By Beatrice Hawkins
This week I am going to indulge myself and hopefully provide you with some interesting information and fun by way of garden trivia.
*Strawberries are not technically berries. As they have their seeds on the outside they are not classed as true berries such as blueberries.
*One strawberry has around 200 seeds over its surface.
*Grapes, however, are classed as a berry.
* Bananas are a berry that grows on a herb.
*The botanical name for a banana is Musa sapientum and means “fruit of the wise men”.
*The most popular fruit in the world is the tomato.
*Tomatoes are 94.5% water.
*The confusion over whether a tomato is a fruit or vegetable originated in the 1890’s in the US when the Supreme Court declared them a vegetable for taxation purposes.
*Pomegranates contain between 600-1400 seeds.
*Pomegranates are a trendy fruit at present but are actually good for you as they contain vitamins C and K, folate and fibre. A classy and healthy garnish to a salad.
*The idea that carrots help you see in the dark originated in World War 11. To maintain the secrecy of the new radar technology the British Air Force pushed the idea that carrots were the secret behind their pilots success. They not only deceived the enemy, they hoodwinked many generations following!
*It is true, however, that eating extremely large quantities of carrots can turn your skin a yellow/orange.
*Potatoes were the first vegetable to be grown in space in 1995 so are also the world’s most travelled vegetable.
*Kiwi fruit contain more vitamin C than oranges, having almost twice as much per cup.
*Kiwi fruit is also rich in potassium and copper.
*The world’s most expensive fruit at $23,000 per pair is the extremely sweet and juicy yellow Yubari melon. These melons, grown only in Yubari, Japan are a hybrid rock melon. This fabulous price was obtained in May 2017 when the first of the crop was auctioned similarly to our first case of the season of cherries or mangoes. A charity auction and really good publicity for all involved.
*Eggplant, olives, peas, pumpkin, capsicum, cucumber and zucchini are all fruits.
*In Italy eggplants are called crazy apples as they are said to cause madness if too many are consumed.
*A cucumber can be used as an eraser for mistakes made using a pen.
*The world’s smelliest fruit is the Durian. It is said to smell like rotten eggs, sweaty socks and rotting garbage! Having bought these for a young friend from Burma who considered them a delicacy I can vouch for the evilness of the smell! I did taste them though and they didn’t taste like they smelt!
*You can add a reddish tint to you hair without the problem of nasty chemicals by using beetroot juice.
*Keeping onions in the fridge will stop your eyes watering when you cut them. Also holding a slice of bread in your mouth will achieve the same result as it will absorb the eye watering vapours.
*Corn is a grass! A rather large one … glad I don’t have to use the lawn mower to cut it!
*Chicago is named after the Indian word “Chicagaoua” meaning wild garlic.
*Pumpkins first appeared in the 17th century when the Cinderella story was written in1697 by Charles Perrault.
*Cabbage should not be cooked in aluminium utensils as the vegetable reacts with the pot and will discolour and change the flavour.
Don’t forget to pick up a schedule for the Flower Show on 18th & 19th October, entry forms for the Garden Competition to be judged during the week 6th October and also for the Rodeo Weekend Floral Window displays from Bryson’s new place, 66 Palmerin Street. Entries are free for all competitions.
Without the support of the gardeners of the Southern Downs area we would not have a display, so check out the schedules and your gardens and see what you have that you can enter!
*This is an old article that has been digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
