#Hybrid fruits and vegetables seeds

[southcarolinawoman]

Tomato, Gladiator Hybrid from Burpee. Giant Romas! Delightful.

[plant-orbit]

Plant Orbit is a unit of PLANT ORBIT PVT. LTD. germinated for a promise to make ‘green and healthy’ and Provides Cheapest and Best Quality of Plants Online.

[obsessivevoidkitten]

Animal Farm

Male Yandere Farm Harem x Gender Neutral Reader (CW: Noncon, brief mention of cockwarming, brief mention of scenting, cum milking, yandere farm hybrids, detained reader, breeding kink, harpies, bull men, centaurs, dog men, cat men) Word Count: 860 (Was chatting with a friend about how I had a farmer/gardener hat and how I just need overalls, a white bandana, and a pink shirt and I will look like a professional trans monsterfucking rancher, this short fic is the result of that discussion, I hope it will eventually serve as a source of asks in the future. I know it is brief, but I loved writing this.)

(Animal Farm: Mondays, the mini-fic involving the harpies, can be found HERE.) (Animal Farm: Tuesdays, the mini-fic involving the dog-men, can be found HERE.) (Animal Farm: Wednesdays, the mini-fic involving the centaurs, can be found HERE.)

 When you had first taken the leap to add monster ranching to your farm you were unsure if it would be a profitable venture, there were not many such places where you lived, but you did not know if demand would be high for unorthodox products such as monster semen.  You started off with just one centaur, he produced huge quantities of cum from milking him twice a day, and it sold so well that you were soon able to add yet another centaur.  Two was plenty to keep fulfilling the centaur semen needs of your small community so once you had enough funds you invested in three harpy men that laid a ton of eggs, despite being males, and they also produced some extra ball batter for you to peddle as well.  Now you were making money from your usual crops, harpy cum and eggs, which were highly prized, and centaur cum. In almost no time at all you were ready to add yet more monster men to your growing ranch.  Three large bull men now called your little slice of paradise home, their jizz was similar to the centaurs, but the flavor was quite a bit different and used differently in recipes. It also had a slightly different use in folk medicine as well.  Milking and feeding all the monster men on your ranch was hard work but very profitable, but soon you noticed that eggs were being stolen and you eventually caught the culprits drinking from your centaurs early one morning.  Two cat men desperate for food. You adopted them and used them for pest control around the crops and provided them with food and shelter in their own stable. You also added their cum to your product list.  To make sure you did not have any more thieves though, and possibly more dangerous intruders, you got three dog men who patrolled your property in shifts, all they needed to keep them happy were some holes to breed and you, and the cat boys who were constantly in heat, were happy to provide them with a place to dump their seed.  Now you had cat, dog, bird, bull, and horse hybrids on your property as well as many exotic crops which you had learned responded really well to having monster cum mixed into the compost. Your business was BOOMING, it was perfect. The monster men all got along with one another for the most part, and they were all extra sweet to you, the brawny bull hybrids even helped you plant and harvest your fruits and vegetables.  It was a great life, for a while.

 But you grew so many things and sold so much monster cum that you were gone off at the market far too often for your monster’s taste. They convened and decided that the proper place for you was with them, at the farm where you had an entire harem of mighty beast men to look out for you.  After they decide this they confront you when you get back from the market. You try to reason with them but they are all very adamant, you will be their little mate that they kept close and safe and that was simply all there was to it. They could milk themselves and the centaurs and bull men could easily haul the cart to market and one of the cat men could deal with customers because they were so sweet and charismatic.  There was only one problem, who would get to spend time with you?  They made up a strict schedule to avoid any fighting. On Mondays you would spend your time with the harpy men, who greatly enjoyed tweeting and singing to you when they were not busy breeding with you.  On Tuesdays you were property of the dog men, who always left you smelly and covered in their musk and cum.  Wednesdays meant you belonged to the centaurs, they liked to run around with you riding them while wrapping your little human arms around their muscular torsos, and they also adored using you as a cock sleeve, bulging your tummy out as they bred you.  Thursdays you belonged to the felines. They were normally bottoms for the dog men, but they still greatly enjoyed using you as a cumdump. When they finished mating with their beloved human they became the cuddliest of all the hybrids, purring and nuzzling and sleeping all snuggled up with you.  Fridays you were with the three bull men, which meant that you spent damn near the entire day being used as a cock warmer that was swapped between three equally well hung dicks. When they weren't having you sit on them, and oftentimes while they were, they were grooming and licking you, feeding you, and in general babying their sweet owner.  Saturdays and Sundays you were allowed to rest, and you needed it. But you never had anywhere near enough energy to even attempt an escape, and even if you did the dogs would just sniff you out. So you had had to accept your imprisonment at the hands of the monster men you supposedly owned.  

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Pinta Island Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis abingdonii)

(Photo by Santiago Piedra)

Extinction Date- 2012

Habitat- Pinta Island

Size (Weight/Length)- 180 kg; 1.8 m

Diet- Cacti; Grasses; Berries; Leaves

Cool Facts- The Pinta Island giant tortoise was only found on Ecuador’s Pinta Island in the Galapagos archipelago. These gentle giants would sleep up to 16 hours a day and spend the rest of their time eating. They would feast on cactus pads and fruit along with coarse grasses. Pinta Island giant tortoises were the top herbivore of Pinta Island and played an important part in dispersing cacti seeds. When explorers and whalers first discovered the Galapagos, they released the slow moving and long living giant tortoises made the perfect meal and killed them in the thousands. Goats were later brought to Pinta Island and destroyed the vegetation the tortoises needed. The last Pinta Island giant tortoise, Lonesome George, was luckily saved and was an estimated 100 years old when he passed away on June 24, 2012. Today, every giant tortoise species that remains in the Galapagos are either endangered or critically endangered. Off site breeding efforts in zoos worldwide has boosted their populations considerably although it’s been a very, very slow process.

Rating- 13/10 (Possible hybrid tortoises remain in zoos today.)

[angels--trumpet]

Dairy Cow Yuji aus

Another repost from the bird app

Brain worms created by @funable-rainy and me talking nearly nonstop bout #goyuu aus!

Cw: feminization, mpreg, milk

Au where 🐯 is a dairy cow hybrid and 5️⃣ is a human and his best customer

Au where 🐯 is an independent dairy cow hybrid, and 5️⃣ is a prized bull hybrid

Cw: mpreg, lactation, feminization

1.

🐯 grew up with his grandpa who was a bull, they own there own farm and made different dairy products usally getting milk from other farms since 🐯 was too young to produce.

🐯 is rare in that he can produce milk without getting pregnant but it's not a lot and gramps was getting sicker and sicker and they needed the money.

He tries different things to make his production heavier but he's still lacking, but one day 5️⃣ a human man comes across 🐯 tiny store in the market, takes a sip of the samples and is hooked.

He immediately buys the entire stock 🐯 had, overpaying the cow hybrid much to 🐯 surprise, when he tries to give some back but was told to keep the "change".

That's how 🐯 got his biggest customer.

5️⃣ praised 🐯 milk highly, getting many more customers for 🐯 in the process, it would be better if the man didn't take a majority of his stock which is hard won for him but the lack of stress About money made the milk sweeter. Soon 5️⃣ was sending over fruits and vegetables to have the hybrid eatting better so the milk quality would increase

It does but 🐯 tries to tell 5️⃣ that he doesn't need to do all this for him, that he's grateful to 5️⃣ but he can't keep taking his money like this.

5️⃣ is quiet for a bit then decides to just offer to buy 🐯 labor instead, making sure to pay very well for his work as a personal dairy cow for 5️⃣ and his clan(of one).

🐯 accepts after thinking about it ultimately deciding that he can get the bill for his grampas hospital stay paid for.

So 🐯 packs his bags and moves over to 5️⃣ estate, his grandpa is transferred to a better hospital nearby and 5️⃣ is given the opening to woo the hybrid. He later manages to impregnate 🐯 tripling the hybrid's production and making 5️⃣ savage about both the Milk and the fact that his new hybrid wife is pregnant.

They make a tiny store with the extra milk 5️⃣ can't drink (it's a lot) they make a lot of different sweets with it and 🐯 goes a few years being pregnant because his husband is a bit obsessed

2.

🐯 was given the farm his grandfather owned after he passed away, 🐯 had many products, Eggs, fresh vegetables, sweet fruit but it's a lot of work for only one farm hard and such a large crop.

🐯 also felt it was time to start selling milk but he needed a bull for that so that he can start producing. 🐯 decides to go to a farm owned by a man called 🐻.

Who had told 🐯 that he had a free bull that is up to finding a mate to settle down with. The bull was immature and kind of mean but 🐯 really needed the extra hand and his seed so he accepted, Also took a wolf-dog named 🐺, whose father stayed on 🐻 farm. Giving the young wolf-dog a farm of his own to protect.

5️⃣ is a bit lazy at first but also enjoys showing off so he manages to do things pretty quick, slowly maturing more the long he stays with 🐯, But it's 🐺 who gets into the bulls thick skull of what a great gig he landed. He has a home, a strong potential wife, and lots of land to walk around in, as well as his meals cooked for him for free and all he has to do is give the cow his seed and work hard and it's his.

5️⃣ falls in love with 🐯 kind and hardworking nature as well as how much of a brat he can be when he wants to be, that was always the most fun to see for 5️⃣.

In the end, 5️⃣ and 🐯 mate, and 🐯 excepts triplets next winter but till then he's finally able to begin selling milk and dairy products while his bull takes care of the farm work. 🐺 also helps out but he spends a lot of time around 🐯 resting his head against his tummy like a big house cat much to 5️⃣ jealousy.

Extra bits!

🐯 does send 🐺 to visit his dad every so often, he sends him nice meals and treats to share with his dad ⛓️ who ended up on the farm after fighting with 📿 and 5️⃣.

📿 is a retired dairy cow who went through about 4 seasons before his confrontation with ⛓️ who hurt him in a desperate attempt to feed his pup 🐺. 5️⃣ had defeated⛓️ but not without gaining a big scare in return, he also found 🐺 around the outskirts of the farmland and brought him back to⛓️ who was given the job as a guard dog in return for safety and food for 🐺.

📿 and 5️⃣ don't get along well with ⛓️.

💉 is a special doctor for hybrids specializing in bovines.

🐻 is a human farmer who owns JJ Farms (lol)

⛓️ develops a crush on 🐯 and 5️⃣ hates him even more for it because that's his WIFE, not the giant mutt's eye candy!

🐺 also hates that his dad has a crush and keeps flirting with 🐯 who had quickly become the wolf dog's best friend.

🌹 is a human who sometimes comes over to buy fresh products because "Its better for my skin and hair". She becomes friends with both 🐯 and 🐺 and often gets discounts because 🐯 doesn't wanna charge her full price. The friendship discount lol

[breelandwalker]

hi, i'm currently potted plant witching as well (just planted my first crop of veggie/herb/flower seeds & got some more containers & soil today for more planting this weekend) and i would love to know more about your garden this year; would you be willing to outline your plans? any special herbs or projects? Thanks!! <3 love your blog!

🌿🌿🌿 HYPERFIXATION ACTIVATED. 🌿🌿🌿

OH I HAVE SO MANY PLANS, LET ME TELL YOU.

This is the first year that Ragnar and I are doing actual work and sweat equity with the yard at our new place. Last year things were just too chaotic and we didn't have the time or the energy to do much of anything. We trimmed occasionally and I harvest some wild plants, but that was about it.

This year, it's Go Time.

Last weekend, I finally busted out the gorgeous barrel pots we got for Christmas and spent my April market earnings on potting soil, garden tools, and seedlings. When we lived in the apartment, I had a pretty hefty window garden with herbs and flowers and a few vegetables, so I'm eager to recreate that in an outdoor space where the plants can really thrive. (I mean, I grew cherry tomatoes and three kinds of peppers in 10" pots indoors and they got pretty big, so I can only imagine being outdoors will go even better with fresh air and rain and pollinators.)

The potted garden has Napoli tomatoes, poblano and cayenne peppers, green sage, and rosemary, along with something I've never tried growing before - blueberries! I'm planning to add additional pots and more herbs later on, but I felt like this was a really good start. If I can manage it, I want to grow a huge planter of nothing but spinach and sweet basil so I can make pesto this summer.

We've also started clearing and tilling a space out in the yard proper for a raised-bed garden. Nothing too big or ambitious, just something we can try some larger veggies in. We're hoping to try the Three Sisters model with hybrid corn, snap peas, green beans, and kabocha pumpkins. I was also hoping to put in napa cabbage, but there are quite a lot of slugs in the yard when it rains, so perhaps not. I'm toying with the idea of planting some late crops for fall and winter harvests as well. I have sugarplum visions of strings of peppers and braids of garlic hanging in our kitchen with many jars of preserves and sauce in the pantry.

We might also try some other fruits if things go well, maybe raspberries or grapes, but that's more of a Next Summer project. The fence and the ground around it needs some work first and we don't want to overdo things the first year. (I'd really love to put in a little serviceberry tree, but that might be pushing things a bit with regard to space.)

There's also a side garden that's in need of some TLC where I'm vaguely tossing around the idea of climbing flower vines (clematis or morning glory or trumpet flower maybe? something local) and maybe some ground cover in the form of periwinkle. There's also a downspout that really needs a rain barrel, so that's next on the list.

There are sections of the yard that we've deliberately left wild as well, hoping to encourage native plants and pollinators. The clover patches are massive and produce lots of four-leafers and blossoms, so the bees are having a field day. There's also wild dogbane sprouting up now that the vetchweed is cleared and wild plantain (aka white man's foot) starting to come in along the walkway. If I have my druthers, I'll be planting more wildflowers this summer.

Have some pictures and tell me about your garden!

[mcytcares]

Hiiiii, how are you?

Can you maybe do a OSMP Techno with wolf reader?

Have a good day/nighy

sure thing, anon! i did a short one-shot for this, if that's ok! fun fact: the google doc name for this is "bunnyblade and the big, not-so-bad, wolf". hope you're having a good day!!

OSMP TECHNOBLADE AND WOLF READER

Type - One-shot

Platonic

Origins SMP

Note - This involves the OSMP character only. Also this is written with a gender neutral reader in mind :]

Warnings - N/A

Word Count - 947

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

You stalk amongst the low, apple-burdened branches of the orchard trees. The shade lets you cool down from the sweltering summer heat, beating down in a shimmering haze. You keep yourself low as you move listlessly between the trees, ears pricked warily. If one were to see you like this, they'd think you were dangerous- stalking prey. In truth, you were more like a sheep in wolf's clothing. Your wolf hybrid lineage passed onto you heightened senses, as well as wolf ears and a tail, and sharp teeth fit for eating meat. You were more than your frightening appearance however- a kindly forager who enjoyed dark furs, the smell of pine trees, and cooking. You only hunted when you needed to- arrows piercing through the air to fire upon a stray buck or an unsuspecting rabbit.

Unsuspecting rabbit, your mind echoed. You watched through the foliage as Technoblade- the bunny hybrid-turned-farmer- dug his trowel into the dirt. He sprinkled carrot seeds into a row of shallow holes, set on planting and nothing else. Off to his side, a basket of carrots. A bountiful harvest. He turned his back to you, bending down to place dirt back over the seeds. You inched closer, ever curious. While you've never formally interacted with the bunny hybrid, you admired his diligence to his work. He seemed to enjoy it, even, looking proudly upon the rows of newly planted carrots. You've never been a farmer- disinterest in vegetables and most fruits lended to that. However, that didn't mean you weren't interested in how exactly the process happened. Technoblade seems to take to farming as easy as breathing. Like it was his whole life. You guessed it was- you'd come by a few times and he was always there, planting carrots.

You didn't want to seem creepy, snooping around- not at all! You were simply just too shy and awkward to approach. The farmer seemed so absorbed in his work, you didn't want to bother him. Still, curiosity tempts the cat- or the wolf, technically- and the cat gives in to curiosity.

One more step, and a branch shudders and snaps underfoot. It makes you pause, shoulders tensing up to your chin. Technoblade stills, caught in the motion of digging. His ears twitch and swivel, trying to capture the source of the noise. You hold your breath, suddenly anxious. You shouldn't be afraid- you know you really have no reason to- but you are. After all, you're about to be caught sneaking around Technoblade's farm!

He half turns, eyeing the tree line. "I know you're there," he says, steady voice breaking the silence. Sheepishly, you step out of the shade and into the sun.

"Hello," you greet, voice hushed and warbling, "sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, I was just, ah, watching you work!" You're sweating because of the heat. Totally.

Technoblade gives you a dubious look, one eyebrow raising. It's like he can see right through you!

"I don't- I mean-" You scramble to save yourself from your own awkwardness, "I really like your work ethic! It's admirable! And I was interested in learning how to farm." That's not necessarily true, but if it would get you in his good graces, then you were going to ride this train to the end.

He turns to you fully, tugging at the straw hat atop his head. Your eyes connect and— wow, his eyes are intense. You find yourself unable to look away as he mulls over your words, rocking his weight on one leg. His hands and knees are muddied with dirt, appropriate for a farmer. He wipes one hand on his overalls, using it to tap his chin in thought.

"Hrmm… well, I suppose that's not such a bad compliment. But flattery isn't gettin' you anywhere, 'specially if you want any of these carrots." He looks possessively back at his carrots, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Huh?" You blurt out. Your hands move on their own, defensively coming up and waving around. "Nnoo, no, no! Really, I do admire your work. And– and…" You trail off.

"And?" The bunny hybrid prompts.

"And I think you're the best farmer– ever–! I want to learn from you!" You exclaim.

Technoblade looks at you. And laughs.

It's this low, rumbling chuckle that crescendos into a near cackle. You're left stupefied as he thumps his foot on the ground, getting all the giggles out.

When he's finally done, he looks up at you, a half-smile on his lips. "'Course I'm the best farmer ever," he says, "I'm one of the only farmers around. Nobody's got me beat when it comes to farming. But… If you really wanna learn…"

Techno walks over to a basket full of carrots, still sprinkled with dirt, fresh from the ground. He plucks one out, breaks off a half, and proffers it to you.

"Consider this my metaphorical olive branch," he rumbles. His eyes, you notice, are a carmine red made vibrant in the light of the sun. "Show of good will an' all. I'll teach you, and you stop snoopin' around here."

You take it, slowly, hesitantly, turning it over in your hand. Just a regular old carrot.

"Promise you'll teach me?" You ask.

"Promise," Techno replies.

You take a bite. Crunch.

Techno smiles.

[madamlaydebug]

MA'AT PRINCIPLES OF DIET

_

TRUTH

Am I really hungry? Am I medicating emotions with junk foods/alcohol? Does my body need nourishment? Am I being a slave to my taste buds? Am I treating food as if it is a "slave" and my eating it as "the slave master"?

JUSTICE

Does my choice of food give nutritional justice to my body or does it nutritionally starve my body?

RIGHTEOUSNESS

Is the food good for God's Temple (my body)? Is there a healthy snack I can eat instead of junk?

HARMONY

How does eating junk food serve my body and benefit my wellness?

BALANCE

Does eating this food maintain my biochemical balance or does it cause a negative drain of energy?

ORDER

Does the food follow the correct order (amount) of nutrients? (6 grains, 5 fruits or vegetables, protein vegetable/nuts and seeds, 8-10 glasses of water?)

PROPRIETY

Is the food adding to my wellness and helping me to eliminate or decrease my intake of packaged, processed, synthetic, foods, dead animal flesh, cloned, hybridized, chemical-laced preservatives?

COMPASSION

Do I accept that my wellness adds to the health of my race and serves Ma'at or do I feel deprived when I do not eat junk foods?

RECIPROCITY

Am I using food to commit suicide, to punish myself,or to maintain low self-esteem or am I using it to reward myself? Does this food ultimately cause disease or wellness?

[sauntervaguelydown]

easy home gardening suggestions

Are you bad at eating the vegetables you buy? Do you feel like everything goes bad before you can eat it? KEEP IT FRESH ON THE VINE. Or at least, pickle it yourself.

You will need: pots (plastic is fine, terra cotta is drier, glazed ceramic retains moisture best). Dirt (surprisingly cheap but very heavy). Sunshine (free).

(I live in a humid part of the USA, these tips are not meant for deserts)

Container options: all your containers NEED drainage holes, but if you're a freak like me, you can take any sturdy plastic thing with sides & a bottom and nail/drill/MELT holes into it. Storage tubs may be a cheap alternative. Don’t hold the tub upside down and melt the excess plastic with matches directly onto your human hand. Burn bandages are expensive. Or just steal old ceramic pots from your aging grandmother.

Container Gardening

BELL PEPPERS: if you get half a day at least of direct sun, you can grow bell peppers. They do want warm weather so either you have to put them inside your house in a very sunny window or wait until it's 70degrees F or more. Remember that flowers do need to be pollinated by SOMETHING. Note that if you're planting them in containers, deeper is better; bell pepper tap roots can go 3 feet down if you let them. Minimum of 12 inches. If you have time but no money, scrape the seeds from dinner and plant them. If you have money but no time, try to buy one sprouted from the local plant nursery. Outdoors you will get caterpillars, but in my experience they are very polite and do not attack the fruit, so they're fine. You can grow three pepper plants per foot diameter of dirt surface.

OTHER PEPPERS: generally all peppers have the same needs, although my hot peppers seem a bit less thirsty than my bell peppers. I bought some already-growing hot peppers from the local plant nursery and they have been EXTREMELY productive; some "hot" peppers like mine (a Holy Mole pepper) actually make great mild salad greens if you scrape the spicy seeds out & pick while still green. Minimum of a foot deep containers, deeper is better if you can manage it. Full sun.

SCALLIONS: with green onions/scallions, you know the big thick ones they sell in the store with the roots still on? buy a couple and plant them in a pot of dirt in the sun and you'll have infinite green onion leaves. They can stand freezing weather if you cover them. It got down to 20 F here and I still didn't lose them. No flowers involved, just juicy crunchy leaves. They only have to be in containers 6 inches deep minimum. DO THIS.

SALAD GREENS: container gardening works well for lettuce and mustard/mizuna. Lettuce needs regular watering, it has shallow roots. You just gotta plant Mizuna when it's cold enough for the seeds to germinate (40 F ~ish). Mizuna is a hardy little guy, tolerates heat AND cold. You gotta buy the seeds, but they're cheap. Follow directions on the seed pack. This can be done (theoretically) in a sunny window indoors since they do not need pollinators. It's all LEAVES baby.

LIMA BEANS. These have deep roots and they have long tall vines; if you have the space for the roots, and any thing LIKE a trellis for the vines, and sun, you can get so many goddamn lima beans for 0 effort. Forget about these suckers you can't STOP them from fruiting.

More below the cut bc this is getting long

TOMATOES are kind of an investment; they're easy to grow from seed but they need a lot of sun & a deep pot. If you want full size beefsteak tomatoes, try a tall, lightweight plastic pot with a lot of fertilizer & consistent watering. Don’t forget the tomato cages! Those beefy boys will pull your plant over sideways. The lightweight pot will allow you to move the pot inside if you have a sudden deluge of rain that will waterlog & split the fruit. You can try planting seed from harvested dinner, but you may end up with some much smaller tomatoes than what you harvested from. It’s something to do with commercial hybrids.

TBH i recommend growing a cherry tomato, you get more fruit and you're less likely to lose it to bugs/sudden rain/general bad luck. Buy some ripe in the store and harvest the seeds. Do not try to grow indoors, you need pollinators & sun. Sensitive to cold. Giant green caterpillars will try to consume your entire tomato plant. You must catch them before they succeed.

SPINACH is nutritious, but honestly don't bother with growing spinach past spring if you live south of the Mason-Dixon line, it likes the cold. I'm having bad lucky with it--it's either too hot or too wet or BOTH around here. My friend who gardened in the desert said they had good luck? It works in container gardens tho. Critters love to eat it. Maybe ask about it at the plant nursery.

ARUGALA: bought some already growing and it's a real champ, doesn't need much water. 6 inch depth minimum. NOTE: Once it flowers, you will not get enough leaves for a sandwich. Since then I've grown it from shed seed and it's very hardy--it actually put out a whole tap root through the bottom of my growpot and got down into the soil. Keep it watered when it's baby. The seed will sprout pretty much any time through the spring and summer.

CARROTS & BEETS:

Carrots are... more complicated. Unless you really like carrots or you really like gardening, idk if I'd recommend them for beginners. You start them from seed then thin them out so they're all at least 6 inches apart, and the seedlings wilt in the heat but they also don't like it when it's freezing so... I'm having a hard time with them. Maybe there's a breed that grows really well in your area? Ask at the local plant nursery. I did a "baby carrots" variety (sex seeds) and two survived infancy. One is still growing as of September. I'm hoping for more seeds.

Beets are less picky, and need a bit less water. But they do die off at the height of summer, so get them going while you can.

CELERY: basically the same, but less angry about the heat. Keep moist. Pick a bit & come back again for more. My seed packet said they should be ready to pick stalks in April but they definitely were not. July was really when they got big enough to eat.

ZUCCHINI: There's a lot of posts about how easy zucchini is to grow, but I think I'm in the wrong part of the country for it. Needs a lot of water, at least when it's hot outside. Definitely works for container gardening. Give it a 12 inch deep pot. TIP: put your old coffee ground in the dirt to increase the acidity. You will not get any fruit unless you have pollination, but pollinators also like to lay eggs on the leaves and eat them all to smithereens. Pickleworms have destroyed me two years in a row now. Cucumbers are the same way--and if you're gonna try cucumbers, buy a burpless variety to keep beetles away at least.

YAMS are pretty easy. They like the HEAT. They need 100% full sun. What you do is you buy a yam from the store, wait until it starts to put out growths, then (indoors) suspend it partly in some water until the green growths are at least 6 inches long. Then you can plant those growths in dirt. It's especially good if the growths have little white roots, but I've planted growths without any roots and they were fine. Healthy vines will put out runners. Suggestion: start in a deeper container but only fill it up with like 6 inches of dirt. When the yam vine gets long, add another few inches of dirt and bury some of the vine. Keep doing this until you run out of space and/or dirt. You get more yams this way. Harvest when the cold starts to make the leaves all sad and crinkly. Using fluffy light dirt makes harvest easier.

STRAWBERRIES: You'll get them one at a time, and they won't be very flavorful in many cases. They need pollinators, but squirrels steal them as soon as they're ripe. Keep under a net. They're also VERY hard to grow from seed. I have managed it, but the germination time is like... three months. Perfect container plants though. And in the summer they start putting out runners, and then you can MULTIPLY your strawberry content. Set them somewhere just out of the rain, so that the fruit won't swell up and split during a deluge, but remember to keep them moist.

BLUEBERRIES: fine for containers, although they need to be deep. Get at least two blueberry bushes so they can cross pollinate. Make sure that both varieties bloom at about the same time of year. Partial sun is fine. In winter it may go dormant but it comes back.

BLACKBERRIES and RASBERRIES are insanely low maintenance but bad for container gardening. They want a lot of space. You'd need a big container. Maybe a costco storage tub. Better off putting them in the ground, if you have a garden. But watch out, they spread.

A note about PUMPKINS: you can get a pumpkin seed to sprout basically spitting on it. I threw some dirt on a rotten halloween pumpkin and now I have a legion of leaves. However, getting them to fruit requires pollinators, and the vines take up space. I wouldn't try to grow them unless you have an actual garden with flowers (weeds are fine) or you just.... want a pretty vine to look at. Also they don't like the heat very much, even though they grow over the summer.

LEMONS: you can actually grow lemon seedlings from the seeds of regular ass grocery store lemons. They're supposed to be pretty easy to do but I haven't had much luck. Now that it's warmer out I'm gonna try again; basically just put them in some dirt and keep the dirt moist until a sprig comes up. you won't get fruit for like 5 years but the leaves smell nice. Tangerines are the same way.

I've put a couple over-ripe onions in the ground, but I don't think I'm going to get much out of it. There's a wikihow article on it. Basically you cut the bottom off an onion from the store, eat the top, and then treat the bottom like a yam. But you might as well just plant the whole thing if it's already started putting out green tendrils. Maybe you'll get flowers.

Herbs

hard Rosemary is actually difficult in most places bc it needs Mediterranean conditions ie. FULL sun, not a lot of water, warm weather. It starts to grow mold if it's not blazed 8 hours a day. Rosemary can get up to the size of a full ass bush if you give it the space. Needs 12 inches of pot depth. If you haven't got full sun, don't bother. I don't recommend growing these from seed--if you have a plant nursery anywhere near your home, just buy one there that is already established with roots. Cold hardy when large enough.

medium Basil has about the same sun needs as Rosemary, but it doesn't mildew. Basil will do the hydra thing and put out new heads of leaves if you snip them off. I'm growing it from seed and it's doing pretty good! Do not eat the flowers. Not cold hardy.

medium Ginger is a tropical shade plant, so you can grow it with no direct sunlight (it does need to get at least indirect sun). It needs really rich soil so you gotta go buy some bagged potting soil with compost, but literally you can get a healthy ginger from the store and sprinkle dirt on top and it ought to start growing. Especially if it already has little white or green fingers growing out of it. Give it a deep pot, 10 inches if possible. not cold hardy. If the soil freezes, it dies.

easy Mint: we all know it's insanely prolific. However I have managed to kill all my mint twice. I think I didn't give it a large enough container to spread out in. Aim for something at least 10 inches deep and at least a foot diameter. I know, it's a big commitment for an herb. Partial shade is fine. do NOT put it directly in the ground or it will take over. Cold hardy perennial (survives at 0 F and lower). It may go dormant but it comes back. Keep moist.

easy Oregano. Good boy. Precious child. More sun is better, and not a lot of watering. Pot only has to be 6 inches deep, though more never hurts. I've heard that cilantro and tarragon and thyme have the same root depth, but I've never tried growing them so that's all I know. If you're planting from seed, make sure it's hot outside and do Not bury the seed. It goes right on the surface of the dirt in the sunshine. 3 months from sowing to adulthood. Cold tolerant perennial; it may go dormant but it comes back.

easy Garlic: you might not be up for growing garlic from seed, but if you want to harvest the green stalks that grow up from the bulbs in spring, they are kind of like a cross between chives and garlic in flavor, and very safe to eat. Good in soup. Just buy some regular garlic and then forget it in your kitchen until the individual bulbs start poking up green shoots inside that papery wrapping stuff. Then plant them in some dirt with the green shoot pointing up. These bulbs survive VERY cold winters and thrive. It may go dormant but it comes back. If you let it go through a cold winter, you may get harvestable additional bulbs.

List of Flowers You Can Eat:

Nasturtium, violet, viola, coneflower, chrysanthemum, citrus blossoms, daisies (who knew), marigold, clover flowers (clover is good because it nitrogenates the soil). When in doubt, eat the petals only. Except for Nasturtium, i know you can eat those leaves and stems and all. They're kind of peppery.

There's actually a LOT of edible flowers I haven't begun to list. If you're curious, look into it.

Things you simply cannot grow at home: Vanilla. Cinnamon. Soy beans. Apples. Do not try. (Vanilla is an orchid. Orchids are Hard.) (Cinnamon is growable in Mexico if you keep it well watered.)

straight up, if you're gonna grow any of these, just google "how often water [x]" and then do that forever. Set a recurring calendar alarm. If they look wilty, increase how often you do it. Personally I water everything when the dirt looks dry, but that's because I'm an obsessive.

Anything sold in the store uncooked/undried that is either 1. a seed itself or 2. contains a seed (or 3. has roots attached) can PROBABLY be pirated. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Google is your friend.

Other Notes:

you CAN pollinate a lot of things by hand, if you're willing to put the effort in

"well draining" soil usually has compost material content mixed in. Sand is also well draining, but maybe a little TOO well draining. Basically, avoid clay if it needs to drain.

Most things do not need fertilizer all the time if you buy potting soil (it's pre-fertilized). However, growth costs nutrients. Keep that in mind.

You can steal dirt out of the ground for your pots but remember that it may be contaminated depending on where you get it (roadside? BAD idea). Also it's heavy as fuck. Plan accordingly.

Coffee & tea grounds are acidic and nutritious. (for plants) (don't eat them)

it's not actually a great idea to bury a moldy piece of fruit in a pot. You will get flies. I know it seems like a composting hack but don't do it.

You can put old wood cuttings & logs at the bottom of a container for plants that need a lot of nitrogen, like ginger. Make sure there's still an appropriate amount of soil between the wood and the surface.

potting SOIL contains dirt (sand/silt/clay), potting MIX is just organic matter (peat usually). Mix is fluffy, soil is denser. You can combine to get the advantages of both. Potting mix is usually a good bet for fruiting plants, but I've tried using plain ground soil for almost everything and the main problem is it just dries out faster. If you're putting things directly in the ground, just get some "gardening soil" to fill in around the roots a little bit.

pots are weirdly expensive. Scavenge and recycle what you can. I've used costco cranberry juice jugs for things, but the ridges in the plastic do retain water. Make SURE your pots are deep enough. And make sure they have a fair bit of surface diameter.

depression meal: boil one package of maruchan ramen, as many lima beans as your little hands can grab, chunk of scallion (chop if you have the energy, shred it with your fingers if not). celery? if you've got it. pour flavoring packet. add lemon juice. survive another day without scurvy.

A note on TREES

Citrus trees are easier to manage than some other kinds, but they do still need management. Citrus is very cold sensitive so if you can bring them inside as soon as it hits freezing at night, that is best. The trouble is they also need deep enough pots for their tap roots, which makes them hard to MOVE. Even with frost covering, I lost a lemon tree to a hard winter this year RIP. The good news is that after they've been in the ground about 5 years, you do not have to cover them as carefully anymore. I've got a 30 year old tangerine tree that went dormant this winter and then came back kicking, and I didn't cover it a single inch.

Peach trees are also fairly cold sensitive, but they need a minimum number of cold nights (40 F or lower) to produce fruit. So uh. Either cover them with a frost cloth as soon as it gets freezing out, or bring them inside in a big pot but leave them outside as long as you can. I wouldn't try to grow one from seed personally, but I've bought a couple saplings. Look for a variety that does well in your climate. Your local university might have made a hybrid.

You can grow and make your own tea leaves; the tree is a specific variety of Camellia. Grows well in the southern USA.

"pawpaw" trees are a fruit tree native to north-east america, cultivated by american indians. They're pretty cool. They grow well on the sides of hills. You can buy dormant saplings in the winter/late spring online. You need at least one male and one female. Deep tap roots.

You can GROW a banana tree, but you can't make it fruit unless you're in a tropical climate. I wouldn't bother. Even subtropical doesn't cut it.

Figs are cool but keep in mind that lots of people are allergic to their leaves.

In the case of most trees, long term, a pot is not a good idea, but for the first few years it's fine. Remember that every year the roots get bigger.

If you have a commercially sold tree seedling, the chances are it's been grafted at some point. If there's a knot or a notable bend in the lower part of the trunk, that's the graft point. Stuff that grows below that knot is going to be Not Delicious. Pick off growths below the graft point.

A note on COMPOST:

composting is a great way to enrich your shit, but watch out, because it also produces mildew, mold, flies, and scavengers.

The lowest effort version of composting is simply to take your tea leaves/coffee grounds out of the pot when you're done with them and let them dry out somewhere--a bowl or a tupperware, idk--then save them to mix into your potting soil later. Minimum amount of fungus, no bugs. You can do this in your house. Unbleached paper also works, and basically any "dry" organic material.

The more intense version includes things like egg shells, banana skins, things that will attract pests and grow mold. You don't want this in your house. Also the shells of beans, discarded lettuce greens, tops of strawberries--etc. Most of this stuff is of too little caloric value to attract rats, so it's okay to keep near your house.

But the more "food" stuff you start to add, like rotten vegetables and table scraps, the more rat appealing it becomes. Don't get over ambitious. That stuff needs to be 50 ft away from your house minimum.

[redd956]

Do you have any ideas on how to come up with fictional vegetables, resource plants, or livestock? I keep coming up with fruit since I can’t really think of any ways of making a vegetable interesting or unique to a setting. The only resource plants I can think of is one that gives cotton and livestock has me stumped.

(Context: My world is full of rabbit-human hybrids that are omnivorous but mainly eat plant food, meat is usually eaten during special events. I want to focus on a world reliant on different crops for food and resources. There’s different biomes like a wooded area, an almost volcanic area, a snowy area, and a naturally occurring magic area.)

Yes, I do!!!

A lot of fruits and vegetables themselves are very similar in growth and function, the main difference being fruits come from fruiting bodies while vegetables are just part of the plant. That's when we get that weird middle group like corn, tomatoes, and eggplants.

But there's a lot of aspects to vegetables that make them unique, with lots of worldbuilding room

Everything is Edible

Creative juices flowing questions... (I'm also grouping grains and vegetables together btw)

What parts of the plants are primarily consumed? The stalks, leaves, roots, bulbs, flowers, tubers? (carrots are roots? Guess I learn something new everyday)

How is the edible part extracted from the plant? What does the plant look like in a crop field? How do people know when it's ready?

Does the vegetable need to go through a preparation process before being eaten? (Crushed, cleaning, cut open)

Does the plant have edible leaves, bean pods, kernels, nuts, oats? Does it have multiple uses? Does it produce more than one edible factor?

Is it harvest from the ground, water pools, trees? How tall is the plant?

How does it spread/reproduce? (flowers, potato eyes, seeds)

Usage & Flavor

Is the vegetable eating directly, usually added to something else, used as a spice? What does it taste like? (earthy, bitter, tangy, sour)

Is it used to make something else that's edible/used in cooking? (Oils, beers, yeasts, flavorings)

Are there non food related uses? (Medicinal, potion brewing, material)

Gourds (fruits but equally fun)

My family fries/grills the blossoms on pumpkins & zucchinis, and I couldn't stop thinking about that so here's some bonus rounds

How do people break into the hard casings to reach the edible parts? Is anything does with the hard casings? What funky shapes are the gourds?

What's inside? What does it look like? Tastes? Seeds? Other uses?

Does it have any decorative uses? Any holiday relation?

Tea & Coffee

What kind of drinks can be made from plants? What extra benefits and effects does it have? Any magical properties? Any recreational properties?

How is the plant extracted? How is it prepared into a drink?

Anything culturally significant?

What does the brew look like? How strong is the smell?

Environmental Factors

What vegetables survive in dry or unforgiving environments? How important are these two the people who live there? What were to happen if harvest failed?

Any diseases or bugs that affect produce? How do farmers protect their crops these? Any animals or technology help in the harvesting process?

How does temperature and rain effect the produce? Anything grow underneath the snow? Soil? Water? Underground? (Huge fan of snowy plants in worldbuilding)

How does the vegetable itself try to protect itself? (cactus needles, thorns, caffeine, poison)

[wearethewinx]

MAGIC DIMENSION CUISINE for @je-ne-sais-p1s

take 4 of this fucking post jfkds;jakfld;sa. NOTE 1: planets are big and trade is everywhere. this really just represents the most traditional food in the specific regions where the winx grew up. NOTE 2: for brevity's sake i will encourage you, the reader, to assume that when i say, like, 'bananas,' what i MEAN is 'native fruits that are contextually similar to earth bananas.' cool? cool. let's go

SOLARIA: Snakes, scorpions, lizards, oh my! The hot, dry climate means plant matter is at a premium. Small reptiles and large insects make up the caloric bulk, along with a fair amount of milk. Cacti and palms provide the only substantial fruit, which, when fermented with honey, creates Solaria's most famous beverage. Flatbread is another staple, especially when combined with UNBELIEVABLY HOT PEPPERS. Most Solarian food is either sickeningly sweet or painfully spicy by non-Solarian standards.

ANDROS: Fish, obviously. Regular fish, shellfish, lots of shrimp, octopus, some saltwater snails. Lots of grilled/kebab'd* food, and acid marinating like ceviche. Fruits are mostly small and hardy, like figs, dates, olives, and thick-skinned grapes, and herbs/leafy spices are the main source of flavor enhancement. The warmest parts of Andros produce sugarcane, but the overall climate is too mild for much capsaicin and too wet for solid salt deposits, so the flavor profiles are mainly sweet and savory with a bit of acid.

LINPHEA: Large, soft-bodied fruits first and bugs second, baby. Papaya, mangoes, bananas, aaaall that good stuff, mostly eaten raw, and also a few leaves and edible flowers. Huge beetles and wild chickens are plentiful in Linphea's jungles, and large freshwater eels are rarer but highly prized. There's a wealth of rich spices like cinnamon, cacao, and vanilla, and peppers, so Linphean food is full of strong flavors and heat, but only mild sweetness.

ZENITH: MEAT. Zenith is so cold that the only significant vegetation on most of the planet is algae, which is eaten both as a paste and smoke dried as a papery film. Other than that it's a very whale-meat-heavy diet, with roe and crab for some variety. Their extremely advanced technology means Zenith has state-of-the-art hydroponics across the whole planet though, and there's obviously interplanetary trade, so they make heavy use of those to branch out. Zenethi bitches love bread and sour candy.

MELODY: The famous floating islands necessitate heavy reliance on fowl. Melody has several domesticated bird species, and more than a hundred ways to prepare eggs. The very dry earth means most of the plants are tough and unappetizing, but roots like potatoes, carrots, ginseng, etc are staples, and fungi are both plentiful and popular. Between the salmonella and the Textures, very, very little is eaten raw, almost everything being either cooked or fermented. Melodic cuisine has a very earthy/umami flavor profile in general.

DOMINO: You'd think this would be the spicy planet, but no! Lots of grains, gourds, melons, and berries, and yes, of course they had an equivalent to pumpkin pie. Roses and their cousins (plums, peaches, apples) were favorites, with whole, candied roses being an upperclass delicacy. Meat is considered optional except for special events, largely as a product of the ceremonial significance of hunting, and just like all the best declining empires, Domic nobility were EXTREMELY adventurous with food. They made some crazy cheeses.

MAGIX: Known for its pastry! Magix' fully synthetic geography and climate make it the ideal home for several delicate grains and fruits like pawpaws, so if you want baked goods or unique pastas, there is simply no better planet. They have a booming 'designer fruit' industry (rivaled only by Zenith's) and are constantly debuting new hybrids. On an artificial planet with no native animals, meat requires animal agriculture, and starting a population of animals is just harder than bringing a bag of seeds, so Magix really doesn't prioritize meat. However, as a massive trade hub, basically everything you can think of is readily available.

*i do not know how to conjugate the word 'kebab'

Thanks so much for this question!! It was really fun to answer, despite all the rewrites lol

[r0-boat]

*crashes in* HELL YEAH I WANT THAT BEEGEAR STATION

I'm gettin back into Stardew Valley, so what if--

What if Reader decided to plant different flowers depending on the season outside for the bees?????

Different flavored honey!

The bees are curious but love the variety. You also just look so cute and pretty gardening! They just wanna scoop you up, twirl you around and take you on the flower beds

Bonus: certain bug hybrid neighbors appreciate certain flavours of honey and you get to trade with them better things depending on what you have available.

Beemas Gardener!reader head Cannon

CW: harem, all the bees love Reader

The Bees can finally rest easy, knowing that their Royal is safe, and their hobby is relatively safe too.

Gardening is such a perfect hobby for you you're caring gentle hands tending to something delicate and beautiful like s flower.

The Drone plant wonderful flowers for you, anything you tell them, but the boredom on your face was clear.

The bees usually only use their plots to grow plant-based food. While other drones and warriors set out to hunt and look for gigantic flowers to harvest their pollen and nectar. The Gardener drones were happy to share their Farm plots with you but you didn't want to impose.

So As a gift the Drones construct a royal Greenhouse in the back of the old station.

They can't help but watch you from afar on their break with hearts in their eyes.

Being with you in your personal Garden is perfect one-on-one time with their royal. They are more than happy to lend an extra hand.

Your homegrown honey veggies and fruit become absolute Delicacies in the hive, only because it was grown with love from you.

Bees when they receive a random tomato you grew:🥺👉👈💗😭🥰😍💋💕💞

Also, a funny interaction where the drones purposely jack up the price on the "Bee station Black Market" of your vegetables to the Kings on purpose. ( this is all going on without your knowledge, by the way)

The bees will look in jealousy at the 'certain Merchant' that you're selling your vegetables to.

They can't help but bring you seeds that they find just to see the smile on your face. you just look so happy in the Royal Greenhouse. And all they want to do is make you happy.

Oh, to be that guard that guards the greenhouse while you're there, seeing you and the greenhouse guard interact with the royal—watching him twirl you around in happiness. They want to be him so badly!!

Since your flowers were so small, you could only make so much of your special honey (the bees taught you how to make honey), but oh my God, you're unique flavored honey is the delicacy of Delicacies, treated like diamonds.

Insect hybrids can make flavored honey in theory, but many of them are primarily focused on Survival or their own colonies, so they never really have free time. So other insect hybrids would shower you with lots of luxuries just for trade.

One season you'll try to grow watermelon or cantaloupe and you ended up with a tiny melon or a bitter fruit. You sit in the empty mess hall with a basket full of failures. The worker drone washing his dishes sees his Royal looking sad and his heart breaks

" your highness... you look sad my love, why? he says gently, Wiping the tears away with his thumb.

" oh, Elias...it's nothing I thought I could grow more fragile fruits and vegetables this year I guess I was wrong... Henry and the other Gardners are so much better than I am."

Elias frowned " your highness... the gardening department to grow these things for you and all the hive. I'm sure they can give you wonderful tips and pointers," Elias looks over into the basket and Chuckles.

"Elias-!" You quietly Shout.

Elias shakes his head giving you a pleasant smile " Sweetheart, there's nothing wrong with these, they're just a little small... I'll tell you what I'll make special dishs with all of these just for you but it shall only be our secret"

You give him a small smile and Nod. " there's that lovely smile~!" Elias replies taking your basket and heading over to the kitchen.

The dishes ended up being amazing.

You ended up seeing Henry later that evening the other drones laughed as Henry scrambled, brushing off the dirt off him trying to look as presentable as possible.

You asked Henry if he could tutor you one on one on gardening.

henry.exe stopped working.

One of the gardener drones in Henry's team facepalmed.

" Don't worry your highness... he'll do it"

[fairy-verse]

I'm curious if the winter fairies would be the best at cooking with their mastery of smithing/crafting, or maybe the summer fairies with their association with summer heat? I just kinda like the idea of maybe winter summer hybrids being the best cooks, making various jams, and roasted meat for the other fairies. Maybe some autumn or summer fairies share the natural bounty of nuts, seeds and other wild grains for breads and seasoning?

A good question!

The season fairies all have their own specialties when it comes to preparing food, though the summer fairies will be the ones who’d be the most diverse in recipes, as they have the easiest access to different kinds of ingredients. However, it is the winter fairies who are the best at preparing and serving meat, so your idea of hybrids of summer and winter being the best cooks could certainly be a brilliant fact!

Autumn fairies would be very good at creating meals out of mushrooms, various vegetables, berries, and nuts. Out of all the season fairies, they prefer soups and fresh desserts.

Spring fairies do favour the blood of humans in early spring (little vampires), but they do also love to create meals out of beans, peas, certain kinds of flowers, potatoes, and herbs. They really love to create different kinds of stews, and they enjoy desserts that are sour.

Summer fairies loves to create grand feasts whenever they prepare a meal, and they’re not picky on desserts and will eat whatever sweetness they can find.

Winter fairies will focus on trying to get as much nutrition out of their meals as possible and are incredibly good at preserving what they have for many, many years. They also put a high value on natural sugars, such as fruits, and will trade many of their crafts with the other season fairies in exchange for fruits they can dry and save for the long winter season.

[cursedxmuses]

The red-haired woman in the lab coat glanced from side to side, as if hiding from something, before dashing across the stream bed and into a cave on the far side. (For Persephone)

Persephone was hiding in her cave, stoking a fire with some branches and looking at her "stores". The forest was abundant with seeds for her to use! Unfortunately, while food was no longer a concern, the growing cold was. Her days, previously filled with gathering various fruit and vegetable seeds, were now spent collecting fallen branches, dead vegetation and dirt to make garden beds deep in the cave where it would be easier to keep warm. Would it have been wiser to just surrender to the cold? Probably, but the hybrid was essentially a fugitive after all. She needed to stay alert to stay safe, and that meant keeping warm. The last thing she expected (or even wanted) was a woman adorned in a lab coat to run into her cave. With no preparation for combat, she could only cower in a corner and pray she hadn't been spotted.

[rabbitcruiser]

Oranges and Lemons Day

Oranges  and Lemons Day is annually commemorated on the third Thursday of March,  even when Easter or St. Patrick's Day is interjected, at St Clement  Danes Church in London.

History of Oranges and Lemons Day

The London rhyme is well known but what may be less known is that  since 1920 it has been commemorated at the first mentioned church, St  Clement Danes in the Strand, London.

This custom is related to Reverend William Pennington-Bickford, who  restored church bells so they could play the tune of the rhyme. On the  day they were blessed, they were also dressed in garlands of orange and  lemon. He decided that all the parades on the day the bells were fully  restored, March 31, 1920, a special service would be arranged and at the  end each child would receive an orange and a lemon from the community.  The city's Danish coin was distributed with Danish children dressed in  their national colors.

Since 1923, there were a lot of rhymes that were sung with music were  the child of Pennington-Bickford and his wife. The following year, the  broadcast became nationally known as it was broadcast nationally and  singing became a regular program.

In 1941 the church and its bells were damaged in a bomb explosion.  However, despite this, the tradition continued and in 1944, despite the  rations, 26 children received only one orange in the middle of the  ruined building.

Oranges are not the only fruit

The only time I attended a service was in 1994, when I went to church  and was greeted warmly. One of the teachers said that the best place to  watch the ceremony was on the balcony and from there I watched the  well-dressed children getting ready. At the start of the service, a  group of parishioners played the tune on the bells again and the  ceremony began.

Honestly, I can't remember much about the actual service but I do  remember the kids taking part in a presentation. Sadly, it will be a  special year in 2020 - its 100th anniversary.

How to celebrate Oranges and Lemons Day

Oranges originated around 2500 BC in Asia. In ancient Europe, oranges  were grown mainly for medicinal purposes. As you know, Vitamin C is  still considered a great cold remedy to this day.

Did you know that lemon is actually a cross between citrus and sour  orange? Christopher Columbus is credited for carrying lemon and orange  seeds on his travels, thus introducing them throughout the New World.  Today, both lemons and oranges grow especially well in California and  Florida. Both of these fruits grow quite nicely in Arizona. Oranges here  have more seasons, grow well during the winter months and early spring,  and lemons can grow well year-round. In order to honor these fruits,  how about taking a look at some facts about each fruit.

Oranges:

Orange is a sweet, juicy citrus fruit. There are actually about 600  varieties of oranges, some of the most popular being Blood Orange, Navel  and Valencia.

Oranges are not known in the wild. Orange is a hybrid between mandarin and grapefruit.

Orange juice is the most popular juice in America, and oranges themselves are the fourth most popular fruit.

Brazil grows about a third of the world's oranges, with an output of 17.8 million tons per year.

About 85% of all oranges produced are used to make juice.

You can sprinkle orange peels on your vegetable garden as an effective slug repellent.

During their years of exploring the world, sailors planted orange  trees along their trade routes to prevent scurvy which disease will be  developed because there is a lack of vitamin C.

Orange is the third most loved flavor in the world, after chocolate and vanilla.

Warm weather can cause the skin of an orange to reabsorb the  chlorophyll, making it green again. However, don't let this stop you  from eating them, they still taste that great.

Oranges are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize the  effects of free radicals in your body, which are believed to be  responsible for disease and aging. Therefore, why do not eat oranges to  be young and healthy!

Only one orange contains vitamin C for two days in fact.

Fruit comes out before color. It wasn't until 1542 that "orange" was first used as a name for a color.

Bitter oranges are used to make marmalade.

A larger navel produces a sweeter orange.

You can store oranges in the refrigerator with the room temperature.

Lemon:

Lemon trees will bear fruit all year round. Each tree can give us 500  to 600 pounds of lemons during a year. The most popular lemon varieties  include Eureka, Lisbon, and Meyer.

Lemon juice contains about 5-6% citric acid, which gives them a sour taste.

Arizona and California produce 95% of the entire US lemon crop.

Many years ago, kings used to give lemons to each other because they were once very rare.

Add the juice of one lemon to an equal amount of hot water to gargle against bacteria the next time you have a sore throat.

The grated rind, also known as the lemon zest, is used for flavoring in many recipes and other dishes.

The leaves of the lemon tree can be used to make tea and prepare cooked meat dishes.

Lemon can be used for cleaning due to its highly acidic nature. Two  halves of a lemon dipped in baking powder or salt can be used to clean  kitchenware and shine bronze.

Cattle will choose lemons over grapefruits, peaches, oranges, and  even apples. It's most likely because the citric acid in lemons aids  their digestion.

Lemon juice has a low pH, making it a good disinfectant. It can also dissolve grease and eliminate odors.

Lemon essential oil is frequently used in non-toxic insecticides.

Lemon juice is also an interesting choice in preserving foods like avocados, apples, or bananas.

A cup of warm water with a leaf of lemon before breakfast is a great thing for your constipation.

One lemon can provide 50% of the daily need for vitamin C.

Preserving the lemons in a plastic bag then put it in the  refrigerator after watering to keep the lemons tasting fresh. When being  frozen, lemons can keep for a month.

Temperature changes cause lemons to go from green to yellow, not  ripe, so green patches are fine, but it's best to avoid fruit with brown  spots, a sign of rot.

As you can see, lemons have more uses than that lemon jar! And,  although orange juice is our most popular juice, oranges can be made  into many other things too! To celebrate their special day, check out  some of the lemon and orange recipes we've collected, you might discover  a new favorite orange or lemon recipe.

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