How to Cultivate an Edible Malva Plant

Malva parviflora, also called cheeseweed, is an edible annual that grows from 2 to 3 feet tall and produces striped lavender and white blooms. The blooms are replaced by multi-sectioned fruits reminiscent of a cheese wheel. The plants are relatives of the old-fashioned hollyhock and have a similar leaf shape. The foliage and fruit of Malva parviflora are safe to consume and may be cooked or eaten fresh in salads. The plants grow in nearly any soil and survive in full sun or shady sites. They are damaged or killed by temperatures that dip to 28 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Spade
Organic mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare the growing site in fall by loosening the soil 8 to 10 inches deep.
- 2
  Scatter the desired number of edible malva seeds over the planting site. Cover them with a 2-inch layer of soil. It is not necessary to water the seeds at this time, as they won't sprout until temperatures warm in spring.
- 3
  Begin watering the planting site in spring, after average daytime temperatures warm to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Add just enough water to keep the soil lightly moist.
- 4
  Thin the seedlings when they reach a height of 3 inches. Leave a space of 4 to 6 inches between each plant.
- 5
  Place 2 inches of organic mulch under the plants when they are 4 inches tall. Keep the mulch a distance of at 3 three inches from the stems because it may lead to disease if heaped against the plants.
- 6
  Provide supplemental water when the top inch of soil dries out.
- 7
  Harvest the foliage when it reaches the desired size. Gather the fruits after they have formed completely, but before they begin to dry and turn brown.

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