Thanks for the informative response @Why Tea

I'm trying to find a particular variety that will do well there.

I know they grow wild here

For example, this: ".A NEW thornless blackberry USDA cultivar called ‘Sweetie Pie’ was released that is resistant to disease, heat tolerant but tastes delicious. This cultivar, tested as MSUS119, came from a cross between ‘Navaho’ and MSUS29. MSUS29 is a seedling from a cross of [Humble x Brazos] x Navaho. ‘Sweetie Pie’ was selected at Poplarville, Mississippi in 1996. It was subsequently propagated and tested at McNeill, Mississippi, as well as in trial plantings in Louisiana and Arkansas. ‘Sweetie Pie’ grows vigorously and produces numerous floricanes, which are thornless and have a trailing growth habit."

I'd say if it does well in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, this will work in Texas : )

So see if you can find that. Bonus--thornless!

Thanks man I'll try and find some seeds online

The wild Blackberries grow to be as big as half dollars here

A picture from this year, they only got up to a little over the size of a quarter at best. Last year they were huge. Biggest I've ever seen

Our first year they were pretty bitter. These year they're much sweeter. We keep em netted now to keep the stink bugs off

Yeah those stink bugs are a nuisance

And for whatever reason they love hanging around blackberries

They suck the juice out of anything sweet up here including corn

Will fence lizards eat them?

There's not many predators for them. Wild turkeys cross bred with domestic turkeys for some reason can eat pounds of them, but their stink power makes them inedible to most predators.

@here does anyone know anything about growing mushrooms?

@Why Tea

Yes.

Are you looking to grow indoors or out?

I've only grown mushrooms from a kit, once, indoors. I'll defer to Alexander on this one.

All I know is that you need darkness and a shit ton of moisture.

Ambient (not direct) light

@Alexander B. - SC I am open to whatever works best

@R O M A N V S I know a fish tank would be a good place to let the spores grow.

Fish tank with a piece of glass inside to spray water on(enough to keep a humid environment, not make mushrooms wet) ambient light (such as in the vicinity of a window, not in the direct sunlight) everything must be thoroughly sterilized beforehand

Thomas has hit the nail on the head as far as indoor growing is concerned. Spores are injected into mason jars full of nutrient pellets in order to create the mycellium (spelling?) which is the "heart" of your mushroom growth. The contents are then removed from the jars and placed in a sanitized container, in ambient light, and then spritzed with water periodically.

When it comes to heartier mushrooms, you can easily grow them outside given the right conditions.

http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/shiitake-plug-spawn-approx-1000-plugs.html

^ this is a great resource for ordering "log plugs" which are exactly what they sound like. Simply drill holes in logs, insert plugs, boom - shiitakes. The conditions have to be fair, but shiitakes are pretty resiliant. I imagine you have to spray the logs with water once every now and again *maybe*. But I can't imagine it taking any more effort than that.

You can also use a medium of vermiculite and organic brown rice(ground)

@Why Tea @Nova @Thomas Morrow @Mr. Bulldops

Yes?

Thank you for the input thus far everyone, especially Alex and Thomas. I will do some more research and probably be back to further the discussion.

Ah, yeah your mushrooms. Good luck with them!

You got it, brother

Simple lesson coming soon on how to keep critters and varmints from getting your cantaloupes!

Is it a Ruger 10/22?

@Grenadier lol

Kek

How does one know if a plant is getting too much direct sunlight?