CenterCenter forfor CropCrop DiversificationDiversification CropCrop ProfileProfile CCD-CP-138CCD-CP-69

GingerEdible and Turmeric CherylMatt Ernst Kaiser1 and1 and Kristi Matt Durbin Ernst22 IntroductionIntroduction GingerEdible flowers,(Zingiber which officinale have been Roscoe used) inand the turmeric culinary (artsCurcuma for centuries, longa) bothare experiencing have a long renewedhistory of popular use in- Asian,ity. Flowers African can and serve Caribbean as an essentialcuisines. Freshingredient ginger in isa availablerecipe, provide year-round seasoning in the to U.S. a dish, and Canadaor simply from be usedpro- duceas a . wholesalers sourcing from global suppliers, and both are widely available in their dried, ground form thatMarketing is produced and from Market their underground Outlook rhizomes. Edible flowers can be a profitable enterprise niche, -es Thepecially U.S. for ginger farms crop marketing is mainly to grown consumers in Hawaii. and chefs Re- cently,interested some in aU.S. novel use of edibles. and greenhouse Edible flowers growers can haveespecially added fit ginger into anda cut turmeric as or high-value business, special pro-- tyviding crops additional to meet consumer opportunities demands for value-added for locally grown prod- ingredients.ucts. Local marketProducers niches in themay northeast be small, have however, success and- named unusual as a top fullyspecialized produced niche ginger markets in high may tunnels, take time and toexperience develop. trend – a category linked to withOrganic ginger growers and turmeric and others production using pest (through control the meth 2018- season)ods that indicates are suitable both for crops flowers may be intended adaptable for to human high edible flowers. Local restau- tunnelconsumption production may inhave Kentucky. a marketing edge, as plant ma- rant chefs and caterers are a BaBy ginger terial obtained from most commercial florists, garden frequent target market for ed- Marketingcenters and nurseries are likely not pesticide-free. atible grocery flowers. stores. TurmericBecause producers edible should also pro- Kentucky producers have focused on selling directly videflowers use guidelines, are highly as fresh perishable, turmeric is not commonly toFlowers consumers, may beusing marketed local market fresh, channels dried, candied, like farmers or in foundgrowers in themust marketplace. be willing toCommon frequently uses (usually include daily)using marketsprepackaged and communitysalads. Research supported in Michigan agriculture. indicated A few thedeliver vegetative smaller tops quantities of both to plants restaurants. to make Fine teas, baker and- producerspackaging also different sell these colors specialty and varieties crops via of wholesale fresh ed- bothies may crops be are interested used in juicing. in candied Both rhizomes flowers. can Growers also marketingible flowers for in restaurant the same chefs.container Some appealed food retailers most to bewill dehydrated, need to be pickled able to ordemonstrate candied. an ability to pro- focusedconsumers. on offering Including organic varieties and with local more produce appealing have vide a dependable supply of consistently high quality reportedfragrances sourcing in the ginger mix also locally. encourages positive con- Gingerproduct andto meet turmeric buyer have demand. received Producers attention commonly in the sumer reactions. Value-added products that feature ed- health“break and in” wellnessto this market product by market, selling withsquash turmeric blossoms at- Localible flowers farmers offer market additional customers marketing and CSA opportunities. members tractingat farmers much markets recent or interest. to local The chefs. FDA Expanding regulates howto a willMinced benefit flowers from recipes make aand colorful preparation and suggestions flavorful- addi productscolorful andmay diverse be marketed range of with edible respect flower to claimsvarieties of is fortion fresh to herbal ginger. , Shelf cheese life and spreads, storage jellies and jams. a way for a producerpotential to health increase benefits. offerings Farm to marketersexisting considerationsDried flowers couldshould be beused conveyed in teas orto to mustcustomers. understand the potential ramifica- customers,add flavor toas thewines. fresh “baby” ginger tions of making health claims when sell- in its immature stage produced in high ingRetail fresh marketing produce throughcrops, as farmers associating mar- tunnelsRestaurant will trends, have different measured requirements by the Na- thesekets orspecific Community crops Supportedwith health Agricul benefits- thantional the Restaurant mature ginger Association that is available in 2018, www.uky.edu/CCDwww.uky.edu/CCD violatesture (CSA) food shares marketing is also regulations. a viable option.

11MattCheryl Ernst Kaiser is an is independenta former Extension contractor Associate with the with Center the Center for Cro forp Diversification. Crop Diversification. 22KristiMatt ErnstDurbin is isan a independentsenior horticulturist contractor in the with University the Center of Kforentucky Crop Diversification. Department of Horticulture. Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic Development Fresh edible flowers or value-added edible flower products have the potential to perform quite well in some markets. Interested growers should visit lo- cal farmers markets and consult with their County Extension Office and others knowledgeable about local production to determine the market potential of edible flowers in their area.

Production Considerations Plant selection Many commonly cultivated annuals and perennials can be raised for their edible flowers. Because some flowers are edible but not palatable and others may be poisonous, it is important that only those known to be edible should be grown for this purpose. Dif- ferences in edibility may also exist between culti- growth and development thereby optimizing flower- vars of the same species. Some popular edible flowers ing and yield. Scout for pests and diseases daily, and include calendula, chrysanthemum, daylily, dianthus, nutritional disorders weekly. lilac, marigold, mint, nasturtium, orchids, pansy, , tulip and violet. Blossoms from various vegetable and Planting dates depend on the market and type of plant fruit crops are also popular for culinary purposes. Re- being grown. Annuals are planted as soon as danger of fer to the resources at the end of this profile for infor- frost has passed in the spring, and staggered plantings mation on additional edible flower species. are common. Because transplants come into flower sooner than direct-seeded plants, growers may choose Site selection and planting to use transplants to capture the early market and then The cultural requirements for edible flowers are very direct-seed later plantings. Transplants can be started similar to those of ornamental flowers. In general, for in a greenhouse or high tunnel. Perennials, such as high tunnel or field production of edible flowers, fer- daylily, should be planted in late summer or fall for tile, well-drained soil, and full sun throughout the day the best yield of blooms. are needed. Many producers prefer growing plants in raised beds to improve drainage and increase ease of Pest management harvest. A soil test is recommended before planting. Buyers of edible flowers will want their product to be Two to 3 inches of mulch will help to reduce weed free of diseases and insect pests. This could present a pressure, maintain soil moisture and temperature, as challenge since edible flowers must be grown - with well as reduce soil splashing in heavy rains. A source out the use of any chemical pesticide. Insect control of water for irrigation is essential to production. Trick- consists of hand picking harmful insects and the use le or drip irrigation is preferred to overhead irrigation of beneficial insects to help decrease insect - popula since keeping the foliage dry reduces the incidence of tions. Following good cultural practices and diversify- fungal and bacterial diseases. ing plantings will aid in the control of both insect and disease problems. Weed control is critical since weed For greenhouse production, a soilless substrate can competition not only reduces plant quality and quan- be used. Edible flowers can also be grown hydroponi- tity, but also raises labor costs by increasing the time cally. Provide plants with 75 to 200 parts per million required for harvest. (ppm) nitrogen (N) through irrigation by injecting a complete water-soluble fertilizer that is best suited Harvest and storage for your irrigation water quality. In general, main- Edible flowers are harvested in the early morning dur- tain an average daily temperature and light integral of ing the peak of bloom. Only flowers free of insect and 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and 10 to 12 moles per disease problems should be selected. Generally, un- meter per day, respectively. Monitor the greenhouse opened flowers or those past their prime are not suit- environment and make adjustments to promote crop able. To maintain freshness, flowers should be cooled 2 immediately after harvest and placed in clamshells.

The stems, sepals, pistils and sta- mens of most flowers are removed prior to use. Pollen may detract from the flower’s flavor and may cause allergies in some people. The sepals should be removed from all flowers except Johnny-jump-ups, pansies and violas. In many flow- ers (including calendula, chrysan- themum, lavender, rose and tulip), only the petals are edible. If the petals have a white base, this area time or hired labor costs, to calculate the breakeven should be removed as it may have a bitter taste. For price needed for edible flowers. Producers can then example, chrysanthemum, dianthus, marigold and target markets willing to pay a price per pound that rose have bitter petal bases. will result in positive grower returns. To produce value-added flower products, the flowers Past University of Kentucky (UK) estimates indicated must be dried or utilized immediately after harvest. a price of $6 per pound or higher was required for an Flowers can be used in a number of products to add edible flower mix in order to generate positive returns aesthetic value in addition to flavor. As a general rule, to land and management, including operator labor. flowers from herbs have a flavor similar to the leaves Producers may adjust budget templates for cut flowers and may be used in the same way. Candied flowers are and produce, such as the small-scale vegetable bud- prepared by painting each petal with pasteurized egg white, then sprinkling with granulated sugar. Once the gets available from UK, to estimate total production sugar has crystallized, flowers are stored in an airtight costs. container. Presenting a mix of different varieties may be impor- Labor requirements tant to making an edible flower enterprise successful. Edible flower production is labor and management in- Edible flower market research conducted in Michigan tensive. Planting, weeding and harvesting all require in 2004 showed consumers were most willing to pay some level of experience and/or training. Since an ed- $2.99 for an 8-ounce plastic container with varying ible product is being handled, extra time and care will colors of six nasturtiums and 14 violas. The addition be needed to transport the product from field to mar- of other edible varieties to a mix, especially those with ket. Packaging different edible flower varieties and/or desirable fragrance, enhanced consumer interest. A $3 colors together will require additional packing labor. per 8-ounce retail price ($6 per pound) would return about $1 to land, labor and management per 20 flow- Economic Considerations ers. Profitability from edible flowers will range widely due to differences in species, handling, marketing and In summary, edible flowers can be a profitable busi- delivery. Startup costs will include soil and seedbed ness when the needs of the clients are thoroughly re- preparation, as well as the costs of seeds or plant ma- searched to make a mutual beneficial business. terial for planting and irrigation. Additional costs may include weed and pest control, including wildlife con- Selected Resources trol. The time and cost of labor for harvesting, pre- • Edible Flowers (University of Kentucky School of paring and packaging edible flowers for market can Human Environmental Sciences, 1997) also be a substantial cost. Producers should prepare https://fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/sites/fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/ a detailed list of their projected costs, including labor files/fn-ssb.025.pdf 3 • Edible Flowers (ATTRA, 2004) https://attra.ncat. org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=38 • Small-Scale Vegetable Budgets (University of Kentucky, 2017; available as Excel spreadsheets or PDFs) https://www.uky.edu/ccd/tools/budgets • Choosing and Using Edible Flowers (N.C. State Extension, 2019) https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/ choosing-and-using-edible-flowers-ag-790 • A Consumer’s Guide to Edible Flowers (Penn State Extension, 2007) https://extension.psu.edu/a- consumer-s-guide-to-edible-flowers • Edible Flowers (Colorado State University, 2020) https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/ garden/07237.pdf • The Market for Edible Flowers: A Case Study (University of Georgia) Suggested Citation: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/8556/ files/37010189.pdf Kaiser, C. and M. Ernst. (2021). Edible Flowers. CCD-CP-69. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University • Edible Flowers (University of Minnesota of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Extension, 2018) Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/edible-flowers edible.pdf • Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing (ATTRA, 2006) https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ summaries/summary.php?pub=39

Reviewed by W. Garrett Owen, UK Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Floriculture, Greenhouses, and Controlled Environments, and Cyndi Lauderdale, Extension Agent, Agriculture - Commercial Ornamental and Consumer Horticulture, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Photos courtesy of W. Garrett Owen April 2021

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