As I said above we can't tell you what to add without first knowing what is in there. Did you use the standard Sq Ft recipe of peat, compost and vermiculite? There are specific ratios of them required so that the pH is balanced. Or did you just make up a recipe of your own? If so then you have no way of knowing what the pH is. Or is it all just mushroom compost? Was any soil, any dirt mixed in? If not then it sure needs some. But whatever is in your mix you still have to cut way back on the watering. Water only when the soil at the root level feels dry. Over-watering kills more plants that all other things combined. When in doubt, don't water. best to add liquid so Im guessing worm castings tea would be good right? How often do I apply it? (by the way how does casting tea have more nutrients than worm castings if its watered down???) Think about it. It can't have more nutrients. It has what it has. But they are nutrients the plant roots can easily absorb. Plants take up nutrients with water so nutrients in the form of liquid/water are readily available to them. Solids just sit there until watered down. Plus, again, no soil bacteria to convert them to a useable form. Basic principle of organic gardening - an active soil web of bacteria is required. Until it develops you have to feed the plants. Worm castings are only 1 option of many organic fertilizers available and there are others that are better balanced and contain micronutrients as well as NPK. But the choice is yours and if that is what you want to use fine. It is normally made into tea that is steeped for several hours and then diluted to 1/2 strength, and applied weekly as a root drench when watering. The sunscald is from the plants being poorly hardened off first. Guaranteed when one tries to rush or skip the process of hardening off properly. And proper hardening off includes nights too not in and out and in and out. If it is too cold for them to remain out at night then it is too soon to be hardening them off. Sometimes the plants recover, sometimes they don't so be prepared to replace some of them. Dave PS: And while some mushroom compost may contain some nutrients they are of no benefit to the plants without and active soil food web. That requires soil - dirt - and time to develop.

No Brendan, LGD's don't work like that. Most of it is instinct, with a %age learned, such as normal puppy behavior of not chasing or playing rough. If we were talking any other type of dog, I'd agree with you. But we are talking LGD's-Pyr, Anatolian, Akbash, Maremma, and a host of other Livestock guardians-LGD bloodlines only no mixes of outside non-lgd bloodlines. These dogs bond with their charges, be it livestock, fowl, or people, and they become a pack or a herd, whichever you prefer. Probably the only reason a well bred lgd would eat one of their charges would be the threat to the herd-the sick one-and then they would normally segregate it, and after natural death eat. It eats it because it became a threat to the herd simply by being sick or dead, which would lure predators to the herd. This behavior is often mistaken for them killing it by newbies to ownership. No, they are not like other dogs. These dogs actually take care of their charges, be it keeping it warm, or cleaning up after a birthing, or staying with an animal stuck in the fence. Oftentimes they eat every other or third day, similar to wolves, who are their mortal enemy. If you ever have the opportunity to observe their interaction with their charges, please do. I've seen a pup actually remove a pail off of a goats head once-truly amazing the care that was taken, the thought process, and the sincere concern for the doe. Of course your scenario can happen, but it is highly unlikely and improbable, and of course there would be no need because the dog would have food readily available at his/her leisure. Brendasue

rosiequilts, I lost 50 pounds last year by calorie counting, which is just another way of saying "eating-loads-of-fruits-&-veggies-so-you-can-eat-the-most-food-with-the-fewest-calories". I learned to love vegetables! A pile of eggplant, onions, mushrooms & peppers with a little spaghetti sauce on just 2 oz. of pasta & 1/4 cup grated mozzarella is delicious & filling. Spaghetti squash can be substituted for the pasta (just put the spaghetti squash whole in a crock pot & it's done in 4-6 hours). For salads, I love to mix spinach, lettuce, diced raw green beans, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes and use 1/3 cup dried cranberries for dressing, or sometimes green olives and a little of the olive juice in the jar. If fresh produce isn't on hand, then combining frozen veggies & cooking in the microwave is tasty: kale, lima beans & cauliflower, for example. Veggies in combination taste much better than just plain. In winter I enjoy turnip greens & squashes. Cabbage is a versatile veggie, good for filler in soups & stews, sauteed, microwaved, or sliced for low-fat cole slaw made with Splenda. For munchies, I love to microwave a tub of Brussels sprouts or cauliflower & keep it in the fridge for mindless snacking (you know, when you get those urges to eat but you're not really hungry). A little butter or oil won't hurt you and, in fact, makes the vegetables more nutritious. Your body absorbs the nutrients better when a little fat is present with the veggies. Sometimes I like to make a green sauce of chopped fresh spinach & French parsley in a little cream & parmesan cheese, heated in a sauce pot. I serve this over a big plate of broccoli & cauliflower, and it's delicious. There are so few calories in the veggies that you can afford to indulge in the cream sauce. But then, that's dinner -- no bread, no side dishes, no heavy meats. Anyway, didn't mean to hijack this thread. Just wanted to pass on some good veggie food ideas. When you walk through the cookie/cracker aisle with indifference, but your mouth starts watering when you get to the produce section, you know you've made a good change!

Hi Everyone, Enjoyed a lovely dinner last night and cards with our dear friends. I ate Shepherd's pie (crustless type), biscuits and ice cream. Yes I went over my daily limit but I am not worried. I do the WW program and actually just used up my weekly freebie points or calories. Today and tomorrow I am in recovery mode to compensate. So what does my day look like? Cottage cheese 1%, home made barley soup loaded with veggies for lunch, apple for snack and dinner will be a full plate of steamed zucchini, squash, onion and a cooked egg. I will literally load that plate and put a spoon of margarine, salt & pepper. Of course water, water, water today. Why am I telling you this? Because you can deal with a meal event. I faithfully logged how much I had last night and noted the points/calorie values. I know where I stand. I am not deterred at all. I continue. Did I have a large serving? Yes, honestly and honestly two biscuits. Today I am quite happily puttering away at little jobs around the house and enjoying my healthy food choices. So don't despair when you have these moments. You dust yourself off and carry on. If you know a meal event is coming - plan a head. Reduce your calories a day or two ahead and then a day or two afterwards. Don't beat yourself up. Don't regret, feel bad - just do your best and keeping putting one foot in front of the other. You can do this. You can persevere through these moments in life. That is part of living a healthy lifestyle. Just be honest with yourself. Over the coming weeks I want to talk about planning ahead and then staying the course. There is a major meal event/weekend coming up in November for those of you in the US and I'd like to open the communication lines on how to deal successfully with it so you can enjoy your friends and family. Focus on the joy of the fall season. We'll get through that time together I promise and you will continue with your goals. That's what I wanted to say today to everyone, even those silent friends we have out there reading but not posting. I'm reaching out to invite you to come back and read our posts, share our journey. You don't have to share on here to be a part of our journey together. Just come back. If we can help you stay true to your dream then that is all I'm trying to achieve. Lets have a wonderful day today and tomorrow. Cheers, Peggy