Watermelon - Fruit or Veg?

 

Like the pepper, tomato, and pumpkin, watermelon is botanically and scientifically a fruit.

According to the USDA since Watermelon is planted from seeds or seedlings, harvested, and then cleared from the field like other vegetables. AND, since watermelon is grown as a vegetable crop using vegetable production systems, watermelon is considered a vegetable (Wolford, 2004). According to the USDA, watermelon is a vegetable just like cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.

The following is courtesy of Wikipedia about watermelons-

Watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight. As with many other fruits, it is a source of vitamin C.

Watermelon rinds are also edible, and sometimes used as a vegetable. In China, they are stir-fried, stewed, or more often pickled. When stir-fried, the de-skinned and de-fruited rind is cooked with olive oil, garlic, chili peppers, scallions, sugar and rum. Pickled watermelon rind is also commonly consumed in the Southern US, Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria.[citation needed] In the Balkans, especially Serbia, watermelon slatko is also popular. Watermelon juice can also be made into wine.
Watermelon is also mildly diuretic.
Watermelons contain large amounts of beta carotene.
Watermelon with red flesh is a significant source of lycopene.

A traditional food plant in Africa, this fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.

Time To Think About Spring Planting

Probably the last thing on peoples minds when there`s thick snow on the ground is about planting in spring. Yet, spring is about one month away, thank goodness. With the gardens covered in endless piles of snow, spring planting seems a long way off.

The New Castle County Master Gardeners will mark the day with a demonstration on how to plant potatoes. The $5 session is one of a dozen-plus vegetable or fruit workshops that the New Castle County and Sussex Master Gardeners have planned for spring.


Apparently more and more of us are interested in getting into vegetable gardening but don`t know where to begin, so these workshops which cover the basics should prove very useful, and popular.

The conventional -- and easy to remember -- wisdom about potato planting in this region is that you plant seed potatoes on St. Patrick's Day. Some Delaware gardeners swear by the date -- not a day sooner or later.

Found a Great Garden Centre in Los Montesinos

When I last went to stay with my brother who lived in Spain we went to some garden centres, looking for plants. By far the one I liked best was the one at Los Montesinos by the name of the Mi Jardin Garden Center.

Being not just a garden centre but a nursery too the choice of house plants, patio plants, trees and garden accessories was huge. It was not the closest to where we were staying in Benijofar but it was certainly one of the best. It got a lot of business from both the expat community, most of whom are British, and the local Spanish people.

And after we bought what we wanted it was nice to go in to the village of Los Montesinos for a bite to eat at one of the really nice bars and restaurants there.

Liverpool's International Garden Festival Site Restoration

 £3.7m is to be spent on the restoration of Liverpool's International Garden Festival site.

The work represents a major step in the regeneration of the site into a waterfront park before a residential community is created.

The property investment and development company Langtree - which owns the site - in conjunction with the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) which is providing the funding.

In 1984 the UK’s first International Garden Festival was held in Liverpool as part of government attempts to regenerate the area.

The Garden Festival was built on a site in the old south docks area by the Dingle. Much of the site was derelict and needed to be cleared of industrial waste before the landscaping for the festival could commence.

The Garden Festival was one of the first major projects undertaken by the Merseyside Development Corporation a body set up to in the wake of the Toxteth riots to regenerate Liverpool in the early 1980's.

The Oriental gardens will have a lot of work on them, returning them to public use.

Also revamped will be the lakes and waterways, the Moon Wall will be rebuilt, two pagodas restored and the landscaping of woodland trails carried out.

A new pedestrian access will create links with Otterspool Promenade together with a new parking and public transport facilities

Some Good Patio Furniture Bargains Around

There`s something about sitting outdoors on a nice warm day, sipping a cool drink and watching the world go by.

If your patio furniture is past its best then now is a good time of year to hunt down those bargains as manufacturers and suppliers are cutting prices and clear the way for building up stock ready for the summer.

And remember to look after your patio furniture by using good weatherproof covers which will protect your outdoor furnishings against the weather.