But you are leaving a surface on the pan when seasoning carbon steel, a thin polymer. Also wdym treating it like cast iron? AFAIK their non-stickness works in the same way. (I definitely treat them the same and it seems to work)

graphite looks promising but is still in early days

Definitely not sunburn. I think its some infection or pest, though I’m not sure what, probably pays to separate it from other orchids. Good luck, I hope it recovers

Cut off the flower stalks but don’t chuck them. They are your best hope. There appears to be a little keiki (orchid plantlet) on one of the stalks and you should try and get it to grow roots as it is your best hope for the orchid to live.

Mines simple: a small desert bowl.

• Super easy way to make fancy steam poached eggs - pour a thin layer of water on the bottom of a pot and place small bowls on top (Coat each bowl with oil beforehand). crack an egg into each bowl, turn on heat and place lid on. Cook until white is firm but yoke runny. Serve on bread with avacado or butter
• place on top of butter to keep fresh
• cookie cutter! (Good for other doughs too)
• mini terrarium for micro greens (if bowl is glass)
• your own unique measuring unit that no-one else will understand
• upside down as a stand for raising other dishes up
• 1 person baking vessel - bake things in it
• scooper
• lid for jar
• pot for herbs

Your ferns are beautiful! What maidenhair is that first photo cos its huge and I love it

Awesome photo

Yea I love those both too, another of my favourite are shield ferns, for their beautiful brown and dark green colours, unfortunately I wasn’t able to keep mine alive which was sad.

Anyways here’s an update with more of my ferns I’m growing:

My family heritage staghorn (originally my grandads):

Some NZ native maidenhair (Adiantum aethiopicum) and another native fern I forgot the name of (bottom left)

Some wild native Rasp fern (Doodius australis) looking lovely and pink. Who’s growth I’ve been encouraging:

There’s lots of wild ferns around to, including giant tree ferns. These photos here are just the ones I’m currently somewhat cultivating.

Maidenhair (Adiuntum something):

Staghorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) and some little hen and chicken ferns in a tarrerium (Asplenium bulbiferum)

Nephrolepis (back), and 2 mystery ferns (bought them in an unsorted clearance lot):

I’ve got some of other ferns outside and in other places, but its dark rn so I can’t take photos. Will post them tomorrow when its light outside.

Its so hard to pick a favourite I love them all so much. I’d like to try to grow some from spore soon, would love to know what ferns your growing/your favourites too

someone has been trying and it looks like it has potential if it keeps on being developed: https://github.com/Fancy-Mumble/FancyMumble

This is amazing I didn’t know they could be coulored like that either. Thought it was coulor swapped first. Beautiful photo

I love micromoths too. we’ve got a micromoth called Zealandopterix zonodoxa its so cute and even has little mandibles that it can eat with. I love them so much.

Spagnum or some other moss (preferably home grown). if you buy it make sure to get the stuff that is still slightly alive (dried not toasted else it will rot and not work very well.

Most “sustainable” sources aren’t all that sustainable, but its my favourite substrate nonetheless, I’m currently trying to grow it myself (not very sucsesfully tho)

My favourite sandwich ingredient would have to be avacado. Though I realise its unobtainable for most people, Im lucky to grow 2 fruiting tree’s so get em for free.

fresh baked bread with a drizzle of olive oil. Toped with avacado, homegrown olives tomato and lettuce (and some very old Edam if you feel like it). But don’t forget to add some homemade Rocoto chilli sauce somewhere along the way, adding some sweet tropical spice.

Unfortunately avacados are seasonal. We get them for about half the year. For the other half I must sit and wait, patiently biding my time. Waiting for the sun to rise on a day when the avacados will ripen once more.

I dont know the shape of your bike frame but im guesing its triangle like. Here’s my most simple idea: Tie two rope hoops on to the top bar of the triangle. To attach the u-lock:

1. Unlock the u-lock and thread it’s bar through the two top loops so the lock is suspended from them. then lock it.

2. Using a short elastic cord with an easy secure mechanism. secure base of the u-lock to the bottom bar of the bike triangle, thus will stop it dangling

Ideally the elastic cord can remain attached to the bike when the lock is not attached

In my experience the best defence against ants is ants, they are very territorial.

I have had a colony of ants in a little box just inside my window for about 10 years now. They come in and out through a little crack in the window frame. The ants always stay near the window. I can even leave my food out and they won’t touch it (though any food placed on the windowsill would quickly be demolished). They seem to be only there for shelter. I respect their home and they respect mine.

However in another room that doesn’t have a resident colony I have problems with these pesky little ants that steal any food left out. They are so small they can even go under some lids. Their nest is outside yet they are so much more of a pain.

For you i would say there is no “nipping the colony off at the bud”, the ants are already there and properly settled, they probabably would have allready found the food if they were intrested in it, but if they start being a problem and taking food then you can get rid of them.

Otherwise just keep your house boundaries (such as with diatomaceous earth or carnivorous plants or in my case nothing at all), and they will be loyal guards of your porch, defending off annoying ants and many plant pests while improving soil. (Some ants also have symbiotic relationships with certain plants such as Pseudomyrmex ferruginea with Vachellia cornigera. the plants provide food and shelter and the ants defend the plant with their life).

Idk, I love ants. They are an important part of the ecosystem, and we couldn’t live without them. A loyal colony is good defence against other pests. And it’s nice entertainment watching them form highways carrying food and eggs too and fro. But if they become a nuisance in the house then you do probably need to get rid of them sadly.

Yea we can grow lùcuma here to (my uncle grows some), but Im not a big fan of it. Though I haven’t tried one since a kid so I should try it again (lots of my other food preferences have changed). How do you like to eat them? I’ve heard they are best in smoothies?

Yea they fruit great, we haven’t harvested any yet but they should be ready soon. (Or now I better check). They are so delicious

I’m not quite sure what you mean by elevation, But elevation would be only slightly above sea level and plantmaps.com says I live in zone 10b.

We live on the very limit for apples, only golden delicious and some cooking apples seem to do really well, other varieties we have don’t produce much and are vulnerable to pests. I hope climate change doesn’t skrew my apples over in the future but I think it might.

off the top of my head the ones that we grow and are fruiting (New Zealand):

Fejois (tons of em), persimmons, guavas, bannana, lemons (just started), avocados (nearing the end), quinces (gotta make jelly today), apples (we have picked golden delicious and cooking apples will be ready soon, I’m going to make some cider), figs (nearing end), Casimiroa, tamarillo, rocoto chilli. I think kiwi fruit are fruiting too but we don’t grow any.