Question About Mushroom Growing

Hey everyone. I have recently been looking into growing mushrooms and would like to have something explained to me more clearly. Basically I understand the conditions that need to be met in order to grow mushrooms and I also understand everything that is needed to successfully grow mushrooms. What I have been researching lately though is a method to use where I won't have to keep buying a spore syringe everytime I use one up.

From what I have read I believe the answer is to create liquid cultures. By doing this I can basically buy 1 spore syringe and make several jars of liquid cultures. Is this correct?

I was reading this following link to learn how to do so.

https://www.rollitup.org/hallucinatory-substances/489553-how-i-do-liquid-culture.html

If what I have said so far is indeed correct, I then have some more questions. The first question is, in what conditions to you store these liquid cultures in? My second question is, how long can liquid cultures be stored for and still be good? And finally, are liquid cultures used the same exact way as a spore syringe in the sense of inoculating?

Thanks to anyone and everyone who helps me by answering these questions.

Great question im subbed to also learn

Just starting my first mushroom grow. But you could make a spore print by cutting the stem off and putting the cap on a sterile piece of paper or foil and cover it for a while then make your own syringes or maybe trade them for new strains. Shroomery.org and shroomtalk.com have a lot of good info too.

Thanks for the input astro. That would be alright to do if I wasn't trying to eliminate a step. When growing from spore (either a spore syringe or spore print), it takes slightly longer to colonize than it does with a liquid culture. The reason for this is that a liquid culture is mycelium itself rather than just spores. Research I have done says it typically speeds the process up by at least 5 days using liquid cultures rather than spore syringes or prints.

However, I did find more about the liquid cultures and got the information I have asked.

My first question was about the conditions to store the liquid culture in. The answer to this simply to store it in the fridge. Whenever it comes time to need to use the culture again sit out for 2 days before using.

My second question was about how long they are good for. It seems they are good for long periods. Most people said they have used there same liquid culture over the course of 3 months to 6 months. The only reason they didn't have it for a longer time is because they used there liquid culture up. Others have said that they wouldn't be surprised if a culture would store well for 1 to 3 years though. (Basically I didn't get a extremely accurate answer to this question which I didn't expect. I am happy with just knowing they have been known to be good for at least 3-6 months as that is the timeframe I was going for.)

My final question was about if liquid cultures are used the same way as a spore syringe. The answer is simply yes. The only difference is that instead of inoculating with spores, you are inoculating with mycelium itself.

I'll add that a 16 gauge needle is best for LC...most spore syringes are 18 gauge...myc is thicker and plugs up the smaller 18 gauge...not always...but enough to merit the small purchase of the larger 16 gauge...cheap at your local vet....hth

Yes you are correct in that only a small amount of spore are needed to start a LC. The weak sugar solution allows the spores to grow, so basically what you have is a jar of living mycelium. I like to use the 1/2 pint jars because anything larger would require a longer needle to reach the bottom of the jar when it gets low. You can buy new syringes, but I just reuse empty ones from previous spore purchases.

I just keep it at room temperature. I've been using from the same Albino A+ LC for 3-4 months now and it's still alive and kicking. If you don't plan on using it for awhile I'd recommend storing it in the fridge. In the fridge, I would estimate it would be good for at least a year.

Use it the same way you would use spores. About .25cc per hole for pk tek jars and 1-2cc for grains. I've heard people say they don't like it for pf tek jars, but it's worked great for me.

I just think it's easier and more effective than constantly having to take prints and make up spore syringes. The increased speed is nice too, of course.

Can you over inject a jar? Lets say i put 2cc in each hole

That much would probably throw off your water content that's quite a bit of liquid. I can't see a little more hurting though. In general, it's better to have jars and substrate a little too dry than a little too wet. I've experimented with slightly more water in the pf mix and while it didn't cause a disaster, it did increase colonization time. Areas where water pools or settles tend to not want to colonize.

sonar, I need to make about 3 liquid culture jars for 3 different strains. Do you have any suggestions on lids to use for this? I need a lid with and injection site and also a site that allows for gas exchange/air exchange or whatever so I don't have to inject 10cc of sterile air myself each week to keep the culture alive. What do you use? I don't really want to do a DIY tek because I will just mess it up and my cultures will go bad haha. I have been looking for lids to purchase that are prebuilt but the only 1 I found so far is here.

http://themadseason.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=41

The problem according to someone at shroomery with this lid is that I wouldn't be able to pressure cook it because of the 0.22µm. They say that pressure cooking that will ruin the filter making the lid essentially useless. And if I can't pressure cook it then it kinda defeats the purpose of having it as it will end up contaminated anyway.

any suggestions?

what i do personally, is i'll take my syringe, and knock up 10 quart jars...from those 10 jars, i to grain to grain transfers, simply ready up 10 more quart jars, and dump 1/10th into each new jar...the original colonized jars i don't use, i just put in the bottom part in my fridge, and just pull out however many i need a day before i'll use it...

i don't know if you're a member over there at the shroomery, but there's more knowledge on shrooms over there than anywhere...

if you're just getting into growing, you've probably heard a lot on the pf tek...fuck the pf tek, it's WAY slow, and your yields will be dissapointing...look at damion5050's coir tek at the shroomery, easy as fuck, and you won't be dissapointed...

Yea Im a member over there. My thing is, when I get into something I get into something I really get into it. So I like to start from basics and learn it all. Eventually I will end up with a dedicated room to growing shrooms most likely. Not just cubes but edibles as well. I actually have the damion5050 bookmarked already for when I go to bulk on my second grow. I just feel everyone should experience the pf tek first.

I find that PF is unweildy, slow and has the effect of drawing you away from the life cycle of the mushroom. I have said before that PF was designed in order that the inventor might make more money on his syringes.

i agree fully, canndo...i've even said the same on a couple different posts somewhere! well at least the slowness and small amount...never really thought about it from a life cycle perspective, but you're right on that too

I've been running damion5050's coir tek myself except I only use 1 quart of verm instead of 2. Great tek IMO. Simple and effective.

I still run pf jars too. I don't understand why you guys don't like them. They are a sure thing for someone just starting out. With LC they are ready to birth in 3-4 weeks without any sort of heater. I never yield less than 2oz cracker dry off of 10 cakes. Usually closer to 3oz. To me, that's nothing to sneeze at for what amounts to very little work. How many mushrooms can you and your friends eat? Unless of course you are out there to sell them...Then in that case pf tek probably isn't for you...

I am, and will always be a proponent of pf tek for anyone just starting out. The materials (including a syringe) can be found for under $50 and usually pays for itself in the first run and you don't need to shell out $100 right off the bat for a pressure cooker. If you want to go straight to bulk, by all means go for it, no one is going to stop you. Just know the chance of failure is slightly higher.

I don't know for sure, but the syringe filter in the pic in that link looks like the made in China knockoffs. I used Whatman and they have held up to at least 3 pressure cookings so far. Still no contams and still haven't failed "closed."

How I Do Liquid Culture - A Tutorial

Sonar, as I said, simple jars and baggies will yield about an oz dry per quart jar, no birthing, no chamber, no pearlite no fanning, just jars and baggies so why would anyone go through all of the hastle to make those little short lasting pucks? But, to each their own. Oh, BTW, you can go from innoc to fruit in 3 weeks with this method.

canndo said:

Sonar, as I said, simple jars and baggies will yield about an oz dry per quart jar, no birthing, no chamber, no pearlite no fanning, just jars and baggies so why would anyone go through all of the hastle to make those little short lasting pucks? But, to each their own. Oh, BTW, you can go from innoc to fruit in 3 weeks with this method.

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I'm not sure what you mean by jars and baggies please explain.

So for you guys that run Damion5050's Coir Tek what kind of yields do you usually pull from it?

I will have to try that soon sonar.

I nocced up 3 jars an only one is really far along an the other 2 are kinda slow... Any reason behind that? They have been at room temp which is 75

I'm not exactly sure, but I would think the spores germinated faster in the one that's farther along.

With syringes from sporeworks, you really need to shake the hell out of them to break up the clusters. I've had jars where one, sometimes two holes tooked over 10 days to show any growth.

sonar said:

I'm not sure what you mean by jars and baggies please explain.

So for you guys that run Damion5050's Coir Tek what kind of yields do you usually pull from it?

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I wrote a description of the method here some time ago - not a tec really, the short of it is that you innoculate quart jars half filled with grain - seal the jar and let it grow without extra air until it is collonized, then you open the jar up, case it and put a baggie on the top, like a tent, it holds in just enough moisture, lets air in the sides and lets light in as well - that is ALL it takes, for those who just want some mushrooms without being to anal, this is the way to go and beats the PF method left and right.

greenesthaze said:

I will have to try that soon sonar.

I nocced up 3 jars an only one is really far along an the other 2 are kinda slow... Any reason behind that? They have been at room temp which is 75

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this is what I am talking about - if you use pure grain, the moment you see growth you shake the jar, you can get full growth in as little as 5 days.