Oregano: a perennial herb; once it flowers, cut the
flowering stalks (usually all of the plant) back to the ground. It will start
to regrow soon
Cilantro: an annual herb; once it starts to flower,
it’s time to pull the whole plant and re-seed new ones (if desired). It will
not go back to making leaves you want to eat.
Sorrel: a perennial herb and a relatively new one to me;
please cut off the flower stalks; I assume the rest of the plant will continue
to grow.
Onions: once they flower they are taking the energy stored
in the bulb and using it to make flowers and seeds. The center of the bulb
becomes a hard core. You can eat what’s left, but the bulb will continue to
deteriorate. Pull them as soon as you see flower stalks starting and eat
whatever you have.
Garlic chives (flat leaves, white flowers): a
perennial herb; this isn’t on the approved list and I suspect, like chives, it
is very weedy. Cut all flower stalks as they form. Research if you can eat the
flowers!
Dill: an annual herb; cut flowers off as they form. Eventually
entire plant will need to be harvested. This will make a ton of seeds- keep on
top of removing the flowers and use them- pickles!
Artichokes: a perennial veg; you should be harvesting
the artichokes to eat. If they open up to a purple flower it’s too late. These
are thistles and will make lots of wind dispersed seeds. Don’t let that happen!
Arugula: an annual veg; you can eat the flowers, but
they keep flowering quickly so stay on top of it. Better, cut off the whole
think stalk with the flowers and eat the leaves and flowers. You will likely
get more leaves to grow.
Chard: an annual veg; you can eat the leaves once it
starts to bolt (tall, thick stalk) but it will never go back to being a low
growing, large leaved plant. Also susceptible to leaf miners http://goldengategarden.typepad.com/golden_gate_gardener_/2008/04/more-on-the-cha.html
Radish: an annual, short lived veg; sometimes fails
to make an actual radish, even if it does and not picked, will bolt and flower.
If that happens, pull and compost.
Romanesco: an annual veg; sometimes makes less of a
head than you would like. You can eat whatever it does produce; prone to aphids
(as all broccoli family members are). If it starts to open up and extend the
florets it’s not going to get any larger- time to pick. Pull the whole plant as
it doesn’t really make any more heads after that.
Parsley: a biennial herb here; once it flowers it’s
time to remove the plant- the leaves get bitter and the plant has moved to
reproduction mode. http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-parsley/
