Chen Lan carefully sprayed water on the poplar wood inoculated with spawn, explaining, "It's July now, and the temperature outside is quite high, even higher in the shed. However, we can't spray too much water at once because the mature Tremella has already been harvested. This is the fruiting period for the spawn. If we spray too much water to cool it down now, it will cause the Tremella to fruit too early, and it won't grow large."
At this moment, Ming Wei asked, "Sister-in-law, if the temperature in the shed is too high and we can't spray too much water, what should we do?"
Chen Lan continued to explain, "There's no other way. We just have to keep the shed ventilated in the morning and evening and spray water frequently to keep the air fresh. When the temperature outside is high at noon, we must stop ventilation to prevent the hot wind and air from blowing into the shed. But if we ventilate for too long, the poplar wood will become too dry, affecting the growth of the Tremella. So, we have to spray water frequently, but not too much. If we spray too much water, the Tremella that grows will easily become moldy and rot."
After a pause, Chen Lan continued,
"Growing Tremella is like this. It's a job that requires quite a bit of care and patience. Otherwise, why would Tremella sell for so much?"
With that, Chen Lan shifted the topic to other aspects of Tremella cultivation, going on to discuss the prevention and control of pests and diseases.
"Also, Tremella is very susceptible to pests and diseases. Let's now talk about the methods for preventing and controlling Tremella pests and diseases. You must listen carefully."
"First, we need to clear away all the garbage and weeds from the perimeter of this shed because garbage and weeds harbor common harmful mites, mosquitoes, nematodes, and springtails. Then, we sprinkle lime powder on the ground for disinfection. We also need to sprinkle more lime powder at the entrance to the shed. People should step on the lime powder more when entering to disinfect their shoes, preventing the introduction of pests, diseases, and bacteria into the shed. We also need to prevent mosquitoes from entering when ventilating the shed; we should light mosquito coils to repel them." "Of course, before entering the Tremella shed, we also need to tie up our hair to prevent hair from falling onto the Tremella and causing mite infestations. Before spraying water on the Tremella, the spray bottles and our hands should also be disinfected with potassium permanganate solution."
Chen Lan was tired from talking, let alone the listeners. Everyone exchanged glances, completely bewildered.
At this moment, Ming Wei let out a sigh from the depths of her soul, "Growing Tremella is truly too difficult!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, saying, "It's really too difficult, too troublesome!"
Chen Lan quickly said, "You'll get used to it! Think about the deliciousness of Tremella soup, and you won't find it troublesome. Alright, that's all for today. The water has been sprayed, and the temperature is about to rise. We should stop ventilating the shed now to prevent the heat from coming in."
Saying that, she was the first to walk out of the Tremella shed, followed by everyone else. Chen Lan saw her mother-in-law, who had somehow followed them in, and immediately had an idea. Chen Lan quickly walked over, took her mother-in-law's hand, and said, "Mother-in-law, since you're here, I'll leave the Tremella shed to you to arrange for people to do the daily spraying and disinfection management. Whether you group them or have them manage together is fine, as long as the Tremella shed is managed well. I have other things to do in the valley, so I won't be involved in growing Tremella anymore. If you need anything, come and find me again. Mother-in-law, do you think this is okay?"
When her mother-in-law heard that Chen Lan was entrusting such an important matter to her, she immediately patted her chest and said heartily, "No problem, Xiao Lan. You can rest assured and leave the Tremella shed to us! Spraying water and disinfecting Tremella is a simple task. Although it's a bit troublesome and requires care and patience, at our age, we have plenty of care and patience. We have nothing else to do all day anyway. I'll take on this task with your Aunt Cui and Aunt Liu! You young people go and busy yourselves with other things. Write down the precautions for me later, and we'll follow them."
Chen Lan nodded in agreement. "Mother-in-law, I'll write a few copies on paper for you later. One will be posted on the wall outside, and the remaining ones will be given to each of you three. Is that okay?"
The mother-in-law smiled happily and said, "That's great! It's settled then. You hurry up and go to the valley to get busy!"
So, Chen Lan, along with Ming Wei, Hu Yuzhen, Cui Qiao, and Zhao Xiaoyue, headed towards the valley, each carrying a basket on their back.
As everyone passed through the woods and looked towards the valley, the valley floor was a scene of vibrant life. The distant cornfields were already lush and green, likely as tall as a person, and about to start tasseling. Further on, the potato fields were also verdant, with potato flowers blooming on every branch, in white, yellow, and purple. White and yellow were the most common. Chen Lan looked at the potato fields full of flowers and happily thought that the potatoes would likely be ready for harvest in about thirty to fifty days.
Chen Lan then looked at the closer vegetable patches, which presented an even more prosperous and lively scene. Many vegetables were already ripe, such as bright green beans, emerald green cucumbers, yellow-green pumpkins, rosy red tomatoes, and light green loofahs hanging abundantly from the vines.
Chen Lan now had no time to spare for enjoying the pastoral scenery. Looking towards the north where the houses were being built, a relatively modern detached villa stood by the side of the valley. The ginger-yellow exterior walls and the blue-black roof created a strong color contrast, perfectly coordinated without being overly ostentatious or cliché. The gourd-shaped pillars on the balcony were also in the same ginger-yellow color, further highlighting the villa's unique quality.
Four other houses were under construction nearby, and the construction site was a hive of activity.
Chen Lan quickly led Ming Wei and the others down into the valley and walked towards the recently completed detached villa. The interior decoration of the house was already fully completed, with a simple and unadorned style.
The deep red doors and windows were classic and grand, retaining the traditional farmhouse style.
Under the sunlight, the entire house looked exceptionally elegant. The large floor-to-ceiling windows were eye-catching, exuding a low-key luxury and depth.
The interior only needed cleaning of the floors and walls, with construction debris gathered and properly handled later when all houses were completed.
The interior was left for personal requirements and preferences, to freely place favorite decorations or green plants to purify the air.
Chen Lan led them to the bathroom. The bathroom had a partition, achieving dry and wet separation. The shower floor had a good slope, and the exhaust fan was already installed.
Chen Lan never expected their construction speed to be so fast! After all, this was their first time working with this new type of building material, and their first time building a house with it. This could only mean that Brother Xiangdong and Brother Erhu had a talent for this.