National Pecan Day
April 14
According to the Royalty Pecan website, “Pecan” is from an Algonquian (Native American tribe) word meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. Pecan trees can live over 200 years. Pecan trees are native to Texas. 80% to 95% of the pecans grown in the world come from the United States. Pecan trees can grow to a height of 130 feet. Both male (pollen producing) and female (nut producing) flowers grow on the same tree. During the heat of summer each tree needs 150 gallons of water per day. One inch of rain falling on one acre of land is equivalent to 27,154 gallons of water. Even under drought stress pecan leaves will not wilt. Even though the tap root of a pecan tree can grow 20 feet deep, 95% of the absorptive roots are found in the top 24 inches of soil.
National Gardening Day
April 14
The earliest gardens were used to grow food and medicinal herbs. Around 1500 B.C. in Egypt, the first decorative gardens appeared. While ancient Romans and Assyrians were renowned for their beautiful gardens, the value of gardens as an aesthetic place declined during the Middle Ages. Monasteries, however, served to continue the tradition of garden design and the improvement of gardening techniques. There are an estimated 400,000 flowering plants worldwide and more than 10,000 different types of herbs.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Loretta Lynn – Singer – born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky
Pete Rose – Pro Baseball Player – born in Cincinnati, Ohio
