My first trip down the rabbit hole...

Alright, so I've dabbled with shrooms a bit in the past but I've never tried to cultivate them. I will not be doing this at my home location as the risk is just too high for me but I have a collaborator who will be housing. I am only involved for the sake of learning...anyways. Here's the rough plan outlined based on BatCaves awesome lil green house. Alright enough chatter here's the materials list.

Spores: Penis Envy, PES Hawaiian, Golden Teacher and Treasure Coast
Spawn: Pre-sterilized Rye Berry bags, 3lb x4
Spawned to: Coco Coir + Vermiculite in small bins
Fruiting chamber: 3 Tier Mini-greenhouse (49"x 28" x 20")
Humidifier: Crane Drop Shape Cool Mist Humidifier (1gal rez)
Air: FAE + 4" Polar Wind
Clean room: Glove Box, 66qt Sterilite bin w/ paint stripping gloves
Sanitization: 99% iso, 15% bleach, Lysol disinfectant spray
Drying: Either fan + Drierite Desiccant or 10 tray 600w dehydrator depending on budget at the time

Tentative plan/expected outline. Feel free to chime in if anything here seems out of line, newbie at work lol

1) Make glove box, sterilize using bleach dilution
2) Prepare the syringe by flame sterilizing the needle
3) Insert spawn bag + syringe into glove box and wipe down both with 99% iso on paper towel
4) Shake vigorously to disperse spores in solution and then inject into rye berries through self-healing injection site.
5) Repeat x3 and then place the 4 bags in a dark place @ 75f (closet maybe) taking care that self breathing patches are exposed
6) Let sit for 3-4 weeks for complete colonization. Shake each bag to distribute mycelium after aprox 10% colonization and 50% colonization. Only twice.
7) Prep coco/verm bulk substrate according to http://www.shroomery.org/10858/How-to-do-Coir
8 ) Distribute spawn into bulk substrate bins in glove box and mix well. Target - 4" Depth.
9) Cover bins in aluminium foil and place somewhere dark for approx 1 week for complete colonization of the coir/verm.
10) Add casing @ 1" depth... recover with foil until mycelium breaks through. Optional, spot casing at this point.
11) Once colonized move bin into fruiting chamber to start pinning. Maintain @ 95% rh via controller, then drop to 92% for fruiting. Run fan 15 on - 45 off to aid FAE.
12) After 7-14 days first flush should be complete, harvest and wait for next flush.
13) 7-14 days more for second flush, harvest, repeat for third flush.
14) Dry in dehydrator @ 135 for 4 hours OR 48 hours in light breeze + Drierite Desiccant in drying chamber to complete.
15) Discard medium and sterilize trays for future use.

Anything I'm missing? is my timeline reasonable? Thanks for all the tips and advice so far. I hope this to be a successful en devour for my friend and I. Pics will prob be included once something starts happening. Still have to get the fruiting chamber setup. Love projects

Seems like you've been doing alot of planning. It's good that you have a basic game plan. If you could. Especially since you haven't really started your master plan. Maybe try to get a low priced pressure cooker. Just to have on hand. Another thing that you may want to get are the medical face masks that fit in front of your mouth and nose. You can get that, the pc, and a box of like a hundred gloves on amazon for under $50. Another thing to consider is casing instead of just going the monotub route. And for later. Manure, and using the pc with popcorn for a popcorn/manure tek, or just the popcorn tek.

DaSprout said:

Seems like you've been doing alot of planning. It's good that you have a basic game plan. If you could. Especially since you haven't really started your master plan. Maybe try to get a low priced pressure cooker. Just to have on hand. Another thing that you may want to get are the medical face masks that fit in front of your mouth and nose. You can get that, the pc, and a box of like a hundred gloves on amazon for under $50. Another thing to consider is casing instead of just going the monotub route. And for later. Manure, and using the pc with popcorn for a popcorn/manure tek, or just the popcorn tek.

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Yeah honestly I'm not trying to go comercial by any means. If I can get away with ordering sterilized start bags and avoiding most areas of contams that's what I'm going for. The coco/verm technique looked like a cheap way to make bulk, and only required a 5gal bucket and boiling water. I guess my method is considered a monotub correct? If I top that tub off with coco/verm once they start pinning is it then considering a casing? This languauge seems more foreign then growing. And you guys love your abbreviations, like tek (technique) pc (pressure cooker) wbs (wild bird seed) still tring to figure out wtf brf is lol

Oh and I also wanted to ask why you like the popcorn tech so much?

Bags have been inoculated as of 3/29 start the the timer.



Temp looks a bit cool, but nearly perfect, aiming for 75.

Someguy15 said:

This languauge seems more foreign then growing. And you guys love your abbreviations, like tek (technique) pc (pressure cooker) wbs (wild bird seed) still tring to figure out wtf brf is lol

Oh and I also wanted to ask why you like the popcorn tech so much?

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BRF is of course, brown rice flour. The reason why i'm into the popcorn tek so much at this stage is popcorn is easier to come across and prepare than rye. It is also less likely to become contaminated than wbs. And it gets great results. Comparable to manure, and works excellent with manure after full colonization. If you were at the point where you were working with cultures such as LC (liquid culture), or agar. Then I would say. Buy a huge bag of wbs and call it a day. But when you're just starting out. And you realize that pf tek with the brf cakes is kinda crappy. Popcorn is the next best thing. Especially when you have dozens of dollar stores around. And grocery stores where you can always pick up some popcorn. It's also less of a hassle than having the stuff mailed to you. It's just something good to know about. Just incase you fall in love with this "hobby" like batcave did. Besides why else did you invest in the other stuff. We both know that this will not be a one shot deal. Putting the non nutrient layer on top is casing.

your going about this the right way with casings... be carefull dont get caught growing booomers... they will weigh casing/jars and all fucking u fully over

DaSprout said:

BRF is of course, brown rice flour. The reason why i'm into the popcorn tek so much at this stage is popcorn is easier to come across and prepare than rye. It is also less likely to become contaminated than wbs. And it gets great results. Comparable to manure, and works excellent with manure after full colonization. If you were at the point where you were working with cultures such as LC (liquid culture), or agar. Then I would say. Buy a huge bag of wbs and call it a day. But when you're just starting out. And you realize that pf tek with the brf cakes is kinda crappy. Popcorn is the next best thing. Especially when you have dozens of dollar stores around. And grocery stores where you can always pick up some popcorn. It's also less of a hassle than having the stuff mailed to you. It's just something good to know about. Just incase you fall in love with this "hobby" like batcave did. Besides why else did you invest in the other stuff. We both know that this will not be a one shot deal. Putting the non nutrient layer on top is casing.

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lol ok I only used half my syringes, so now I'm obligated to do another one after. But really once I get some ounces I will have enough for a year at least, why grow more? And I have yet to buy fruiting chamber supplies, gonna cross that bridge when it comes. I like the grain style because you can do g2g transfers and also colonize a surface area more quickly then pf tek. I assume popcorn is a grain like technique and the mycelium doesn't form a cake like the pf tek? So mainly you like popcorn over wbs because it's less contaminated?

theexpress said:

your going about this the right way with casings... be carefull dont get caught growing booomers... they will weigh casing/jars and all fucking u fully over

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yeah I'm just the research part of this project. Housing is being done elsewhere as I'm not willing to inherent the risk.

Case before you see pins - well before. keep the cased stuff in the dark as well until you see growth at the surface, then initiate your pinning.

canndo said:

Case before you see pins - well before. keep the cased stuff in the dark as well until you see growth at the surface, then initiate your pinning.

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Yeah I was just reviewing my procedure. I think what I mixed up is I actually have 3 steps. Spawn in Rye berry bags -> bulk substrate -> casing -> fruiting. From what I have read I can use coco/verm mix for bulk sub, can I also case with the same materials at a later point? or do I need to case with different material?

K I edited the op, added casing step and clarified some things.

Are you going to make a LC or GLC? I always use the last 1/4 of a syringe to make a quart of liquid culture for future use. I use 1tbs Karo syrup and 1 pack of Sugar In The Raw in water in a quart jar for my LC, pressure cooked for 30min, cooled then shot up with the syringe left over.

BatCave said:

Are you going to make a LC or GLC? I always use the last 1/4 of a syringe to make a quart of liquid culture for future use. I use 1tbs Karo syrup and 1 pack of Sugar In The Raw in water in a quart jar for my LC, pressure cooked for 30min, cooled then shot up with the syringe left over.

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Thinkin I would just make a print if I desire storage. But honestly like I said short term project... so reordering spores if req isn't totally out of the question.

We will see if this is a one shot deal. Good luck homes. Everything sounds good so far. You can use the coco verm 60:40 recommended mix for a casing "top".
Let the growing begin.

Someguy15 said:

Yeah I was just reviewing my procedure. I think what I mixed up is I actually have 3 steps. Spawn in Rye berry bags -> bulk substrate -> casing -> fruiting. From what I have read I can use coco/verm mix for bulk sub, can I also case with the same materials at a later point? or do I need to case with different material?

K I edited the op, added casing step and clarified some things.

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You want there to be a ratio between the nutrient in the substrate (high) and the nutrient in the casing (low). I believe that coir has a low value in itself so if you case with the same thing, all you are doing is extending the amount of food you are feeding the mushroom. You want to be signaling the myclium that it is running out of food while removing co2, cooling, and applying light. The casing does that by being of low value. If you are using coir for your casing, then cut way down on it maybe 20/80 coir verm, but you are better off giving your substrate just a bit of something else, manure, or worm castings (I like these) or straw in order to improve your ratio.

Good sound advice from canndo. Mushroom man. Get to pooing.

canndo said:

You want there to be a ratio between the nutrient in the substrate (high) and the nutrient in the casing (low). I believe that coir has a low value in itself so if you case with the same thing, all you are doing is extending the amount of food you are feeding the mushroom. You want to be signaling the myclium that it is running out of food while removing co2, cooling, and applying light. The casing does that by being of low value. If you are using coir for your casing, then cut way down on it maybe 20/80 coir verm, but you are better off giving your substrate just a bit of something else, manure, or worm castings (I like these) or straw in order to improve your ratio.

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Thanks for the advice. I have worm castings so I could add them to the coco/verm combo for the substrate preparation. Do I pasteurize them or add after it cools? and then do a heavier % of coir for the casing to accomplish the low nutrient value you speak of.

No, it is always best that the casing be as light in nutrient as possible without being nothing - straight vermiculite works but the mycelium doesn't travel through it very readily. Just give it something to work off of.

Bulk substrate recipe: http://www.shroomery.org/10858/How-to-do-Coir
Casing recipe: http://www.shroomery.org/55/60-40-Vermiculite-and-Coco-Coir-Casing-Tek

I'm going to start with these basic ideas, might look into adding some nutrition into the bulk substrate tho as u suggested canndo

ANC said:

http://forums.cannabisculture.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1480354

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nice link thanks. I think my cuz might have access to some horse poo. Just have to come up with a good excuse for what I need it for lol