Anna Fox

I'd throw in Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). It's a true survivor, popping up through concrete and gravel everywhere. While you have to know how to prepare it (the young greens are edible, but it's toxic when mature), it produces huge amounts of biomass for chop-and-drop mulch and provides tons of berries for birds. Plus, it's just ridiculously tenacious.

I'm sure, little by little, you'll turn that concrete into a really productive space!

Anne Miller wrote:

Anna Fox wrote:I'm actually dealing with almost the same thing right now. The mold in my bathroom keeps coming back, and I'm starting to realize it's probably not just the ventilation. The wall it’s growing on is shared with my bedroom, and I'm noticing that area stays damp even when the bathroom looks dry. That makes me think there might be a small leak behind the tile or plumbing that’s feeding the moisture..

Sounds to me like the sheet rock or whatever the wall is made of would need to be removed.

That small leak, if there is one could be damaging your sub-floor causing thousands of dollars to repair.

Yeah, correct. I finally called a local mold removal company, FDP Mold Remediation, for an inspection, and unfortunately, it's extensive. They confirmed a deeper issue, not just surface growth. I need a complete remediation, which includes removing and replacing porous, contaminated materials. Trying to DIY wasn't cutting it, and I'm really glad I had them check for the root cause. It's definitely more than just a ventilation fix for me, they suspect a persistent leakage issue is feeding the mold.

That's actually a pretty common (and encouraging!) thing to see with air-layered branches. When you girdled the stem, you blocked the normal downward flow of hormones, especially cytokinins, from the roots. Meanwhile, auxins coming from the buds get "stuck" above the girdle. High auxin levels are exactly what trigger rooting, but they also slow down leaf aging and delay leaf drop. So those sections basically stay in their own little hormonal bubble while the rest of the tree gets the signal to shut down for winter.
It doesn't mean anything's wrong. If anything, it suggests the layers are still alive and actively trying to root. You might just need to give them some extra time before separating them.

I'm actually dealing with almost the same thing right now. The mold in my bathroom keeps coming back, and I'm starting to realize it's probably not just the ventilation. The wall it’s growing on is shared with my bedroom, and I'm noticing that area stays damp even when the bathroom looks dry. That makes me think there might be a small leak behind the tile or plumbing that’s feeding the moisture. I’m still cleaning with vinegar and peroxide, but at this point, I'm focusing on figuring out why that wall keeps staying wet, because that seems to be the real source of the problem.

Great write-up! I've found similar results with focusing more on soil texture and moisture consistency than on fertilizers. Loose, airy soil and steady watering seem to make the biggest difference for tuber size. I've also had better luck when I limit the length of the vines that actually root,  concentrating energy on a few strong plants instead of letting every runner take hold.
For slips, I've been selecting from the fattest, healthiest roots each season, and those tend to sprout sturdier starts with thicker stems. Mulching with leaves or straw really helps stabilize the soil temperature, too. I'm curious if anyone's experimented with small potassium boosts mid-season (like diluted wood ash or kelp meal). It seems like it could help push tuber bulking without overshooting nitrogen.

It sounds like you made the right call, Pearl! Walking onions are surprisingly hardy, but those temps around 20°F can definitely damage the greens' texture. You'll probably still see some green regrowth after things warm up, though. I've found they bounce back fast once daylight increases. Dehydrating what you already gathered was a smart move, even if the tops get frostbitten, the bulbs and sets underneath will stay fine for spring growth.

That's a great suggestion from Karima. Air layering is such a gentle way to keep the momentum of a big, mature Monstera. They usually respond so well to it, too. You'll probably start to see roots forming in a few weeks if it's kept warm and humid.
It's amazing how resilient these plants are, even after a fall, they seem determined to grow back stronger!

That sounds like a great plan, Lina! Smart to start with the borders and hedge strips first so you can see how the land responds before tackling larger sections. With your Mediterranean coastal climate, creating shaded zones for the planters will make a big difference once summer heat sets in.
It's nice that the drainage already feeds into your pond, which gives you a head start on water management! Little by little, you'll turn that concrete into a really productive space.

It really does look a lot like Chlorophyllum molybdites from the photos,  and that species alone has sent plenty of people to the hospital with the exact symptoms you describe. The green gills are a strong clue, but, as others said, a few Lepiota species can look similar in the early stages.
Some toxins take time to cause internal damage before symptoms return.