Joshua States

Burton Sparks wrote:Joshua, how exciting! I've done a winecap bed, but only oyster in logs.

Joshua States wrote:The oyster bloc got cut in half and buried just below the surface, covered with dirt and wood chips.

You don't spread the oyster spawn like winecap? I couldn't tell from their website.
Is the thought that the beds get moisture from rain, or greenhouse runoff?

This company sells Italian Oyster block in a few varieties: some is spreadable spawn, log inoculation, bucket kits, fruiting blocks and plant & grow blocks.
https://northspore.com/search?q=Italian+Oyster&type=product&options%5Bprefix%5D=last

I wanted to buy the plant & grow block but accidently ordered the fruiting block. The fruiting block is "side fruiting" which means you are supposed to leave it in the bag and cut one of the sides open. The mushrooms grow out the side of the bag. It doesn't matter which side you choose. I wasn't going to grow these indoors, so I decided to take the chance and treat the fruiting block like two smaller plant & grow blocks. I cut it in half, turned each side up, and planted them. We will see what happens.

The beds will likely get watered by rain and by hand until I get my rain catchment system set up. I live in a very arid climate.

I decided to try growing some mushrooms this year.
I got some Wine Cap spawn.



And an Italian oyster block.



I prepped a bed on the outskirts of the greenhouse with some partial sun and followed the directions, clear down to dirt, spread straw, spread wine cap spawn, cover with more straw and finally cover with wood chips. That's the 4x4 area in the foreground. The oyster bloc got cut in half and buried just below the surface, covered with dirt and wood chips. That's the area in the back part of the bed.



I also took some wine cap spawn and spread it along the side of one of the beds in my new outdoor garden.
Wish me luck!

The over-winter report.
I cut down virtually everything that froze during December.  I left a few beets, radishes, carrots, and some of the arugula and lettuce that was bolting (gotta save those seeds).
I planted more radishes and carrots and a bunch of leafy greens and have been enjoying fresh salad fixings for the last 6 weeks.  One of the beets is the size of a softball. We eat the greens in salads, so I've been letting them grow. We ate a few of them and they were delicious. Oh yeah, I left one broccoli plant. It's just starting to bolt It's the tall one in the back on the left side. I've planted some peas, broccoli, more greens

Left side



Right side



I saw a YT video about mixing wood ash with water to water the garden with. It's supposed to make stuff grow much faster. Between that and the bunny manure, stuff really is taking off.

I have taken a liking to a genre of music called "Pagan Folk".
This is a German Band named Faun

Faun video

My brother sent me a video on these winged beans. After watching it I came here to see what else I could find. It seems the only posts are several years old, so I am raising this one from the dead (necro-posting).
Although these are tropical, they theoretically can be grown in temperate climates. I may try these in my green-hoop-house this year.

Here's the video: https://youtu.be/6tmM3lYSE5E?si=xY6DgKzgyghNHuaS

Interesting YT channel as well.

How I feel about AI......

Nancy Reading wrote:It's late in the season, I suspect magnesium deficiency.

Do you intend to keep the tomatoes going much longer? A dose of Epsom salts is the quickest/available source for a pick you up. If the frosts are due soon I wouldn't (personally) bother as the plants will die then anyway.

I do plan on keeping them until they croak. We have below freezing temps every night, but the greenhouse is staying pretty warm, so the tomatoes and a couple of holdout peppers are still hanging in there.
My wife came home today with a quart bag of Epsom salt from one of her yoga students who has a fabulous garden. I'll see her tonight and ask how to apply it. If you have any suggested methods, I'm all ears.

May Lotito wrote:Do they look like these:https://permies.com/t/165424/Ack-brandywines-dragon-scales
How about the newer growth? Are leaves and flower clusters getting smaller with uneven fruit maturity within a cluster?

Yes! That's exactly what they look like. I'll go out tomorrow and cut all the affected stems & leaves off.

Anne Miller wrote:I would try this:

1 gal water, 1 T dish soap, 1 T baking soda.

I put it in a spray bottle to make applying it easy.

Some recipes call for adding oil. I have never found a need for the oil.

What ailment is this supposed to treat?

C. Letellier wrote:spotted wilt virus?

go to the second picture down.spotted wilt

It does look very similar, but the articles did not have any treatment ideas or plans.