be a little peppery, but violets/violas and rose petals are sweet. Some colors are better than others. I learned this from my tortoise.

Well, Common Side-blotched Lizard, Southern Alligator Lizard, Western Fence Lizard plus an assortment of Skinks, Geckos and Anoles

I do eat a few nasturtiums and garnish salads with them, but they're pretty spicy when the weather gets hot. I mostly enjoy them for the beautiful flowers.

I'm thankful not to have the iguanas and such here - at least not yet. They are herbivores and certainly would have a field day in my garden but thankfully we get enough cold weather (especially this year!) to drive them south. I'm prepared with a sharp shovel should I ever see one.

I only have the Geckos and Anoles, both of which eat insects, so they're very welcome, even though most of my geckos are of the Cuban variety which are an invasive species here. The native Florida anoles are a beautiful green color, but are rarely seen as they have 'migrated' upwards into the trees. The Cubans are brown camo so they survive more readily down on the ground.

Ted5310 said: Well, Common Side-blotched Lizard, Southern Alligator Lizard, Western Fence Lizard plus an assortment of Skinks, Geckos and Anoles

All eat insects, not a flower eater among them.

I love to eat the nasturtium seeds, they are peppery and much like capers.

Alice, you confirmed what my mother did regarding the seeds. East Germany in those years didn't have/sell capers, so she used Nasturtium seeds.

I am going to get a Begonia maculata. I resisted the urge last year because I heard they were difficult. They are back in the grocery and box stores, I am going to try one. I have heard from 3 people here in my town that grow one that they really are not as hard as people say

dyzzypyxxy said: I do eat a few nasturtiums and garnish salads with them, but they're pretty spicy when the weather gets hot. I mostly enjoy them for the beautiful flowers.

I'm thankful not to have the iguanas and such here - at least not yet. They are herbivores and certainly would have a field day in my garden but thankfully we get enough cold weather (especially this year!) to drive them south. I'm prepared with a sharp shovel should I ever see one.

I only have the Geckos and Anoles, both of which eat insects, so they're very welcome, even though most of my geckos are of the Cuban variety which are an invasive species here. The native Florida anoles are a beautiful green color, but are rarely seen as they have 'migrated' upwards into the trees. The Cubans are brown camo so they survive more readily down on the ground.

Interesting. I know what slug and snail damage looks like and that is not what the damage to them looks like. They just look like something took a bite out of them. Weird.

@giddyhesap, I see you here as a new member on the site, welcome! Do you grow Orchids? Hopefully we see more from you on the forum!

Ted, do you have bunnies in your vicinity? They will taste almost anything that looks green and crunchy. My bunnies, however, thankfully don't like nasturtiums. I guess the spiciness is not to their taste - probably a beneficial adaptation by the plant. Isn't nature amazing.

I did have the beautiful dark red decorative sweet potato vine all over my yard as groundcover in previous years, but the bunnies definitely like it, so it only survives where it's planted up out of reach. Not great climbers, bunnies. You'd think they could jump up onto high pots to get to food, but they don't seem to ever do that.

Iguanas of various types definitely do eat plants, as well as probably insects and they are excellent climbers, so I'm hoping the weather does continue to cool off enough in winter to make them fall out of the trees here. They've been seen on the barrier islands within just a few miles of here, but not many. They're great swimmers, too.

Nope, no bunnies and I've never seen an Iguana around here. I would think too dry. I think I need to buy some Marigolds and set up a trail camera. Catch them varmint's in the act!

Leaf cutter bees? They take good sized bites out of leaves.

Gina1960 said: I am going to get a Begonia maculata. I resisted the urge last year because I heard they were difficult. They are back in the grocery and box stores, I am going to try one. I have heard from 3 people here in my town that grow one that they really are not as hard as people say

Good Luck Gina ! They're still a rarity. I lost mine couldn't supply enough humidity..

I had no idea such a bee existed, let alone here in California. Turns out we have 75 species of them in the state. Well, guess I'll put the camera away

Such wacky weather this year. I think this might be early signs of spring, or maybe just confused plants? I've been moving some large pots out of the garden bed along the side of the house, as we're having all our oak trees pruned tomorrow and I don't want large branches falling on them. Turns out it was a good idea!

My Phaius, 3 big pots of them, all have spikes over a foot tall! I'm quite sure they don't usually bloom until March at the earliest, so this is a real surprise. I hope they slow down with this cool week we have coming up. Bad picture, but there are 4 or 5 spikes on the nearest plant and two more big ones on the pot behind.

The big water lily begonia has 4 or 5 very tall flower stems as well. Again, this usually happens in March.

Elaine, I brought my potted Phaius Orchtoberfest to NC and it has done very well in the house. There are 11 spikes and several are close to opening. I must check it a couple times a day just to watch the buds developing.

They are fun to watch, and gorgeous long-lasting flowers when they bloom, especially Orchtoberfest. You'll have such a treat coming up. Way to go on rescuing and moving them.

Mine has recovered nicely from trauma and has two big, fat stems coming. I'm hoping the cold nights this week slows them down so they bloom more at the right time. But now I'm remembering that they do take quite a while to grow to full height and to open the flowers.

I'm just mystified as to why they've started up so early this year, when it's been so cold and cloudy.

Mine always started spiking in January and when I had them in the ground the buds turned black and rotted if the temp dropped into the low 30's. Keeping them in pots helped as I could protect them when necessary.