Bad news first: some tomates y ayote squash are apparently suffering from
blossom-end rot. Caused by lack of calcium, the plants' foliage sucks up all the calcium and the fruit is deprived; the first fruits on the plant develop black rotten spots, as seen here on my poor tomates. Hopefully, with a more regular watering schedule, the rest of the fruit will develop normally and deliciously. I also added more crushed eggshell to the affected tomato plants, supposedly an easy and effective way to add calcium. [I assume rot is fungus, but maybe not always?] Luckily, in other regions of the squash forest, fruit is growing like crazy! I am enchanted by the bright bodacious squash blossoms (and still waiting to harvest enough at once to use them in a recipe). check out the beautiful ayote squash hiding in the leaves!
Anyway, on to the good fungus:
Kombucha!
See fotos above of the making of my 5th batch of the mushroom-derived elixir. Kombucha is the flat, round mushroom floating in the top of the bowl. The jar will sit in the cupboard for the next 7-10 days, after which time the té negro will transform into tangy sparkly kombucha tea. I am currently experimenting with flavors. One day I'll be able to flavor with my very own nispero y melon plants! For now, it's jenhibre (ginger), límon, and jamaica. yuuuum!
