WhatFinger


The squash family – ‘cucurbits’ as professionals term them – are a sexually adventurous lot. And when it comes to cucumbers, none more so

Perennial Care, Scottish Rose, Squash Patch Sex



Queried the CBC: FIFA Women’s World Cup: will artificial turf be a factor in BC Place games? What ever Beckham’s opinion – he thinks the real thing is best – the last Saturday afternoon in June answered that question as Canada faced off against England on their home (artificial) turf. Grass is so much cooler than the fake stuff and it was as hot as it gets that day in Paradise on the Pacific, aka Vancouver. Alas Canada lost to England 2-1, proving that while the real thing may be cooler, artificial turf didn’t affect the football, aka soccer.

Diversion No. 1

Black Thumb? He thought Karl Marx liked herbal tea because all proper tea is theft
Garden stakes of prolific selections are available at garden centres and hardware stores – at a price. And as every good gardener knows, a dollar saved goes towards what gardening is all about: more plants. Besides which, dogwood and other shrub branches look more natural when used as stakes than do metal ones. Other sage advice for the perennial display includes deadheading, removimng dying and dead blooms on all except rudbeckia which, left on the plant, are a wild bird attractant. When the Peegee Hydrangeas commence to bloom, cease fertilizing perennials. Daylilies will grow anywhere but prefer rich soil with plenty of well-rotted manure in sun or light shade – yellow daylilies go well in front of blue iris – while delphiniums do not like being planted in any peat moss. Annoyed at the time that the foliage of tulip, daffodil and other bulbs takes to die back? Consider planting peonies to camouflage the unsightly remains. These will also fill in gaps where oriental poppies have vacated until the following season. Check out the local garden centres for these and other perennials and shrubs. With the season progressing, some price reductions may be found by adventurous – and persistent – gardeners.

Diversion No. 2

Don Featherstone, creator of the iconic pink flamingo garden ornaments in 1957, has died aged 79. Featherstone was a classically trained painter, a talented sculptor and artist who embraced having created the ultimate piece of American suburban kirsch, suggests the National Post. Those less enthusiastic might disagree with this assessment.

Support Canada Free Press


“Water, water everywhere but never a drop to drink,” bemoaned the Ancient Mariner. These days, Californians might empathize with the old geezer. Water and lawns has become a major factor in the lives of those inhabitants of the Golden (Brown) State. And what happens in California tends to spread elsewhere. Indeed, the Prairie Provinces and British Columbia are already baking. Will climate change bring similar conditions to central and eastern North America? The scientific jury is still out on that one. Despite the urgings of enthusiastic environmentalists the tearing out lawns and other water-hungry landscaping may not be such a great idea. Not only does grass cool, it is comfortable to sprawl on and, for amateur and professional sports enthusiasts their preferred playing surface, but it also prevents severe erosion in sudden and heavy storms – as unfortunate Californians are discovering.

Diversion No. 3

The 13th North American Manure Expo will be held at Lesher’s Poultry Farm, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 14 July, showcasing the latest technology in manure handling, treatment and application.
Even the very best of rosarians struggle when it comes to identifying wild roses. So perhaps we shouldn’t join the gleeful Sassenach chorus when all 56 Scottish National MPs took their seats in Westminister wearing boutonnières of white roses for the opening of Parliament. Supposedly these were a tribute to symbolizing the Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid’s ‘Little White Rose’ poem – eulogizing his homeland’s native rose, cultivars of Rosa pimpinellifolia. As it turned out, the floral adornments were instead florists’ white roses from an establishment of that nature in Westminister, originating not from Bonny Scotland but East Africa, purchased to the tune of a couple of quid each. Perhaps they should have chosen a thistle. But the again, there is considerable argument as to just which species of that prickly plant is Scotland’s floral symbol. Still, on can only admire the fortitude of a people who chose such a symbol whilst exposing themselves by adopting the kilt.

Diversion No. 4

Is organic food tastier? No, it’s all in the mind, says the Daily Mail citing scientists. ‘Moral satisfaction’ of eating items produced in an ethical way means you’re more likely to enjoy it. Academics at Abertay University in Dundee found in flavour tests, supporters of ethically produced food convinced themselves that samples tasted better than normal produce – even when they were the same.
The squash family – ‘cucurbits’ as professionals term them – are a sexually adventurous lot. And when it comes to cucumbers, none more so. Ask a plant researcher how the sex of a cucumber plant is determined and the person will tell you, “its complicated.” Depending on a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors, cucumbers can be seven different sexes, recently explained online EurekAlert! Some varieties are designated monoescious, producing both male and female flowers. Others are gynoecious, with only female flowers. The latter are much preferred by commercial greenhouse growers for their high yields. How to tell the difference? No need to sneak out at night, peaking under leaves to see what naughtiness they’re up to – female flowers have a green swelling at their base that will later yield crops. What ever would Dr. Samuel Johnson, no lover of cukes have thought? Quothe he in 1785:“A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.”


View Comments

Wes Porter -- Bio and Archives

Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.


Sponsored