We enjoyed the crook necked pumpkins so much last year, that we saved some seeds from them to grow again in the Spring. This was really an agro-lesson for The Dormouse. SHE planted the seeds (in the flower bed) and SHE watered the pumpkin plants (for about a week) and SHE weeded the area (okay, no one did that) and SHE picked the pumpkins. Despite our best efforts to kill them all with inattention and the pumpkin plant's best efforts to kill my Daphne (we are going to have it out soon if it doesn't start climbing the basketball hoop pole instead of my precious Daphne bush) we managed to get several decent sized squash out of the deal. SHE is very proud of herself and her green thumb.
These two pumpkins got cooked up and turned into baby food for The Caterpillar. We figure everyone should get to enjoy the fruits of her labor. (no pun intended - these aren't fruits, or are they? I never remember how that goes.)
These two pumpkins got cooked up and turned into baby food for The Caterpillar. We figure everyone should get to enjoy the fruits of her labor. (no pun intended - these aren't fruits, or are they? I never remember how that goes.)
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October 14, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Please, allow me to clear this up. My semester of Agronomy/Horticulture 100 should qualify me. :P
Botanically speaking, a fruit is an enlarged ovary - meaning that the part of the plant that contains the ovary (the flower) has been fertilized and is now a fruit. Food that does not come from the flower of the plant is not fruit (like potatoes and other root vegetables).
Horticulturally speaking, a fruit is a fruit based upon how is used. For example, things that you would normally put in a green salad are considered vegetables even if they are techinically/botanically fruits (e.g. a tomato).
I believe your squash was once a flower, then it was fertilized and grew into the lovely specimen in the picture. Therefore, you are correct. It is, indeed a fruit, although some would argue that its uses would put it more in the vegetable category.
October 14, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Thank you professor paws. I'm totally going to go back to my pediatrician and face the Doctor... who told me last week to feed the baby "more yellow vegetables... like squash."
October 14, 2008 at 10:07 PM
"Botanically speaking..."
"Horticulturally speaking..."
lol!
May 16, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Such a cute pix of the girl with the squash, which, incidentally really is a fruit, botanically speaking.