• A four-digit number means it was conventionally grown
  
• A five-digit number beginning in "9" means it is organic
  
• A five-digit number beginning in "8" means it was genetically modified.
  

Depending on how you look at it, the Nation Trust's ugly vegetable competition is either a good idea or a bad one. On one hand, it gets kids involved in growing their own fruits and vegetables, which could start them with good habits for later in life. On the other hand, the sight of some of the "winners" could put them off veggies for quite some time.

The contest isn't just for children, though. It started as a way to cultivate some appreciation for ugly fruits and vegetables, most of which are underappreciated in the kitchen. There are multiple age categories: under 5, 5-7, 8-11, 11-16, 25-65 and over 65 years old. In each range there was a winner and this parsnip, grown by Mrs Hilary Nellist in the 25-65 group, took home the grand prize for the ugliest vegetable of the year.

There were no winners for the 16-25 category, which either means that they are all exceptional gardeners and can't grow ugly veggies or that gardening isn't exactly a cool past-time for that age group.

[via growabrain]

• Spearmint, for classic mojitos and anything that needs a refreshing touch.
• Basil, can also be included with mint in a mojito
• Thyme, adds a layer of flavor to a peach Bellini.
• Rosemary, add to a gin cosmopolitans.
• Sage, works well with tequila and "will raise your margarita to the next level."

They also recommend cilantro and tarragon, but for me, mint or basil is a better choice for an addition to summer lemonade than cilantro, which the Times suggests. Basil, thyme, rosemary and sage can all be used in cooking, too, though I don't necessarily endorse adding spearmint to, say, a grilled chicken dish. And a word to the novice gardeners: basil grows quickly and aggressively. Fortunately, you can make a killer pesto with the leftovers.

We have seen pyramidal watermelons before, and we have known that square watermelons have been on the Japanese market for some time. I have never seen one in my local market, but I would definitely not mind getting my hands on one just for the novelty factor. Fortunately, I caught a post that showed how to do it when I was browsing at Boing Boing. It looks like you just put the immature watermelon into a box with a removable side. As it matures, it grows into the shape of the box - just like a bonsai kitten, but much less disturbing.

[Image source]

With the start of tomato season upon us, more and more recipes that rely on the delicious taste of a freshly-picked tomato are appearing on food blogs and in newspaper articles. For anyone who likes to cook (or eat) and doesn't have room for a garden, it can be a somewhat depressing time, since tomatoes will not be at hand quite as much as they could be. Unfortunately, the lack of a green thumb is not the only thing that prevents people from gardening. Apartment and condo dwellers miss out, too. This Upside-Down Tomato Garden from Hammacher Schlemmer can solve both problems. Not only does it allow tomatoes to grow easily and without risk of rotting while resting on moist, shaded earth under the vine, but it can fit almost anywhere - provided that there is enough sunlight to grow the tomatoes. It's a fantastic option for anyone with a sunny apartment, a condo with a small balcony, or if you don't have the room or motivation to maintain a full garden in your yard. The tomatoes grown will be as juicy and fresh as you could hope for. As an added bonus, the top of the "garden" can be used for herbs or other small plants. Basil would be a good idea if you like Italian cooking, but cilantro would be a great choice for salsa fans.