Gardening: 2002-2009 Seasons

[Hopleaf]

Are they the little guys who look like button mushrooms that pop up in my lawn from time to time?

I'm sort of new to this gardening thing, but I know this much: MAGGIE, DON'T EAT THOSE, THEY MIGHT CAUSE HALUCCINATIONS!

[JSD]

Are they the little guys who look like button mushrooms that pop up in my lawn from time to time?

I'm sort of new to this gardening thing, but I know this much: MAGGIE, DON'T EAT THOSE, THEY MIGHT CAUSE HALUCCINATIONS!

This guy probably wished he had just had hallucinations, instead of a new liver. I guess he thought he could tell mushrooms apart.

click here

[sparrowgrass]

There are old mushroom hunters, and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are NO old, bold mushroom hunters.

No, no, NO, do NOT eat mushrooms that pop up in your lawn. They might be ok , they might kill ya , or they might make you wish you were dead , and the risk is just not worth it.

That said, I have several types of mushrooms I have learned to identify over the years, and I eat them regularly, but I am quite cautious.

If you are interested in mushroom hunting, take a class or find someone who does it to take you out in the woods for a hunt. Learn about gills and pores and spore prints. Buy some books--I have at least 6. I bring home lots of mushrooms to identify, frequently identify something as being good to eat, but throw it away anyhow, just in case I am wrong.

Oyster mushrooms grow on wood--dead or dying trees. They are white to grey color, have gills and smell faintly of licorice.

This site has a picture http://www.econetwork.net/~wildmansteve/Mu...der/Oyster.html

[Hopleaf]

I just prefer to buy mushrooms. It's just far too dangerous (and especially after reading that article that JSD linked, forget it!).

I'm sure there's some measure of satisfaction from going out in the wild and picking 'shrooms if you know what you're doing. But it also seems like an unnecessary walk on the wild (ha! punny!) side. Thrillseaking is not my game. no bungy chords, no parachutes, no spelunking, no ice-skating after March 15, no frogger-like jay walking. As I get older, I get more and more cautious.

I did find a recent episode of Good Eats interesting wherein Alton Brown discussed mushroom farming (after a bit on picking wild mushrooms that featured Death complete with sickle and black hooded cape...funny). Aparently they have to create some sort of solution to the fact that mushrooms can suck the nutrients out of a dead tree relatively rapidly and that they were only good for one or two harvests. I forget what the material was (maybe compressed wood chips) but they were able to get about 5 or 6 harvest off of these instead.

And for the record, never shroomed either.

[Nick]

A few years ago I saw an article about some people here in Maine that were growing shitakes on logs - so I did a google search on the subject. Here's the link to the result.

Growing mushrooms on logs

[sparrowgrass]

I have an uncle who grows shitakes on oak logs, here in SE Missouri. You can buy spawn for oysters, too.

Many people are afraid of eating the fruits of the wild--'shrooms, berries, nuts, shoots and sprouts. I taught a class on wild edibles when I was a state parks naturalist in Indiana. It is great fun, as long as you are careful and do your homework first.

Morel hunting was a rite of spring in Indiana--secret spots, people sneaking on to other people's property, dinners of fried morels. Morels are pretty much unmistakeable, so the only problem you have is the tummy ache from eating too many. Or if you drink alcohol while eating them--that can cause problems with some other types of mushrooms, too. Something in them that destroys the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the body.

[Hopleaf]

Or if you drink alcohol while eating them--that can cause problems with some other types of mushrooms, too.  Something in them that destroys the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the body.

does this happen from drinking a lot of alcohol or eating a lot of mushrooms? or both?

[sparrowgrass]

Here ya go, all the fax, from

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/byname/toxi...like-toxins.htm

(Short version--it depends.)

Some mushrooms contain coprine (N5-1-hydroxycyclopropyl-L-glutamine), a protoxin without intrinsic toxicity. Coprine is metabolized to 1-aminocyclopropanol, which inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). ALDH catalyzes conversion of acetaldehyde to acetic acid.

Inhibition of ALDH produces a clinical syndrome similar to disulfiram (Antabuse) alcohol reaction. Disulfiram also inhibits ALDH. Ethanol usually is metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde, which is then metabolized by ALDH to acetate and carbon dioxide.

After ingestion of coprine-containing mushrooms, ALDH is inhibited and consumption of ethanol results in acetaldehyde accumulation; this inhibition of ALDH takes at least 30 minutes, which is the time required to metabolize inactive coprine to active 1-aminocyclopropanol. Therefore, small volumes of ethanol ingested concomitantly with mushrooms may not cause toxicity. Enzyme inhibition generally persists for approximately 72 hours but may continue for 5 days. Remote use of ethanol may produce acetaldehyde toxicity days after mushroom ingestion.

[jess mebane]

Wow, man. Check out the big brain on s'grass.....

[Hopleaf]

So, I'm trying to put together a schedule for sowing seeds as well as an overall plan for planting (transplanting from flats and such). Is it enough to just take the "Days to Maturity" indications in the seed catalogues at face value or is there an adjustment to be made for one's particular zone?

[Nick]

First of all, for early sowing, think about the weather (what it's going to be like after planting) and what the soil conditions are. Has it (the soil) warmed up enough for the seeds to germinate? Is it still too wet and the seeds will rot in the ground? Will there be a frost after the seedlings have come up and will they be able to take it?

Also, before planting, take note of the depth at which to plant the seeds. And special preparation for some areas for certain vegetables. For instance, where you plant your squash seeds (in a hill) you should dig out a hole and then mix well-rotted cow manure and compost with the soil and fill the hole back in. When you plant the squash seeds, don't plant them too deep and plant them "standing up" with the pointy end down. This is the end the roots come out of.

Notice what you're doing so you'll remember what you've done the first year when you go to plant the second year. I've most of the time made a sketch of the garden each year showing where each thing was planted and the date of planting.

But, most of all, when you're just getting started - have fun. Remember, when all those little plants are coming up, the weeds will be coming right along with them and then the work begins.

[maggiethecat]

But, most of all, when you're just getting started - have fun. Remember, when all those little plants are coming up, the weeds will be coming right along with them and then the work begins.

Absolutely spot on. I've gardened for years, and with the arrival of all the seed catalogues over the last couple of weeks, I am really itching to start! But by the middle of May...the weeds.

The days to maturity guide on the seed packs seem mostly to work, at least here in Zone 5.

Get your greens, peas and sweet peas (Floral. Don't eat! Poisonous!) early. Control yourself and let the soil really warm up for most of the other stuff. It actually seems to hurt, not help, if you plant too early.

(And I break this piece of advice at least once a year! )

[Hopleaf]

Well, I definitely will have fun. And at this point look forward to the weeding (you shoulda seen me with the first snow fall I got to shovel...new homeowner bliss...should wear off by next year).

But I do want to get some lettuce in as early as possible. I understand that they don't much mind an early planting as along as the soil temp is creeping into the upper 50s or 60s.

Hey Nick, have you ever tried your hand at planting hops? I found a web site that will send rhizomes through the mail. I'm wary of it tho and hope to find someone in the Chicago area that has them. Just thought with your green thumb you might've had a chance to try them.

[snowangel]

Have you given any consideration to a place in your yard to put your feet up and enjoy your garden, have a drink, eat a meal?

A few years ago, a wicked storm knocked over the big tree in our back yard. Planting another tree was out of the question because of power lines, and had we chosen another site in our backyard (we are inner city; back yard not large), it would have provided a ton of shade for our neighbors and my sunny perennial bed. So, we opted to build a pergola and patio. Not a deck.

My pergola is absolutely wonderful. THe patio is absolutely wonderful. Most wonderful of all is the wisteria I planted 3-4 years ago, and which should completely cover the top of the pergola this year, providing a nice amount of shade. I have hung lights (believe it or not, icicle lights look wonderful dancing in and amongst the wisteria). We have a table, a glider/love seat thingie. It is a focal point, and has garnered much attention from my neighbors. I keep it swept of snow early in winter, and many mornings (provided temps are in the teens) will find me bundled up with cup of coffee in hand, enjoying my space.

And, I can't begin to recount the number of meals we've eaten under our pergola (bugs permitting), nor the time spent just watching stuff grow (main activity). Plus, my kids are pretty pleased that they are the only kids they know that know what a pergola is.

[maggiethecat]

Susan..

What an absolutely beautiful post. That is, no irony at all, what life is all about.

We sit on our patio every day weather permits. Smelling the flowers. Counting the fireflies. Saying hi to our friendly neighborhood skunks. Checking out the constellations. Talking. Grilling. Having coffee in the morning or a cocktail at night. Discussing the roses .

We call it "Sitting Out" and it's almost sacred. The worst part of winter is not being able to "Sit Out."

[Hopleaf]

Here, here! Next to hanging out in the kitchen, my next favorite pasttime is kickin' it outside. And I do have some plans. One of the pieces of furniture the previous owners left behind is a two-seater couch-type thing that needs new cushions but is a perfect outdoor "bench." Plus we've been luggin around these four ratan chairs that need to be re-upholstered with an outdoor-proof fabric (most likely to match the bench) and they need a new varnish. The way I look at landscape design is similarly to how I see indoor design: comfort, focal points and good energy flow. With that in mind, I have this idea to use an old window frame I found, distress the paint a little, and plant a viney thing so that it grows around the frame. I want this to be somewhat centrally located to my flowering beds and I plan to put the seating areas around it. We already have a deck that has a built in bench, with the grill and some wicker seating so far it's been a great place to hang out. But it's not to removed from the house and sort of lacks that outdoor setting.

At any rate, snowangel, you're right on. You have to have a place to just kick it out in the space that you end up putting so much effort to make serene. That's what it's all about.

And maggie, this winter's been relatively mild. I'm sure you've probably sat out a couple of nights? Especially those days we had in December that climbed near the 60's?

[sparrowgrass]

Whoo-hoo, I think I know how a gambler feels when those nickels start tumblin' into the tray!!

Last spring, I hatched some chicks, and ended up, after owls and dogs, with 6 laying hens. Those girls began laying eggs, and for some reason, I decided if I was going to fool around with having chickens, I should get in deep, so I mail-ordered 25 more chicks, to add to my flock.

A mixed batch, those chicks--pale yellow ones, leopard spotted ones, red ones, black ones with cream spots--and they have grown up multicultured, too. I have at least 5 different breeds. Well, I have been feeding the little pigs (I mean chickens) since August, and I have hit the Jackpot.

Seventeen eggs this morning. I am fond of eggs, not just to eat, but esthetically. They are a lovely shape, perfect, rounded, comfortable in the hand, especially when that hand has been outside in the cold wind, and that egg is still warm from the hen.

And the colors--all the way from milk chocolate to cafe au lait to rich cream--a couple dozen in a blue bowl on the counter, in the morning sun, is a poem.

Crack a couple into butter bubbling in the cast iron skillet, toast some homemade bread--what finer way to start the morning?

Anyhow, wish I could send you all a dozen.

[Nick]

Hey Nick, have you ever tried your hand at planting hops?  I found a web site that will send rhizomes through the mail. I'm wary of it tho and hope to find someone in the Chicago area that has them.  Just thought with your green thumb you might've had a chance to try them.

Hopleaf, Sorry to take so long getting back to you - the thread disappeared for awhile.

I bought an old place years ago that had hops growing out back. They were really pretty and the hops were coming along nicely until maybe late July of August and then they went brown. Don't know the cause and sold the place the next year. So that's the limit of my hop experience. There must be tons of info on the net.

[maggiethecat]

And maggie, this winter's been relatively mild. I'm sure you've probably sat out a couple of nights? Especially those days we had in December that climbed near the 60's?

Hopleaf..I was actually tempted! Unfortunately, the landscape is kind or sere and bleak right now.

Remember, guys, if you are planting poppies, early February is the time!.. Just toss the seeds on a bare patch in the garden. That's all that's required.

[Nick]

Remember, guys, if you are planting poppies, early February is the time!.. Just toss the seeds on a bare patch in the garden.  That's all that's required.

Papaver Somniferum?

[maggiethecat]

Remember, guys, if you are planting poppies, early February is the time!.. Just toss the seeds on a bare patch in the garden.  That's all that's required.

Papaver Somniferum?

Nick: You wanna mail me some seeds?

Actually the classic red Legion of Honor, and some pretty pink frilly Shirley poppies.

[chlorisnj]

Edible garden borders -- in a regular garden are both attractive and easy to handle.

Keeps the bug population to a minium too. For years I had a large garden which had an

alternating walkway border of Parsley and Chives. Not only did I have bloom but I was

provided with an easy access to freshly cut additions to salads. Chive flowers are globes

of lavender, which may be cut to decorate a platter or dried in a bouquet.

They will return year after year if cut frequently and not allowed to go to seed,

Pretty Pansies planted in the fall bloomed in the spring their blossoms a colorful

salad addition. A light covering of salt hay helps with the wintering over.

It is not always to confine an occasional onion,chive, or herb in a veggie garden row

Edited January 21, 2003 by chlorisnj (log)

[Nick]

Nick:  You wanna mail me some seeds?

If I'm ever lucky enough to come across some I will. The flowers are so pretty.

[maggiethecat]

A thread after my own heart.

One word for you: nasturtiums. Foolproof. Many, many lovely varities. The leaves and flowers really do taste peppery, like watercress!

And , like you, I grow chives in the border. Also basil and Swiss Chard "Bright Lights."

[nerissa]

A thread after my own heart.

Don't forget dill. My gardening self has gone dormant but I probably spent a last 3 hours a week with my plants from April till September. Since I have an apt/balcony garden, can't really comment on actual borders, but I found dill and marigolds to be effective in attracting/repelling the good/bad and planting among plants. My cousin said that since he planted garlic, the bugs have left his plants alone. Okay, this is getting off topic...

Would love to plant argula similarily (in imaginary borders) Have grown in pots, but have had trouble with it.