Started with bean: I have never had a problem with plants that have mushrooms growing in them. As someone else on a recent forum post said to the effect, at least you have something growing...so you must be doing something right. Mushrooms and other fungi are just a sign that your soil is alive and working. I would not worry about those pots other than to say they me be a bit more damp then they have to be. Ross.

Have you considered using a tripod mounted halogen shop light? Florescent bulbs have to be very close to do the job. Halogen light is closer to natural light. You can get tripod lights which have a crossarm with two lights which can be adjusted up and down in height and the arm will rotate from horizontal to vertical. Most importantly the lights will supply a lot of heat. So you have both heat and bright light when you need it the most.

Silvia - I saw a number of people that I know during the Leu Gardens plant sale last week but I didn't see Cheryl. Miranda had to work. I went with a gardening friend. I really wanted to go to ECHO Farm Day too but I didn't want to go alone. Hubby had a work meeting he had to attend. Hopefully, next year. sultry - Thanks for the heads-up about the mushroom thread. I'll check it out soon. cfldoc - The mushroom plug vendor sells spawn varieties (strains) that grow well here in Florida. The logs don't have to be fresh cut but they can't be very old either. Reason is, as the log ages other mushroom varieties may get into the log. Some could be poisonous. I'm told that the shiitake mushroom logs can be soaked for about 24 hours five weeks after harvest to encourage a new flush of growth. The logs will only produce a certain amount of mushrooms so soaking will use up the supply faster. That's fine with me. If this works out well, we will probably grow many more. As for the oyster, I'm told not to soak them because they can't be forced. They will produce when they are ready. I'll keep you posted. Christine

all the mushrooms are 'doing' .. is using the decaying wood in the ground ... but for wood to decay.. it needs water.. and 'uses' nitrogen .. in breaking down .. e.g. if you had a big pile of wood chips.. you would water it it to keep it moist.. and throw some 49-0-0 on it.. to 'speed' it along ... cutting a year or two off a 4 year plan to make compost out of wood ... so if you have some REAL LARGE roots ... they can actually be stealing water from the area ... i am talking at least an inch or two thick.. or more ... usually.. you will see a pattern in the mushrooms, where in they may follow the source of food ... say a root you cant see ... and if you take a hand trowel.. and just shove it down.. you may hit the root ... just as a curiosity ... i dont work so hard as to dig them up ... they are rotting ... if its as dry as you say.. i am surprised the shrooms can even prosper ... but your hosta decline.. is probably more water related.. rather than any side effect of the shrooms ... i do NOT recommend hyper fertilizing soil [i was talking about composting in general] .. but i would recommend water.. water.. water.. not only for the hosta.. but for the decomposition process .. you sound like you are intent on moving them.. go for it.. just learn about your soil.. and you can aid the process ... but dont go nutso over a free and extra show of mother nature ... and if kids are around.. simply teach them .. ALL MUSHROOMS COME FROM A CAN or the grocer ... they can experiment with them .. when they are adults .. but not in the yard ... [and if they are already adults.. and harvesting them out of your garden.. well.. you raised them ... lol ... ken