Reddit mentions: The best vegetable plants & seeds

You need:

• a plastic container to house them in. You can cut and mount some mesh screen in to the lid for air, mine are fine without though, they like humidity but you need to keep an eye on mold.
  
• Substrate (traditionally paper egg cartons, but anything cardboard can work, like paper towel tubes, even burlap. They love the crevasses in egg cartons though!).
  
• An under tank heating pad. They will live at room temp but they are most productive around 32C (90F) Simply place underneath your container.
  
• Food and water dish. I like to use ceramic saucers meant to go under plant pots (these things) because they're low and the thick edge means they can easily climb in to the food.
  
  
• Water crystals as a source of hydration (they will drown in liquid water). Don't bother getting the pre-watered "cricket quencher" in the pet area, get the bulk bags in the garden section (Link)
  *You can also rely on produce as a source of hydration, aka carrots or celery or whatever. Just don't let them dry out!
  
• Food. The food you use determines how nutritious they are. Table produce scraps are good but high moisture levels will mold so remove quickly. Finely ground dog, cat, or bird pellets work (I have birds too so I feed my roaches bird food XD). Companies also sell roach chow mixes. Remember that what you feed determines how nutritious the bugs are!
  
• Oranges seem to inspire breeding!
  
• Place the food and water on top of or next to but not underneath the substrate to keep the food free of mold.
  
• Poop will accumulate on the bottom. It's a good fertilizer so dump it on some plants :). I just used a spare tank screen lid to sift babies out of the poop when I last cleaned the tank, worked like a charm.
  
  Here's a place selling roaches that's in the UK! Google "dubia roaches UK" or something and check out what comes up :) If a place sells by weight and not number that is a better deal!
  
  Unlike crickets dubias are very slow growing, and they take months to reach adulthood. Figure out what size you want to feed to your critters immediately and buy those. Or, If you don't mind waiting, you can buy mature males and females but you won't have babies to feed off for a while, one to several months depending on the size you need. You can also set up 2 containers, one with ready-to-feed roaches and one where adults make babies and you leave them alone for a while for the babies to mature.
  
  Roaches are super duper IMO!!

This is going to be fun. Across my multiple wishlists...

1.) Something that is grey.
Grey bedsheets.

2.) Something reminiscent of rain.
Pet water fountain.

3.) Something food related that is unusual.
Astronaut Ice Cream

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!)
This Bruins banner is for my BFF Becky. She loves the Bruins more than anything. Hockey is her obsession. I put it on my list to remind myself to get it for her at some point. It would make her happy.

5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
The Name of the Wind. Of everything I've read in the past 6 months, this one I devoured and have been desperate for the second book in (it's on my list to pick up this week, actually, if my paycheck EVER comes in).

Look, I hate... HATE... first person perspective. I see it as a sign of sloppy writing. However, this book had me SOLD on it. Kvothe is possibly one of my new favorite characters OF ALL TIME.

Avid reader doesn't even begin to describe me. I have my own library. I need books like air. And if I had to make a list of 100 books that were all I was allowed to have for the rest of my life, THIS WOULD BE ON IT.

6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
This kindle book

7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)
The most interesting cat toy in the world

8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.
This choker. Enough said.

9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?
The Breakfast Club Why? Because. It's a good movie. Whether you were the jock, the brain, the spoiled brat, the loser, or the troublemaker-- there's a character you can identify with, and it shows that whatever and whoever you are, you can get along with someone who isn't in your clique.

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
A Seed Vault

Everyone worries about fighting zombies.

Dumb. You see, when the zombies come, I'm holing up. A few weeks and if they are undead, they'll have rotted themselves to death. If they are fast moving, viral sumbitches, then they'll have likely ended up offing themselves through dehydration or whatever.

In any event, I'll wait them out. But then, I will need to rebuilt and eat.

(Besides, I have my trusty zombie-killing baseball bat, and a bow. Quiet. Efficient.)

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.
This book on Aztec and Inca expansionism. I'm back in school, and my focus is Mesoamerican Studies. Eventual degrees, here I come!

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.
Zucchini seeds.

13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?
A KitchenAid Mixer Why? I like to cook and bake. My mother has one that I used for years when I was a kid and still living with her. I'm 30 now. I remember she got it when I was like, 5. IT STILL WORKS. Over a dozen moves, being abused for holidays making bread and cookies and cakes, being used by my Dad (I swear, he looks at appliances and they break) and it STILL FUNCTIONS PERFECTLY.

I cannot think of a kitchen appliance that would be more useful.

14.) Something bigger than a bread box. EDIT A bread box is typically similar in size to a microwave.

This loft bed

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.
How about 7 somethings? A set of dice.

16.) Something that smells wonderful.
Italian Herb Bread Mix It smells good when you open the box. When it's mixed. While it's rising. While it bakes. After it bakes. As you've slathered butter on it and begin to nom.

17.) A (SFW) toy.
Hawkeye is so SFW I would bring him in to put on my desk.

18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
This book, of course.

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
Funko Tyrion Lannister because even a small man can cast a great shadow.

20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.
This.

No one will understand the magnificence of this plushie.

It is a rotund, cuddly, snuggly Cthulhu.

But Cthulhu does not cuddle. He does not care. When the stars are right, he will rise from the deeps and from his seat Ry'leh, devour his cultists-- and everyone else-- by the millions, and bring forth an end to all things.

But how can you deny his Elder God wrath? HOW?! Look at him, all squishy and warm and soft. Look at his little T-Rex arms, reaching out for your love and devotion. His eyes, his wiggly little face tentacles. YOU MUST SNUGGLE HIM.

fear cuts deeper than swords

What do we say to death? NOT TODAY.

Thank you for this contest :)

• This funko Catwoman it is .28 cents over though.. It would make my month as it is super cute, Dark Knight Rises is one of my fav movies, and it is just awesome :P
  
  
• Or this ghost pepper seeds for $4.13 for my hubby. He loves to garden and he loves hot stuff. You can't find that stuff around here and I know he would really enjoy it. It would make me happy to make him happy :)

I nominate my mom because she is the coolest mom I have ever met in my entire life. My dad is in the military so she had to raise my sister and I for years at a time as a single mom, because my dad was at war. She's my best friend and she is always there for me. She will literally drop anything she's doing if I am in a bad situation to come and help me.

Mom also was raised in a poor family and had to bathe in a lake until she was a teenager because her house had no running water. She learned to cook for herself and her siblings when she was around 8. She paid her way through college working at Wendy's, and never complained.

She also runs 26.2 mile marathons, is an exceptional gardener, an amazing artist, absolutely beautiful at the age of 52, and makes literally the best cheese grits on planet earth. She's fucking amazing.

Since my mom loves gardening, she would love these seeds.

This Zombie Plant is pretty awesome. Galluim has an extremely low melting point for a metal and will turn to liquid in your hand! This Stegosaurus Skeleton plush is one of my favorites. I love stegosauruses and skeletons and plushes, so its a godly combination. Hopefully you're a dinosaur fan!

This is pretty nerdy.. its some seeds for the coolest plant ever, super awesome fractal Romanesco Broccoli. We like to plant things and grow things and Id love to ingest some fractals, because I am pretty nerdy too !

I've been developing my own garden, and I'm curious what you guys like to plant. I love peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries! I've seen some super cool plants on amazon, [(like these] (http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Purple-Very-Pepper-Seeds/dp/B000TVJ4WA/ref=cm_wl_huc_item), [and these)] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E950WQ4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_img?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1TXT7ADV3OFZM&coliid=I3BPSJ7PE3NIVI) which made me wonder what kinds of things other people are growing. I personally would love to grow some purple tomatoes.

The link to your photo is not working.

It is hard to answer most of your questions without that link.

But a few I can answer.

As far as herbs go. You can do a lot of these in doors on a window. Only grow herbs that you are going to use, mint is really easy, so is basil, so are chives and garlic.

I just bought these seeds for my garden for this coming fall, winter, and spring 2017.

I have never used this company before but they have good reviews. If you plan on going organic I would get some neem oil right off the bat as it is a great natural defense for your plants and it is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

What kind of fruit are you thinking? Strawberries?

I am not a mushroom hunter (try /r/Mushrooms/ ?), but here are some ideas -

• I liked the book Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms. It's just one lady's story about how she got into mushroom hunting, and her experiences with the hobby, but I thought it well written and funny.
  
  
• One of those grow-your-own-mushroom kits?
  
  
• A walking stick with a morel on top?
  
  
• Some of those antique botanical drawings in a cool frame?
  
  edit: also, I really like the morel wine stopper on this site: http://morelmania.com/3Catalog/newcarvedmorels.html
  

Actually, I can work up an actual logo based on that idea. Basically flesh it out so it looks like an actual logo and so you can tell what the veggies actually are. I'll play with that tomorrow. :)

I also came up with another logo idea just now. I'll work on that one, too and surprise you with it tomorrow!

As for the veggies, I'll just link you to the Amazon pages:

http://www.amazon.com/Carrot-Cosmic-Purple-Seed-Needs/dp/B003TMH4F0/

http://www.amazon.com/Cauliflower-Brassica-oleracea-Seed-Needs/dp/B004FCQTM2/

As a bonus, here are some incredibly weird looking heirloom tomatoes that I plan on growing as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Sea-Man-Tomato-Seeds/dp/B000TQEPG0/

I'll drop you a PM tomorrow with the actual logo mockups. :)

Unfortunately shiitakes are a bit trickier. They grow best on hardwood logs (oak or the like) in fairly cool temperatures and quite a long time. With work they can grow on "fake logs" but I wouldn't recommend them to a first time grower. It takes a bit of experience juggling temperature, humidity, and air exchange that is best done with another species.

Oysters, on the other hand, will grow on damn near anything. I've seen grows done on phone books, money, even a stuffed bra once. Only thing to watch out for is spore drop. Oysters put out ridiculous amounts of spores and if you are the least bit allergic (or even might be) you do NOT want to attempt growing in your home.

If you just want to experience the fruiting part of the process, you can buy little "grow your own mushroom" kits many places these days (My local grocery store carries them sometimes) for about 20$. This is a block of already-colonized substrate that you just fruit. Quick and simple, its a good way to get your toes wet with minimal expenditure. http://www.amazon.com/Back-Roots-Organic-Mushroom-Farm/dp/B00CD0KZ78?ie=UTF8&keywords=mushroom&qid=1463901150&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1

Right then, on to the links! Best place online to find mycological information is shroomery.org . Its focus is largely on illegal mushrooms but they have a large and well curated gourmet/medicinal section as well.
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/postlist.php/Board/13

The north american mycological association also has a website with a fairly well written step by step guide through growing oysters.
http://www.namyco.org/cultivation.php

We also have a few fungus friendly subreddits here too!
https://www.reddit.com/r/MushroomGrowers
https://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/

And to round things out, an imgur walk through that would end up with a bucket very like the one in the video up above. This fellow doesn't pasteurize his substrate (risky, but thats his choice) but beyond that the process is more or less the same.

http://imgur.com/a/hjU0o


I can post more/better links when I get home. This work laptop has the horsepower of an anemic wood frog so its a little frustrating pulling things up.

Thank you! I’ve found some general stuff on ratios(10, 3,10).

I’ll get a pot with drainage for it. I bought them off amazon from David’s Garden Seeds. I’ve used them before for peanut seeds and they grew pretty well. David's Garden Seeds Pumpkin Dill's Atlantic Giant D602A (Orange) 15 Heirloom Seeds https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E0IKQNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_z31CAbM6SSRQD

Is there a better site to buy off of?

I don’t have a specific area in mind. I can do it wherever would be best. There probably won’t be much foot traffic as I’ll do it in a area of the school with little activity. It’s all grass though.

Was planning to do a compost with the kids so I’ll add that into the soil.

I’m also growing bok choy with grow anything pods.

They germinate super quickly (2 days for me) and you can get 100s of seeds for a few dollars. I don’t really see the need to pay extra for the pre-seeded pods if you know you’re growing something that will germinate and grow well hydroponically.

I planted 6 seeds in 3 pods and only one failed to sprout and I have to cull one anyway so no loss.

If you’re ambitious you can get a 50-pack and it works out to $1 a pod before seeds. Then you can have some fun being choosy about what you plant. This is what I have going right now with an excellent germination rate.

The only major word of warning is that you need to make sure you iron the label onto the top of the basket. If you skip this step you’ll be looking at major mold.

I'll have to post some pictures but pictures don't do justice of how pretty they are in person. I had really good success with these seeds: https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Indian-Corn-Heirloom-Seed/dp/B00AVZVGP2

Ah sorry for the misunderstanding. Those are not my carrots, just some pics I found while googling.

Growing colorful carrots is very rewarding! Might I suggest trying other colored carrots as well! This "carnival blend" seed packet is the actual one I ended up getting. It was neat pulling up red, and yellow, and white carrots along with the purple like so (not my pics, just some I found on google to illustrate different colors).

another blend


also found the fully purple ones too here and here.


I don't have much area for growing and thus my carrots did not get very big. I was considering just using a 5 gallon bucket, filling it with soil, and try growing in there.

16,500 Non GMO Heirloom Vegetable Seeds Survival Garden 40 Variety Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017YET9K6/ref=cm_sw_r_apap_o6ldvOKW3UUX9

I bought this, this year. Last year I bought from herloomseeds.com they grew awesome but I'm still pretty new so picking was hard, this year I'm checking an easier route. The seeds from heirloom were amazing though, after transplanting tomato plants in solo cups I set 4 on the edge of my garden because I had too many. I neglected them, but all 4 fruited with big tomatos I couldn't believe it!

GHOST PEPPERS!!! easily under $5 and goin to be some good fun growing and maybe eating them

You should buy mint! because gardening is calming and fun and mint smells and tastes good.

Aaand then penis peppers for me cause they're penis peppers, deputydawg.


You ate store brand chocolate chip toaster waffles!

This is the product in my photo:
Back to the Roots Organic Mini Mushroom Growing Kit. DIY Indoor Organic Oyster Mushroom Farm. Grow Edible Mushrooms at Home for Gourmet Cooking. Perfect Cooking Gift https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TUYGRU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VQRIBbGTS833G

I am looking forward to not having to get up at 5 am and to fresh produce from the farmers market.

Bell pepper seeds

Thanks for the contest :)

You can spend $20 on one of these pre-made mushroom "farms", or you could spend ~$100-$300 on a four tier greenhouse, humidifier, controller, fan, timer, pressure cooker, substrates, still air box or glove box, grow bags, etc.

Or you could spend many thousands on a grow room, laminar flow hood, and all the fanciest supplies. It's up to you. You can really invest as much time and money as you want. You decide your own level of involvement. ;)

Temperature for growing depends on the mushroom but in general is around 70F-ish. Some like cooler temps, some warmer.

I'm going to offer a slightly different suggestion because I know how much kids like to interact with their projects. "Interacting" with plants often means watering...and thus possible death, and disappointment. I also know that many kids tend to lose interest in things that aren't "doing" anything, like slow-growing plants.

So... how about growing a mushroom kit, or herbs of any kind from seed? There's a lot of daily, visual gratification from growth and change. In the case of a mushroom kit, you actually get to water them quite often because they need it. It's so satisfying. Our family had a great time with that earlier this year.

For a true houseplant, though, I second the recommendations for ZZ and pothos. Pothos grow faster, at least.

Thanks for the advice...15k seeds is quite a bit...what was more surprising is it was only $14 or so....Here is the link if you are curious. I can't wait to get started!

So did you buy this?:

http://www.amazon.com/Heirloom-Vegetable-Seeds-Variety-Pack/dp/B017YET9K6

There are some seeds you can still start right now, like all the lettuces or the radishes.

I just googled for a vegetable sowing calender which fits you climate zone, this one should be perfect since you say you're living in Zone 8a: North Carolina:

http://when2plant.com/

So there are many vegetables you can still plant directly outside into your beds.

http://www.amazon.com/Trinidad-Scorpion-Jolokia-Seeds-Things/dp/B0045VM6IY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2SZ0QP89EFRER&coliid=I22FQH0QMYXKLI
400 gifts
i love to grow things

Ya man. I’ve been growing for 10+ years, but since I’m an adult now I wanted to do some non-psychedelics. Instead of going the whole route of inoculating jars and making a fruiting chamber and stuff, I just went into amazon and bought a few grow kits. Depending on the type of fungi you wanna make they grow on different substrates (ie saw dust for shiitake cuz they grow on wood, or wheat, whatever). Anyways, when you order you get a bag of substrate completely colonized by the fungi mycelium. My shiitake log all I had to do was soak it in water overnight then stick it in the fridge for 24hours to start the fruiting process. After that I placed it on a plate in a cold spot in my house (needs to be under 75 degrees Fahrenheit to not grow mold) and covered it with this little plastic bag with holes it in to keep humidity in. It came with a little spray bottle and you just spray it a few times a day. I just did it in the morning, lunch break, after work, and maybe before I go to bed. Once they started pinning you water it as often as your able. In about 5 days they were all fully grown and I plucked em. Now I let the log dry out for a few days, then I dunk it again in water overnight and put it in the fridge then BAM another flush. Supposedly can get up to a pound over 3 months from just one.

The oysters are a little different. Just cutt an X in the bag and place it near a window and spray it as often as you can. Once I saw them grow they were ready in 3 days. Literally growing an inch or more a day.

Here’s the ones I bought. Keep in mind when your more experienced you can use their substrate that’s colonized to do a bulk grow and can harvest TONS at once.

Root Mushroom Farm-Shiitake... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076YP4WMB?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Pink Oyster Mushroom Farm -... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07681XTGV?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

I ordered a white oyster one and its total crap. Don’t buy this one

Back to the Roots Organic Mini... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TUYGRU4?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Lmk if you have any questions bud

As another user said it's getting a bit late to start peppers from seed, but I found a variety pack on amazon - $1.30 for 40 seeds: http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Rainbow-Pepper-Seeds-240mg/dp/B001LR46SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396825446&sr=8-1&keywords=pepper+seeds. There are many other options online as well.

Another possibility. https://www.amazon.com/Back-Roots-Organic-Mushroom-Farm/dp/B00CD0KZ78 Make mushroom growing at home a hobby to understand how they grow. Good for explaining to kids. Could be a science project.

Phillip!

I was going to say Prince as a joke...since thats what his name will include! haha

Organic rainbow bell pepper seeds, $1.40. :)

Haha, I didn't expect this

Back to the Roots. I got it as a gift for Christmas.

I received it as a gift, but I think this is it http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CD0KZ78

Seeds.

https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Pepper-Red-Hot-seeds/dp/B003OOBI0A

Also it's a ripoff apparently. According to reviews these are plain red chili seeds. (I wouldn't trust anything being sold with such an image, it looks like they pulled it off of google.)

I bought it on Amazon a few months back

you can buy preinnoculated kits at the grocery store usually too

or off amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Roots-Organic-Mushroom-Farm/dp/B00CD0KZ78/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1503533628&sr=8-4&keywords=oyster+mushroom+kit

You can actually get them on Amazon, too

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Roots-Organic-Mushroom-Farm/dp/B00CD0KZ78

Buy it here. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AVZVGP2

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Roots-Organic-Mushroom-Farm/dp/B00CD0KZ78

Here it is! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CD0KZ78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Last year Superstore sold this Back to the Roots Mushroom Farm Kit for $20, and haven't seen it in store since. It was placed right next to the bulk white mushrooms in the produce section. I didn't buy it at the time cause I thought it was too expensive.

There's also the Peter Pepper http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Pepper-Red-Hot-seeds/dp/B003OOBI0A

my local grocer sells these.

link to the product for more details

yeah there's basic, dead simple ones available thru amazon