Veggie Gal: GROWING STUFF-Day01

Contents of Basil GrowBottle

GROWBOTTLE

I surveyed the contents and found a wine bottle cut in half, a piece of felt, seeds, vermiculite, clay beads, and plant food. I mixed the plant food with a gallon of water and filled the bottom (body) part of the wine bottle 3/4 of the way full. I then pulled the felt through the top half of the wine bottle, leaving an inch and a half or so sticking out of the neck of the bottle and coiling the rest up in shoulder of the bottle. I then placed the top of the bottle upside down inside the bottom. After that, I rinsed and place the clay beads into the top half of the wine bottle. Next add vermiculite to the top of the clay beads and sprinkle the seeds evenly over the vermiculite, pressing down lightly. Cover with a plastic bag and let the basil sprouts grow to be about 1 1/2" tall (I used a 1 gallon zip lock bag and zipped the bottom of it 3/4 of the way)! All of this is per manufacturer instructions, but the great part about it is, now that I know the intended process and set up, I can reuse all of the constituent parts. I just need to get new seed, plant food, and vermiculite. Furthermore, since I will need to buy the vermiculite and food in bulk, I plan to make my own homegrown bottle...he he...I should tm that if someone hasn't already!

Contents of Mushroom Kit

MUSHROOM KIT
I opened up the box, removed the front panel, and cut a + shaped slit in the front of the mushroom bag. I then soaked the bag in cold water for 24 hours to rehydrate the already inoculated (p. ostreatus) substrate material (sterilized 100% recycled coffee grounds). Then, I dry the bag and replace it in the cardboard box with the + shaped slit framed by the opening in the box and I will mist the inoculated substrate beneath the slits 2 times a day with 2-4 spritzes each time! All of this is per instructions provided the manufacturer...if this goes well I will be experimenting with more/different strains of mushrooms and eventually producing and inoculating my own substrate material.

OTHER FUN PROCESS PICS!