PAW PAW SEEDS AND SEED BEADS

The paw paw (or Papaya as it is known in some places) is a very delicious and versatile fruit, and no self-rspecting garden round here would be without a tree or two.

Even when green it can be used as a vegetable, or grated or sliced thinly to be used in a salad or a stir fry. When ripe, it is best eaten with a little sugar and lemon juice. When overripe or squashy, it can be used as a meat tenderiser or to relieve sunburn!

First you have to "catch" your paw paw...literally. The trees can grow very tall, and even if you can dislodge one with a prodder or one of those specially designed fruit cutters, you have to be underneath to catch it or it will splish-splosh all over the ground (much to the delight of the birds.)

This morning we picked a couple that were somewhat overripe, so son Peter decided he would plant some of the seed. I suggested that he make some temporary planting tubes out of newsprint, so that when they germinate, he can transplant them into their permanent planting position without disturbing the long taproot. I suggested he use a tallish jar as a "mould" to wrap the paper around into a tube shape.

The nearest jar to hand was full of seed beads someone had given me last week, and which I had not yet put away. Peter wrapped the paper rather too tightly, and when he twisted it to remove the paper, he unscrewed the lid, and seed beads went everywhere......thousands of them. The beads are very small, and brown in colour, and so very difficult to see on the timber table and floor. I suspect I will be finding them in nooks and crannies for weeks to come.

Now the picture of the paw paw has me inspired. I need a lovely variegated bright orange fabric for the paw paw, and lots of lovely grey and black seed beeds to cluster into the centre......... delicious!!