16 — Wednesday, October 22, 1997 — North Shore News

north shore news

__ +x HOME & GARDEN vm

Records grow!

in global gardens

THIS year's season
for fruit and vegeta-
bles is coming to a
close and it might be
interesting to compare
the results you
achieved with some
world records.

Even if you are not into
growing record-sized speci-
mens, you may still find
some statistics interesting if
not surprising.

I always thought Texrns
wanted to have the biggest
and best of everything but
when it come to vegetables
it is hard to beat the Welsh.

Apparently, in the U.K.,
they have garden clubs
where the sole objective is
to grow world record veg-
etables.

How would you like to
go out and dig a 6.8 kg (15
Ib.) carrot or cut a 56 kg
(124 ib.) head of cabbage
for dinner? I wonder if the
local slugs are up to the

. challenge? A fellow by the
name of Lavery in
Llanharry, Wales not only
holds these records but also
has world records for a 20.9
kg (46 ib.) head of celery, a
9 kg (20 Ib.) cucumber, a
4.27 m (171 in.) parsnip
(mostly fine tap root) and a
29 kg (64 Ib.) zucchini.
How he grows them and
what he uses for fertilizer
are closely guarded secrets.

While Lavery is no doubt
the champion vegetable
grower, he has competition
from other growers in the
U.K. A 18 kg (40 Ib). beer-
root was grown in Newport,
Wales; a 5 kg (12 Ib) leek in
Linton, England; and a 5 kg
(12 tb.) onion in
Anstruther, Scotland.

The biggest potato
comes from the Isle of Man
and tipped the scale at
almost 3.6 kg (8 Ib.). I
don't know how long the
stalk would be on a 2.7 kg
(6 Ib.) rhubarb leaf but one
plant would certainly make a
lot of pies for the residents
of East Woodyates, England.
The longest runner bean,
grown by J. Taylor in

hifnal, England was 39.5
inches, or just over one
meter long. Perhaps the J

stands for Jack!

Regions with warmer cli-
mates have an advantage
when growing heat-loving
plants such as corn, pump-
kin and squash. I do not
know how big the largest
corn cob is but the record
height for cora is 9.5 m (31
ft.). Growing giant pump-
Kins has almost become a
national pastime with many
Canadians in recent years.
The current record holder is
Mr. Bax from Lyon,
Ontario. His pumpkin
weighed in at 449 kg (990
Ib.). Moving a pumpkin of
this size for weighing or dis-
playing has become a serious
problem as many of them
split when they are lifted.

With a pumpkin that size
your kids would want you to
build a play house rather
than carve a Jack-O-
Lantern. The record for
squash is slightly iess at 408
kg (900 Ib.).

A Canadian also holds
the record for the largest
rutabaga (tuenip). It was
produced in Stouffville,
Ontario and weighed in at
28 kg (62 Ib.).

Ifthe average commercial
cluster of garlic cloves runs
three or four ounces, can
you imagine one grown in
Eureka, California at 1 kg
(2.2 Ib.). One would have
to question a recipe that
called for a whole clove of
garlic. Americans, south of
the Mason-Dixon Line, like
their sweet potatoes and one
grower in Georgia produced
a 40 pounder (18 kg). How
would you bake one that
size? The Deep South also
grows lots of peanuts and
the largest on record is from
North Carolina at 12.5 cm

4 in.).

Normaily a good-sized
apple will weigh approxi-
mately 227 g (8 02.) so the

record holder at} kg (3 1b.)
must have been a whopper.
Cantaloupes are one of the
smaller melons but the
record is 28 kg (62 Ib.).
Mind you, it would still look
small compared to the
largest watermelon ar 118
kg (262 Ib.) Both were
grown in the American
seuth,

Occasionally we see large
oranges at the produce store

See Strawberry page 7

PAINTING # ACCESSORIES

al a aR
Chalsi, part of our design team
“Your Home — Your Way”

Order Now for Christmas Delivery. Sale ends Oct. 30/97
1099 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VAN.
RE-UPHOLSTERY +

Designer's Touch®

Interior Eggshell Latex

Virtually no odour *High hiding
Scrubbable low lustre finish

©1005 of pastel decorator colors

3.78L,
(3670)

*Our reg. low price 34.96

Designer's Touch®
Interior Semi-Gloss Latex
*Adhers to glossy painted surfaces
without undercoating

©1005 of paste! decorator colors

Des

3.78L
45500)

*Our reg. tow price 32.96

ers Touch®

Fat White Ceiling Latex
eUltra Nat finish to hide surface
imperfections *No moller spatter

a)

2 5"

| DRAPERY + BEDDING @¢ BLINDS

Decorating With
A Difference

entor designers with over 15 years experience who truly
listen ro your thoughts. needs & preferences are what

make the difference at Golden Interiors.

From) individual window coverings to complete home
fenovations, we will create an affordable master plan chat
encompasses your desires, our ideas Ss your decorating budget.

You want to aveid costly errer & we have the proven
expertise to ensure your large or small project is completed

stress free & beautifully - Call us!

+AUTUMN SALE@

DRAPERY, UPHOLSTERY U
& BEDDING

CUSTOM SOFAS

FURNITURE +

Pi 30%"

starting @ 5899

985-6112

SLIPCOVERS

You'll find your special patte
in all the latest | bocks. m

_. “Color Your Worlds Seguiar price per si spool.
Fabric and accessories not inctuded. oaks roa a hy store.

ae

When you buy 2 Single Rolls or

A

-ONROOTS + SNOLLVAONSY

More

Great looking Berber carpet for
your family room

Our price includes quality underpad and installation

Choose from a large selection of colors, textures and pattems,

wie

rive! G

Berber ‘Tones ¢

PLL

Sq. IL

Irom
only

"Our reg, low price 21.96 FE recat nan er ar a surfact

AUHomeé Kor Carpet & Window Blinds 1

NORTH VANCOUVER
400 Brooksbank Ave., #180 1887 Marine Drive

980-6312 980-8567

gees

The HEAT-N-GLO ATZC gas fireplace insert has excelient
flame quality with the new Campfyre Technology. PLUS the
ATZC uses direct vent technology. It is the safest most effi-
cient venting system available today guaranteed to eliminate
coid backdrafts. On sale until Nov. 15 for only $1,449.00 plus
installation. Free remote contro! offer also ends Nov. 15/97.

ULTRALINE GAS FIREPLACES |
“4035 NORTH-BOAD. . .° 420-3473.
: (1/2 block-North of Lougheed H jaxt to the ‘White Spot) . :

SQUAMISH
Garibaldi Highiands
604-892-2092 z

“Shop