Is a PICKLE a fruit or a vegetable?

YES, to both. My grandson called 2 weeks with this question. I think his real motive was to be able to eat more pickles and not much else....

The part of the plant containing seeds on the inside, is the enlarged ovary of the plant, and is considered the 'fruit' of the plant. So technically, squash, pumpkins, apples, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, green beans, peas, cucumbers are all 'fruits' in the botanical world. Yes, even corn is technically a fruit, used as a veggie or grain.

In the culinary world is where 'fruits' can be considered morphing into vegetables. When foods are prepared in a 'savory' manner, using: butter-cooking-herb seasoning-vinegars etc., it is usually considered a vegetable.


Some things we eat from the garden, are considered vegetables in their harvest form: lettuce and greens, cabbages, carrots & other roots, celery, onions, broccoli & cauliflower. These plants also produce seed in seed pods, but we don't eat that part of these plants.


Fruits are fruits if they are by themselves naturally sweet and fleshy and eaten that way, like melon & apples. In the future I'll write a more complete break down on the 'part of the plant we are eating.' So go enjoy a slice of the flesh of the seed pod of the 'Cucumis melo.' (cantaloupe slice)

=)

FYI too early to plant seeds.

Tomato seedlings from 2010, planted in slot trays, from here they will go to a 6 pack. Some will move on again to a 4" pot.

Just realized some of you that have read my recent posts, might feel behind the planting ball!!! The photos are not fom this year, it is too early to plant from seed. The first things I usually start are perennials. Actually, some of them would normally be started in Dec. but I never grow anything that needs to be planted before the end of Feb. the bulk of my planting is in March. As the season progresses, I will advise you when it is time to start different transplants. BEFORE you start them way to early....tomatoes should only be 6-8 weeks old and peppers 8 weeks old at the maximum. This is a case when bigger is NOT better. Tomatoes especially need to grow w/out becoming tightly root bound. They benefit from being 'potted' up at least once, twice even better before going outside. As small plants, tomatoes have a rapid growing stage that does not like to be interuppted, so they need to be re-potted to a larger container timely. If those stages are delayed, it can greatly affect the plants future growth. Always check the root systems to keep on top of it. NEVER buy plants with blossoms or tomatoes already on them....way over grown. Because the plant has been over crowded for too long, it sets blossoms thinking 'is this it?,' I better start producing! Not good. The exception would be plants in very large patio containers, like at least a 3 gallon container or more.

Starting Seeds

Another note about seeds/transplanting. Many of the seed catalogs or packages will give you general info on starting each specific type of seed. Sometimes....you are just on your own! These are the specifics you need to know

planting depth

germination temp

Dark or light (covered w/soil or not)

expected germ days

'grow on' temp, day & night

moisture level

transplant stage

(grandson's Gavin & Jace planting seed trays in 2009)

All sounds so simple right? Maybe if you are doing 1 or 2 types of plants. Trying to meet the needs of 100 + different plants gets more challenging. If a seed does not 'state' a planting depth, the general rule of thumb is 3x the thickness of the seed. A window sill alone, is not adequate for starting quality plants. Not that they won't grow, but after you put them in the garden, they will likely need 2-3 weeks to catch up. Soon my flower shop will turn back into the seed/transplant house, and by April the baby hoop will be added onto the shop to do it's 2 month annual job.

Saving Seed is another question I often get asked about. Do I do it? No. With one exception, dry heirloom beans. The majority of seeds planted are hybrids, which have a complex parentage. If you plant seeds saved from hybrids, your resulting product will be some type of mix of the plants parents, nothing like what you originally had. Normally seed is not that expensive. You can save seed if they are from varieties that are not cultivars, but rather heirloom, heritage or open pollinated types. If a seed/plant is considered a 'cultivar' it means it can only continue under 'human cultivation,' (hybridizing). I know it can quickly sound complicated! Just buy your plants from me and you won't have to worry! Problem solved.