Master List of Additional Harvests in a Kitchen Garden

I think most gardens have around 30% more food than we realise, and this list is here is to help you get ever closer to eating as much from your garden as possible.

Welcome to my master list of plants commonly grown in kitchen gardens that give you more than one edible harvest. The purpose of this list is to show you how your garden is even more productive than you may realise, and I guarantee you will learn about an additional edible harvest that you haven’t yet come across!

It is my hope that with this list, all gardens become 20-30% more productive with no extra effort than simply knowing all the edible parts of a plant. This is a perfect example of the permaculture principle of stacking functions which is about understanding every single utility of an element on top of its primary function.

Purple sprouting broccoli leaf: can be used like kale or cabbage

I’ve split this list into categories for hopeful ease of browsing or researching - and if I have missed anything then please do let me know so I can continue to add to this sheet. Every year I am learning of new edible goodies - from runner bean flowers to squash leaves! The idea of this list came to me as I was filming the following video, about how self-sufficiency gets easier by simply knowing every edible element of every plant you have.

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Disclaimer: This list is intended for educational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, always exercise caution when consuming unfamiliar plant parts. Some edible parts may require cooking to neutralise naturally occurring compounds, and individual tolerances or allergies can vary.

If you're unsure whether a part of a plant is safe to eat, consult trusted sources or seek expert advice before consumption. This guide focuses on commonly grown kitchen garden plants - wild or ornamental lookalikes may differ significantly in edibility and safety.

I do not accept responsibility for adverse effects from misidentification or improper preparation of plants. I have however eaten and will confidently eat all of these parts listed.

Runner bean flowers - excellent for pollinators and delicious in salads!

How to use this list

The list is divided into the following core sections.

1. Annual vegetables

2. Annual herbs

3. Perennial herbs

4. Flowers

Annual vegetables are split into crop groups such as brassicas and legumes, and everything is ordered alphabetically by crop name for ease of use.

Final note: Have a little read through this and jot down anything that particularly surprises you that you want to try this year.

Annual Vegetables

Alliums

Garlic (includes Elephant Garlic)

1. Bulbs: The standard harvest, used raw or cooked.

2. Scapes (from hardneck and elephant types): Mild, garlicky, and delicious grilled, stir-fried, or turned into pesto.

3. Young leaves: Can be eaten like spring onions or cooked down.

4. Flowers: Edible in moderation, often used for decoration or light garnish.

5. Green garlic: Immature plants harvested and the whole stem is edible.

6. Wet garlic: Immature plants can be harvested before the bulbs finish forming and eaten bulb & stem.

Leeks

1. Stems (white shaft and lower green leaves): Main edible part.

2. Outer green leaves: Tougher but edible when finely chopped, used in stocks, soups, or stir-fries.

3. Flower stems: Can be sautéed or grilled like scapes (harvested before full bloom).

4. Flowers: Great on salads.

5. Green seeds: Edible, mild onion flavour, great to pickle and to use in ferments.

Onions

1. Bulbs: Main crop, eaten raw or cooked.

2. Leaves: Use like spring onions.

3. Scapes (from bolted onions): Edible when tender.

4. Flowers: Edible but strong-tasting; used sparingly.

5. Seeds: Can be sprouted for microgreens.

6. Onion skins: Not eaten directly, but excellent for broth/stock flavour and natural dye.

Shallots: Same as onions

Brassicas

Note: If you ever need to thin your brassica seedlings - they are all edible and delicious!

Broccoli

1. Central head: Primary crop.

2. Side shoots: Continuous harvest after main head is cut.

3. Leaves: Large, mild, and nutritious; great steamed or sautéed.

4. Stems: Peel and slice like kohlrabi or steam like asparagus.

5. Flowers: Mildly sweet, used raw or cooked.

6. Immature seedpods: Can be eaten like a crunchy mini green bean.

Brussels Sprouts

1. Sprouts: Standard harvest.

2. Top leaves (“sprout tops”): Often discarded but delicious when wilted down or stir-fried.

3. Main stem (young): Peeled and sliced thinly (though tough later).

4. Leaves: Similar to loose cabbage; good cooked.

5. Flowers: If left to bolt, edible like other brassicas.

Cabbage

1. Heads: Main crop.

2. Outer leaves: Great in soups, broths, ferments.

3. Stems (core): Sweet and crunchy, used in slaws or stir-fries.

4. Flowers: Edible when allowed to bolt.

Cauliflower

1. Heads: Main harvest.

2. Leaves: Excellent roasted, steamed, or in soups.

3. Stems: Peel and cook like broccoli stems.

4. Florets (immature side shoots): Some varieties continue producing after main head is harvested.

5. Flowers: Mild and edible - useful to know if the head has gone over!

Kale

1. Leaves: Classic harvest.

2. Young stems: Tender enough to eat raw or cooked.

3. Flower shoots: Like sprouting broccoli when kale bolts.

4. Flowers: Yellow, edible, and pollinator-friendly.

5. Seed pods (immature): Eaten like a spicy mini French bean

Rocket (aka Arugula)

1. Leaves: Main harvest

2. Seed pods: Peppery pop for salads (addition thanks to Flick Christian)

Sprouting Broccoli (includes purple and white sprouting)

1. Sprouting shoots: Main crop; harvested repeatedly until exhausted.

2. Leaves: Tender, similar to kale.

3. Stems: Peel and steam or stir-fry.

4. Flowers: Yellow and mild.

Kohlrabi

1. Swollen stem: Main edible part; crisp and sweet, eaten raw or cooked.

2. Leaves: Edible like kale; best when young and tender.

3. Leaf stems: Juicy and mild; nice in stir-fries.

4. Peel (from stem): Tough but can be simmered into broth.

5. Flowers: Edible and mild if allowed to bolt.

Cucurbits

Courgette & similar summer squash

1. Fruits (courgettes): Standard harvest.

2. Flowers (male & female): Edible raw, stuffed, or fried. Note that only the female flowers turn into the fruits.

3. Young leaves: Can be cooked like spinach, stir-fried or sautéed.

4. Stems (young growing tips): Cooked in same way as leaves

Cucumber

1. Fruits: Main harvest.

2. Flowers: Edible in small amounts; mild cucumber flavour.

3. Young leaves: Cook tender leaves like spinach.

Pumpkins & similar winter squash

1. Fruits (mature): Used roasted, in soups, pies, etc.

2. Seeds: Dry, season and roast for a delicious snack.

3. Seed pulp (stringy bits): Edible; can be blended and added to soups.

4. Flowers: Delicious, especially stuffed and fried. Like summer squash, opt for male flowers unless you have too many female flowers or are only are having a few fruit if you are prioritising size rather than quantity.

5. Young leaves: Edible if cooked. Great with garlic!

6. Tender shoots and tips: Cooked in stews in many parts of the world

Zucchini - See courgette

Legumes

Broad Beans/Fava beans

1. Immature pods: Eaten whole when very young.

2. Mature beans (fresh or dried): Main crop.

3. Leaves: Tender young leaves have a mild bean flavour; great raw or wilted like spinach.

4. Flowers: Edible, sweet and pea-like; use in salads.

5. Shoots / growing tips: Tasty when pinched out; lightly steamed or eaten raw.

Chickpeas

1. Green pods: Can be eaten fresh (like edamame).

2. Mature seeds (dried): Staple ingredient for hummus and stews.

3. Leaves (young): Cooked like spinach in some traditional dishes.

4. Shoots: Tender and edible.

Climbing/Dwarf French Beans

1. Immature pods: Classic green/yellow/purple bean harvest.

2. Mature seeds: Dried beans used in stews, soups, etc.

3. Flowers: Small but edible, subtly sweet.

4. Young leaves: Eaten in some cultures when cooked.

5. Shoots: Edible when tender, cooked briefly.

Garden Peas

1. Peas: Main harvest.

2. Pods (young and tender): Edible like mangetout if picked early.

3. Pea shoots / tendrils: Delicious, sweet and tender; very popular in gourmet dishes.

4. Flowers: Pretty and sweet-flavoured.

5. Leaves (young): Edible, especially in Asian cuisine.

Runners Beans

1. Immature pods: Main harvest.

2. Mature seeds: Can be dried and used like butter beans.

3. Flowers: Large, red or white; sweet and edible raw.

4. Young leaves: Used cooked in some cuisines (e.g. Central America).

5. Shoots / growing tips: Mild and tender; eat cooked or raw in moderation.

Sugar Snap & Mangetout Peas

1. Pods: Eaten whole - either flat or plump

2. Young peas: Inside pods; sweet and tender.

3. Shoots / pea tips: Popular in stir-fries and salads.

4. Leaves (young): Mild and sweet.

5. Flowers: Beautiful and edible.

Roots

Beetroot

1. Root: Eaten raw, roasted, boiled, pickled, or juiced.

2. Leaves: Nutritious and tender, used like chard.

3. Stems (leaf stalks): Crunchy and colourful, great sautéed or pickled.

Carrots

1. Root: Classic harvest.

2. Leaves: Edible; best cooked or made into pesto.

Celeriac

1. Swollen root crown: Roasted, mashed, or grated raw.

2. Stems (young): Crisp and celery-like.

3. Leaves: Strong flavour; good for stock or sparingly as herb.

Bulb fennel

1. Bulb: Sweet, anise-like, eaten raw or cooked.

2. Fronds (leaves): Delicate herb for salads and fish.

3. Stems: Tough raw, but great for soup stock.

4. Flowers: Edible and strongly aromatic.

5. Seeds: Used as spice or digestive.

Radish

1. Roots: Crisp and peppery.

2. Leaves: Tender young leaves are excellent raw or cooked.

3. Flowers: Mild and beautiful in salads.

4. Seedpods ("rat-tail" radish types or bolting plants): Crunchy, spicy, great pickled or raw.

5. Seeds: Can be sprouted or used like mustard seed.

Rutabaga - See Swede

Salsify

1. Root: Creamy, oyster-like flavour.

2. Leaves: Young leaves can be added to salads or cooked.

3. Flower buds and stems: Edible before flowering. Try blanching in hot water too.

4. Flowers: Mild and decorative.

Swede

1. Root: Staple winter veg.

2. Leaves (young & following spring): Similar to turnip greens; good cooked.

3. Stems (young growing tips in spring after winter): Can be cooked like kale.

Turnip

1. Root: Eaten raw, roasted, or mashed.

2. Leaves (& turnip tops): Nutritious; cooked like collards.

3. Flowers: Edible and milder than other brassicas

Other

Chilli & Sweet Peppers (Capsicum annuum, C. chinense, etc.)

Many solanaceous plants contain solanine and other alkaloids in unripe fruits, leaves, and stems. However, capsicum peppers have edible leaves if cooked. Raw leaves contain small amounts of solanine-like compounds, but these are destroyed by cooking (sautéing, boiling, steaming)

• Fruits: Eaten raw or cooked.

• Seeds: Edible, often removed for flavour/mildness.

• Leaves (young, cooked): Common in Southeast Asian cuisine (e.g. Filipino dahon ng sili); sautéed or used in soups.

Annual Herbs

Basil

1. Leaves: Aromatic, classic for pesto, salads, etc.

2. Flowers: Edible and mildly sweet; great for garnish.

3. Stems (young): Tender stems can be blitzed into sauces.

Coriander/Cilantro

1. Leaves: Classic herb; younger leaves are milder.

2. Stems: Edible and flavourful; great in stocks or blended sauces.

3. Flowers: Edible, delicate flavour, pollinator-friendly.

4. Seeds: Used green or dried, whole or ground in cooking (technically a spice).

5. Roots: Used in Thai and Southeast Asian cooking for soups and curry pastes.

Dill

1. Leaves: Used fresh or dried.

2. Stems: Tender ones edible and flavourful; older stems used in stock.

3. Flowers (umbrella-shaped heads): Used in pickling, edible fresh.

4. Seeds: Used as a spice.

5. Immature seed heads: Aromatic and often used for pickling.

Parsley

1. Leaves: Flat or curly; used raw or cooked.

2. Stems: Ideal in stock, soups, or to intensify flavour.

3. Flowers: Edible and lightly aromatic.

Chervil

1. Leaves: Delicate anise flavour, used fresh.

2. Stems: Edible when tender.

3. Flowers: Edible and decorative.

Perennial Herbs

Agastache

1. Leaves: Sweet, anise-mint flavour; used fresh in teas, desserts, salads, or dried for infusions.

2. Flowers: Lavender-blue flower spikes; edible, nectar-rich, and beautifully aromatic. Used as garnish, in baking, or infused in syrups and cordials.

3. Stems (young and tender): Edible and flavourful; best used in infusions or chopped finely with leaves.

Chives

1. Leaves: Mild onion flavour; used raw or cooked.

2. Flowers: Edible pom-pom blooms with delicate flavour.

3. Stalks (young flower stems): Tender and edible.

Fennel

1. Leaves / fronds: Sweet, anise flavour; raw or cooked.

2. Stems: Tender ones edible in soups/stocks.

3. Flowers (“fennel pollen”): Highly prized seasoning.

4. Seeds: Used as spice or tea.

Lemon Balm

1. Leaves: Lemony and fragrant; used in teas, salads, desserts.

2. Flowers: Small but edible.

3. Stems (tender): Used in teas and syrups.

Lovage

1. Leaves: Intense celery flavour; used sparingly.

2. Stems: Hollow and used as straws or in soups.

3. Seeds: Used like celery seed.

4. Roots: Edible, strong flavour; used sparingly.

Marjoram

1. Leaves: Sweet and subtle; often preferred fresh.

2. Flowers: Edible and aromatic.

3. Stems (young): Tender stems can be used whole.

Mint

1. Leaves: Raw or cooked; many varieties.

2. Flowers: Edible, mild mint flavour, good garnish or tea addition.

3. Stems (young and tender): Used in infusions or chopped with leaves.

Oregano

1. Leaves: Strong, earthy; fresh or dried.

2. Flowers: Edible and mildly oregano-flavoured.

3. Stems (young): Edible when soft; woody later.

Rosemary

1. Leaves: Classic culinary use; fresh or dried.

2. Flowers: Mild, sweet, slightly piney; great garnish.

3. Stems (woody): Used to infuse flavour in stews or as skewers for grilling.

Sage

1. Leaves: Classic flavour for rich dishes. Also great fried as a snack!

2. Flowers: Stunning and edible; milder taste.

3. Stems (young): Cooked in dishes or used in infusions.

Thyme

1. Leaves: Intense flavour; used fresh or dried.

2. Flowers: Edible and beautiful; milder than leaves.

3. Tender stems: Eaten with leaves when soft; tougher stems used in stock.

Annual Flowers

Borage

1. Flowers: Mild cucumber flavour; used in salads, drinks, ice cubes.

2. Leaves (young): Edible cooked; mild flavour - eat in moderation.

3. Stems (young): Cooked like spinach stems - eat in moderation.

Calendula

1. Petals: Slightly peppery or tangy, used in salads, baking etc.

2. Leaves (young): Can be eaten raw or cooked (mild, slightly resinous).

Chrysanthemum (edible types like chop-suey greens)

1. Petals: Tangy, slightly bitter; best blanched or used in soups.

2. Leaves (young): Eaten cooked.

3. Flower buds: Edible when young and tender.

Nasturtium

1. Flowers: Bright and peppery; add to salads, savoury bakes etc.

2. Leaves: Spicy and soft; great raw in salads or cooked.

3. Stems (young): Tender and edible with a mild kick.

4. Green seeds: Pickled as “poor man’s capers”; sharp, mustardy flavour.

5. Mature seeds: Dried and ground as a pungent spice (mustard-like).

Sunflower

1. Petals (young): Slightly bitter; used in teas or as a colourful garnish.

2. Flower buds (unopened): Steamed or sautéed like artichokes.

3. Seeds: Classic edible seed; best roasted!

I really hope you learned of at least a few things to try out! And in many cases it shows that even when you may feel that something has gone over (be it cauliflower or radish) you can still very much eat the next stage!

Leek roots - Great to fry and serve crispy over noodles!

As mentioned earlier, please do let me know if I’ve missed anything out! The next update will include perennial vegetables like