Hi from New Zealand

[frustratedearthmother]

Very nice!

 

[flowerbug]

i wonder how that compares to bananas, flying in planes and getting x-rays... no, i'm not going to look it up. i like bananas...

 

[Britesea]

I have been reading a lot about mycelium helping plants lately. I was thinking of growing King Stropharia (I believe the same as what you called burgundy mushroom) in the shadier parts of my garden; I can use hay to get them started. My biggest problem with growing mushrooms is that the vast majority of them want hardwood- as chips or for plugs- and we simply don't have them in our area; it's all pine and juniper. There is a variety of oyster mushroom that grows on softwood, which I may try. We also have morels, but they seem to be very difficult to domesticate.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I think you are on the right track, adding organic matter to your soil. Everything that I've read says that adding clay is counterproductive. Clay + sand + water = cement. You might look into ordering some wine cap mushroom spawn. I bought some about 3 years ago, and they have naturalized here and there in my orchard and garden. They can be grown on wood chips, sawdust or straw.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...hUKEwiuoP2zwuDlAhVRneAKHQNeD2EQMyguegUIARCnAQ

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I have been reading a lot about mycelium helping plants lately. I was thinking of growing King Stropharia (I believe the same as what you called burgundy mushroom) in the shadier parts of my garden; I can use hay to get them started. My biggest problem with growing mushrooms is that the vast majority of them want hardwood- as chips or for plugs- and we simply don't have them in our area; it's all pine and juniper. There is a variety of oyster mushroom that grows on softwood, which I may try. We also have morels, but they seem to be very difficult to domesticate.

I just did a post about that variety of mushroom. They have naturalized here and there on wood chips in my orchard and garden. Can you contact a local wood worker to get some wood chips or sawdust? You wouldn't need very much to create a patch. About 2 - 4" deep, perhaps an area 3 x 6' would give you a great bed. You could then mulch it with oak or other hardwood leaves.

 

[mischief]

My current garden soil is sandy loam, with more sand than loam. I can tell you that by constantly adding organic matter in the form of mulch, the soil color and texture has changed dramatically. Original soil: tan in color, sandy. Now, to a depth of 8", it is very dark, and of good soil consistency.

I also have experience with heavy clay soils. My previous garden was built on heavy clay native soil. Gray, slippery clay that any potter would love to work with. After a rain, walking on it would result in it sucking my shoes off, or leaving me with a 3" sole of cement clay stuck to the bottoms of my feet. When I converted to Ruth Stout gardening on this plot, which was wet, did not get enough sunlight, and plagued by tree root invasion, I was able to get into and plant the garden about 6 weeks before my neighbors who had the same growing conditions. When the ground finally did dry out, my mulched soil did not turn into the hardened cracked cement that was evident in my neighbor's garden. Under the Ruth Stout system, my clay soil thawed sooner, did not remain water logged, did not turn to dry cracked cement in a dry summer, and was more friable.

BOTH types of soil were improved significantly with the addition of OM.

Over time, the OM added to sandy soils builds up a good matrix that stays put. But, it takes TIME, and constant addition of materials. I can't tell you how many gardens I drive by that are plopped in the middle of a home owner's lawn. The surface of those gardens sets at least 4" below the grade of the lawn. I was always perplexed by this, until a co-worker inadvertently solved the riddle for me.

She: "I'm thinking about not growing a garden next year."

Me: "Why?"

She: "It'll be too much work to get it ready next year."

Me: "What kind of work are you talking about?"

Her: "We have to take all the dead plants out this fall, and haul them to the dump. Then, we'll need to bring in loads of new dirt in the spring, and till it all up. I don't want to spend the money to haul in new bags of dirt."

That was my "AHA" moment: Fall clean up. These folks with their sunken gardens are constantly stealing from the soil, and never putting anything back.

Conversely, my garden soil has always been problematic (if you can call it that) b/c that dark rich soil spills over onto the lawn, which sits BELOW the level of the garden. I will occasionally take wheelbarrows full of soil from the garden to fill in craters left on the lawn by settling or chicken/snow plow damage. And, still, when I pilfer soil from the garden, it continues to spill over the top! I WILL NEVER REFER TO MY GARDEN MATERIAL AS DIRT! DIRT IS WHAT I SWEEP UP OFF MY KITCHEN FLOOR!

So, I can tell you that I have experience with different types of soil, and have found the addition of OM to be the answer in both cases. Yes, you can add sand to clay, or clay to sand. But, IMHO, either scenario is an expensive, laborious undertaking and does very little to improve the LIFE of the soil.

As for worms and their preference for sandy soil or clay soil: My experience has been this: They LOVE OM. In either garden, (the clay based or the sandy loam based) the worms have proliferated with the addition to OM. I've been 90% no till for YEARS, and have found that the worms abound where there is OM. When I go out in the evening, especially when the dew has settled, or it's raining a bit, the surface of the soil is CRAWLING with worms who are out doing their wormy dating rituals. Put down a mulch over either type of soil, and the worms, as well as the rest of the soil life will thank you and reward you thousand fold.

Yes!! I agree whole heartedly.
We all have soil that is local and its not all the same, but i am thinking that what our soil and our plants, be them annuals or perennials need is organic matter and I have come to the conclusion that we need to adding and literally pouring in organic carbon.
I think now that they also absolutely need mycelium- mushrooms types...and more,
We have spent so much time growing food and pretty plants without realising that what we need to be doing is growing a robust healthy soil.
I once told the nursery manager of a forestry nursery that I was working for... '99% of our work force live and work beneath our feet, we need to learn what They need to do well and perhaps then we will to'. I still think this. I dont think it has too much to do with whether you have a clay soil or a volcanic silt, like I do. Those are important variables, but are still just local.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

@mischief , I think you are wise to stick with native mushrooms. I'm sure there are plenty that would do what you need them to do. I'm confident that there is a mushroom similar to our wine cap that can grow happily in a well mulched garden. I thought my wine caps were no longer, but after adding some stable bedding that was combination of fine shavings and various types of animal nuggets, the wine caps made a come back!

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

Hi.
I live in the South Waikato New Zealand.
I have been working on growing my own fruit, herbs and vegies for a number of years and this year an hoping to add some native edible mushrooms to the mix.
I got my first bee hive as a news years present for myself in 2017 and managed to keep it alive by the skin of out teeth. Last month, it needed to be split so now I have 2 and looking at the original, I'm wondering if I need to split it again cos Its still so big.

My main goal is to get a healthy eco system in place that not just feeds me but as many other lifeforms as I can do.
I also decided that if it wasnt a fruit, herb, vegetable or beneficial insect plant, then it had to be a native and have been slowly cycling out things that just dont fit.
My fruit loving dog, Jack, is old enough now that I think I might be able to add chickens this year as well and to be honest, I am looking forward to finding a local farmer who will let me buy fresh from the farm milk so I can start making cheese and yogurt again.

New Zealand... The first time someone from NZ joined the forums... you're very much welcome!!! I know you'll find the forums very interesting... Have a great day!!!

 

[mischief]

Welcome! My son has been to Vanuatu! I loved hearing his stories about his experience while there. If I could travel any where in the world, it would be to visit NZ or Australia. I'm in central Maine, Growing zone 4B. Ground frozen Nov through mid April. So... we're quite opposite from you in both weather and location!

Yep! I just cannot understand why anyone would want to live somewhere where the ground freezes...for almost half the year (!!?)....brrrrrr my winters are never that cold but even my dog agrees with me when its time to light my fire.
I get confused with the different growing zones. I'll have to have another look at what our average highs and lows are.

 

[flowerbug]

it varies to how long it is frozen, but i do like having all four distinct seasons. the past 10yrs or so it seems like we don't have much of fall or spring but more of summer and winter. the transitions seem more intense and shortened.