Edible violas
Small colourful edible flowers suited to pots and cool-season salads.
Edible violas seeds
£2.49 in the shop
Calendar
Sow
February–April or August–September
Plant out
Pick unsprayed flowers often and deadhead to extend blooming.
Harvest
April–October
Conditions
Sun
Full sun to partial shade, at least 4-6 hours of direct sun.
Water
Keep consistently moist, especially during dry spells, but avoid waterlogging. Less watering encourages more flowers.
Soil
Poor to moderately fertile, well-draining soil. Rich soil encourages more foliage than flowers.
Spacing
20-30cm for bush varieties, 30-60cm for trailing types. Allow climbers space to sprawl.
Containers
Excellent in pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes, especially trailing varieties. Use a container at least 20cm deep.
Indoors
Can be started indoors for an earlier display, but generally prefer direct sowing.
Care and harvest
Feeding
Generally not required; too much fertiliser promotes leaves over flowers. If soil is very poor, a balanced feed once a month at half strength.
Pruning
Pinch back young plants to encourage bushiness. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong blooming and prevent self-seeding (unless desired).
Harvesting
Pick unsprayed flowers often and deadhead to extend blooming.
Storage
Flowers and leaves are best used fresh. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or two.
Good companions: Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Brassicas, Radishes