O/T continued Favorite non-gessies, photos and chat

I thought it was time for a new thread, in case the other one was taking too long to load for some folks.

I'll start off with something about as unrelated to gesnariads as possible!

Here's the 6 inch shiitake mushroom I grew last week on a kit my brother in law sent me for Christmas. I couldn't believe how quickly it grew.... First, there was a little bump, then a couple of days later a bump on a stalk, and a couple of days after that a HUGE mushroom! What fun!! And it was very tasty, too!

That is so cool. What do you do with it ? Eat it ?

critter..shitakes are neat...often times they are just stapled /attached to oak trees and they form from there...great eating as well...

I actually had a friend who was growing shiitakes on a commercial scale, selling them along with other upscale produce (including edible flowers) to local restaurants.... so I've helped out with innoculating logs (making cuts, packing with sawdust spawn, sealing with wax) etc. We got to cut all the young oak trees we wanted from a pine tree plantation where hardwoods were considered weeds! But I was in another state by the time the logs really started fruiting (with logs, it takes a year or two after innoculation, while the mycelium grow all through the wood), so I didn't get to do much harvesting. The kit was really cool because of the way you could see the mushroom start to form under the surface and because it was so easy to watch its progress!

Allison, you bet I ate it! It was the best mushroom I've ever eaten! :-) I sauteed it in a little garlic oil, then added a bit of roasted tomato/pepper sauce from the freezer (last year's garden was productive!) and put it over linguine.... Mmmm-mmm!

WOW so aweseom Jill ! That plant is so cool. How many mushrooms might it grow for you ?

Fancy.

When the weather is right (like now) we can hike the hills for Chantrelle mushies. YUMMY.

but you only got one mushroom from the kit - how do your tastebuds stand it???

welll.... supposedly it should produce more than one mushroom at a time, but this was its first harvest, and it was a truly huge mushroom, so we're cutting it some slack. It'll continue fruiting in cycles for months... I have to let it dry out & rest for 2 weeks (while the mycelium grows in the block), then I'll soak it and put it back in the terrarium.

Here's where it started, Day 3:

Day 6:

I thought lots of mushrooms were starting, but only this one took off...

Day 6 bigger mushroom bump:

Day 8: Looks like a mushroom!

Day 10:

Day 11:

(on Day 12, I picked it & ate it... it was fully 6 inches across! YUM!)

what happened to the other bumps?? They didn't grow?

Nope. The other bumps just sat there. I left it in the terrarium a couple more days just to be sure, too. I figure the next "flush" (harvest) will be much larger! And then we'll feast! :-) It gets dunked again this weekend, so I should have an update next week....

Jill (Fancy!)

That large lump of spume you have in that tank was an oak stump? No. What is teh kit made of? Decaying wood composite?

And, in picture: Day 3; what is the monocot plant bit in the extreme top left? (Nice Avs, by the by)
Kenton

No... the kit is not an oak stump! I think it's compressed sawdust or something. It looks like a very large and badly toasted marshmallow.

That green & white plant is a wandering jew. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/101716/index.html I got mine from mysticwill (Heather). Should I take cuttings? ;-)

Just curious. -In more ways than one!

Kenton forgot to tell you...the other day..the 6 foot stumps of the baldy cypress in the back that i had cut down 4 years ago....just fell over with a gentle push...they were heavy but had rotted at bottom...glad i got them out..

if anyone wants wandering jew...or the striped kind.....please send me bubble envelope...it's erveryplace and driving me nutz

I was wondering what that reminded me of, but couldn't think of it - "a large, badly toasted marshmallow.." that's it! :)

That is so wild ! I betit's fun ! I not a mushroom eater
but happy your's is yummy :))

let me see what i can find in the jungle...

this is my ruby red ornata musa from july

I can't believe the colors! How big does that one get? I have a tiny one in my playhouse. It's a dwarf kind from HD.

laurie this one gets about 6 ft tall or so...it's quite nice....yours looks good as well..they are really a wonderful plant/tree/ and several of mine are just for the blossoms..don't give bananas....hurricane took 2 of my finger banana trees...only one left.

just took this pic of the stackable pot Lorry gave me...i put strawberries and "tunies" in it....out front by the many ofther pots of dahlias...waiting for them to return....plumeria on left....

Zone envy here! I might try one of those nanners in my green house. Maybe when I'm there, you can help me locate one with purple flowers like that.
I have a nice ghse to put tropicals in for the winter. I'd have to find a baby so I can get it home. As it is, I think I'm going to have to rent a UHaul to get my begonias home. Well that wouldn't be so bad, I could stay with all the DG friends along the way as I drive home. hehehe. (just kidding, I can't really do the truck thing - but it would be fun. Shop along the way!!)

laurie...you're certainly welcome to camp out here in our jungle...lol....and that would be great fun...to shop along the way...i am SERIOUSLY thinking of doing that with plumeria in south west fla and the keys...

Stop here! There aren't many greenhouses, but I make a good cup of tea.

I'll be going to Key West while I'm there, driving myself down and stopping at little nurseries along the way. DH better put a location devise on me in case I never come back!!!
I've been to Cape Canaveral, Kissimmee and Gulf Shores (Pensacola) many times but that's as far as I got. I used to go to Pensacola every year for vaca with family. Kind of a reunion. My cousin from Atlanta wanted to vaca there. He had MD and it was one of the joys for him to go to the beach each year. So we all joined.

I'm so excited about my visit!

P.s. be careful what you offer, I'm a great camper - you all might never get rid of me...lol

DH has an elk to p/u in Colorado so if we get that way, I'll stop by for tea for sure, perhaps a painting session too!
Besides, isn't there an av nursery near you?

Bob your stacking pot Lorry gave you is beautiful :)) I need to do mine with special plants. I may do Begonia, Epsicas and Streps and hang in house :))
Lorry was so kind to give them to us ! Thanks ! Lorry . Was it hard to do Bob ?k

There's Violet showcase about four-five hours east on the front range nearer to SarahJo80. (I'm visiting her next March!)

"Mi casa es su Casa"
Hey, when I travel, I often think "wouldn't it be nice to know someone here so I could park/camp in their driveway, and they could tell me the best places to eat..."

allison...that is a wonderful gift from Lorry...and it is so easy...it must have taken all of 10 minutes...yours will look beautiful..but maybe more work than mine..Hope it's green tea...lol....
..and Laurie...you must put a sign on your car when you travel here..(even if it's rented)...and let us know it's you...Pennsacola took a real beating from the recent hurricanes in 2004 and 2005...glad you had such a nice time there..bob

Ha Ha Ha, here's my car sign Bob! I'll be sure that I put it on my car so folks know why I am weaving in and out of traffic to get to that next nursery. (oh and it will be a UHaul truck)

Or how about this one?

Or maybe this

Are you creating those signs on your PC or do you really have them?
They are wonderful! Gotta get some for my car!

ROFLMBBO.....love it...how bout BEGONIA 1