Yes, certain you are correct about spores already in the soil. Must have come from our part of the world where mushrooms grow like crazy.
Funny story: one of the medical clinics around here had psilocybin mushrooms growing profusely on their grounds. Some of the local youngsters realized this, and there was a lot of night time pickings that occurred there. Once it was discovered what was happening, local police put a stop to it rather quickly, and I think the clinic now has an effective mushroom abatement program.
The East and North facing parts of our lower yard. Path is looking due south. We’ve had the best luck with tomatoes planted along the north facing fence. Tomatillos too. Sunflowers do well. Before we tried that location, we’d planted them all over, with little success except for cherry or grape tomatoes. Amazing along the north fence, as long as we stick to strictly heirloom Varieties, romas, or cherry/grape types. The tall vine you see is hops. We don’t use the plant, just kinda fun to grow. Will have to look into some possible uses for it, not beer tho. Getting ready to paint the deck, so no flower pots out yet. Basil in three large containers, not transplanted. Like to keep it in pots - makes it easier to keep an eye on. Lots of other garden areas, will share pics tomorrow, if beautiful weather holds out. Am enjoying a glass of wine deckside. Pure heaven. More rainy weather forecast for weekend. Meant to add, think the plants like the north fence due to warmer afternoon sun, as well as the wood absorbing the day’s heat and releasing it in the cooler evenings. Have pictured canning projects in other threads, with a huge crop of tomatoes a couple years ago. Crop last year not great, so ate, shared, and froze some. We rarely buy tomato products anymore, except for tomato paste and ketchup.
I’m excited that my garlic finally is growing scapes, so phew I didn’t accidentally put in the wrong bulbs. I also finally saw some fresh sprouts from my ginger, so I guess those things weren’t dead after all. Just really delayed development on my end.
@shrinkrap - and be aware of the apricot pits giving off that delicate fragrance of sodium cyanide as well! Unforgettable…
Thanks for the garden compliment. I’ve got a lot more garden pics to share, including a whole raised bed of garlic. Hope to get those today and post. It’s cool and rainy here, with the furnace going this morning. You’d think it was late October - dang!
Thanks @kobuta! Will post more pictures, including the grape patch, and plum tree. Also the native bushes that give us huckleberries and salad berries. They’re all over our yard, and I fully intend to utilize all Mother Nature gives us this year. Will share with the birds though.
Warning! While there are certain varieties of Apricots which have toxin-free seeds, many, if not most Apricot kernels are poisonous. They contain cyanogenic glycosides which the body converts to cyanides. Much of the pleasant, bitter almond fragrance is the toxin. The body can metabolize tiny amounts, but it does not take much to kill or permanently damage you. Please read this first.
Apricots with non-toxic kernels are advertised as such. SweetHeart™ is a well known edible nut variety from Stark’s. The amount of toxins in the kernels varies wildly, depending on the particular variety or within a seed-grown population.
Yes, I thought they were poisonous, as well, but didn’t take the time to do the research, and I’ve also run across some preserve and conserve recipes, that call for a couple of pits. So, thought I may be mistaken on the possible toxicity. If you know, weren’t they contained within a supposed cancer cure called Laetrile? Popular in the 70’s, it was banned in the U.S., but people often bought it on the black market, or traveled to Mexico to get it. In any case, thanks for your post.
@Lambchop, @bogman, thanks for all the warnings about the apricot kernels! I did read bogman’s link.
I should have mentioned the warning, as most if not all the references I read do mention it, and some mention how to mitigate it.
For example the NYT recipes say “To disable the amygdalin the noyaux contain, and prevent the body from converting it to cyanide, give the kernels a quick toast before steeping them in the alcohol” and “Steep them into the pot of bubbling fruit, where the heat will coax the perfume out of the noyaux and into the preserves the heat will also disable the small amount of amygdalin the kernels contain, preventing the body from converting it to cyanide”., and in the comments; “European Food Safety Authority says that the safe one-off dose of apricot kernels (assuming cyanide still present) is 3 small kernels or half a large kernel. So if ALL the cyanide (or precursor) ends up in your alcoholic extract, and you use 30 small kernels for 1 pint ~ 500 ml alcohol, then the average adult would be safe with a 50 ml shot glass. Baking with a 1 tsp ~ 5 ml amount would seem to be well within the safe range”.
I DID use a tiny amount (less than 1/2 shelled kernel; one reference says "…as Paracelsus wrote, “The dose makes the poison.” ) while macerating the apricots (which is ongoing), and I did fish them out. And I did taste a tiny bit…
So far I’m still here, but do sound the alarm if I stop posting 20 times a day.
But didn’t you already harvest a few? I do have a few tiny green ones but they are a long way from eating, and who knows what he calamity will come to pass before then?
I am hopeful though, and I have my stash of Dukes Mayo at the ready.
