All Of RR's Notes On Mushroom Cultivation from day one, one jar out of a hundred will make an

by early pin or two, but I simply spawn those pins right

into bulk substrate along with the grains with zero ill
Roger Rabbit effects. (In other words, small pins don't contaminate
when spawned to bulk along with the grains). Twenty
compiled by dumbfounded1600
years ago, Stamets wrote in TMC to "incubate in total
original source: darkness" and people stick to that as if they were the
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Numb words of god. However, Stamets no longer teaches
er/8468463/fpart/all/vc/1 incubation in darkness, and I agree. If you visit fungi
perfect, you'll see 10,000 square feet of incubation area,
with 8' fluorescent tubes lighting the entire area for ten
Table of Contents:
to twelve hours per day. Of course myc will grow in the
COLONIZATION
presents of light. IME myc grows faster in the absence
GRAINS/JARS/LIDS/SOAKING/SHAKING/G2G
of light also in nature myc colonizing substrate is most
CASING/FC/CO2/HUMIDITY/CAKES/OUTDOOR/S
always not exposed to light so when we do not know for
OAKING/MISTING
sure we will try to mimic nature which IMHO is the
MARTHA/GREENHOUSE
intelligent thing to do. Paul is a pioneer and is always
TEK/SUBSTRATE/CASING ADDATIVES
learning as are we and things (ideas) will change again
METABOLITES/LIGHTING
as we begin to really understand better what nature has
LIGHTING
given us.
LC/AGAR/CLONING/STERILE
PROCEDURE/HELP/PROBLEMS/OTHER COLONIZATION - And I've been trying to correct
HARVESTING that disinformation for years. It's all based on a chart
somebody mailed to Stamets many years ago showing
THEY'RE SOME
86F to be the peak temperature for growth of cubensis
MISINFORMATION/OUTDATED INFO SO
on a Petri dish, and everybody just accepts it as though
CHOOSE IT WISELY.
Moses carried it down from the mountain on a tablet of
stone. However, every single experiment I did to try to
COLONIZATION
duplicate that with extremely accurate temperature
LIGHTING COLONIZATION - Incubating dark is monitoring was unable to verify that bogus 86F figure.
another thing in Paul Stamets 'The Mushroom What I have repeatedly found regardless of strain is that
Cultivator' that needs to go away. The old advice of cubensis colonization remains rather flat from about
"incubate in total darkness" is bunk. Those words were 75F through 81F. Beginning at 83F, the rate of growth
written by Stamets in TMC 20 years ago, and he falls off sharply. By 86F, growth has slowed down
disavows that advice today. There is no harm or benefit nearly 50% what it was between 75f and 81F. These
from keeping jars in the dark. Expose them to normal experiments were conducted on Petri dishes that
room lighting from day one. There is no reason at all to produce little to no heat because of the very thin layer of
ever have your mycelia in the dark. Darkness will only mycelium. In jars, up to several degrees of heat is
delay pinning. If you give light from day one, your produced by the colonizing mycelium; so definitely
yields will go up, and you won't face overlay problems. don't go over 80F to 81F if you're looking for maximum
I've found no benefit or harm from allowing the grain rate of growth. Furthermore, bacteria and thermophilic
jars to be exposed to light from day one. If a few pins molds such as Mucor, the black pin mold are stimulated
form in the grains, it is actually a good thing. Contrary by higher temperatures. Therefore using an incubator set
to popular belief, a few pins in the grains can be to 86F is certainly favoring bacteria and molds, while
spawned right into the manure or straw (or used in grain slowing down mushroom mycelium growth. Below is a
to grain transfers) and they do not rot or otherwise cause picture of one of my colonization shelves.
contamination. There is evidence they actually help to
give a faster, more uniform pinset in the eventual
flushes. Stamets believes it's the hormones or other
chemical triggers in the pins that do this. Exposing light

1
 COLONIZATION - I have found little to no difference
in colonization speeds between 75 and 81F. Growth falls
off rapidly at 83F and above, not 87F. That chart above
[see below] is bogus, period.

I have tried dozens of times to duplicate it and it can't be

done. It was apparently made by someone who did ONE
grow with sloppy note taking, and sent the results to
Paul. Growth is much slower in cold temperatures until
you hit 69F, where it speeds up quite a bit until about
75F, where it remains 'flat' until 81, then is flat again
until 83, where it falls off fast beginning at 84. By 'flat' I
mean there is no discernible increase or decrease in rate
of growth within those ranges. Jars will colonize as fast
It sits in my bedroom at normal room temperature and at 75F as they will at 80F. I've proved this time and time
quart jars of rye berries colonize fully in ten days, and again with every strain in my collection. Growth also
pf jars colonize fully in 14 to 21 days, but usually closer falls off rapidly above 84, and this is why so many new
to 14. How often do we see posts where people have folks have problems with incubators set at 86F, and jars
incubators set at 86F, and they're asking why their jars that 'won't colonize'. The figures I give are substrate
aren't colonized after four to five weeks, and they have temperatures, not air temperatures. The temp inside the
large spots of yellow liquid forming? The liquid is jar is 1 to 5 degrees higher than the surrounding air,
metabolites that the mycelium secretes in response to depending on where in the colonization cycle the jar is.
stress, usually from competitor molds and/or bacteria. The heat produced falls off fast as the jar approaches
What has happened, is they've slowed down the full colonization. If you live in an igloo, (or near the
mycelium while stimulating the competitors. waterfront) by all means build an incubator, but keep it
in the normal room temperature ranges for best results. I

2
see no reason to set one above 80F, and lots of reasons jars. If you're comfortable in a t-shirt in your house the
not to. Here's a picture of one of my shelves for jars are ok. Heating jars in incubator causes a lot of
colonizing jars. The substrate bags are there because I condensation, condensation is where the inside
ran out of room on the other shelf. These are in a room 'Temperature' differs from the outside. This has nothing
at normal room temperature, and exposed to light nearly to do with humidity. Condensation is the enemy of
all day. I don't even put the pf jars on a top shelf where mushroom cultivation. It breeds bacteria and any
it's warmer. Of course, I had a good teacher on how to moisture that is stuck to the walls is moisture that is
make them up, as everyone will soon know. NOT in the air any more, making your crop suffer. You
should read up every week about how many noobs
COLONIZATION - I've been saying that for years. My
come in asking if they've cooked there jars because
Petri dish studies a few years ago showed that cubensis
there temperature met all the way to the 100F +. This is
reaches peak linear growth between 75F and 80F, then
why I disagree as well as speeding up a few days later,
is flat until 83F, where it starts to slow down. Mycelium
why? To run into more problems? For bulk substrates I
at 86F is growing at about 2/3 the speed of mycelium at
wouldn't go higher then 80F as they already create
80F. In addition, the higher temps tend to stimulate
enough heat by themselves.
thermophilic molds and bacteria. There's LOT'S of good
information in TMC, but that 86F figure is one of the COLONIZATION - 80F is fine for incubating, but
errors. When I did it there were ten Petri dishes don't exceed 81F or growth will slow. 86F is not optimal
colonizing at each temperature, in separate containers. I for cubensis. Stamets quoted somebody else who
went through well over 200 Petri dishes of mycelium supposedly put out some Petri dishes in various
for no other reason than to determine the temperature temperatures and reported that to him, so he printed it.
that stimulates fastest growth, other factors being equal. I've tried to duplicate that experiment, and after several
That was a far more controlled study than the one times, I reached the positive conclusion that mycelium
reported over 20 years ago. If someone else wants to rate of growth is fairly flat from 75F to 83F, with it
repeat the experiment, go for it. I consider the matter falling off sharply at 84F and above. It should also be
closed. Paul doesn't even repeat that 86F figure, which noted that glass is an insulator, so the heat produced by
someone else sent him. Bottom line was the tubs that the mycelium has no place to go and can easily spiral up
had Petri dishes between 75F and 81F showed no into the range where growth falls off and thermophilic
difference in growth. Below 75F, and above 81F growth molds are encouraged. That's why I recommend normal
slowed down, with a rapid drop in colonization speed room temperature for incubation, even if it is a tad
below 70F and above 83F. At 86F, a Petri dish would be slower. The benefits of a lower contamination rate far
2/3 colonized, while its sister at 75F would be fully outweigh the extra day or two earlier they might
colonized. Rate of growth at 86F was exactly the same colonize at a slightly warmer temperature. Besides, you
as rate of growth at 72F, with fastest growth as said, should be waiting a week after full colonization anyway
occurring between 75F and 81F. Note that these tests before birthing or spawning in order to allow the
were for linear growth in the two-dimensional plane of a mycelium to consolidate its hold on the substrate.
Petri dish. In three-dimensional space such as in grain
COLONIZATION - I have not used an 'incubation
jars or bulk substrates, the effects of thermogenesis need
chamber' in several years. If you maintain your house at
to be considered, so ambient temps should be lowered
normal indoor temperatures, your projects will do just
slightly to compensate.
fine. There is certainly no need to incubate jars over
TEMPERATURE COLONIZATION - 80-83F is 80F, and to do so raises contaminant risks considerably.
optimal growth incubation temperature but anything The inside of your jars will be 3 to 4 degrees warmer
past 81-83F increases the chances of thermophiles a.k.a than the surrounding air. If you heat a chamber up to 86,
contamination/bacteria. The 86F myth is based on a your jars will be near 90, and much more likely to
flawed agar study where heat isn't generated on Petri contaminate. I colonize on a bookshelf in a spare
dishes. Mycelia growth declines rapidly at 86F and bedroom, and no attempt is taken to prevent the jars
above. Paul Stamets later reviles that that is from receiving normal room lighting. I then fruit in a
misinformation and should be lower. If it drops into the small greenhouse type enclosure with no heat applied
60's however your speed of colonization will go slowly. during the growing process. If it's deep winter and your
75-78F or at room temperature in the 70's is perfect for room is a bit cold, run a small space heater to heat the

3
entire room to 75 or so. That temperature will work just COLONIZATION - Incubators cause way more
fine for colonization, as well as fruiting. There's no need problems then they solve. I haven't used one in years.
to make growing any harder than it already is. Keep it Glass is an insulator and holds heat very well. I've seen
simple. up to a ten-degree increase over ambient in the
temperature inside the quart jars of grains, when a
COLONIZATION - Do you know of one place in
thermocouple is inserted into the center of the jar. The
nature where cubes fruit naturally that does not have a
other problem with using a tub as an incubator is stale
difference between daytime and nighttime
air. It does little good to have filters and holes in your
temperatures? I've read ever since 1985 that 86F is best,
lids if they all just vent into a sealed tub. Normal room
usually because of somebody simply repeating what
temperature is fine for colonization of mycelium.
they've read somewhere, then somebody repeats that,
Colonization speed peaks in the 75F to 81F range, and
and so on and so on. Now, over 20 years later, they're
falls off dramatically above 83F. Stamets published a
still repeating it, and it's still wrong. In my grow room,
chart in one of his books that said 86F is the fastest for
the day and night temperatures fluctuate as much as
growth, and that is just plain wrong.
20F. When I say normal room temperature that means
72F to 78F. There is zero increase in rate of growth of INCUBATING/COLONIZATION - Normal room
cubensis above 80F, and mushroom mycelium often temperature is the way to colonize jars. People who
stalls out and bacteria is encouraged in warm anaerobic build incubators have a higher rate of contamination and
environments, such as is found in the bottom of non- other problems and those who succeed only have a
vented tubs commonly used as 'incubators'. minor decrease in colonization times. 75F to 80F is
perfect for colonizing, and you should be able to find a
COLONIZATION STORY - Let me tell you guys a
nice place in your house that has that temperature, such
story. My fellow moderator Roadkill and I were filming
as a top cupboard shelf in your kitchen or an upper
a video segment on pf jars over at my brother's house a
bookshelf in the den. Colonizing jars need gas exchange
month or two ago. Later that day, my non-mycologist
that they don't get in a sealed tub.
brother moved everything we left behind out to his
garage, jars included, just to get them out of the way. I COLONIZATION - A fan helps humans to cool off
told him it didn't really matter, as I just wanted to film because it speeds up the evaporation of sweat from our
the process of making/inoculating the jars. Three weeks skin. A fan will not make your jars any cooler at all
later, I went over there and guess what? All of the jars because there are no sweat glands on glass. Find a
were fully colonized. The temperature of his garage cooler spot. That could be against the concrete floor in
during this time varied from the mid 30's to the low the garage or wherever. Placing your jars on a cookie
50's. (He lives about 50 miles from the Canadian sheet full of cold tap water should help bring the temp
border) So, if properly made pf jars can colonize in down as well. You could fill it just before you go to
three weeks at those low temps, why bother with silly work and by the time the water heats to ambient, you'll
incubators? be home to change it out with cool water again. Get
creative. Just try to keep the temp in the low 80's or less.
INCUBATION - Mycelium will not colonize faster at
86F. That is flat out wrong. The state of growing COLONIZATION STORY - Last year, while visiting
mushrooms has progressed way past what was thought my brother, I inoculated a bunch of jars for him,
25 years ago. Furthermore, the incorrect information thinking he was actually interested. This was in
presented 25 years ago said that 86F was an optimal December. I went back in February, and found he didn't
SUBSTRATE temperature, not air temperature. Since have time to bother with them, so put them out in the
there is up to a ten-degree increase in substrate temp garage. Temps outside were in the teens and twenties,
over air temp, based on those 25-year-old figures, you and in the unheated garage, 30's to low 40's. The jars
should colonize at no more than 76F ambient air were fully colonized. I took them home and they fruited
temperature. However, maximum mycelium growth like mad. Low temps slow things down, but that's all. I
occurs at a substrate temperature of 80F to 82F, with a keep master culture slants in the refrigerator for years.
drop off in colonization speed above that. Anyway, this
COLONIZATION - There is no need to keep them
has all been covered to death already, so there's no need
dark. I'd suggest tossing out that sweet looking
to repeat it all over again.
incubation chamber and let them colonize on a

4
bookshelf at 74F to 78F. Don't shake ANY jars at actually slowing down mushroom mycelium. A lower
inoculation, and don't shake pf jars ever. I also don't buy colonization temp will give you reduced contamination
into the turning them upside down thing either unless percentages.
you made them too wet or they're water logged on the
COLONIZATION - My quart sized grain jars from
bottom. The CO2 exchanges just fine out the top during
agar wedges or grain-to-grain transfers are fully
colonization via the air currents that are created by the colonized in ten days to two weeks at normal room temp
heating that is caused by thermogenesis. of 72F to 77F, depending on time of day. If it takes
COLONIZATION - The science of mycology is longer than that, something else is wrong. Higher temps
progressing very fast, and what was written 25 years slow down mycelium growth while stimulating
ago isn't necessarily accurate today. Perhaps if you got competitor molds and bacteria.
one of stamets' later works, you'd see he no longer uses COLONIZATION - 86F is too hot. That figure comes
that 84F to 86F figure, nor does he recommend from an error in Paul stamets TMC, which was
incubating in total darkness. I take it a step farther by corrected in later books. However, many growers only
recommending against 'incubating' at all, having found have TMC, thus refer to it as the bible, as if everything
over my 35+ years of experience that room temperature we've learned about mushroom growing since 1985
is the best compromise between speed of colonization, when artificial cultivation at home was in its infancy is
and contamination prevention. void.
COLONIZATION - 81F should be considered the COOLING COLONIZATION/FC - You can also
maximum 'good performance' ambient temperature in freeze quart sized plastic bottles of water, and place
the colonization area for colonizing jars of mushroom them in your terrarium to absorb heat. If you can keep
mycelium. If your temp is higher than that, try finding a five or six in your freezer, you can rotate as necessary to
cooler place. Thermal death doesn't occur until much keep one or two in the FC at all times during the hot
higher than that, but thermophilic molds and bacteria months.
are encouraged at higher temperatures, and the 'rate of
growth' of mushroom (cubensis) mycelium falls off COLONIZATION - Light has little to no effect on
sharply beginning at 83F. The oft-quoted figure of 86F colonizing mycelium. I colonize all of my substrates in
is just plain wrong. an open room exposed to ambient room light the whole
time. Pinning only begins when fruiting conditions are
COLONIZATION - Wild swings in temperature cause introduced, other than when something goes wrong.
air exchanges between the jars and the outside. If the
changes are rapid, they can easily be too much for the COLONIZATION - Foil should be removed as soon as
filtering material, especially if only dry vermiculite is they're sterilized. It's important to have gas exchange
used. I don't recommend incubators, but find a nice during colonization, so I don't put them in a box of any
room that holds at least to within five degrees or so. 75F kind. My jars colonize on an open bookshelf at normal
to 81F is ideal. Above that, the returns are not worth the room temperature.
increased rate of contamination that will be experienced. COLONIZATION IS FOR NOOBS - Get rid of the
COLONIZATION - 80 to 84 is way too hot to incubate incubator, and put the jars on a shelf where they can
grains. Any temp over 80 will favor molds and bacteria receive normal room light during colonization. This will
and not mushroom mycelium. One must bear in mind speed up pinset once you case them. (or birth or
the mycelium produces heat as it grows. If your jars are whatever)
in an environment of 84F, the inside temp will be over COLONIZATION - Thus, any ambient temp over 81
90F. That reduces the growth of the mushroom for jars or 78 for trays of manure, and you're slowing
mycelium and encourages bacteria. Always incubate down mycelium growth while promoting bacteria and
grain jars at room temperature. Good luck! thermophilic fungi.
COLONIZATION - Actually, from my experiments, COLONIZATION - Darkness is irrelevant to
rate of growth falls off rapidly above 83F with cubes. colonizing mycelium. Don't go over 81F. Room
I've found fastest colonization temps to be in the 78F to temperature is just fine as long as you keep your house
81F range (ambient temp). Temperatures above that will t-shirt warm in winter.
stimulate molds and thermophilic bacteria, while

5
BULK SUBSTRATE COLONIZATION - 80F is too COFFE FILTER GRAIN JARS - In addition, trying
hot for colonization of bulk substrates. The interior of to stop contaminants with a coffee filter is like trying to
your substrate is well over 90F when ambient is 80F. stop a bird with a barbed wire fence. Look at a coffee
filter under a microscope. The holes in it are ten times
COLONIZATION - Mycelium growth slows down at
or more the size of contaminant spores.
83F and above, so you're hindering growth with that
incubator. Use room temperature COFFEE FILTER - First of all, trying to stop
contaminants with a coffee filter is like trying to stop a
GRAINS/JARS/LIDS/SOAKING/SHAKING/G2G mosquito with a barbed wire fence. Two coffee filters
JAR FILTERS - When you use type or polyfill or are like having two strands of barbed wire. Is that going
synthetic filter disks (best) you drill three or four 1/8" to stop a mosquito???
(1mm) holes for gas exchange and screw the lid down COFFEE FILTERS AS BACTERIA PROTECTORS
tight. I use the lids upside down, so the metal is against - Trying to use coffee filters to stop bacteria and trich is
the glass, but that is just to make them easier to get off like trying to catch a mosquito with a fish net. Isn't
later. The rubber tends to stick, making it a chore to lift going to work.
the lid when you need to open the jar. The jar will
always be at the same pressure as the rest of the PC, so FILTER - If you're going to use micropore tape as a
there is no problem there. When I sterilize water or test filter, use two layers.
tube slants, I screw the lid down tight with no filter or TAPE - Actually, The tape is only for the sterilization
vent holes. It's not a problem, provided you don't ever cycle. After that, you can take it off because the dry
pop the weight off the PC at the end of the cycle before vermiculite is the filter. Masking tape won't breath. The
pressure has returned slowly to zero on its own. tape is simply to help keep water out of the holes. If
FILTERS GRAINS - Tyvek is functional and cheap or you'll elevate the jars totally out of the water during
free. However, synthetic filter disks last for many years sterilization, you don't need tape. Simply cover the lids
and thousands of uses. Tyvek tends to get ripped at the with foil to prevent the condensation that drips off the
edges of the lid, often resulting in only one use. It can lid of the kettle or pressure cooker from entering the
also twist, making the lid very hard to get off later for holes. If you use medical tape such as micropore or
G2G or other procedures. The time spent cutting tyvek other 'breathable' tape, you can leave it in place and
to shape each time will easily outweigh any cost inoculate right through it.
advantage. Even though I sell tyvek on my website, I MICROPORE TAPE - Probably. The 'micropore' tape
still prefer filter disks. is a 3M product. I don't know if it's a trademarked name
FILTERS - Mycologists have used cotton filters at least or not. I suspect breathable medical tape is going to be
since the 1930's. It's a proved filter material. The cotton the same thing, whatever the brand.
must be kept totally dry, as must any filter material. MICRO PORE TAPE - The tape goes on BEFORE
Synthetic pillow stuffing is better, as are synthetic filter sterilization. It has no purpose afterwards. It's to prevent
disks and/or tyvek. Coffee filters are for coffee. Using water that gets under the foil from penetrating your jars
one as a contaminant barrier would be like trying to use during the sterilization process.
a chain link fence as a mosquito barrier.
POLYFILL - 'Synthetic cotton' = 'polyfill'
FILTERS - I think you should run an experiment and
give us a report. It's so cheap, I toss it out after a use or SYNTHETIC FILTER DISK - The bands are what
two. One pair of XXXL coveralls will make over 200 hold the metal lid on. The lid itself isn't threaded with
filters. Synthetic filter disks, which are PFTE, can two-piece lid mason jars. You don't want the rye grains
withstand bleach hundreds of times, which I know for a to come into contact with the filter disk. Be sure to put
fact. the metal lid on first with two 1/8" holes (1mm), then
put the filter disk above that, then the metal ring goes on
FILTER - We filter our colonizing jars because sterile, last. This way, when you shake the jars, the grain doesn't
uncolonized substrates will grow whatever lands on get the filter wet with grain juice. A wet filter is a vector
them. There is no reason or need to filter a fruiting for contaminants because they can colonize right
chamber. Aquarium pumps and air stones will not through the interior of the filter. Be sure to keep your
deliver nearly enough air exchange for good results.

6
filter disks dry for best results. Use a glove box, and enough. Don't put cotton in the middle of a tyvek
simply lift one side of the lid enough to squirt the sandwich or it will get damp and ruin your day. Use kite
solution in. Squirt it down the side of the glass. Do that tyvek or tyvek from a set of coveralls. Don't use three
in two or three places, then tighten lid. Be sure to use a layers unless you have a lot of holes in the lid. You'll cut
glove box. off the gas exchange. I drill four 1/8" holes, and use two
layers of tyvek, both on the outside of the lid so they
SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - I soak synthetic filter
stay dry.
disks in a ten percent bleach solution for fifteen minutes
before using. It's probably not necessary though since TYVEK GRAIN JARS - I've used tyvek coveralls for
they'll be pc'd anyway on the next cycle. Bleach doesn't filter material many times. I doubt that's your problem.
hurt them. I have hundreds of synthetic filter disks that Tyvek is used for safety coveralls because it allows the
are well over ten years old and have yet to have a single person's sweat vapor to escape, while still providing
one fail. protection from the toxins.

SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS GRAIN JARS - TYVEK - Don't use post office tyvek for anything but
They're the best filters you can get. Don't inoculate mailing. It's a violation of federal law. Go to your local
through them though. Use a glove box and simply lift home mega center, and in the paint department, they'll
the lid up and squirt under it. I have some that are six or have tyvek coveralls for five or six bucks. Get a few of
seven years old and still being used after hundreds of those to cut up.
times.
TYVEK GRAIN JARS - Actually, the tyvek goes over
SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - Check a local the lid, not under it. You want the tyvek on the outside
chemical supply. The filter disks are made from PFTE so it stays dry. Put down the lid with small holes in it
and usually filter down to less than 1 micron. 90mm is a first, the tyvek second, and lastly the ring to hold it all in
standard size. You might be able to find them from a place.
local, non-mycology related source.
TYVEK LIDS - Not only will they dry out that way,
SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - You can't beat they'll cause premature pinning by providing air
synthetic filter disks though. They're ten times thicker exchange, as opposed to just gas exchange. You need to
than tyvek and last a lifetime. I have some that have at least tape over 90% of the tyvek with duct or shipping
been through hundreds, perhaps thousands of cycles. tape.

SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - Do NOT inject TYVEK - Go to your local home mega center and get
through a filter disk. If you use synthetic filter disks, tyvek coveralls from the paint department to cut up and
you'll need to lift the filter up to squirt under it. Do this use as filters. Post office tyvek is not only illegal to use
in a glove box, or in front of a flow hood. but subpar as far as performance goes.

SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - Synthetic filter disks TYVEK - Post office tyvek is thinner and not as
are my favorite. I have some from the first batch I ever effective at stopping contaminants as the multi-ply,
bought, ten years ago. I still use them after hundreds, if much thicker tyvek used in wrist sleeves and coveralls.
not thousands of times.
TYVEK - The tyvek should be OUTside the lids. If you
SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - They all work. My put the tyvek inside the jar, you'll have a much higher
preference is synthetic filter disks because they can be contamination ratio.
used hundreds or even thousands of times.
TYVEK - Tyvek coveralls, wrists leaves are washing
SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - You need to use the machine safe.
lid under the disk. If you only use a filter disk, the
KITE SUPPLY STORE. TYVEK -
grains will dry out before full colonization.
http://www.intothewind.com/search.
SYNTHETIC FILTER DISKS - Synthetic filter disks
COLONIZING JARS/BAGS - I've scanned my crops
work great for LC, but as with all filters, be sure to keep
and colonizing jars and substrate bags with an IR
it dry.
camera and noticed up to five degree F increase in quart
TYVEK - A single layer of good tyvek should be jars of rye, and up to a 15F degree increase over

7
ambient when shooting at large gusseted spawn bags, COLONIZING JARS - If the mycelium runs out of
but that was 15F over ambient at the edge of the bag. O2, it will stall and die.
I'm sure the center was hotter. I usually have up to 200
spawn bags colonizing at any given time on shelves in G2G TRANSFERS - One should never use a jar that
my grow room, and I never heat it, even in the coldest isn't at least 100% colonized for a grain-to-grain
months of winter. The temperature in the room rarely transfer. The biggest reason is that since sterilization is a
drops below 75F, even when it's freezing outdoors. We relative term, it's never complete. You have a window of
use minimal heat in the rest of the condo as well, simply opportunity to get your grains colonized before the
leaving the grow room door open is enough to supply contaminants that survived pressure-cooking come back
most of the heat we use. to haunt you. If you grain to grain with uncolonized
grains, you add their age to the age of all the grains in
FLIPPING JARS PF/GRAINS - Don't flip jars. As the receiving jar, possibly contaminating them all. The
prisoner said, it screws up the vermiculite filter. CO2 difference between 100% colonization and 80%
doesn't need to 'drain' out by flipping the jar upside colonization should be no more than two days, so don't
down. That's a bit of disinformation that once typed risk failure for a measly 48 hours.
refuses to die. The reason is the heat produced by the
SPAWNING G2G - Bang the colonized jar against a
mycelium causes circulation that takes care of the gas
tire or phone book to separate the kernels. Next, open
exchange.
each freshly sterilized rye jar one at a time, and pour
FLIPPING JARS PF/GRAINS - When you examine and twist from the grain master to deliver a small
them, don't turn them upside down. That can cause the amount into each receiving jar. Try to have the receiving
vermiculite barrier to shift. You can expect there to be jars open for no more than five seconds, so plan ahead
contaminant spores near the air/inoculation holes, and if and work fast. Clean all jars with alcohol before
you shift the jar around, those mold spores can be opening. Wear latex gloves and wash them with alcohol
shifted down and into the substrate, contaminating it. after putting them on. As said above, use a glove box, or
even better of course is a laminar flow hood. Good luck.
COLONIZING JARS - Bear in mind, a substrate on
the dry side will colonize faster than an overly wet one, G2G GENERATIONS - It was ANNO that pointed out
so if your jars didn't colonize, something else might be - young vigorous mycelium does better than old.
wrong. It's also a good idea in a dry climate to run a However, I have gone out 5 G2G transfer generations -
humidifier in the room your grow is located to raise the without ill effect. Genetics plays a part in it. In nature -
ambient humidity. mycelium is designed to grow out & fruit in one season.
You can FOOL with Mother Nature - but extending it to
COLONIZATION/INCUBATING GRAIN JARS -
far out - usually brings on some mutation.
The moisture comes from condensation on the lid of the
pressure cooker that constantly rains down on the jars G2G TRANSFERS - When you do a g2g, unscrew the
below. That's the reason for the foil. I'd start over and ring, then with your thumb and forefinger, squeeze the
get it right. Don't waste spores getting off on the wrong ring so you capture the lid and the filter and lift all three
foot. as one unit. Pour from the donor jar to the open
receiving jar, and then replace the lid as one unit. Have
PF CAKES - Cakes often pin on the bottom because
the receiving jar open for no more than a few seconds
that's where the moisture runs to by gravity and also it's
when doing this.
closer to the perlite, thus the humidity is higher and
stimulates pinning. G2G TRANSFERS - I shake the master jar to loosen
the kernels, and then do the g2g right away. After the
COLONIZATION - Grains colonize much faster when
transfer, gently shake the receiving jar, and then shake
prepared on the dry side. I do it that way by design. If
again at 20 to 30 percent colonization. I never wait for
you see visible moisture on the surface of the grains,
the grains to recover before shaking or g2g. They'll
they're too wet.
recover right into the fresh grains of the receiving jar.
GRAINS/SUBSTRATE - Most often, if a cased Good luck.
substrate smells of alcohol. Some fermentation has, or is
G2G TRANSFERS - Four grain-to-grain transfers
taking place.
should be considered the outside limit, but chances are

8
you'll see growth slow before then anyway. Cloning You only need to shake once at 20% to 30%
from the third would make it the fourth, and wouldn't colonization. Your second and fourth jar above look
help. Go back to spores. A given cell line can only about done. Give them a few days past full colonization
divide so many times before loss of vigor sets in. before spawning to bulk. The third jar needs a few days.
They'll all look like the first jar after shaking. That's
G2G TRANSFERS - Never use a jar that pins early for
normal. Shake just before spawning by banging the jar
grain-to-grain transfers. Usually, something is the
against a tire, and then layer into your manure or
trigger for early pinning, such as bacterial
whatever you're using as bulk. The mycelium on the
contamination. I know you don't g2g brf jars, but had it
grains will recover right into the substrate.
been a grain jar, you wouldn't want to use if for
transfers. SHAKING GRAIN JARS - You need to break it up at
20% to spread the mycelium around so it can inoculate
G2G TRANSFERS - You can generally use a fully
the rest of the rye. It will speed colonization up. If the
colonized grain jar to inoculate up to ten times that
mycelium fails to recover after breaking it up, it means
amount of sterilized grains. How many bags per jar
the grains were contaminated anyway. Read up on
simply depends on what size spawn bag you used, and
'shaking'. That's what we do with rye grain jars. I use a
what size jars your grains are in.
bicycle tire to bang the jar against to break it up. With
LC > G2G - Fastest colonization I ever had is with bags, simply massage the bag between your fingers to
G2G. break up the clumps and spread them around the bag.

SHAKING GRAIN JARS - I disagree with more than SHAKING GRAIN JARS - If you shook right after
one shake during colonization. A shake at 20% to 40% inoculation, it will be fuzzy at first. I suggest
will spread those kernels around, ensuring the rest is inoculating and NOT shaking for at least a week. By
colonized within a few days. After shaking, there's a 24 shaking, you spread the spores around, forcing
to 48 hour period where the mycelium is merely trying monokaryotic mycelium to hunt for a mate. If you let
to recover from damage, but isn't growing into the new the spores germinate right next to each other, they form
grains. If you shake more than once, you force the bonds and become dikaryotic in the first few days after
mycelium to waste needless energy re-knitting, when it germination, and then grow with the thicker,
could be aggressively growing. The same applies at the rhizomorphic mycelium.
end. Shake to loosen the grains, and then spawn them to
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - Shaking right after
your tray of manure or straw, etc. Let them recover
inoculation is a mistake. You should allow the spores to
directly into the manure or casing layer. If you shake,
germinate in close proximity to each other so they can
then allow to recover, they're damaged again by
pair up and become dikaryotic. Monokaryotic mycelium
spawning, so must recover yet again. My point is that
is thinner and much slower growing than dikaryotic
shaking is abusive, but a necessary abuse. Simply keep
mycelium. By shaking the jar, you required it to
it to a minimum.
colonize with the slower growing monokaryons.
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - From my tests, it actually
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - The best way to break up a
slows down colonization, by forcing monokaryons to
grain jar is to beat the hell out of it against a fully
reach out farther before finding a compatible mate.
inflated tire. I use a bicycle tire and air it up nice and
Dikaryons colonize and feed much faster than
hard before use. Half a dozen bangs usually separates
monokaryons. By shaking, you disperse the
every kernel from every other kernel. If not, it's a good
ungerminated spores over a larger area. I prefer to
sign your jar was contaminated with bacteria, which
inject, and then let the jars or bags sit for several days
makes the kernels stick together like rubber.
until you see germination, or if you inoculate with an
agar wedge, wait until the mycelium has moved off the SHAKING GRAIN JARS - Grains should NOT be
wedge and into the grains before shaking. If you do the shaked after inoculation with spores. Monokaryotic
above, only one shake is required during the whole mycelium grows far slower than dikaryotic mycelium.
process. It's best to inject the spores and leave them to pair up in
close proximity to each other. Once they pair up and
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - When you shake a jar, it
become dikaryotic, shake once to distribute the grains,
will 'look' uncolonized for a few days until it recovers.
which speeds up colonization.

9
SHAKING GRAINS - Grains should only be shaken SHAKING GRAIN JARS - Shake jars well at 20% to
once during colonization. More than that slows down 30% colonized to spread the grains around. They're
progress. Shake at anywhere from 15% to 30%. The usually fully colonized four to five days later.
grains will begin to show recovery by 24 hours, and by
SHAKING GRAINS - Remember, when things look
48 hours, things should be growing rapidly again. You'll
fine until you shake, then don't recover, it's almost
have to shake again after full colonization to remove the
always bacteria.
grains.
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - Shake, and if it recovers
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - If the grains don't break up
it's fine. If not, it was contaminated.
easily when banged against a tire, it's a good sign that
they're contaminated with bacteria. It is even more SPAWN BAGS - I really hate to disagree, but it's best to
likely since you're using an incubator. Grain jars; not shake at all just after inoculation. Leave the spore
especially quarts should never be placed in an incubator, solution all in one spot so the monokaryons can find
but rather allowed to colonize at normal room compatible hyphae nearby and do the sex thing. Once
temperature. you have solid white mycelium growing, those are the
dikaryons and they grow much faster than the wispy,
SHAKING COLONIZED GRAIN JARS - Colonized
grayish monokaryons that emerge from the spores.
grain jars break apart very easily by banging against a
Many new growers mistake these for cobweb mold and
fully inflated bike tire, and you NEVER want to scoop
toss out perfectly good projects because they shake at
out grains. It damages the kernels, leaving them open
inoculation. If you shake the bag or jar early, you force
for bacteria, and adds an additional vector of
the slow growing monokaryons to colonize much more
contamination to the process.
of the substrate before finding a mate, thus slowing
SHAKING - Never hold a jar in one hand while down the progress. I'd recommend giving the first and
holding a camera in the other. That doubles the amount only shake at 30% colonization.
of shaking going on, screwing up the picture. Put the jar
STORING GRAINS/PETRIS - Actually, grains have
down. Rest the camera on a chair, book, or something
been found better for mycelium storage than agar slants,
else if you don't have a tripod.
but unfortunately take way too much room in the
SHAKING - Shaking always makes them look refrigerator. However, I've used jars that have been
'uncolonized' because it beats the mycelium on the stored fully colonized in the refrigerator for several
surface of the grain. After a few days, as you found out, years. Put them in the refrigerator at full colonization,
they recover. You should only shake a grain jar once at and then when you remove from the refrigerator, allow
25 to 35 percent colonized. three to five days at room temperature before spawning.

SHAKING GRAINS COLONIZING - There is no STALLED GRAIN JARS - In the overwhelming

need to shake more than once. Three times is mycelium majority of cases when a jar stalls, it's due to lack of gas
abuse. Please continue the same thread for ideas along exchange. Make sure the holes are open on the lids. If
the same lines. Don't start a new thread with each you have a vermiculite barrier, you can loosen the lids
question. or even remove them for a time. Jars rarely dry out.

SHAKING GRAIN JARS - Shake at about the 25% GRAINS STORING - You can store colonized grains
stage. Shaking prior to that only batters the myc & then in the refrigerator, or use them for grain-to-grain
it takes time to heal & start growing again. You ever transfers to expand your mycelium. Correct, removing
hand a black eye? How long did it take to heal? jars from the refrigerator requires a couple of days of
warm up before they start growing again.
SHAKING GRAIN JARS - Grain jars shouldn't be
filled more than 2/3 to 3/4 full to allow room for SPAWNING - Make thin layers so they fill in the gaps
shaking. If you'll bang the jars against a fully inflated quickly. I've found this has less of a chance of breaking
bicycle tire, the kernels will separate easily. kernels of grain spawn, which can allow contaminants
to get a foothold in the uncolonized part in the middle.
SHAKING - A quart jar of healthy mycelium on rye
that is shaken at 25% will be completely colonized three STALLING JARS - They don't 'stall' without a reason.
to four days later. If not, something is wrong. Either it ran out of air due to no holes for gas exchange,

10
or it's contaminated with bacteria. You can't spawn fatter than they'd have been after a ten-minute boil. I
uncolonized grains or the bulk is sure to contaminate. used them and they were fine. The secret against
cracked kernels is to soak the grains first, and then to
SPAWN BAGS - Unless it's a HUGE bag, don't use
heat the water and grains together slowly.
over three to five ml of spore solution or liquid. More
than that will be too much and throw off your moisture RYE GRASS SEED - Rye grass seed is also excellent
content. for spawning to bulk, and very cheap too. It's a bit
trickier to prepare, but goes a long way when used for
STORING GRAIN JARS - They can sit for a couple
grain to grain transfers or for spawning to bulk
of weeks at normal room temperature after full
substrates.
colonization without harm.
RYE GRASS SEED VS RYE BERRIES - I doubt you
RYE GRASS SEED - Use twice as much grass seed by
can get grass seed to fruit, although it makes excellent
volume as water. For a 1-quart jar, use 1 1/4-cup rye
spawn. You want rye grain. Copes need the grains to be
grass seed, and 5/8-cup water. Add a pinch of gypsum
spawned into manure.
between your thumb and forefinger per jar. Put a solid
lid on the jar and shake well. Allow to sit for an hour or WBS - I gave up on wbs due to the inconsistent types of
two, and then shake again. Replace the solid lid with a seed in it. It works, but rye is much better and only costs
filtered lid, and PC for an hour at 15 psi. Rye grass seed about 5 cents per quart jar if you buy it in 25 pound
makes an excellent grain master, because you can easily bags.
do a grain-to-grain transfer into 20 jars. I won't go over
RYE GRASS SEED - If you simmer rye grass seed,
ten jars with rye berries. It's also a great spawn to bulk
you will ruin it. Soak only.
substrates, because of all the inoculation points. It also
seems less susceptible to trichoderma then the larger rye FLIPPING JARS - If the bottoms didn't colonize due
berries. We usually don't recommend it to new growers to bacterial contamination, it will have no effect. If the
because it often takes quite a few tries to get the jars didn't colonize due to excessive moisture that ran to
moisture right. If it's too wet, the mycelium can't the bottom, it will help, by draining it to the other end of
colonize. Ditto if it's too dry. The above plan should the jar. Some growers think flipping upside down is to
work out for you though. release CO2, but this is incorrect. The heat produced by
RYE GRASS SEED - Rye grass seed needs to be the mycelium produces circulation that does that job.
mixed with half as much water by volume as you have I've never yet had a jar that wouldn't colonize the
grass seed. For a quart jar, I use 1 1/4 cup of grass seed, bottom, provided it was made correctly to begin with,
and 5/8 cup of water. Add a pinch of gypsum between using the proper amount of water AND the correct jars,
your thumb and forefinger per jar. Half the amount of which you don't have. BRF cakes do best in short fat
water can be substituted with brewed coffee. I put a jars, such as wide mouth half-pints.
solid lid on the jar after mixing and shake well. Allow to PF TEK JARS - The biggest cause of failure with pf
sit over night, and then shake again. Replace the solid tek is not following proper sterile procedure. You the
lid with a filtered lid and PC for an hour at 15psi. cultivator are the biggest single source of
PREARING RYE - It's irrelevant. I bring rye to a contamination, so be very careful. Thousands of bacteria
raging boil after the 24-hour soak, with the stove on are exhaled from your mouth with every breath, so wear
'high', and have ZERO busted kernels. As shown in the a surgical mask. Millions of bacteria reside under your
video, rinse grains very well with hot tap water before fingernails, so wear gloves, and wash them with alcohol
the soak. Fill the kettle with hot tap water to begin the before use. Use a glove box, and flame the needle of
soak. Add gypsum. After 24 hours, bring to a raging boil your syringe red hot before use. Alcohol might clean the
for five to ten minutes, then drain and shake. I've never outside of the needle, but contaminants can enter into
seen more than one kernel in a thousand busted when the center of the needle and not be touched by the
following the above. alcohol.

RYE GRAIN - After a 24-hour soak, I once LIDS GRAINS - In addition, your order of assembling
accidentally left the water in a rapid boil for nearly an the lids is incorrect. You want the metal lid with holes
hour. There were no burst kernels and they weren't any first (make the holes no more than 1/8"), followed by
the filter material, then the ring. This keeps your filter

11
on the outside of the jar where condensation doesn't get four 1/16" holes for gas exchange. A large hole will not
it wet. Remember, if your filter gets wet, you're only dry out your grains, but can lead to pinning before
screwed. Bacteria in the air will colonize right through full colonization.
the material as if it wasn't even there. The reason for
HALF-GALLON MASON JARS - My experience
making the holes in the lid small is so that when you
with half gallon and larger jars is they need to be
shake, the wet grains don't contact your filter material. A
incubated at an angle of 45 degrees to allow for gas
wet, nutrient saturated filter is sure to contaminate.
exchange. They get stagnant standing upright with the
GRAIN JARS - Actually, half a teaspoon of bleach in a lid/filter only on top.
gallon of water will kill bacteria, but it throws the pH
RUSTY LIDS - Rusty Lids: It's harmless to the
way off, so I don't recommend it at all, especially in
mushrooms and to you if eaten. Just don't cut your
grain jars, which prefer an acidic pH. I wouldn't inject
finger on the rusty lid. Lockjaw sucks.
water into a grain jar. If they're drying out, chances are,
your gas exchange holes are too big. You don't want PF CAKE JAR - Use 1 ml total for a 1/2-pint cake.
more than four 1/8" (3mm) holes. You could even get by
SIMMER OR NOT TO SIMMER - The above posts
with smaller holes. I use four 3/32" (2.4mm) holes for
prove there are many ways to skin the proverbial cat.
both 1/2-pint pf cakes and full quart grain jars. Larger
The important thing is to have the grains at twice their
holes can dry out the material and encourage invitro
original dry size, with no burst kernels and no excess
pinning.
moisture in the jars.
GRAIN JAR SIZES - Quart jars are best suited for After a 24-hour soak, the grains are fully hydrated, but
grains in my experience. Anything less, and there just personally, I boil for a few minutes after the soak for
isn't enough spawn for your bulk substrate. Due to the one reason-It allows the grains to steam off the excess
requirement to leave shaking room, a pint jar can hold moisture from the surface as the rest of the water drains
more grains than two 1/2 pint jars, and a quart jar can in the colander. By shaking the colander, the grains
hold more grains than two pint jars. Half-gallon jars are release the excess moisture as steam.
nice, but they really should be colonized at a 45-degree Experienced growers are all successful and most have
angle to help with gas exchange. I've had a lot of trouble evolved their own tek for preparing the grains. As long
with CO2 concentrations when leaving 1/2-gallon jars as your grains seem dry on the outside, and are twice the
standing upright. original size without burst kernels, they are ready for the
pressure cooker, regardless of how one goes about
GRAIN JAR LID - If you'll drill two or three small, reaching that point. Some growers even dry the grains
1/16" holes in the metal lid, the grains will never touch off with a towel.
the filter when you shake. A fully inflated bicycle tire I would say to any new grower to read the way the
works great for banging jars against to break them up. experienced cultivators do things and try a few ways.
Just make sure you have the tire pumped up nice and After you pressure cook your product, don't hesitate to
hard. toss it out without inoculating if things don't look right,
GRAIN JAR LIDS - I recommend using four 1/8" and start over. Try, and then try again until you get it
holes for gas exchange. If you use more than that, you right. Once you find a method that works for you, stick
run a risk of drying out your grains and/or stimulating with it.
pinning inside the jar due to having too much air Good luck.
exchange, as opposed to a small amount of gas JARS PRESSURE COOKER - It's really not about
exchange. jars breaking, although sometimes they will. Here is the
GRAIN JARS - As said, you soak for bacteria, not reason: At 15psi, the temperature in your PC and inside
molds. If it turned green without opening, then plain and the jars is 250F. If you quick cool the PC, the substrate
simple, your filter is not doing its job. Look for tears. Is or whatever is in your jars is still at 250F, but now the
it post office tyvek? If so, that could be the problem. I pressure is gone. As we all know, water boils at 212f at
don't consider it suitable for mycology. sea level pressure. That means that the moisture in your
jars will boil off. It will continue to boil off until the
GRAIN JARS - A 1/2" hole in the lid is way too much temperature of the substrate cools below 212F. There's
for a small jar. In fact, with quart jars, I only use three to an excellent chance that you will have destroyed the

12
moisture content you worked hard to get right before with "simmering" grains almost always led to mushy -
sterilization. If you quick cool with bags, the filter won't sticky grains & on occasion - wet spot contamination -
expel the steam fast enough, so the bags inflate and in jars. I prefer WBS because of its low cost &
burst, spilling whatever is in them. When the availability - everywhere. No simmer is necessary with
instructions say you can quick cool, you must bear in WBS. Just experimenting around, I have supplemented
mind they don't build PC's for mushroom growers. They WBS spawn with rye (5 % per batch), rape seed (5%) &
build them for kitchen food use. cracked corn (5%) & had great results.

PCING GRAIN JARS - Lids tight. If they're loose, PCING GRAINS - PC'ing does not remove water from
there's a chance that contaminants will be drawn into the the grains unless you screw up and pop the weight off at
jar as the PC cools at the end of the cycle. Air in the jar the end of the cycle to let steam out. In addition, grains
won't expand and need to escape because the air in the prepared on the dry side will colonize much faster than
pressure cooker is under the same pressure, thus it's wet grains.
equalized. It's best to let steam escape for a few minutes
BURSTED KERNALS - Attempting to make your
before placing the weight on or closing the toggle if it's
mycelium colonize busted kernels is like trying to get
a sterilizer, but don't let it go too long. Anytime steam is
your car to drive cross-country on two flat tires-
escaping from the PC, it's also letting moisture escape
possible, but not recommended for good performance
from your jars. If the PC is blowing steam wildly, it's
and speed.
also blowing steam wildly from your jars, possibly
blowing the filter material and/or drying out your STERILIZING GRAINS - I recommend 120 minutes
grains. This is the reason you never want to pop the for quart jars of grains to take care of bacteria.
weight off at the end of the cycle to let the steam out.
SOAKING GRAINS - If you soak overnight, with the
RELEASING PRESSURE PC GRAINS - One should soak beginning in hot tap water, you can boil the grains
never release pressure immediately after the cycle. The for an hour or two and the kernels won't bust. They also
very rapid cool down from 250F to 212F while the won't take on any more water. Once the kernel is
grains or other substrate inside of the jars is still 250F saturated, it doesn't absorb any more, no matter how
will cause many jars to break. Furthermore, water at long you boil. After the soak, add hot tap water to the
250F must be under pressure to exist in the liquid state. soak water if necessary to fill the kettle as full as you
Therefore, when you release pressure, you also release can before placing on the stove. Heat to boiling, and
moisture from the substrate. That is a fact of physics. It then after several minutes, pour the water off. Shake the
can be made up for by adding more water to begin with, colanders so the steam can evaporate off the kernels,
but now you're forced to figure out how much is going drying them. That's the main purpose of the boil,
to be lost. That is beyond the reach of the new folks besides killing the germinated bacteria before pouring it
trying to learn so many other facets of the hobby. It's far down the drain. It also gives the grains sort of a pre-
better to tell them to NOT release pressure early to sterilization prior to the PC cycle. Don't skip the
remove one more variable from the equation. gypsum. It's worth a trip to the nursery.

PRESSURE COOKING JARS - Jars should be SOAKING GRAINS - I soak anywhere from 4 to 24
inoculated as soon as possible after sterilization. I wish hours. It really doesn't make much difference. The
people would quit saying the jars need to cool past the grains are only going to absorb so much, so you'll never
point when they're cool to the touch. They do NOT stay over-hydrate by boiling. After a few hours to overnight
warm on the inside of the jar longer than the outside by soak, I let the pot boil for five to ten minutes, then drain
more than a few minutes at most. The water permeates into the colander. The steam that evaporates off the
every part of a grain or brf jar, and water is an excellent grains will dry the outside while the water runs down
heat transferrer. If the jar itself is cool to the touch, then the drain. If you'll toss the colander around with the
the insides will be also, and that includes the middle. grains a few times to make them steam off, they're ready
Think about it. If you have a cup of coffee get cold from to load in twenty minutes. Gypsum serves two purposes.
sitting out too long, it isn't still hot in the center. It adds calcium and sulfur, both essential mushroom
nutrients, and helps prevent the grains from sticking and
NO NEED TO SIMMER - LOL the soak / simmer
clumping up.
thing is something we all go through. My experience

13
SOAKING GRAINS - 18 / 24 hour soak is a must do FUNGICIDES FOR GRAINS/CASINGS - I found no
thing. Long a soak as possible, so long as WBS doesn't problems when using banrot, and the fruits came out
ferment (smell very badly), sprout, or rot is best. No normal. It seems I used 1 tablespoon of Banrot 40WP
simmer needed. If you have some aged / leached / steer / per five gallons of soak water, but that could probably
horse manure around, either brew some into tea, or add be reduced. Banrot will prevent fungi spores from
softball size handful into a nylon stocking (doubled up - germinating, but doesn't affect mycelium. It also seems
several times) & add cup of strained tea, or use nylon to prevent bacteria. I once left a freshly sterilized jar of
stocking bag - like tea bag & leave it in the soak & stir rye berries exposed to the open air for half an hour or
halfway through soak. Adds significant N to soak water, so, then closed it up and a month later, it was still
which WBS absorbs & myc loves. You will get bigger contaminant free. However, good sterile procedure
better - everything. renders it unnecessary for grains, and while soaking
casing material in it will prevent trich and cobweb,
GRAINS COFFEE SOAK - Use weak liquid coffee to
proper pasteurization and good air exchange will also
soak your grains AFTER rinsing them in hot tap water.
prevent mold on casing layers. I prefer growing without
Rinse before the soak, not after. Once you've soaked in
chemicals and am generally an organic gardener. The
water or weak coffee, bring the soak water to a boil with
Banrot experiments were simply experiments. Dried and
the rye in it. It's all described in the tek posted above,
crushed Rhododendron leaves will also help prevent
and also on the video. I've used coffee grinds in grains,
trichoderma and cobweb in casing layers.
but there's little benefit. It's better as a substrate
ingredient. GRAINS - You boiled the rye, but not the millet? Then
mixed the two? That gives you two different grains with
GRAIN SOAK PEROXIDE - It would be a waste to
different levels of hydration. Draining for an hour does
use peroxide in the soak water for two reasons. One,
nothing. All the water that will drain out from a batch of
you want the bacterial endospores to germinate and
rye does so within 1 minute. The water that is stuck to
grow during the soak, so the pressure cooker can kill
the surface of the grains, will make them too wet later.
them. Two, peroxide breaks down very fast in the
You need to drain after the simmer while the grains are
presence of organic materials, so it would likely do
still boiling hot, so you can let the steam dry on the
nothing at all anyway. It would be long gone by the time
surface. Avoid busted kernels at all costs. None is best.
you boil.
If you have more than just a few, do the batch over. If
GRAINS SOAKING - I suggest a bit of hydrated lime you've soaked, beginning in HOT tap water, there
if you're soaking in weak coffee, due to the acidity of should be no busted kernels after boiling because they
the coffee. Use no more than a teaspoon for 2 gallons of will have softened up. Did you leave the stove on high
soak water. If you're soaking in plain water, skip the during the process? If so, your jars probably puked out
lime. Use one tablespoon of gypsum per gallon of soak all the moisture that was in the grains. You're supposed
water, regardless of how much grains are in it. to turn down the stove as soon as the weight rattles.
Turn it down so the weight either doesn't rattle at all, or
COFFEE SOAKING GRAINS - Yes. Mix it weak.
rattles once every few minutes at most. Every time the
About half or less the normal drinking strength. Add it
weight rattles, moisture leaves the PC, and a
hot. Use hot water for the rinse and add hot coffee later.
corresponding amount of moisture leaves each jar of
The heat prevents the grains from germinating during
grains. That is basic physics.
the soak.
GRAINS PREPARATION - One of the secrets of
GRAINS SOAKING - As I said above, it isn't
grain preparation, regardless of which grain, is to rinse
necessary to use long soak times with rye or wbs. If rye
the kernels very well before continuing with whatever
is used/PC'd before it starts to ferment, I actually like
preparation tek you're going to use. All grains get
the scent.
packaged with a lot of chaff and grain dust that if not
COFFEE SOAK - Yes. I add coffee to grains, partly to rinsed out will cause the grains to stick together later
lower the pH. Mushroom mycelium grows fastest at pH and cause that sticky goo. Put your dry grains in a large
about 5.5 to 6.5. kettle and fill with water as you stir it around. You'll see
all the dust and other crap come floating up. Slowly
COFFEE SOAK - If you use too much coffee, it will
dump out the water to get rid of the junk and repeat two
actually slow down growth.

14
more times or until the water pours off clear. Adding The earthy smell in grains indicates trichoderma or
gypsum is also a great idea. It will take anyone a few other molds, so there's always the possibility they were
tries to get the moisture content right, regardless of already contaminated.
which grain or which tek you follow. If it's too wet this
GRAIN WATER CONTENT - It's because fungus
time, make adjustments next time, and so on until you
grows better on damp things than on wet things. The
work out your system.
grains aren't really dry when properly prepared, they
GRAINS - The biggest reason for clumped up grains is just 'look' dry. That allows the most amount of air in the
the failure to rinse properly BEFORE spaces around the grains, thus favoring the mushroom
soaking/simmering/sterilization. Rinse the dry grains so mycelium over bacteria, which prefer a wetter, more
the dry chaff and dust and other debris can rise to the anaerobic environment.
top and be poured off. Give two or three rinses and your
GRAINS - It's normal to see what appears to be
grains will be clean and free of the dust that behaves
uncolonized grains where they are pushed up tight
like glue later. The second biggest reason for clumping
against the glass. If that's all it is, they're good to go.
is failure to use gypsum. If the grains are properly
Also, sometimes there's foreign material in the grains,
rinsed, and gypsum is added, they will NOT stick
so you might even be looking at a small rock or
together later, even if you let them sit in the pc until
something.
they reach room temperature.
PREPARING GRAIN - I boil in the water they soak
GRAINS - I strongly disagree with mixing vermiculite
in. The main reason for that is to kill off the live bacteria
in grain jars. If you have excess moisture, it will soak it
in the soak water before you pour it down your drain.
up. If you have the correct moisture, it will screw it up
The soak water can make for a pretty stinky kitchen sink
by making the grains too dry. The trick is to learn to get
drain if you don't boil it before pouring off.
the right moisture content. Grains should be totally dry
on the surface before loading jars. That's all. It's simple. GRAINS - Also, dumping grains into already boiling
The moisture inside the grains is what you want. Either water as shown there is a mistake that often leads to
use a towel to dry after draining, or drain the grains after burst kernels. Grains should be placed in cold water and
a simmer, and toss them around in the strainer so the slowly brought to a boil, or preferably soaked 24 hours
steam can dry the surface. to hydrate.

GRAINS - Make sure if you get rye from a feed store GRAINS - What causes spores to clump up is all that
that it hasn't been treated with fungicides if you plan grit, dirt, and dust in their if you don't soak.
direct inoculation with spores. Many times, feed grain is
treated with fungicides to prolong storage life in damp CASING/FC/CO2/HUMIDITY/CAKES/OUTDOOR
barns. If you inoculate with agar wedges or LC, the /SOAKING/MISTING
fungicides won't hurt because they only stop spores CASING - A casing should be a non-nutritious top layer
from germinating. Personally, I only use certified that is placed over a colonized substrate to help induce
organic rye berries, obtained from a health food bulk pinning and to supply moisture to the substrate and the
supplier. It costs me $8.75 for a 25-pound bag, but it's developing fruits. You can use others with nutrition but
worth the extra cost, imo. it's best not to as this will cause overlay if your not
careful. A casing of 50% Peat Moss, 40% Vermiculite,
GRAINS PREPERATION - As said above, prepare
10% Coco Coir is something called CAC' which some
you rye properly and don't dilute it with vermiculite.
commercial growers use. This is fine but once again you
That's a bogus tek to help beginners get away with being
have to watch it or it can colonize the casing for being
sloppy. In addition, because the vermiculite soaks up the
nutrition and what's the point of a casing if it fully
excess water, you never learn to prepare grains properly.
colonizes? With uncased substrate, wait for full
It's sort of like never taking the training wheels off your
colonization, and then place in the fruiting chamber. Try
bike. They'd look pretty silly on a Harley someday.
to keep humidity at 99%, since uncased substrates
GRAINS - 99% is not 100%, and you have no idea if should be treated as cakes. Remember, when using a
the center of the jars was colonized or not. Uncolonized casing layer, we keep the humidity a bit lower to allow
grains exposed to air = contamination. They should not some evaporation from the casing, which is replaced by
smell earthy; they should smell like fresh mushrooms. daily misting. A piece of wax paper layed loosely over

15
the uncased substrate will help produce a micro-climate casing. It will not hurt the casing one bit; it's just
conducive to fruiting, but remember that even though it annoying because you have to keep on it. Don't go easy
helps, wax paper is no substitute for a genuine casing spray as much as you can. Not in the one spot! Spray
layer. Incubate until you see mycelium coming up the entire casing. Bacteria in a bulk substrate are not a
through about 20 to 30 percent of the casing layer. contaminant. Commercial mushroom farms toss out any
Sprinkle fresh casing material over that mycelium fruits that have bacterial blotch growing on the fruits
which is showing (That's what we call patching) and themselves. However, having bacteria present in the
place in the FC. The best casing mix is 50% Peat, 50% substrate is not a cause for concern, and in fact many
Vermiculite, 10% gypsum, Teaspoon per cup of peat of agaricus species won't fruit at all from sterilized
Hydrated Lime. Mix the dry ingredients very well, then substrates. Casing layers are not pasteurized in
slowly bring to field moisture level and pasteurize. Also commercial mushroom production in order for the
you can use jiffy mix as all it is Peat/Vermiculite/Lime casing to have a high microbe count. NEVER keep a
treated but I see it less valuable as just making your own terrarium or other grow tub sitting on the floor. Get a
buying a block of peat moss/vermiculite/hydrated table or shelf to put it on. Over 90% of the contaminants
lime/gypsum and not having to deal with other shit or in a room are within a foot (1/3 meter) of the floor. You
pasteurize. Sunshine Mix #3 also works though. The can tell when your casing needs a mist by looking
reason we use lime is to raise the pH and to make the carefully at the cakes or casing layer. Allow them to dry
casing layer inhospitable to competitor fungi, which are slightly, then mist lightly. After a few grows, you'll be
less tolerant of a high pH than established mushroom able to instantly tell when a project needs to be misted.
mycelium. Gypsum is not used to change pH. Gypsum You don't want them to dry completely out, or get
contains both calcium carbonate and sulfur, thus it tends waterlogged. Rhizos on top are a good sign. Let them
to keep the pH near neutral, preventing swings as the grow. Knots form later. We using 'Perlite' in our casings
metabolites try to push the pH down. Calcium carbonate because perlite works not by holding water, but by
or hydrated lime is not used to counter the effect of the preventing clumping and providing lots of air pockets in
metabolites. As said above, that's what the gypsum does. the layer itself, which stimulates primordia. By mixing
Use gypsum on substrates such as compost or horse perlite with vermiculite, you get the best of both
manure, but don't use lime. Save the lime for the casing worlds... moisture retention in the vermiculite, and air
mix, where you should use gypsum and lime together. retention in the perlite. Ph balancing isn't necessary
Gypsum is added to help keep the kernels separated unless you add peat, which isn't absolutely required for
after sterilization and to provide calcium and sulfur, cubes. Just don't try to grow agaricus or other edibles
basic elements promoting mushroom metabolism. Using without peat in the mix, because they won't pin. If
both these will keep contaminants at bay. What you you're going to case substrates, you want the humidity
want is a short term (Hydrated Lime) because the life of no more than 90%, with 80% being ideal. Too high a
a casing is measured in weeks instead of months or humidity is a major cause of weak or no pinsets on
years. Use hydrated lime to get the ph right at the start, cased substrates.
and use gypsum at a rate of ten percent to the peat in
CASING - You don't need alcohol, peroxide, heat
your casing to prevent ph swings later. Pickling lime is
treatment, bleach or anything else on the perlite. Just
hydrated lime. It's my favorite, and many commercial
rinse, and then drain well. Leave no standing water.
grow operations DO use it. Don't use limestone;
There is nothing sterile about a fruiting chamber. FC
limestone is for long-term use, such as in a garden.
Having a slightly acidic casing layer PH will not cause
Casings, which flush for a month or so, do not need
side pinning. Sure, you can mist with a bit of baking
long-term ph adjustment. They need short term,
soda or hydrated lime in the water if you failed to
therefore hydrated lime is what you would want to use.
balance the casing layer PH first, but as I said, that isn't
The most critical time for contaminants to enter a casing
the problem. An acidic casing layer will favor
is during the initial colonization and first flush stages.
trichoderma and other molds, while mushroom
Once the layer is fully colonized, it's very contaminant
mycelium is more tolerant of basic PH. This is the
resistant. This is why we use Lime/Gypsum. A common
reason we use lime. As the mycelium colonizes the
contaminant that occurs in casings is the 'Cobweb Mold'
substrate, the metabolic byproducts produced begin to
which isn't toxic just very annoying that thrives in old
swing the PH lower. By the time pinning starts, you
stale air. You can melt this using 3% peroxide over the
have a near neutral substrate, which is what you want.

16
Casing layers pin on the sides for several reasons, but balanced, pasteurized casing layer, applied over a
most important to remember, they pin there when that's properly balanced, pasteurized bulk substrate.
the best environment for them to form primordia. The
FUNGICIDES FOR GRAINS/CASINGS - I found no
crease between substrate and tray is a perfect
problems when using banrot, and the fruits came out
microclimate. It's nice and humid down there and there
normal. It seems I used 1 tablespoon of Banrot 40WP
is plenty of moisture for the substrate to work with. It's
per five gallons of soak water, but that could probably
also protected from the spray from the mister, which
be reduced. Banrot will prevent fungi spores from
will damage developing primordia if they get sprayed
germinating, but doesn't affect mycelium. It also seems
and are allowed to remain wet. When the mycelium is
to prevent bacteria. I once left a freshly sterilized jar of
actively reaching/colonizing the top of the casing layer,
rye berries exposed to the open air for half an hour or
back off on misting. A sheet of wax paper can be layed
so, then closed it up and a month later, it was still
on top to hold in the microclimate you're looking for. It
contaminant free. However, good sterile procedure
helps to wrinkle it up into a ball, and then spread it out
renders it unnecessary for grains, and while soaking
again before laying on top of the casing. These wrinkles
casing material in it will prevent trich and cobweb,
will ensure there is plenty of air circulating under the
proper pasteurization and good air exchange will also
wax paper, while at the same time holding a high
prevent mold on casing layers. I prefer growing without
humidity level in your mini-environment under the wax
chemicals and am generally an organic gardener. The
paper.
Banrot experiments were simply experiments. Dried and
It's normal for the substrate to shrink. It's more than loss
crushed Rhododendron leaves will also help prevent
of water because the mycelium is actually eating the
trichoderma and cobweb in casing layers.
substrate; therefore it naturally gets smaller over time.
At this point, I do not recommend liming the casing PEAT MOSS CASING - You seriously need to read
layer. You're trying to make it pin, not suppress and study and not start a thread for every single question
trichoderma or other molds. If it only pins on the sides, that pops into your head. The members can help answer
you can be assured they'll grow into monsters. I doubt what you don't understand AFTER study, but this isn't a
your total yield will be very much less, although it place to learn everything. Commercial growers use
doesn't look as cool as a wild flush that hides the entire buffered peat and NO vermiculite as casing. Their
casing layer beneath a forest of mushrooms. income depends on growing as many mushrooms as
they can for the money they spend to grow them. Do
CASING - Exactly. Peat based casing layers should be
you really think a multi-billion dollar industry is just
pasteurized, not sterilized. It does no good to say
throwing money away? Read, search and study. ALL the
something doesn't perform well if you don't follow
questions you're starting these threads lately for are
proper procedure in making it. As I've said many times,
already answered in detail, and available by a simple
the commercial growers have invested millions of
search, which is faster than typing a question. Those
dollars into research on ways to maximize crops. We
who know these answers are sick and tired of typing the
can learn a great deal from them, and then expand on
same stuff hundreds of times, over and over again, and
that knowledge. Edible and medicinal mushrooms with
aren't going to do it anymore. Those who don't know the
few exceptions are exponentially harder to grow then
answer will make something up just to take a wild
cubensis, so learn from those who are already at the
guess, and the disinformation continues...
next level. Growing cubes can be looked at as a way to
learn mycology and then move on, or it can be looked at BULK SUBSTRATES CASING - Thicker substrates
as a way to get some cheap drugs. Those who follow the cause a lot of problems. Layering will give faster
latter are here today, freaked out by a trip and gone colonization with less damage to your spawn than
tomorrow. That's why there is such a huge turnover on mixing. You'll have more success with thinner substrate
this and other boards. Look at growing cubes as a way layers. Don't even attempt a six or seven inch thick
to 'learn the ropes' and then move to harder and more horse manure substrate. They will heat up, and also have
rewarding species. When you do that, the small things the tendency to go anaerobic in the core, leading to
such as casing layer composition become much more contamination. You'll get far more bang for the buck
important to get just right. Many species won't even with two trays of 3 inch substrate layers than one tray
fruit at all on a sterilized casing layer. Cubes will fruit, with 6 inches. Horse manure fruits very well uncased. A
but poorly compared to how they fruit on a properly properly made peat/vermiculite casing layer will

17
increase yields, but is by no means necessary. from the casing layer at lower temperatures, thus the
reservoir effect of vermiculite is not as necessary. For a
UNCASED/CASED FC - With uncased substrate, wait
given volume, vermiculite holds more moisture than
for full colonization, and then place in the fruiting
peat, thus combining the two results in a compromise
chamber. Try to keep humidity at 99%, since uncased
that favors fruiting in warmer conditions.
substrates should be treated as cakes. Remember, when
using a casing layer, we keep the humidity a bit lower to CASING/CAKES - You pick the fruits that are ready to
allow some evaporation from the casing, which is pick and leave the pins. The easiest way to re-hydrate a
replaced by daily mistings. A piece of wax paper layed bulk substrate that is dry is to pour water around the
loosely over the uncased substrate will help produce a edges of the tray so that the substrate floats a bit. Leave
micro-climate conducive to fruiting, but remember that it overnight and pour off the excess water. Mist the
even though it helps, wax paper is no substitute for a casing layer well. Never pick the pins because it's
genuine casing layer. common with many species to set pins for the first few
flushes at the time of first flush. These pins remain
CASINGS - Primordia form in 99% humidity, and
dormant until their turn comes. If you pick them, you
rarely in less. A casing layer can help to keep humidity
ruin future harvests.
at the surface of the substrate at 99%, even though the
air in the fruiting chamber might be lower, therefore CASING PERLITE - Perlite works not by holding
they allow for more sloppy technique. However, with water, but by preventing clumping and providing lots of
less than upper 90's percent humidity, the casing layer air pockets in the layer itself, which stimulates
dries out fast at the recommended level of air primordia. By mixing perlite with vermiculite, you get
exchanges, defeating the purpose unless you mist the best of both worlds ...moisture retention in the
heavily a few times daily. That's why I recommend 99% vermiculite, and air retention in the perlite. Ph balancing
humidity for all growing, regardless of whether one isn't necessary unless you add peat, which isn't
cases his substrate or not. absolutely required for cubes. Just don't try to grow
agaricus or other edibles without peat in the mix,
LYSOL MUTATIONS - I want to scream every time I
because they won't pin.
hear that. It's wrong. Lysol doesn't cause mutations. I
can only catch it so many times, and this Lysol/mutant CASING LAYER - A casing layer allows us to be a bit
myth is spreading like a damn virus. Your new sloppier on conditions. For example, if you have to
homework assignment is to spray Lysol near (not on) leave for work every day for 10 hours or more, a casing
one of your fruiting cakes and report the results. Lysol is layer will protect your substrate while you can't be there
mostly alcohol and isn't good for mushrooms, but using to mist. If you can hang around and babysit your crop, it
it in the room isn't going to cause mutations. I spray the makes little to no difference. Note this applies to cubes
face of my flow hood with Lysol prior to transfers, so only. Other species fruit poorly or not at all without a
it's always blowing on something. casing layer, and many edibles won't even fruit on a
pasteurized casing, it must be untreated.
CASING - Mycelium needs light for much more than
for the mushrooms to 'know which way is up'. Upon full SPORE DEPOSITS ON CASING - Heavy spore
colonization and a reduction in CO2 levels brought deposits do tend to hinder future flushes to some extent,
about by increased FAE, light becomes an important but not to the point they describe. You don't need to
pinning trigger, and must be bright enough to penetrate leave them attached to the casing until you have a black
the casing layer so that hyphal knots can form from mess everywhere in order to make prints. Pick them as
deep within the casing instead of just on top. Dim light the caps flatten out, but before they go crazy dropping
will produce 'some' pins, but if you want one of those spores. I have several totally sporeless strains. They're
wall-to-wall flushes, use bright light. I hope this helps the way to go. Culture slants last for years in the
clear up any confusion. refrigerator, making prints unnecessary.

CASING - Agaricus farmers use peat without the LAYERING VS MIXING CASING - It seems to
vermiculite, while people growing cubes tend to mix make sense that mixing would give faster colonization,
peat and vermiculite. There's a reason for this. Agaricus but my experience is the opposite. By layering, the
fruits at ten to twenty degrees cooler than cubensis in mycelium on the grains recovers and knits together, and
very low light. There is far less evaporation of moisture then rapidly takes off and colonizes the rest of the

18
substrate. In addition, since mixing 'can' damage the If the grains dry out and the mushroom mycelium
kernels, and a broken kernel is a prime site for weakens, they become the perfect place for molds to
contaminant spores to germinate, layering has the added start. Many growers get away with it, but the
benefit of less trauma to the spawn medium. contamination rate will be higher over time. Grains
should be covered with at least a very light layer of
CASING - Bacteria in a bulk substrate is not a
substrate, imo.
contaminant. Commercial mushroom farms toss out any
fruits that have bacterial blotch growing on the fruits PERLITE CASING - Actually, perlite works very well
themselves. However, having bacteria present in the in casing layers. It can't be used well in pf cakes, but in
substrate is not a cause for concern, and in fact many casing layers it helps to break up the peat and provide
agaricus species won't fruit at all from sterilized lots of O2 in casing layer, which stimulates pins. Of
substrates. Casing layers are not pasteurized in course, peat moss can be used without any vermiculite
commercial mushroom production in order for the or perlite at all. Just lime to balance Ph, and use gypsum
casing to have a high microbe count. at ten percent by volume of the amount of peat.
CASING CONTAMINANT COBWEB - The most CASINGS FC - A layer of vermiculite under the
common contaminant during the fruiting stage is substrate is counterproductive. I recommend against it.
cobweb mold, but it's caused by lack of air circulation Some beginning growers do it so that if they over mist,
and exchange. The more you lift that lid and fan the the vermiculite soaks it up. However, if you fail to
better. There should be no dust. Wipe it off the top first, overwater, the vermiculite draws moisture from your
and of course, NEVER keep a terrarium or other grow substrate. The vermiculite on bottom can also cause the
tub sitting on the floor. Get a table or shelf to put it on. mycelium to pin there instead of on the top where you
Over 90% of the contaminants in a room are within a want it to.
foot (1/3 meter) of the floor.
CASING - It's very common for the mycelium to try to
MUTANTS - Mutants are pretty common. It wouldn't colonize the sides of the tray above the substrate line,
be from mixing B+ and TC. The mycelium only cares especially if condensation is present, which I'm sure it is
about A and B mating types, not the name somebody with your heater. Your fruiting chamber should be kept
wrote on the syringe or print. You may end up with at normal room temperature, not heated. If it's too cold
separate zones of each 'strain' or you may end up with a in your house, run a small space heater in the room, not
cross, or somewhere in between, but it won't be a hybrid the terrarium itself.
since they're the same species anyway. Either way, it
looks like not a half bad pinset you have started there... OVERLAY CASING - Overlay is matted, nearly dead
mycelium. Full colonization, even if 100%. Overlay is
CASING - A 'casing' is simply a non-nutritious top matted, overgrown mycelium that makes the casing
layer that is applied over a substrate in order to supply layer impervious to water absorption. A bit of
moisture and an environment that is conducive to rhizomorphic mycelium on the surface is ok. It's what
primordia formation. It should not be used as a synonym produces primordia. Patch if you want to, but if you
for a tray, substrate, or total project. The purpose of a have primordia showing, don't.
casing soil is to provide moisture and also to provide
lots of little air pockets with high humidity to stimulate OVERLAY CASING - Overlay is the condition that
primordia formation. results when mycelium has been allowed to completely
cover the casing surface. It is caused by prolonged
FLUSHES BULK SUBSTRATES - True, but in that vegetative growth temperatures, high CO2 levels, and
same time you could have replaced that with a fresh one
excessive humidity. If overwatered, the overlay will
and got started on another 80% of either 100 or 250,
become matted, or, will form a dense, dead layer of cells
increasing your total yield considerably. It really doesn't
on the casing surface.
matter with hobby grows anyway, but in the commercial
field where yield per square foot makes the difference CASING - I've been saying unpasteurized casing
between profit and going out of business, it counts. material works better for years, but it's heresy around
the OMC where half the growers PC their casing
LAYERING CASING - I strongly recommend against
material. Chances of Dactylium mold contamination are
leaving any grains on top of a substrate, exposed to air.
higher with an untreated casing layer, but if one can

19
manage proper air exchange, results are superior, pinning. Also, there's no 'strains' that just colonize
ESPECIALLY with cubensis. slower. Colonization speed is related to substrate
moisture level, preparation, gas exchange, amount of
CASING - Use gypsum at up to ten percent of the peat.
inoculants, etc.
Don't count the perlite and/or vermiculite. Test it with
pH strips, and adjust with hydrated lime as necessary to CASING - What you want is a short term (Hydrated
get a starting pH of 8. When they say it has lime added, Lime) because the life of a casing is measured in weeks
it means to make it right for plants, which generally like instead of months or years. Use hydrated lime to get the
about 6.5 pH, which also happens to favor trichoderma. ph right at the start, and use gypsum at a rate of ten
percent to the peat in your casing to prevent ph swings
CASING - You apply it to your fully colonized
later.
substrate and cover it up. You then place it on a shelf out
of the way, at normal room temperature for a few days. CASING - You don't finely grind up casing layer
When the mycelium pokes through a few days later, ingredients. The courser it is the better. It's important for
introduce to fruiting conditions. Read up on patching. air to be able to penetrate the entire casing layer. A few
It's optional, but does increase yield and pinset. small pieces of debris in the peat doesn't hurt a thing. I
never remove them. That's the reason we pasteurize.
COLONIZING HIGH CO2 - One benefit of a high
CO2 level during colonization is that less of the actual CASING - You want upper ninety to near 100%
humidity with lots of air exchange. Misting is required.
carbon in the substrate is converted to CO 2 gas. In other
Even at 99% humidity, the proper amount of air
words, if you allowed too much fresh air during exchange will dry your casing layer (which is a pinning
colonization, more of the substrate would be 'consumed' trigger), thus you need to mist to replenish the moisture.
by the time the mycelium got to the fruiting stage.
COLONIZING - In addition, colonizing mycelium as
CASING - I would look for a mix without fertilizer if agar pointed out, generates its own heat. The process is
possible. It really won't hurt your fungus, but it could called thermogenesis. I've seen up to a fifteen degree F
stimulate algae. The chemical plant food won't feed the increase in substrate temperature over ambient air
mushroom mycelium or contaminant molds, but for my temperature with manure-based substrates.
grows, I'd prefer to keep it away. I don't even use that
stuff on plants. CASING - It sounds like the substrate and/or casing
layer might be too wet. After awhile, you can get a feel
CASING/JARS - Bear in mind, a substrate on the dry for when a bulk sub needs water by picking it up and
side will colonize faster than an overly wet one, so if judging the weight. You can actually develop a very
your jars didn't colonize, something else might be accurate feel for moisture content this way.
wrong. It's also a good idea in a dry climate to run a
humidifier in the room your grow is located to raise the CASING - It looks fine to me. The substrate is
ambient humidity. supposed to shrink. It's being eaten. It will pin in a few
more days, and it's ok to keep the humidity up. You
VERMICULITE CASING - Actually, vermiculite can don't need to reduce it until after the pins turn into small
provide moisture to support a flush, but it doesn't fit the mushrooms. Until then, 99% won't hurt a thing.
definition of 'casing', a term which is tossed around and
abused fairly loosely. Furthermore, cobweb mold SLOW COLONIZATION - The biggest causes of
LOVES plain vermiculite, which lacks the beneficial slow mycelium growth are a too wet substrate, and not
organisms to fight it off. enough gas exchange. Make sure the holes on your jars
are open. If your substrate is too wet, there's not much
COLONIZING MANURE - Leave the substrate loose you can do except fix it on the next batch.
and airy. I like to add a touch of vermiculite to manure
for that purpose as well. A slightly dry substrate will WHY CO2 LOW AND HIGH FC AND
actually colonize faster, so I don't think that's the COLONIZING - If the CO2 levels are too low during
problem. I make mine dry on purpose, and then dunk colonization, the mycelium will consume more of the
before first flush. substrate. By keeping the CO2 levels high during
COLONIZATION SPEED - Nobody can answer that. colonization, we save the mass of our substrate to
There are too many factors besides strain that go into support the flush.

20
CASING VERMICULITE - Contaminants will easily water that hasn't been absorbed.
germinate on damp vermiculite, and then spread their
CASING - However, it's normal for the substrate to
mycelium to your substrate below. The vermiculite
shrink. It's not just from drying, but from the mycelium
barrier works in pf jars because it's dry. In addition,
actually eating the substrate, so it naturally gets smaller
nothing 'wicks' contaminants, vermiculite or no
over time even if you dunk it.
vermiculite.
LATE CASING - Never add a casing layer after
CASING - A 'casing' is a non-nutritious top layer that is
pinning starts. It leads to contamination under the casing
applied over the fully colonized horse manure in order
layer, and also causes the pins that have formed to abort
to supply moisture to the substrate below and to provide
in many cases.
an environment suitable for pinning. A casing layer is
optional with cubes. BETTER LAYERING BULK - If you spawn in layers,
the spawn layer recovers very fast which then makes it
MIXING - Often, they'll combine into one strain, but
resistant to contaminants as it colonizes the layers of
you'll never know, because there's very little difference
manure.
between the various strains anyway, PE and the albinos
excepted. It would be a 'cross' not a hybrid, which is an CASING/SPAWNING - Contamination prior to first
interspecies mating. flush indicates your spawn was contaminated. Mold
mycelium is white, thus you didn't notice it until
SUBSTRATE DEPTH FC - Two feet of substrate
sporulation.
would go anaerobic in the core due to no air getting in,
and rot. 8" seems to be about the maximum you can go CASING - It works great. It's just a bit spendier than
with consistent success, but it better be loose and airy if buying a block of peat and a big bag of vermiculite.
you're going that deep. Sunshine mix #3 also works well. Don't forget to
pasteurize.
FC. CASING FC - Incubate until you see mycelium
coming up through about 20 to 30 percent of the casing CASING - Flush - It can either pin at will or once you
layer. Sprinkle fresh casing material over that mycelium see that the flushes are giving off continual harvests and
which is showing (That's what we call patching) and the mushrooms look more haggard, it's done.
place in the
CASING RATIO - You can leave it uncased. I wouldn't
CLUSTERS - Clusters vs. single fruits are strain go 1:4 with that. Stick to 1:2 or 1:3. Horse manure does
related. Often when multispore inoculation was used, fine at 1:4 and straw can be done at 1:10.
you'll see one on first flush, and the other(s) on second
FREEZING CASING - No. Freezing will squeeze the
and later flushes. The reason is that different strains are
moisture content out. Pasteurize tonight, then use
flushing.
tomorrow without freezing or nuking.
CASINGS - Mycelium on the caps is not an indication
SPORES/CASING - Spores won't germinate on a fully
of too much humidity. It's a combination of two types of
colonized substrate. Harvest just before spore drop for
mycelium on the fruiting body. It's more genetic in
best quality fruits though.
nature, occurring in some substrains more than others.
CASING - If it's waterlogged, the fruits will be small
CASING/CAKES - However, it's normal for the
and rotten. If it's too dry, the fruits will be dry, cracked,
substrate to shrink. It's not just from drying, but from
and hard, plus small.
the mycelium actually eating the substrate, so it
naturally gets smaller over time even if you dunk it. CASING - Vermiculite by itself is the poorest choice of
a casing material. It's barely better than no casing at all.
CASING WHAT IT'S USED FOR - The CASING is
the non-nutritious top layer that is placed over a CASING - If you wait until the mycelium is all over the
substrate to help induce pinning and to supply moisture top of the casing, then what is the use of the casing?
to the substrate and the developing fruits.
COBWEB ATTACK - 3% peroxide straight from the
CASINGS - They do shrink, but not typically on first bottle in your mister will melt cobweb mold on contact.
flush. If this is first, they could be dry. Pour some water
CASING - Add 10% coir to your casing mix. That is
around the edges, then after a few hours, dump out any

21
somewhat like CAC'ing that some edible growers do. hydrate a cake. Dunk and roll is my favorite method.
You're actually hydrating the individual mycelium cells,
CASING - Most often, if a cased substrate smells of
so it's a good idea to push the cakes a few inches under
alcohol. Some fermentation has, or is taking place.
water so there's a bit of water pressure on them. Remove
CASING - Casing layer moisture content is critical; so after 24 to 36 hours and roll in dry vermiculite, which is
don't leave it to a machine to figure out. then heavily misted after being placed into the FC.
Another method is to pile up vermiculite as deep as you
SUBSTRATE CASING - Substrate = Layer in which
can on top of the cake and keep that saturated. Another
mushroom MYC feeds from.
is to set the cake in a saucer of water. The straw method
CASING - Rhizos on top are a good sign. Let them also works. These last methods are fine during a flush.
grow. Knots form later. Between flushes or prior to the first, I'd still suggest a
dunk and roll. Mushroom farmers have been soaking
WHY OVERLAY CASING - A dry casing layer causes
substrates in water to rehydrate them for at least a
overlay.
thousand years. It's the time-proven method.
CASING - Casing layer = Layer on top, holds moisture.
REHYDRATING A CAKE - You can also simply use
PF TEK FC - Fine vermiculite holds more moisture per your finger or a sharpie and make a small hole in the
volume of measurement than course vermiculite; due to cake when you originally mix it and fill that with
they're being more of it. The basic formula of 2-1-1 vermiculite. Then, simply pour water into the reservoir
works great with fine or medium vermiculite, but if when the cake starts to dry out. Either way, don't keep
you're using course vermiculite, you might want to cut the cake wet all the time or it will waterlog. Hydrate it,
down a bit on the water. I've found that cakes as well as and then allow it to dry out a bit before wetting it again.
grains, and even bulk substrates colonize a bit better and If you dunk and roll prior to first flush, and then dunk
faster if made up on the dry side. With cakes, it's easy to between flushes, the straw tek isn't necessary.
adjust the water down, and then simply do a dunk and
SOAKING CAKES - I've seen pf type cakes survive
roll at birthing to put the moisture in for the flush at that
two-week dunks in the refrigerator. I've also seen master
time. If the first batch comes out a bit too wet, simply
slants under water survive two or three years in the
reduce moisture by 10% to 20% on the next batch until
refrigerator. You shouldn't dunk in the jars. It takes
you find the sweet spot. I'd still recommend the
pressure to hydrate the mycelium. Dunking isn't
occasional fanning. You simply can't have too much air
hydrating the substrate, which is fully colonized.
exchange, and the turbulence from fanning helps
Dunking is to hydrate the individual mycelium cells,
prevent trich from getting a foothold on your projects.
which takes time and a higher pressure outside the cell
Good luck!
wall than inside (osmosis) for hydration to occur. Dunk
PF CAKES - It's up to you if you want to roll in in a large kettle or bucket, etc., so the cake can be
vermiculite after the second flush. If there's still pushed completely under water, thus providing the
vermiculite stuck to the cake, then it can do its job of pressure required. Soak the cakes in this manner for 24
absorbing water and supplying it slowly to the hours.
mycelium over time. If the mycelium has fully
CASING/CAKES - Allowing a substrate to consolidate
colonized the first batch of vermiculite you rolled in,
its hold on the substrate before introducing to fruiting
then go ahead and roll after the second dunk. The idea is
conditions is good practice. By digesting more food
to have some uncolonized vermiculite on the sides and
before fruiting, better quality fruits are produced. Other
top of the cake to absorb water and act as a reservoir for
than that, there are no known ways to readily increase
the mycelium. 24 to 36 hours if fine for dunking
potency in substrates. There's lots of talk about
depending on how much moisture the cake needs to
tryptamines, etc., but the claims of increased potency
absorb. If they're really lightweight, meaning they've
can't be independently repeated. I believe from my
dried out, then dunk longer. If they feel heavy, then they
many experiments with hundreds of substrates and
don't need to dunk as long. You don't have to worry
additives that potency is genetic. If your mycelium has
about drowning them. They could survive weeks under
enough food to produce mushrooms, it has enough food
water if they're in the refrigerator.
to produce the active ingredients as well.
HYDRATING A CAKE - There's lots of ways to

22
PF CAKE FC - Place the cakes in the terrarium so that the cake, thus making pinning harder and yields weak.
what was the top of the jar is now the bottom. The If you wait a week after full colonization, pins often
reason is the bottom of the jar is concave, thus it leaves form within 48 hours of birthing/dunk and roll.
an indentation on the bottom of the cake. This makes a
CAKES - Don't use distilled water for cakes, for all the
nice 'bowl' to hold moisture later when it becomes the
same reasons you shouldn't drink it. Google it if you
top and is filled with vermiculite. You can actually pour
don't know what I mean. They contaminate much easier.
water directly on top of the cake, saturating the
Tap water is fine. For crying out loud, we've had lots of
vermiculite in this 'bowl' and it will slowly hydrate the
threads where people have dunked cakes in ten percent
cake, supplying moisture for the flush. It's OK if
bleach, so the very small amount in tap water isn't going
mushrooms grow from the bottom of the cake. Just let
to hurt anything. Use tap, river, lake, spring, etc., but not
them grow. They pick their own favorite place to pin, so
distilled. Save your distilled water for making agar.
don't mess with them.
CAKES - A cake can only support a few mushrooms at
PF CAKES - Stamets also explains the idea of
a time, due to the size of the cake (substrate). If you get
consolidation in his books. It's not necessary with grains
an awesome pinset on a cake, expect 80% of them to
if you're going to be spawning to bulk or using for
abort. Pick off the aborts when you pick the flush, but
grain-to-grain transfers, but you do need to wait for full
don't pick any pins that aren't black. Often, pins for the
colonization. However, with pf cakes and other bulk
first two or three flushes set at the same time as pins set
substrates, it helps to wait some time after full
for the first flush. Once you pick the first flush off and
colonization before initiating fruiting conditions. Doing
dunk, they'll take off and grow.
so results in more prolific flushes. Failure to do so with
some of the harder to grow edibles such as P. nameko HUMIDITY CAKES - My terrariums have a dozen or
and Shiitake sometimes results in no flush at all. more holes drilled into the bottom. The natural air
currents, since air is drawn from cold to warm, cause air
CONSOLIDATION PF CAKES - It isn't really
to enter the bottom of the terrarium, work up through
necessary to wait for primordia to birth, but the idea is
the perlite while being humidified along the way, then
to give about a week after full colonization for the
into the terrarium and back out the holes above the
mycelium to digest some of the food it has just
substrate. This provides FAE without fanning, and 95%
colonized. We call this process 'consolidation' and it
to 100% humidity.
makes for a much better pinset. Consolidation allows
the mycelium to perform this process while still in the PF CAKES FRUITING FROM BOTTOM - I'd leave
jars so they don't dry out before the flush. Those who them. They'll push out from the bottom. Often, water
birth right at full colonization often ends up with dry drains by gravity to the bottom of a cake. They pin there
cakes by the time they flush, which reduces yields. because that's the best environment, thus they took
advantage. If you flip the cake, it might work or they
CASING/CAKES - You pick the fruits that are ready to
might abort. If you do decide to flip the cake, place it in
pick and leave the pins. The easiest way to re-hydrate a
a saucer of water overnight and allow the cake to soak
bulk substrate that is dry is to pour water around the
up some moisture.
edges of the tray so that the substrate floats a bit. Leave
it overnight and pour off the excess water. Mist the PF CAKES - Any cake that hasn't pinned after two
casing layer well. Never pick the pins because it's weeks should be dunked and rolled again. Keep them at
common with many species to set pins for the first few 99% humidity and normal room temperature. Inoculate
flushes at the time of first flush. These pins remain a few cakes with oysters and cook them up for the
dormant until their turn comes. If you pick them, you family in an omelet. Then you won't have to worry
ruin future harvests. about kids. In my opinion, mom and dads bedroom
should be off limits to kids anyway. At least, that's how I
FC PF - The reason for waiting a week after full
raised mine.
colonization is to allow the mycelium to consolidate its
hold on the substrate. Until the mycelium digests some PF CAKES - I'd recommend removing the trays, and
of the substrate it has colonized, it will not fruit. If you then raking your fingers through the perlite to fluff it
birth the day of full colonization, the week spent back up. Set small blocks or pieces of pvc on the perlite
consolidating the hold, will be a week spent drying out to hold the trays elevated. You could also build a wire

23
rack for the trays to sit on. However, keep up plenty of perlite. Having standing water relegates that perlite that
air exchange even with the holes, as normally the is underwater useless. Rinse the perlite; drain well, and
substrate trays evaporate enough to maintain pretty then place into the terrarium. Three to five inches of
good humidity. well-drained perlite will deliver 95% humidity, provided
you've drilled those small holes into all six sides.
PF CAKES - I didn't notice that the first time. You
should wait one full week after full colonization before CAKES FC PERLITE - You're not supposed to let
birthing. This allows the mycelium to consolidate its them sit on the perlite. It causes them to wick up water
hold on the mycelium. They will rarely pin during that from below, and also to attempt to grow into the perlite.
first week anyway, so keeping them in the jars keeps Put down a jar lid or something to separate them from
them in the high CO2 environment, where they also lose sitting right on the perlite so they won't become
less moisture to evaporation. waterlogged. If they do, they won't fruit.

FC PF TEK - Most jars are concave on the bottom so PF - You should NOT see condensation on the sides of
there's a small well in the bottom of the cake. Put it into the terrarium, especially with holes in the sides for air
the fc where what was once at the bottom of the jar is exchange. Condensation indicates one thing and one
now the top of the cake. This little divot can be filled up thing only: A temperature differential between inside
with vermiculite, and then you can pour water onto it and outside the FC. It does not indicate humidity in any
every day to keep the cake fully hydrated. That's the key way, shape, or form.
to good performance. CAKES - This gives you a place to fill with
PF CAKES - We wait one week after full colonization vermiculite, which you can then pour water into in order
to allow the mycelium to digest a bit more of the food it to keep the cake hydrated during the flush. They'll fruit
has colonized, thus allowing it to consolidate its hold on either way, but divot side up gives a nice moisture
the substrate. It won't fruit before this week passes reservoir, to counter the small size of the cakes which
anyway, so it's best to leave in the jars. After a week, often limits fruit size.
birth the jars, dunk and roll, and then place into fruiting PF CAKES - If you used the dry vermiculite filter per
conditions. the pf tek, you can loosen the lids with no problem.
HUMIDITY - Condensation on the sides is in no way Don't move the jars around or turn them upside down or
an indication of high humidity. In fact, it's an indication anything silly like that because it can cause the
that you have low humidity because your humidity has vermiculite filter to shift, allowing contaminants to
been stolen from the air to be deposited on the surface reach the rice flour below.
of the terrarium. What it indicates is a temperature PF CAKES - Moisture in a pf cake often drains to the
differential between inside and outside the terrarium. bottom of the cake from gravity, thus pinning starts
Nothing else. there. In addition, right against the perlite is the most
PF CAKES - After rolling in dry vermiculite, I hope humid microclimate, thus it encourages pinning. It's also
you misted several times over the next few hours to the area that any perlite will stick to the cake simply by
fully hydrate the vermiculite. Don't mist the sides of the geography.
terrarium, as it does no good. Aim the mist up into the CAKES - Often, the mycelium will set way more pins
air and let it fall directly on the cakes. In fact, after the than it can support. Since there's no way a pf cake can
dunk and roll, aim the mister right at the cakes and soak support 48 mature mushrooms, expect the majority to
them well. abort. Start really giving it a lot of water. You can put a
FLOODING CAKES FC - What WILL flood your pile of vermiculite on top of the cake and then keep it
cakes is pumping from a humidifier AFTER the air is wet.
already at 100%. That's why I recommend three to five SOAKING CAKE - A member recently dunked his
inches of well-drained perlite for a terrarium, and no cakes for two weeks, thinking that putting them in water
mechanical humidifier. This way, if your humidity reads and then refrigerating was the best way to store them.
less than 95%, it means you need to calibrate your Guess what? They survived and did just fine. I'd still
hygrometer. recommend 24 to 36 hours max though.
FC PF - There should be ZERO standing water in the

24
CASING CAKES - Mushrooms depend on a LOSS of CAKE FC - With lots of pins without the correct
moisture from the substrate to fruit. If you saturate moisture the excessive pins can drain a cake in no time.
them, or keep a steady moisture level, they fruit poorly
GYPSUM PF TEK - In fact, I add a tablespoon of
if at all. Mushrooms are not plants, which benefit from
gypsum to the basic 1,1,2 pf recipe.
steady moisture levels.
CO2 - CO2 will build up in a terrarium, whether or not
CAKES/FC/HUMIDITY/PINNING - It should rise
and fall. FAE will lower the humidity, and then you mist holes are drilled into all six sides. The levels will be
to replenish it. That's what you want. Evaporation of lower than they would be without holes drilled and/or
moisture from the casing layer or substrate is a major fanning regularly, but will still be above normal
pinning trigger. ambient. With oyster mushrooms and lion's mane to
name two species that are very CO 2 intolerant, you need
CAKES - Try to keep normal room temperature, and
to fan a few times per day, even when using my
near 100% humidity. Mist as required keeping the
terrarium design. The point above is that even with 100
vermiculite on the outside of the cake moist. Three or
holes in the floor of the fruiting chamber/terrarium, CO 2
four light mistings per day are superior to one soaking.
levels will still be elevated. The holes help, but don't
CASING - Scratching seems to have benefits with make for maintenance free fruiting. In other words,
button mushrooms, but in my experience, it does little to gravity won't 'drain' the CO 2. I hope this clears up any
no good with cubensis. I tried it many times, and it
lingering confusion. In addition, CO 2 is not the only
seemed to set back progress every time.
reason we provide air exchange. The other important
PF CAKE - That slime is the reason I recommend to reason is that contaminants prefer stale air, while
rinse the cakes well both before and after the dunk. mushroom mycelium prefers fresh, moving air.
Rinsing before the dunk helps prevent it, and rinsing
after the dunk removes any that has formed. CO2 - CO2 doesn't 'sink to the bottom' or 'pour out like
water'. It mixes with the air and raises the CO 2 content.
CAKES DUNK AND ROLL - You're supposed to mist
after the roll in dry vermiculite to get the vermiculite CO2 can be measured in the upper reaches of the
that stuck to the cake moist. Otherwise, the vermiculite atmosphere. If it all settled to the bottom (ground) it
will suck moisture from your cake. Yes, mist it now. would snuff out life on earth. Therefore, you can't drain
PF CAKES - Cakes often pin on the bottom because CO2 out of your terrarium by holes on the bottom. Fans
that's where the moisture runs to by gravity and also it's in a small terrarium will dry out the air. That's why your
closer to the perlite, thus the humidity is higher and current cakes are blue. They're dry and stressing. You
stimulates pinning. want natural circulation in your FC, near 100%
humidity, and enough holes or fanning by hand to get
CASINGS/CAKES - Since hyphal knots to primordia
the CO2 out.
to pins takes at least two to three days, those pins
formed because of what you were doing before you CO2 - If CO2 was heavier enough than air that it settled
made the changes.
to the bottom, we'd all be dead from CO 2 poisoning on
PF CAKES - I always add a tablespoon of gypsum to the surface of the planet. CO2 mixes with the air. To get
each multiple of the basic recipe of 2 cups vermiculite,
rid of it, you exchange the air in the terrarium. You can't
1 cup each of brf and water.
simply drill a hole in the bottom and expect it to run out
CAKES - People need to realize that a greenhouse isn't like water. CO2 is found high in the atmosphere, not just
appropriate for pf style cakes because they require a at the surface. It's the same in your terrarium. In a
very high humidity.
completely airtight container, the CO2 would sink to the
BRF CAKES - No water should squeeze out of BRF bottom. Such is not the case with our growing
mix, no matter how hard you squeeze. Follow the recipe containers.
next time.
CO2 - CO2 won't run out of holes in the bottom. It's
CAKES - After each flush, allow the cakes to sit for a
widely misunderstood that CO2 is heavier than air, and
few days to rest, and then dunk for 24 to 36 hours again.

25
many growers think it will run out like water if only HIGH CO2 - High CO2 will give long stems, but not
there's holes in the bottom. The fact is, the CO 2 mixes huge caps. However, if you don't give any air
with the air inside the tub and raises its CO 2 content. exchanges, you'll grow nothing but green molds.
You have to exchange ALL the air in the tub to get rid of MUSHROOMS CO2 - Tall, skinny mushrooms are
it. I simply drill lots of holes in the fruiting chamber,
indeed a sign of insufficient air exchange. Lack of light
and let nature take care of it.
will also cause that.
COLONIZING CASING CO2 - The 5K to 10K ppm
HIGH CO2 - Long, spindly stems are a sign of too high
levels of CO2 are during colonization. The fungus
a CO2 level, and green molds are a sign of insufficient
naturally produces the CO2 just as humans also produce
air exchange.
it. The 300 ppm levels are what is optimum for fruiting,
HIGH CO2 - Increase air exchange. High CO 2 levels
and you'll have to ventilate to get it that low. We don't
supplement with CO2, but rather have different cause stem elongation and small caps.
strategies for getting rid of it, depending on the part of HOLES IN FC AND WHY - The holes in the bottom
the cycle we're in. increase humidity. How? It's a development from
something I learned working on the Alaska Pipeline
CO2 CASING - You want holes all around to create
project in the 1970's, helping to engineer the supports
circulation. It's a myth that CO 2 settles to the bottom that are actually self contained refrigeration units that
and needs to be 'drained' out. If that were the case, we'd keep the tundra frozen even in summer so they don't
all be dead from the CO2 from the power plants, car shift, thus preventing the pipeline from rupturing. The
exhaust, etc. sinking to the surface of the earth, but the supports require no electricity to operate.
fact is, CO2 can be measured in the highest reaches of The methodology is this: Air currents travel from high
pressure to low. Heat expands the air, thus causing low
the upper atmosphere. It simply mixes in with the air
pressure. Cold compresses the air, thus causing high
and goes where the air goes.
pressure. The damp perlite is cold, so the air
CASING CO2 - High CO2 levels are beneficial during surrounding the perlite is our 'high' pressure. The
colonization. It prevents most of your substrate from substrates within a terrarium produce heat, as does the
being turned into CO2. Without proper covering, up to lights shining through the sides or top, thus the air in
upper terrarium becomes 'low' pressure. This causes air
50% or more of the carbon in your substrate will be
to want to flow through the perlite and into the
released as CO2 gas by the mycelium. In addition, many
terrarium, but only if there is an entry point at the
competitor fungi can't thrive in the high CO 2 bottom for the air to be drawn in. The air, by natural
environment, thus it helps favor for mushroom convection passes through the perlite, absorbing
mycelium. moisture as it does. It then enters the terrarium, and is
expelled through the holes above. This natural
CO2 FRUITING - High CO2 levels are another thing
circulation provides FAE without fanning, while
that causes pins to abort. Mycelium can form primordia keeping the humidity higher than it would otherwise be.
in conditions that can't sustain a flush, so lots of air I developed this over the last year, but am just now
exchange is very important throughout the fruiting releasing it after a full year of testing; so don't look for
process. anyone else beside myself to have used this system yet.
CO2 FC - 'Drainage' holes drain the CO 2, and you want It works. Oyster mushrooms still should be fanned a
time or two per day, but every other species has done
the CO2 high in the substrate and low on top of the
very well with this system with no fanning, and
casing layer because that stimulates pinning where you humidity maintains between 95% and 98% provided
want it to happen. four to five inches of damp perlite are used. Smaller
depths may work with smaller terrariums, but with the
CO2 - Drill holes as described. CO2 isn't enough
106-liter terrarium I've posted pictures of, four to five
heavier that it will 'drain' out holes in the bottom. You
inches is best.
want lots of holes so there can be constant fresh air.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AIR EXCHANGE AND

26
GAS EXCHANGE - Gas exchange is when the gasses rooms, as that's how they grow best.
must percolate up through a vermiculite barrier or other
FILTERED AIR - Best way for filtered air exchange in
filter to three or four small holes in the lid. The small
a TIGHT clean room, or grow room is POSITIVE
filter on spawn bags allows for gas exchange. The very
PRESSURE. Meaning, pump in hepa filtered air in a
limited exchange that takes place allows the excess CO 2
volume much larger than the outlet. Which creates mild
to get out of the jars and be replaced by very small positive pressure. Enough that nothing wisps in, except
amounts of filtered room air. Air exchange is when we what you carry on you.
remove the lid on a fruiting chamber or run a fan in a
greenhouse to forcefully fan the contents in order to FAE. KEEPING COBWEB MOLD AT BAY - You
blow out the stale air and replace it with large amounts should have just hit it with a mild H202 mist - spurt.
of unfiltered room air. Then, or NOW increase your FAE. For Cobweb. Give it
another spurt of H202, and then about triple your FAE.
FC/HUMIDITY/HOLES - I drill dozens of holes all Plenty of FAE is the trick to holding cobweb at bay. It
over my terrariums, including the very bottom. The thrives, when there is little or no
holes on the bottom actually increase humidity, while
letting the CO2 drain. The reason the holes on bottom FILTERING AIR NO REASON TO FC - Actually,
polyfill is a filter, but there's absolutely no reason to use
increase humidity is because air currents travel from
it on a fruiting chamber. If you have gnat problems, you
cold to warm, due to the pressure difference caused by
can use window screen, which will allow much more air
the molecules being farther apart in warm air. The warm
to circulate, thus lowering the risk of contamination.
air in the terrarium causes air to percolate up through
the perlite, wicking moisture as it passes through. FAE/FC - Just remember with small holes, it takes four
times as many holes to equal twice the area. In other
AIR EXCHANGE FC - Sure looks like too much
words, two 1/4-inch holes are not the same as one 1/2-
substrate and mycelium for such a small container. I'd
inch hole. It would take four of them. It helps to bear
imagine the gasses build up in no time in something that
that in mind. Good luck.
small. You need three to five air exchanges per HOUR,
not two per day. That's why I recommend drilling holes FAE - Four air exchanges per HOUR are recommended.
into all six sides of the terrarium. If you mist, and then I'd suggest fanning three times per day, and drilling a
close that thing up with the fruits wet, it's just one more hundred or more holes in your terrarium to get you by
example of the proof that doing so causes aborts. between fannings so you can leave for work, play, etc.

FAE CONTAMINATES - The fact of the matter is, FAE - Stamets recommends 4 to 5 air exchanges per
green molds can't survive in a fresh, turbulent air hour. I try to give a bit more than that because in
environment. They require stale, still air. That makes addition to getting rid of the CO2, we're also trying to
green molds fairly easy to control. All the sterile make an environment that is inhospitable for
procedure in the world won't help once your project is in contaminants.
fruiting conditions. At that point, give fresh air and keep
it moving. Green molds will still pop up from time to FAE - Correct. Nothing covers the holes. It's near my
time, but they won't be devastating. balcony where we keep the sliding glass door open all
the time. The breeze from the open door helps with the
FAE - I have a couple dozen holes drilled into the floor FAE too, and the natural sunlight is a plus.
of the FC as well, so any excess water from misting can
drain out. The holes in the floor of the Rubbermaid also AIR EXCHANGE FC - We filter uncolonized grain
help to let the CO2 seep out. Water doesn't evaporate spawn, but once it's fully colonized, there is no reason to
filter. Air exchange is the key to contamination
well into CO2, so getting rid of it helps the perlite work
prevention in the fruiting environment.
better, as well as stimulate pinsets.
FAE FC - Mushrooms like 3-6 COMPLETE FAE's an
FFAE IS THE WAY TO GO - In nature there is no hour, which can't even hope to get near most of the time
fanning, there is constant, full air exchange which is and if they do, it typically will cause a problem with
what starts the chain reaction to pinning, so the more air over-Drying of the substrate.
you're providing via open air exchange, the better, farms
don't use fruiting chambers they use huge trays in open FC AIR - There is no reason to worry about

27
contaminants in your fresh air supply, because your the fruiting chamber produces heat. These two produce
cakes are already colonized. Stale air is much more of a convection. Perhaps if you'd read posts before jumping
threat than contaminated air. into shit you know nothing of, you'd have seen that.
Sorry, but this pisses me off. Don't attack my work
CONTAMINANTS WITH FAE - All the FAE. The
because you don't understand the science behind it.
constantly circulating air outdoors gives contams little
Now, in a so-called 'shotgun' fruiting chamber with
room to take hold of the patch. Unlimited FAE is the
holes on all six sides, would you suppose the CO 2
key factor.
drains out the bottom? It doesn't. It mixes with the air. I
FAE. FAE FC - You want about 4 air exchanges per see absolutely NO change in CO 2 concentration from
hour if it's in fruiting mode, so watch your humidity as
the top to the bottom of the fruiting chamber. CO 2 levels
agar said and be sure to replace the moisture you lose to
are higher than ambient in the room, but lower than they
MUSHROOMS WITHOUT FAE - Insufficient fresh would be in a 'still air' terrarium, as if anyone who has
air exchange leads to the long twisted stems, and poor knowledge of the life cycle of fungi would ever make
lighting leads to very small caps. such a thing.
PROBLEMS WITHOUT FFAE - The sign of high PERLITE FC - The perlite should stay fully hydrated
CO2 is baseball bat fruits with fat stems and little tiny and provide humidity for four to six weeks. This is
caps or long skinny ones. plenty for a crop cycle. I simply take the perlite from the
tub, place in strainer and run water through it again to
FC - Air exchange in the fruiting environment will do
re-hydrate it. You should be able to use the same perlite
way more for contaminant control than filtering.
for years. When I filmed this part for my dvd, I bought a
FAE FANS - Fans are unnecessary, and tend to dry out new bag of perlite so it would be nice and pretty white.
the air too much. My old perlite, which is still perfectly fine, is several
years old and has been used for dozens of cycles, and is
FC FILTERING AIR NO NEED - You don't filter air
stained various colors from different substrates and
to fruiting chambers!!!
spores getting spilled onto it over the years. If you have
FFAE - FFAE = Frequent Fresh Air Exchange. a bad trichoderma outbreak, It can't hurt to boil the
perlite in a large kettle before re-use.
FC - It all depends on the size of the FC. If you can
maintain upper 90's humidity, then the more holes the SPAWN BAGS FC - I seal after sterilization and
better. Air exchange is the key to contaminant avoidance inoculation. You'll have to make provisions to allow the
and good pinsets. However, if you over do it on the pressure to escape from the bag as the PC cools down or
holes, performance will suffer if you can't keep up with the bag will burst. I use a tyvek sleeve placed the entire
good humidity. If you're unable to maintain humidity length of the flap from the substrate to the end of the
with all your holes, begin taping them up until you can bag. This allows the pressure to escape, but also filters
maintain 95%. That will be the sweet spot. Many people any air that tries to seep back into the bags. Using this
also don't realize that if you double the diameter of a method, I've left them to sit on a countertop in open air
hole, you increase its area by four times. That means a for several days prior to inoculation. The tyvek prevents
1/4" hole is four times as large as a 1/8" hole, and a 1/2" contaminants from entering. I use steel tie-wire to seal
hole is four times as large as a 1/4" hole. You can dry the bags. I don't even own an impulse sealer.
out your terrarium in a hurry if you have too much. With
CONDENSATION/FAE/PINNING FC - Correct. The
this system, it also helps to run a humidifier in the room
temperature differential causes the condensation, and
your terrarium is located, if you live in a dry or air
the holes help to keep the temperature equalized, thus
conditioned climate. If your ambient humidity is in the
no condensation. If you've dunked and rolled your
50% range, your terrarium will do much better than if
cakes, you still want to mist to keep the vermiculite
it's in the 10% range.
damp. If you have cased substrates, you also want to
FC - The fruiting chamber I designed has holes in all six mist. All those holes provide for constant FAE, which is
sides. This results in convection and circulation. It is a major pinning trigger, but the constant FAE also
NOT a still air environment! The mushroom substrates causes evaporation from your substrate (another pinning
produce heat, and also the lighting that shines through trigger), which needs to be replaced by misting.

28
TEMPERATURE PROBLEM FC - If you have a FC/HUMIDITY/CONDENSATION - You need high
freezer, freeze water in several plastic containers. You humidity in a fruiting chamber, and heating one will
can then rotate the jugs from your freezer to your FC cause excessive condensation. The humidity you want
and back as needed. No, I meant to put the ice inside the for the mushrooms will be wasted sticking to the sides
DT. Get imaginative. The jug can hang from a wire if as condensation if there's a temperature difference
the whole tub is covered with substrate. Don't put the between the fruiting chamber and the room it's located
ice on the outside or you'll stunt the mycelium in that in.
location. You can open fruiting chambers whenever you
CONTAINER FC - Use black plastic glad ware baking
want. The more the better in fact as long as you
dishes. I've seen aluminum containers with holes in the
maintain humidity.
bottom before the first flush comes in. Even if the
FC - Massive air exchange is what you want for a metals are not transferred to the fruits (which nobody
fruiting chamber. By the time fruiting comes, CO 2 has the equipment to test to know for sure), the holes in
production has fallen off dramatically. You want large the bottom cause unwanted pinning down there.
amounts of air exchange in order to prevent FC - A humidifier inside the greenhouse works great,
contaminants such as cobweb, which thrive in stale, still and mine last several times as long inside the
air. Have several vents both top and bottom in a FC, so greenhouse as outside. Have it on a timer so it runs no
you can get circulation as well as intake and exhaust. more than two minutes at a time. One minute on, six
Positive pressure is not necessary. A FC by nature isn't minutes off works great for me. Just leave lots of gaps
sterile, nor does it need to be. Just keep the humidity up. in the plastic so you have continuous air exchange.
FRUITING CHAMBER - Perlite will remain hydrated CONDENSATION FC - Condensation on the walls
for months, so you don't need to wet it every weekend. only indicates that the temperature of the walls is equal
Your mushrooms won't abort because of going two days to or less than the dew-point of the terrarium, and is not
without misting, provided you've built a proper an indication of humidity. In other words, condensation
terrarium and have 3 to 5 inches of well-drained perlite indicates a temperature differential and not moisture
inside. Something else is wrong. You can mist content.
mushrooms. They thrive in the rain. What's your air
exchange provisions? PULLING AWAY FROM THE SIDES CASING/FC
- With a good pinset, they'll need lots of water. Be sure
CONDENSATION HUMIDITY FC - Condensation to give it to them. As said, it's normal for the substrate to
does not begin on all surfaces at about 95%. pull away from the sides. The mycelium is munching
Condensation is a function of the temperature down its food, so the substrate naturally is going to get
differential on either side of a surface. Condensation smaller.
forms on the warm side. Condensation won't even form
on your mushrooms at 100% humidity. If they get wet, FC - Elevate the terrarium off your table on blocks so
it's because liquid water droplets were thrown on them, the holes in the bottom are open. Built as directed, it
not humidity in the air. will maintain humidity fine if your ambient humidity is
50% or more. If necessary, run a cool mist humidifier in
PERLITE IN FC - Also, make sure your perlite isn't the room your terrarium will be located in.
packed down tight. If it is, it can't work. Rake your
fingers through it from top to bottom to fluff it up. You FC MOISTURE - Droplets on your pins will not cause
want your perlite very loose and airy so it can evaporate aborts. It's recommended to mist mushrooms. Air
the moisture it holds into the air. The more surface area exchange must be provided because stagnant water
of perlite, the better it works. Make little mountains and sitting on a mushroom in stagnant air for an extended
valleys for best results. period WILL cause aborts.

FC - Drill as many as you can drill until the humidity CONDENSATION FC - Condensation has nothing to
begins to fall. Then, cover up the last hole you drilled. do with humidity. Condensation is caused by a
The more air exchange during fruiting, the better. Just temperature differential between inside and outside your
keep your substrate thin, and also keep the casing layer tub. Use plastic or a drip shield to prevent drops from
thin. Pans don't like thick substrates. 1 1/2" deep works falling on the fruits.
for the manure, and 1/4" is plenty for a casing layer.

29
HEAT A FC - NEVER heat a terrarium. It causes put the perlite in your terrarium. That will deliver the
condensation, which robs the humidity from the air highest possible humidity.
within, and turns it into condensation on the sides.
FC - FYI placing in the FC slows vegetative growth and
You're supposed to heat the room the terrarium is
covering your knots with casing would destroy your
located in.
initial pinset.
FC - Warmer air has the molecules farther apart, thus
SUCCESS FC - High humidity and massive amounts of
humidity is lower, even in a sealed chamber. A 20F rise
air exchange is the key to success with mushroom
in temperature doubles the capacity of the air to hold
growing.
moisture, thus it cuts the humidity in half.
HEATING FC - Don't heat the terrarium. You'll only
USING PERLITE FC - Be sure your perlite is well
make condensation that will suck the humidity out of
drained, and you'll have 98% humidity for three weeks
the air.
or more, at which time you can remove, wash, drain and
replace the perlite for the next cycle. FC - How to incubate Monotub...Drill a bunch of
holes...put Micropore tape over holes for colonization.
CONDENSATION FC - Condensation in a FC is
actually stealing moisture from your air, lowering the FC - You really need to get your humidity as close to
humidity inside. Avoid it. As said above, the water 100% as possible for hyphal knot formation.
droplets falling on your mushrooms is bad as well.
FC - On the next grow; provide more air exchange for
FC - It's normal for the substrate to pull away from the shorter, fatter stems and larger caps.
sides of the tray. It's not just from drying though. As the
CONDENSATION FC - Condensation is caused by
mycelium consumes the substrate, it actually gets
excessive temperature inside the jars.
smaller because it's being 'eaten'.
FC - High humidity, plus high air exchange will give
FRUITING CHAMBER - Depending on what you're
the best results.
growing, you need a bit more air exchange than that. I
like to see three to four air exchanges per hour, with a CONDITIONS TO INDUCE FRUITING - The major
co2 level around 1,000 or less. pinning triggers are in order of importance, full
colonization, a decrease in CO 2 levels due to increased
CONDENSATION FC - Condensation is not caused by
humidity. It's caused by a temperature differential air exchange (not gas exchange which is minimal), a
between inside the box and outside. Don't use heat. steady rate of evaporation from the substrate or casing
layer, and lastly, light.
CONDENSATION FC - True, but condensation can Hyphal knots form best in 100% humidity, but I didn't
only form if the humidity is 100% OR there is a list that because it's not a pinning trigger, but rather an
temperature differential between inside and outside. environmental condition that is necessary. That's why
FC - You don't heat fruiting chambers. You heat the we use casing layers. The casing helps to provide the
room they're in to avoid condensation. If you desire 80, 100% humidity right at the surface of the substrate
you'll want to heat the room that warm. where the hyphal knots form.
I have seen no correlation with temperature drop
COLONIZING PERLITE PF TEK / FC - Don't force whatsoever. In the summer, my growing chambers are
the mycelium to colonize the perlite that has no food for 10 or more degrees warmer than the open shelves I
it anyway. It will waste needless energy. incubate on due to the heating effects of the lights. Even
SUBSTRATE FC - They break in half all the time with a temperature increase, I still get wall-to-wall
when I'm dunking. They do just fine. Try to avoid pinsets, so I don't consider temp drop relevant at all to
breaking them, but if they do, don't worry. tropical species. Other growers disagree of course, but
that's just my observation after many years.
CONDENSATION FC - You don't heat fruiting Full colonization of the substrate is the number 1
chambers or they get condensation on the walls, which pinning trigger. Full colonization can be when the
sucks moisture out of the air inside. mycelium reaches the physical border of the container
FC - Standing water lowers humidity. Drain fully, then they are in, or when they run up against a biological
border, such as a contaminant species. Either way, they

30
see they have colonized all of what is available to them, PINSET INITIATION FACTORS - I rarely start new
so they then enter the next phase, which is reproduction. threads anymore, but the same questions and
There must be evaporation of moisture from the misunderstandings seem to keep popping up regarding
substrate for pins to form. A waterlogged substrate will what makes our fungi enter the pinning stage. The reply
just sit there forever without pinning. Even in 99% below is one I posted in another thread earlier, so I'll
humidity, as long as you provide fresh air, moisture will take the liberty of cutting and pasting it here for those
be evaporating away from the substrate, and this is who would otherwise miss it. Hopefully it will stimulate
necessary for pinning. We mist to replenish the lost some more research and discussion on everyone's part
moisture, and then allow it to dry slightly before misting and clear up a few things. Here it is:
again. This keeps the moisture content high, and keeps LIGHT IS NOT THE MAJOR PINNING TRIGGER
the humidity at the casing surface near 100%, but at the FOR MUSHROOMS!
same time provides the evaporation of moisture that is a In fact, light isn't even the major factor in which
very important pinning trigger. direction mushrooms grow. Wind or other air currents is
During colonization, we provide very small holes in the the first. Light is the second, and then finally gravity is
jars or tubs for gas exchange. We want a high CO 2 the third.
environment during colonization, because this prevents As for pinning, full colonization of the substrate is the
the mycelium from consuming all of the substrate. The most important pinning trigger. If there are
mycelium colonizes the substrate, but doesn't 'eat it all contaminants present in a substrate, the mushroom
up' due to the high CO 2 levels. During fruiting, we mycelium generally stops growing when it contacts
them. This represents full colonization because the
remove the covers to provide air exchange, which is at a
mycelium has hit a natural barrier, and often pins begin
much higher level then the minimal gas exchange
to develop, whether light is present or not.
provided during colonization. This increase in air
The second most important pinning trigger is an
exchange lowers the CO2 levels, and is a major pinning
increase in air exchange, with the corresponding drop in
trigger. At this time, the mycelium begins to consume CO2 levels that occurs simultaneously. When you
the substrate it has previously colonized, and we notice
uncover a tray to look at it, you allow the CO 2 to escape
during fruiting that our substrates pull away from the
sides of the container. This is not due to moisture loss, and be replaced by fresh air. THIS is a pinning trigger,
but rather due to the mycelium 'eating' the substrate and even if you do it in the dark.
turning it into CO2, a waste product. It is easily proved Third, which goes along with second, is a steady rate of
evaporation of moisture from the substrate or casing
that this shrinking isn't related to moisture loss, because
layer. In the artificial environment of a small tray, we
even when we dunk a bulk substrate, it doesn't return to
must mist to keep the substrate or casing from drying
its pre-flush size.
out, but we also must allow that moisture to evaporate
Last, but not by any means least is exposure to light.
off between mistings.
Light does much more than just tell the mushrooms
Fourth, when the above three triggers are active, light
which way to grow. There are mechanisms in the light
becomes a pinning/growth initiation factor.
that stimulate the formation of hyphal knots as well, and
If one waits too long to apply the casing layer, or the
light at the higher end of the spectrum (blue) definitely,
other factors listed above are in effect prior to light OR
absolutely stimulate more hyphal knots (which grow
the casing layer being applied, primordia will begin to
into primordia, which then morph into pins) than light at
form, which will then push up through to the surface,
the lower end of the spectrum (red) This does not mean
whether or not it has been fully or even partially
to get a 'mood light' with a blue lens, but rather to select
colonized. By the same token, if light is applied and the
lights such as metal halide, or much more economical is
other, more important factors have not been met,
'natural daylight' fluorescent that emit light at around
primordia will NOT form.
6,000 Kelvin to 7,500 Kelvin depending on the brand.
This is why experienced growers, such as commercial
Cool white fluorescent emit light at around 5,000
spawn producers who make their entire living
Kelvin and the 'red' incandescent emit light at around
incubating mushroom mycelium, make absolutely NO
3,000 Kelvin. The higher the light temperature in
effort to incubate in the dark. It isn't necessary. People
Kelvin, the more stimulatory it is to hyphal knot
will have much more success in the hobby when they
formation. I hope this helps.
understand that.

31
PINNING STRATEGY - Here are the facts. It DOES pressure is not necessary. A FC by nature isn't sterile,
matter if you sterilize your casing layer. It will perform nor does it need to be. Just keep the humidity up.
poorly. It's a well-known fact that the beneficial
FRUITING - As for fruiting temperatures, the lower
organisms in a casing layer stimulate pinning. This was
70's seem to produce the best fruit quality. For years, I
very well known in 1985 when Paul Stamets wrote 'The
didn't AC my house in the summer because I live in a
Mushroom Cultivator' and it's still known today. Casing
generally mild climate, and they still fruited fine into the
layers should be pasteurized, not sterilized.
90's, which my grow area would often reach on summer
In addition, coir is a substrate material, not a casing
afternoons. I found that temperatures which would fry
material. If you wish to use it for casing, it should be
the mycelium during colonization, would hardly be a
mixed at the 60/40 ratio (60% vermiculite, 40% coir) in
factor during fruiting, but the fruits grew very fast, were
the tek, or better yet, 70/30. However, peat mixed 50/50
not very meaty, and the 'other' quality we look for was
with vermiculite is a far superior casing. The reason
often lacking. When I switched over to all edible and
peats works better is the beneficial microorganisms that
medicinal mushrooms, I installed a refrigeration unit on
are not present in as high a concentration in coir.
my mini-greenhouse, because mushrooms such as
Furthermore, sterilizing a casing makes it MORE prone
shiitake would refuse to fruit at all in those hot
to contaminants, not less. A sterile substrate is a prime
temperatures.
breeding ground for the first organism to land on it, or
the fastest growing. Mold mycelium, being imperfect PINNING - I doubt it was the light. Light is horribly
fungi grows and sporulates much faster than mushroom over rated as a pinning trigger. It was most likely the air
mycelium because they get to skip the fruiting body exchange that was allowed through the landscape fabric.
stage. If you want an awesome pinset, it's important to only
Field capacity for casing layers says when you pick up a allow gas exchange and not air exchange as the
handful of material no water should drip out. If you mycelium colonizes the substrate. There's a big
squeeze gently a few drops will fall, and if you squeeze difference. During colonization, you actually want CO 2
hard, a small stream will fall. It sounds like your casing levels to be extremely high, which prevents fruiting.
might be getting prepared too dry as well. Upon full colonization, you increase FAE (air exchange)
Fanning 4 to 5 times per day is not sufficient unless you and expose to light at the same time. This results in a
have another method of providing fresh air exchange. It sudden and massive pinset.
is recommended to have 4 air exchanges per hour, not
day. SPAWNING WITH PINS IN JARS - You can spawn a
My suggestion is to use a peat/vermiculite casing with cake with pins right into manure/straw, or even use it for
gypsum added (very important) at a rate of one part to grain-to-grain transfers. It's a myth that pins will rot.
each ten parts of peat, and limed to an initial pH of 7.5 I've proved that hundreds of times. Here's what happens
to 8. Pasteurize, don't sterilize and increase air when you put pins on a Petri dish. The two pictures
exchange. Good luck. below were taken five days apart. The same thing
happens regardless of substrate. Just be sure they're
FRUITING CHAMBER - You want three things in a small, growing pins and not large fruits. You should
Fruiting Chamber. FAE to keep contaminants at bay and pick the mature fruits.
to get a nice pinset. Humidity to get a nice pinset.
Moisture for yield and pinsets. Mushrooms ideally want
4-6 FFAE every hour so it's best to put 1/4th inch holes
everywhere around the terrarium. As much as so
humidity doesn't escape and the CO2 levels are low.
Massive air exchange is what you want for a fruiting
chamber. By the time fruiting comes, CO 2 production
has fallen off dramatically. You want large amounts of
air exchange in order to prevent contaminants such as
cobweb, which thrive in stale, still air. Have several
vents both top and bottom in a FC, so you can get
circulation as well as intake and exhaust. Positive

32
 PINNING - Mycelium will pin best at or near
saturation humidity and plenty of fresh air, whether the
substrate is cased or not. A casing layer simply helps to
hold humidity high right at the surface, under less than
ideal ambient conditions. Of course, once pins form, the
casing layer also helps to supply the substrate below
with moisture, so you want to keep the humidity high to
prevent the casing layer from drying out too much
between mistings.

ABORTS - Grey or black heads indicate aborts. Pins

that have simply stopped growing but have normal color
are NOT aborts and should not be picked. It's common
for many species including cubensis to set all the
primordia for the first few flushes when primordia for
first flush is set. They stop growing until their time
comes, at which time they kick into gear again. If you
pick them, you ruin future flushes.

PINNING EARLY CASING - What I meant above

about pinning early in the presence of contaminants is
when you see pinning in a jar prior to full colonization.
It's because the mycelium ran up against the
contaminant and said, "Oh heck, this stuff might kick

33
my butt. I better reproduce by dropping some spores so SMALL MUSHROOMS FC - Small mushrooms are
I'll survive". That's why they pin. It's not because you caused by one or more of the following: Too small a
had the light on when you checked the jars. substrate or too thin a casing layer, improper substrate
or ph level for the species, or too little moisture in the
CRACKED/SPLIT CAPS - There is a difference
substrate or casing layer. The latter is most often the
between cracked caps and split caps. Cracked caps are
cause.
caused by low humidity, which cracks the caps to give
them a reptile type appearance. What you see above is SPLIT CAPS - There are two phenomena that are often
split caps. It's part genetic and part just from very rapid called 'split caps'. One is from growing fast and is
growth where the cap simply rips apart. Split caps are normal. The other is more correctly called 'cracked' caps
not environment related. and is related to low humidity. Either is usually fine to
eat. Post a picture if you want a better diagnosis.
PINNING - Many things. I've found the brightest light
stimulates more pins. You need to look at pinning SMALL MUSHROOMS - The only reason they're
triggers like the instruments in a band. One instrument small is that there is only so much water in the cake.
can be slightly off, and the band still plays the song. More mushies mean smaller ones. One tip for next
Often one instrument can be taken away and the music time ...you can inject a bit of water into the cake during
still sounds ok. However, if all are working together, it's the flush with a syringe. Don't overdo it, just 3 or 4 cc.
awesome.
PINNING ON EDGES - Your substrate is pinning on
PINNING TRIGGERS - The pinning triggers are: Full the edges because that's the only place where there is
colonization, 100% humidity, increased air exchange, near 100% humidity to stimulate primordia formation.
and light. If all that happened within 24 hours of what You can get more pins in the middle by laying a sheet of
you did, the primordia were already formed, so it was wax paper over the top of the tray.
going to happen anyway. The rooster may crow at
FRUITING LOW CO2 - A rapid and sudden decrease
sunrise, but he isn't responsible for the sun coming up.
in the ambient CO2 levels is a pinning trigger in
COLONIZING HIGH CO2 - One benefit of a high
cultivation, so adding fresh air at the same time as full
CO2 level during colonization is that less of the actual colonization and the other pinning triggers helps ensure
carbon in the substrate is converted to CO 2 gas. In other a full, even flush.
words, if you allowed too much fresh air during UNCASED SUBSTRATES - Uncased substrates
colonization, more of the substrate would be 'consumed' should be treated as cakes. Primordia form best in near
by the time the mycelium got to the fruiting stage. 100% humidity. Yes, lay wax paper right over the
CRACKED CAPS - Cracked caps are from low substrate. Replace every second day with a fresh sheet.
humidity and also really don't hurt anything. In fact, Lift it to fan for air exchange.
many Shiitake growers deliberately lower humidity a FRUITING SUBSTRATE - However, you can mix it
day or two before harvest to crack the caps. They feel it in with horse or cow manure, or compost at 5% by
leads to a better product and in Japan; cracked cap volume. In other words, for each 20 cups of compost or
Shiitake brings a higher price. manure, you can add one cup of chicken manure. Don't
SPLIT/CRACKED CAPS - Usually, spit caps are forget to lime for ph.
caused by rapid growth. Contrast that with cracked caps, FC SIDE PINNING - Black plastic glad ware fruiting
which is a sign of too low a humidity. Either is usually trays. I've never had one single side pin when using
harmless. Vertically can also cause caps and stems to those until second flush when the substrate is pulling
split, but it's a fungal disease so the fruits would also away from the sides a bit due to shrinkage, which is
look unhealthy. normal.
PREMATURE PINNING - Too much air exchange SMALL MUSHROOMS - Small mushrooms are
during colonization leads to early pinning too. If the caused by a shortage of water. After this flush, dunk. It's
holes in your jar lid are too big, your grains or whatever not strain related. All strains we see are of the same
is exposed to air exchange rather than just gas exchange, species and I've seen huge amazons.
which would keep CO2 levels high and prevent pinning.

34
FRUITING TEMPERATURE CASING - HOUR),
Mushrooms grow more quickly at higher temps, but
PINNING - One of the biggest pinning triggers is the
there is no doubt that they are denser and more potent
sudden reduction in CO2 buildup.
when fruited at a lower temperature.

ABORTS - Misting doesn't cause aborts. Leaving pins SKINNY MUSHROOMS - Poor air exchange causes
wet after misting with no air exchange causes aborts. long skinny stems, not fat Asses.
When misting pins, be sure to increase air exchange ABORTS FC - If the head is black, it has already
afterwards. aborted. Aborts don't recover.
FRUITING TEMPS - Cubes will actually fruit well in LATE PINNING - Late pinning is caused by poor air
temps that would fry the mycelium in the colonizing exchange 90% of the time.
stages. However, quality is better when they fruit at
lower temps. SPLIT CAPS - Split caps, not related to humidity or
moisture content.
CASING FRUITING SIDES - If the fruits are only
forming on the edges, it could be because the casing CRACKED CAPS - No. Lack of humidity causes
layer Ph is too far off, or it could mean the casing layer cracked caps.
is too dry. PIN - Hyphal knots are tiny. Perhaps 1mm in diameter.
MYCELIUM ON CAPS - It's a combination of two HUMIDITY FC - Hang on a second. 100% humidity
types of mycelium on the fruiting body. It's more means the air is saturated. Having the air saturated in no
genetic in nature, occurring in some sustains more than way is going to flood your cakes. What WILL flood
others. your cakes is pumping from a humidifier AFTER the air
PINNING TRIGGERS CRITICAL - The other is already at 100%. That's why I recommend three to
pinning triggers of full colonization, steady evaporation five inches of well-drained perlite for a terrarium, and
of moisture, and air exchange are much more critical no mechanical humidifier. This way, if your humidity
than light. reads less than 95%, it means you need to calibrate your
hygrometer. Mycelium will pin best at or near saturation
FRUITING TEMPS AND WHY - Benefits from humidity and plenty of fresh air, whether the substrate is
fruiting at 68-72F. 1. Better Fruit Quality, 2. Easier To cased or not. A casing layer simply helps to hold
Control Harvest Time, 3. Easier To Control humidity high right at the surface, under less than ideal
Evaporation! ambient conditions. Of course, once pins form, the
SMALL MUSHROOMS - Fruit size is mostly casing layer also helps to supply the substrate below
determined by substrate moisture level. Small fruits with moisture, so you want to keep the humidity high to
mean your substrate is too dry. prevent the casing layer from drying out too much
between mistings.
MYCELIUM FC - Pins are live, growing mycelium.
Live, growing mycelium does not rot. Aborts rot. The HUMIDITY - I recently cleaned out one of my
above are not shiitake. terrariums after 8 weeks. The perlite was still damp, and
at least half of this time, the lid was off. I think you're
FRUITING - Better food quality and slower growth mistaken. You can judge moisture content of the perlite
occurs in the high 60's low 70's, that's why it's the true by lifting the tub. Dry perlite is almost weightless. My
preferred range. huge 3 cubic foot bag probably weighs a pound or less.
PINNING TRIGGERS - It's air exchange, full The terrarium I lifted up weighed at least ten pounds.
colonization, or contaminant presence which is what However, if your house is extremely dry, you'd be well
makes them pin. advised to run a humidifier in the room your grow is
located in. It will make it better for your plants, and it
HYPHAE TRIGGER - Aerial hyphae, attracted to the will be easier on your own skin and lungs as well. Shoot
fresh air/humidity, no digital can actually read that high. for an indoor humidity of 50% or better for comfort. It
COOLER TEMPS, LIGHT!! LOWER RELATIVE will also make it much easier to heat your house in
HUMIDITY - PINNING TRIGGER: FAE (3 PER winter because the humidity will hold heat much better
than dry air.

35
WAX PAPER HUMIDITY - What I have said is not to Be sure to lift it up a couple of times a day to let all the
wait a week before using wax paper or it could stimulate built up CO2 from around the substrate escape.
the germination of contaminant spores that have landed.
If you use it from the start, those contaminant spores HUMIDITY - Mushrooms grow best in upper 90's to
will have mostly landed on the surface of the wax paper, 100% humidity. It makes no difference if the substrate is
which is discarded every two to three days. After four or cased or uncased. A cased substrate can still get some
five days, you can simply wash the surface of your pinning at a lower humidity than cakes, but performance
substrate very well under the water faucet to rinse off is always better when high humidity is maintained. The
most of the contaminant spores that have landed. Wax old adage of 85% for cased substrates, 100% for cakes
paper simply helps to hold a high humidity at the is just plain wrong. None of the experienced, successful
pinning surface. It's even more effective with uncased growers fruit casings at lower humidifies.
substrates than with cased. HUMIDITY FC - If you have three to five inches of
FC HUMIDITY - I'm now convinced the closer to well-drained perlite, with holes cut in all six sides of the
100% humidity we can get, provided we have proper air terrarium, humidity will be in the upper 90% range. A
exchange, the better. This applies to cakes, substrate 20F rise in temperature cuts the humidity in half until
blocks and cased substrates. Perlite in a terrarium with a more moisture evaporates from the perlite. That is just a
cased substrate tray allows us to leave the lid or door fact of physics. Warm air can hold more moisture, so if
propped open to allow for constant air exchange, which you heat it, more moisture is required to have the same
promotes pinning and suppresses contaminant molds. relative humidity.
Without the perlite, we need to keep the terrarium HUMIDITY - If your ambient room humidity is very
closed up tighter, which promotes contaminant molds. I low, I'd suggest running a coolmist humidifier to bring
think the 90% humidity suggestion when casing comes your room humidity up to fifty percent or so, and then
from stamets' books, but I respectfully disagree. you'll be fine in your terrarium. As said, get an analog
FC/HUMIDITY/HOLES - I drill dozens of holes all hygrometer and properly calibrate it at the high end of
over my terrariums, including the very bottom. The the scale. I'd also get rid of the aquarium light and get a
holes on the bottom actually increase humidity, while fluorescent in the range suggested above.
letting the CO2 drain. The reason the holes on bottom HUMIDITY CASING - Perlite is best of course. If you
increase humidity is because air currents travel from don't have it, paper or cloth towels work fine. I've used
cold to warm, due to the pressure difference caused by them in pinches for years. Wring them out of excess
the molecules being farther apart in warm air. The warm moisture, and make sure they're fluffed up in the
air in the terrarium causes air to percolate up through terrarium. You can even paste them to the sides. They
the perlite, wicking moisture as it passes through. won't contaminate for weeks, so if you change them for
fresh every few days, you'll be fine.
CASING HUMIDITY - Why would one want to avoid
getting moisture on the mushrooms? Mushrooms are WAX PAPER HUMIDITY - Wax paper in a monotub
90% water and benefit greatly from misting. The other type grow is generally of little benefit. If you're using
benefit to misting is to replenish moisture in the casing tray culture in a mini greenhouse where humidity is
layer or on the surface of the cake. You can't do that often less than optimal, wax paper can help keep
with humidity, even at 100%. It must be done by humidity in the correct range for pinning. In a tub,
misting. Opening the lid of a fruiting chamber a few humidity is usually close to 100% anyway, negating the
times per day is a great idea. A total influx of fresh air is need for wax paper.
always good for the pinning/fruiting mushrooms.
CASING/HUMIDITY - Hyphal knots and primordia
WAX PAPER HUMIDITY - Wax paper will work form best in 100% humidity. They don't care one whit
better if you'll wrinkle it up into a ball first, then flatten whether the substrate is cased or uncased. You should
it back out and lay over your uncased (or cased) maintain humidity in the upper 90% range for best
substrate. By wrinkling, you open up lots of little air results when growing mushrooms. The oft-repeated
passageways while still keeping the humidity tent. It advice that 'casings only require 80% humidity' is
also helps cut down on the surface area of the caps wrong.
touching the wax paper as they push it out of the way.
HUMIDITY - Raise humidity to near one hundred

36
percent during primordia formation. Once pins are set, HUMIDITY - Contrary to popular belief and constant
humidity can be reduced a bit, but don't get out of the repetition, fuzzy stems are not an indication of too high
90's. The 'old' advice of keeping humidity lower for humidity.
cased substrates is incorrect. As hyphae said, keep
FC HUMIDITY - One cool mist is plenty for your
humidity high, and air exchange high.
terrarium for both air exchange and humidity.
CASING HUMIDITY/FAE - Never. I fruit cased
HUMIDITY FC - There is no such thing as too much
substrates in the high 90% range too. The key is air
humidity when growing mushrooms.
exchange. Even at 99% humidity, moisture will be
evaporating from your casing layer, provided you have SOAKING - Simply put the tray under a gently running
enough air exchange, giving you two of the three major faucet for a few hours. Allow the water to fill the tray
pinning triggers. and run over and down the drain. The running water
prevents contaminants during the soaking process. Place
HUMIDITY/FC - A fact of physics is that a 20F(11C)
a jar, rock or something similar on top of the substrate if
rise in temperature cuts humidity in half, and a
necessary to prevent floating. After the soak, fill in the
20F(11C) drop in temperature doubles humidity,
divots caused by picking with fresh casing material. You
providing the amount of moisture stays the same. You're
don't need to apply a whole new layer because it won't
better off fruiting at 22-24C than at 27C anyway. Fruit
colonize anyway. Never pick pins that aren't aborts.
quality will be better.
Primordia for the first two or three flushes commonly
HUMIDITY FC - Recent experiments (over the last 23 forms at the same time, and then remain dormant until
years) have shown100% humidity means the air is their time comes. If you pick the substrate clean, you
saturated. Having the air saturated in no way is going to ruin the next flush. Just be sure to drain out any excess
flood your cakes. water before returning to the FC. Don't get anal about
draining; just get what pours off easily. The rest will
HUMIDITY FC 92% - Humidity will be fine with a
continue to be absorbed by the substrate over the next
good casing layer. I prefer higher, but lower will also
24 hours or so. You can throttle down the faucet too.
still work, only requiring more frequent misting.
You don't need a lot of water overflowing, just a trickle.
HUMIDITY/CASING - It's hard to get total saturation
SOAKING/CASING/UNCASED - Dunk first.
humidity with lots of air exchange. At 99% humidity
Personally, I've seen little benefit to adding a casing
with five to six air exchanges per hour as recommended,
layer over bulk substrates with cubensis. Very
a casing layer will dry out daily and this moisture needs
experienced growers can definitely get a boost with a
to be replaced by misting.
well-managed casing, but for the majority of new
CASED SUBSTRATES - If you're going to case growers, I feel you'd be better off getting your feet wet
substrates, you want the humidity no more than 90%, by fruiting uncased. Of course, straight rye or wbs
with 80% being ideal. Too high a humidity is a major requires a casing to perform well, but bulk substrates
cause of weak or no pinsets on cased substrates. such as coir or manure do not. You can dunk the
coir/coffee substrate, and then introduce directly to
HUMIDITY % CASING/FC - The maximum amount
fruiting conditions. This way, you get your harvest a bit
of air exchange possible while still maintaining
sooner, and don't have the other problems to deal with
humidity is what you want in a growing chamber. Fully
that casing causes. As you gain experience, add casing
colonized substrates are very resistant to contaminants.
layers to future crops. You can lay a sheet of wax paper
HUMIDITY FC PRIMORDIA - During primordia over the uncased substrate to hold a high humidity right
formation, the higher the better. Once pins have formed, at the substrate surface, which will stimulate pinning.
humidity can be reduced, but don't go less than 80% or Lift it up to fan several times per day, and replace with a
you'll see a lot of cracked caps. fresh sheet every two to three days, or if/when it gets
damp.
HUMIDITY/FC - You'll never get a good pinset at
humidity below 90%. 95% and above is recommended, MISTING - Droplets on your pins will not cause
even with a casing layer. It's easy to get 99% humidity aborts. It's recommended to mist mushrooms. Air
with perlite in a terrarium. exchange must be provided because stagnant water
sitting on a mushroom in stagnant air for an extended

37
period WILL cause aborts. Condensation does not begin normal for first growth to be seen if you inject the
on all surfaces at about 95%. My can of cold beer gets edges. Since you injected the middle, double that at
condensation in Arizona in the summer. I know it's not least. I'd suggest waiting two weeks, then kneading the
95% there. Condensation forms on my windows in bag between your fingers to mix it up. Doing so should
winter, even when humidity in the house is less than reveal some mycelium from the center of the bag, and
50%. Condensation is a function of the temperature the kneading will spread it around the bag. Only do this
differential on either side of a surface. Condensation once, ten days from now.
forms on the warm side. Condensation won't even form
FANNING/MISTING FC - Fanning is when you take
on your mushrooms at 100% humidity. If they get wet,
the lid of the tote and wave it back and forth over the
it's because liquid water droplets were thrown on them,
terrarium to blow out the stale air and replace it with
not humidity in the air. 92% humidity will be fine with a
fresh. Fan for fifteen seconds or so each time. I'd
good casing layer. I prefer higher, but lower will also
suggest drilling a hundred or more 1/4" holes into all six
still work, only requiring more frequent misting.
sides of the terrarium, elevate it an inch or two off the
COLD SHOCKING - You dunk in the refrigerator to shelf, and then fan a couple of times per day also. Mist
prevent bacteria buildup that would otherwise each time you fan, just before fanning. There is no
contaminate your brf if you dunked at room maintenance free terrariums, so keep it simple and give
temperature. Don't confuse that with cold shocking, your mushrooms lots of humidity, lots of fresh air, and
although it does cold shock them...lol. As for cased bulk lots of bright fluorescent light.
substrates, I ran several experiments a few years ago
SOAKING - No, just use tap water unless you live in
where half the trays were placed in the refrigerator for
an area with contaminated drinking water. It's best to
24 hours, while the second half were left at room
refrigerate or otherwise keep the water cool during the
temperature. Both sets of trays went to the fruiting
soak period to prevent the growth of unwanted
chamber at the same time. Every single tray that had
organisms in the anaerobic conditions underwater. Put
been 'cold shocked' pinned two or more days later than
the cakes in a pot of water, and then use a heavy glass
trays that had not been cold shocked. That is not to say a
dinner plate or something similar to hold them
temperature change can't be a pinning trigger. However,
submerged, as they'll try to float. Rinse well under the
along with light, a fully colonized substrate, and an
faucet both before and after the soak period. It's a good
increase in air exchange, it is only one of the triggers.
idea to roll the cakes in dry vermiculite after the soak.
However, cold shock being beneficial or not, you need
Read up on 'dunk and roll'.
to dunk your cakes in the refrigerator.
SMALL MUSHROOOM HYDRATING - Small fruit
CASING SOAKING - The casing layer will never re-
size is related to substrate moisture content. It's easy to
colonize after first flush. Simply dunk to rehydrate the
hydrate a substrate block during fruiting by simply
substrate and return to fruiting conditions. I used to
pouring water around the edges so it slides down and
recommend dunking in the refrigerator, because in part,
under the substrate. If you pour a few tablespoons of
that was the conventional wisdom. I no longer believe
water around the edges a couple of times a day, the
that's the best course of action, so dunk at normal room
substrate will readily absorb it and transfer the moisture
temperature, beginning the dunk with cold tap water, but
to your fruits. Cubes will benefit from a casing layer,
no ice. Larger trays can be easily soaked by placing
but by no means is one necessary to get a nice flush of
under the kitchen or bathtub faucet, allowing the tray to
large fruits.
fill up and gently run over the edge for a few hours. Put
something on top of the substrate if it tries to float. The MISTING - You can mist pins, but they must be left
running water will help to wash away contaminant open to fresh air after misting. If you mist small pins,
spores that may have landed, while preventing excess and then put the lid on the fc, they'll usually abort. They
bacterial blooms that may occur under still water. also must be misted with a very fine mist sprayed up
into the air, so that it settles down gently on the casing
REHYDRATING SPAWN BAGS - Your mistake was
layer. A direct spray will abort pins. Never mist when
injecting into the middle instead of along the edges. It's
they're in the primordia stage. Simply lay a sheet of wax
best to squirt solution in the area between the bag and
paper over the top of the tray to hold humidity at that
the grains. This lets you see right away after
time. Pick off any moldy pins from the substrate.
germination what you have. Five to seven days is about

38
REASON FOR COLD DUNKING CUBIES - Cold substrate block from floating. Allow the water to run for
water is recommended for dunking for only one reason- an hour, then drain and return to fruiting conditions. The
it helps to keep bacteria from growing during the time running water prevents contaminants building up during
the mycelium is underwater. Tap water is fine, unless the dunk and also helps to wash contaminant spores that
your local water supply is polluted. Many people add may have landed on your project down the drain.
1/2 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water to the dunk
DUNKING IN BLEACH - If you still have problems
water. I recommend rinsing the cake under the faucet
with contaminants after using peroxide, you can also dip
with running water after the dunk to remove any
tissue into a ten percent bleach solution for a couple of
bacteria or slime that develops during the dunk.
minutes. Believe it or not, the mycelium can withstand
MISTING - Your substrate is dry. You can mist pins, so this, but molds and bacteria can't. The bleach works
mist away. It will take several mistings an hour apart really well when cloning dry tissue. Live tissue needs a
over a day or two to get your moisture back. I'd also week or two to recover from the bleach, but dry tissue is
pour, yes pour water around the edges. Wait two hours, dormant so hardly even gets smacked.
and then pour any excess back out. Once pins are the
SOAKING WITHOUT A FRIDGE - You can pad
size of yours they won't abort from misting as long as
your bet by changing the water every few hours, or
you up the FAE to let them dry off. Misting, then
using very gently running water from the sink. Just hold
closing a container up tight will cause them to abort.
the cakes underwater, and allow the faucet to drip
Don't allow them to sit wet is the idea.
slowly into the pan until it overflows and runs down the
SOAKING CASING - Just give it an hour or two under drain. The moving water will prevent growths as well.
gently running water. The kitchen sink works fine. Just It's also a good idea to rinse the cakes very well under
put a rock or something else heavy to keep the substrate running water both before and after the soak.
down in the pan, and let it fill up and gently run over the
DUNKING - You can dunk right in the tray it grows in.
edges. After a couple of hours, drain off the excess
Just leave it under the gently running kitchen faucet for
water and place back in fruiting conditions. You can
a few hours. Let the water overflow the tray and run
patch the divots from picking, but don't recase. It won't
down the drain. The running water will prevent bacteria
colonize anyway and will just serve as a place for
buildup during the dunk and might even wash a few
contaminants to get a start.
contaminant spores off in the process. Put a couple of
PEROXIDE/NO TO SOAKING - Peroxide breaks rocks or whatever you have on top of the substrate to
down within minutes in the presence of organic material hold it submerged.
such as a substrate, so is ineffective for an overnight
MISTING - You can mist mushrooms. You can mist the
soak. Peroxide is toxic to fungi so don't use it except to
casing layer directly to moisturize it. In fact, you can put
control a cobweb outbreak. It's ineffective as I said in
your thumb over a garden hose and blast your
dunk water because it breaks down so fast. Besides, it's
mushrooms and they'll do fine (slight exaggeration) as
not necessary. Yes, the only reason for using the
long as you don't seal them up in a closed terrarium
refrigerator during the soak is to prevent bacteria from
while wet. Mist, and then increase air exchange until the
growing unabated.
visible moisture on the fruits themselves has dried or
REHYDRATING FC - I like to dunk cased substrates been absorbed.
under running water. Just let the faucet fill up the tub
MISTING CASING - You want your casing layer to
and run over the edges. Use whatever you need to keep
dry a bit between mistings. This is one of the major
the substrate block from floating. Allow the water to run
secondary pinning triggers. Replace that lost moisture
for an hour, then drain and return to fruiting conditions.
with misting. An ultrasonic can easily saturate the
The running water prevents contaminants building up
casing layer, taking away this major pinning trigger. I'd
during the dunk and also helps to wash contaminant
go from misting once a day to three or four times, and
spores that may have landed on your project down the
keep the air exchange up, provided you have mid to
drain.
upper 90's humidity.
SOAKING - I like to dunk cased substrates under
HYDRATING - You should be misting several times
running water. Just let the faucet fill up the tub and run
per day to keep it nice and moist. You can also pour
over the edges. Use whatever you need to keep the

39
water right from a bottle between the pins to super- building a terrarium with holes in all six sides.
hydrate the casing. If the substrate is also dry, as I
DUNKING - Dunking before first flush is optional, but
suspect, you can inject water directly into it with a
it's best to dunk between flushes for sure. There is no
syringe, and/or pour water around the edges of the tray,
reason to use mineral water. I use plain tap water, but if
filling it up. Pour off the excess a few hours later.
your local water supply sucks, it's probably best to filter
REHYDRATING - If the substrate dries out, you can it or use spring water.
always inject some water with a syringe. I tried all sorts
DUNKING WITH PINS - Leave them. Dunking won't
of hoses, pipes with holes, and straws in the middle of
hurt healthy pins. I've actually seen them double in size
substrates for hydration and had an increased rate of
during the dunk. Also, pins for the second flush often
contamination every time. It seems that trich spores
form during the first flush. Just leave them and after the
migrate into the well you cut, and then grow there in the
dunk, they'll begin to grow.
stale, still air until they ruin the project.
MISTING - You don't want the cake to dry out. Mist as
MISTINGS - Mist cakes a couple of times per day,
needed until hyphal knots form. Then back off until the
especially if they've been dunked and rolled. Keep that
pins are well established. Always fan after misting.
vermiculite damp. What you need is a higher priced
Don't allow a pin to sit there soaking wet after you close
mister. It should spray a very fine mist and not puke out
up the terrarium.
large droplets that will damage your mushrooms. Aim it
up so the mist gently falls onto your cakes. This won't MISTING - If the casing layer is saturated, it means
damage the fruits. you've over misted, or possibly made it too wet to begin
with, but high humidity will not get your casing layer
HYDRATING - You can do it either way. However,
wet, but rather will only slow down the evaporation of
since it isn't the 'soil' or 'substrate' we're hydrating, but
moisture from it.
rather the individual cells of mycelium, soaking
overnight has become the preferred method. Cells take HYDRATE - Yes, that's a very small substrate to have
on water by osmosis; therefore the water pressure helps to support all those pins. I'm sure it's dry. Put about 1/2"
to hydrate them faster than simply misting. of water in the pan and let it soak for a day, and then
dump out the excess. Repeat every 48 hours until the
SOAKING/DUNKING - In addition, dunking causes
flush is done.
the cakes to expand, so in jars they stop expanding
when they hit the glass, thus they stop in taking MISTING - Misting is fine, but be sure to increase air
moisture. In addition, it pushes the cake tightly against exchange afterward until all the misted water either
the glass, making birthing harder. It's best to birth before evaporates or is absorbed into the fruits by osmosis. If
the dunk so the cakes slide right out of the jars. you leave pins wet in a still-air environment, many will
abort.
HYDRATING/CASING - You can pour water directly
on the casing layer between pins to fully hydrate it. We MISTING - You should not stop misting. Mushrooms
use high humidity to slow down the rate of evaporation, are 90% water and the purpose of a casing layer is to
but you still need to mist directly to replace what is used supply moisture to the flush. Daily, or several times
by the growing fruits, as well as to replace what daily misting is required for large fruits and good
moisture naturally evaporates. performance.

MISTING CASINGS - You can tell when to mist by SOAKING - Tap water is best for soaking/dunking in
looking carefully at the cakes or casing layer. Allow my opinion. I use it right out of the tap. The small
them to dry slightly, then mist lightly. After a few amount of chlorine will actually help to prevent bacteria
grows, you'll be able to instantly tell when a project buildup during the soak. I use spring or distilled for
needs to be misted. You don't want them to dry misting.
completely out, or get waterlogged.
DUNKING - After the dunk, replace the casing that is
MISTING/SOAKING - Misting lightly or even heavily missing from the divots or from washing off during the
does not abort mushrooms. Soaking wet mushrooms in dunk. You can also dump extra casing material around
stale air causes aborts. Always provide plenty of fresh the edges to fill in the gap.
air and you can mist like crazy. That's the reason for

40
COLD SHOCKING - Cubensis benefit NONE from bagged cow manure outdoors for months without it
cold shocking, as they are a hot tropical species; Cold growing trich. If you spread the bagged cow manure out
Shocking is used for cold climate edible mushrooms. on a tarp in the hot sun, the ammonia is gone within
hours. If it's cool weather, it might take a few days.
SOAKING - You don't need to pick them off before
dunking. If they abort later, pick them, but it's rare for OUTDOOR - Wait until June to plant them outdoors. If
fruits to abort from an overnight soak. you put grains in the ground, the damn squirrels will dig
up every single kernel to eat, and destroy your patch.
DUNKING - I've never found that dunking damages
Mix the grains with manure indoors, and then in June or
these pins. Just be careful not to scrape or otherwise
July, bury them into a shallow hole with horse or cow
physically damage them.
manure spread all around the substrates you're planting.
COLD SHOCKING - You should soak in the If you want to spawn directly to manure outdoors, use
refrigerator to avoid bacteria buildup in the anaerobic pf cakes, not grain.
environment under water.
OUTDOORS - Cakes can be grown outdoors, but those
CASING MISTING - You're supposed to mist your temperatures are at the extreme end of the scale. I would
casing layer several times per day to replace moisture suggest to partially burying the cakes after full
that is evaporating. colonization, in the shade under some thick bushes. By
burying the cakes half way, they can draw moisture
DUNK IN CHLORINE - I never have. If anything, the
from the soil, preventing them from drying out. It will
chlorine will help kill bacteria. It sure doesn't hinder the
help to run a lawn sprinkler in the area for several
mycelium.
minutes, a few times per day.
MISTING - You're supposed to mist your casing layer
OUTDOORS BED - You can pick up the cow pies and
several times per day to replace moisture that is
break them up into a compost pile or shallow manure
evaporating.
bed in your yard. Mulch over the top with straw. This is
MISTING - Use filtered, spring, or distilled for misting how I originally started out in the early 70's; when there
though. was no Internet, no grow guides, nothing.

OUTDOORS GROW - For an outdoor grow, all you OUTDOORS GROW - Chop up the fruit into manure
need to do is gather up some of your field-aged manure or compost. It should clone right into the new substrate,
and make a bed of it in a nice shady spot. Make the bed provided temperatures are still in the right range.
no more than about six inches deep. Dig a hole and put
STERILIZING CASING - Do not sterilize A Casing!
the manure in that, so the ground can help keep it from
EVER! In fact, most of the casings I use these days are
drying out. Wet the manure down well, but no
simply peat/vermiculite with lime and gypsum, and zero
pasteurization is required for outdoor grows. Obtain
heat-treating of any kind, because many edibles won't
some spores and inoculate some pf cakes, made from
fruit on sterile or pasteurized casing layers. You can
brown rice flour and vermiculite. You can find the pf tek
pasteurize casing material and it works well with cubes.
on here in the FAQ link at the top of the page. When 8
However, sterilization will give a higher rate of
or 10 jars are fully colonized, you can spawn them into
contamination then doing nothing. You have to assume
your manure outdoors, and the mycelium will jump off
that mold spores are going to land on your casing layer.
from the brown rice flour cakes into your manure. Lay a
If it's been sterilized, they will germinate and grow
sheet of cardboard, or a few inches of straw over the top
because nothing else is there to stop them. The
to shade and hold in moisture while the mycelium
beneficial bacteria that are in peat moss will help protect
colonizes your manure. It will fruit later in the summer
against molds such as trichoderma, and some of these
after heavy rains.
will survive the pasteurization process, which should
OUTDOORS GROW - If you're going to grow kill all the mold spores that are present at the time. Once
outdoors using bagged cow manure unpasteurized, put it the casing layer is in place, the key to preventing molds
in the ground, not in a Tupperware. It needs the is proper air exchange. Lime raises the ph, and gypsum
organisms in the soil to prevent contamination. I'd also keeps it stable. They both provide calcium, but gypsum
suspect your cake was contaminated prior to spawning also helps with texture.
to the manure if it was green within a week. I've stored

41
STERILIZING CASINGS - In fact, most of the last a very short time due to the static pressure
casings I use these days are simply peat/vermiculite produced, which ruins the motor and bushings. For best
with lime and gypsum, and zero heat-treating of any results, use a humidifier for humidity, and vents for air
kind, because many edibles won't fruit on sterile or exchange. I have openings cut all over my greenhouse
pasteurized casing layers. so air can circulate in and out top, bottom, and sides.
You can pasteurize casing material and it works well Constant air exchange, with the humidifier inside the
with cubes. However, sterilization will give a higher rate greenhouse gives excellent performance. I can actually
of contamination then doing nothing. maintain 99% humidity, just like a terrarium. Place the
You have to assume that mold spores are going to land humidifier(s) on a bottom shelf or floor of the
on your casing layer. If it's been sterilized, they will greenhouse. Humidity in mini-greenhouses seems to
germinate and grow because nothing else is there to stop stratify into layers with higher humidity near the top and
them. The beneficial bacteria that are in peat moss will lower at the bottom. By placing the humidifiers on the
help protect against molds such as trichoderma, and bottom of the unit, the air drawn into the humidifier will
some of these will survive the pasteurization process, cause circulation from the top back down, thus
which should kill all the mold spores that are present at equalizing the humidity.
the time. Once the casing layer is in place, the key to You need a floor. Easiest is to use plastic sheeting and
preventing molds is proper air exchange. duct tape it to the sides. To catch drips, use trays of
damp perlite. These will return the drips to the air as
STERILIZING CASING - My main point about
humidity.
sterilizing casing layers is that one; it makes them more
I spent years modifying humidifiers before I worked out
prone to contamination, not less. A sterilized substrate is
this method. A humidifier that has been modified has a
prime food for whatever organism is the first to land on
life span in weeks, sometimes months, but not years the
it. Second, many gourmet species will not fruit on a
way an unmodified unit has. My two cool mists on the
pasteurized or sterilized substrate/casing. Eventually,
floor of my greenhouse are now over two years old
most growers either move from cubes to more difficult
without failing. Also, when it fails, you can't return a
species to grow, or they lose interest in the hobby and
drilled out humidifier to the store.
quit growing. I just feel it's important to learn
Using the above system, I can easily keep my
procedures that you can use later. I hope this clears it
greenhouse at 95% to 99% humidity, which is what's
up.
required for cakes or substrate blocks of sawdust during
STERILIZING CASING - The reason you don't fruiting. You'll need a good cycle timer for the
sterilize casing layers is because a sterilized media is a humidifiers. Don't let them run more than a few minutes
prime target for contamination to grow on because at a time, followed by another few minutes of 'off' time.
there's no competitors. When you're first filling up the greenhouse, place trays
of damp perlite on any empty shelf space. A greenhouse
MARTHA NEEDS REDUE... I THOUGHT I CAN
full of substrate is much easier to keep moist than an
JUST COPY AND PASTE A BUNCH OF
empty one, so the trays of perlite make up the
SENTENCES TOGETHER BUT IT DIDN'T
difference. Supply air to the bottom, and return air out
WORK SO
the top if you're circulating. This helps to counter the
natural tendency of the humidity to stratify in layers.
MARTHA/GREENHOUSE (REDO)
You don't need to worry about removing CO2 in a mini
Once you've fixed up your mini greenhouse it's time to
greenhouse. Just have a few openings top and bottom
go over some guidelines. You want 100% humidity
and that will take care of itself. You want air circulation
regardless if it's cased or not. You do not want your cool
and turbulence to help prevent molds. For best results,
mist/humidifier/ultrasonic on the ground. It will pick up
have constant air exchange during fruiting. It's
the contaminants from that air and bring them inside
counterproductive to use a humidifier for air exchange.
your growing chamber. Put your cool mist inside the
You will never get the humidity high enough for cakes if
greenhouse for optimally so it humidifies the entire
you're pumping in fresh air with a humidifier. Rather,
thing and doesn't come in from just one spot. You want
leave the door unzipped or cut slits in the sides of the
to cut slits in your greenhouse for FAE or open vents or
plastic both top and bottom to allow for constant air
doors are for air exchange, you also can use a fan if it's
exchange and circulation. Cool mist humidifiers have no
not moving at all. Using a cool mist, as a fae will only

42
problem keeping the humidity right around 85% to it out. However, you can run them one minute on, then
90%, which is perfect for cased substrates. Wax paper two to ten minutes off and get 80 to 90 percent humidity
works great to put over cased substrates from the time with no drips. It takes a good cycle timer to do it, but
you first expose to fruiting conditions. It will keep the the results are worth it. I agree. Short cycles are the key.
humidity near 100% right on the surface where I'm running mine about a minute on, then about six
primordia form, then as the pins grow, they will push minutes off. The link below will get you a good
the wax paper out of the way, opening the edges to prewired timer for $120. Scroll to the bottom of the
allow for less humidity. It's sort of a self-regulating page and look at the Cycle stat 4 timer. It's what I've
system. Just be sure to change the wax paper out for a used for two years now and it's still working great.
clean sheet every second day. Also, you must use this http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/controls2.sht
tek right from the start. If your casing has already been ml. If you're going to run a cool mist into a terrarium for
open and exposed, placing wax paper over it will help air exchange, run it no more than one or two minutes
the contaminant spores to germinate and grow. If used per hour. That is enough to fully exchange the air
from the start, most contaminant spores falling from without drying anything out. I run the humidifier for
gravity will land on the wax paper, which you carefully two minutes every fifteen.
remove and replace every 48 hours. Just lay the wax
GREENHOUSE - I think you said you're growing
paper over the top. Don't try to tuck it under the cake or
cakes. A mini-greenhouse is really not suitable for cakes
other substrate or you'll do more damage than good. You
unless you put the cool mist directly INSIDE the
can fold it if necessary to fit, but don't try to make a
greenhouse so it can recirculate your moist air, adding
tight seal. Tiny drops won't hurt, but if they build up,
additional humidity to it. CO 2 should not be allowed to
you're in for problems. This is a very common problem
when running cool mists 24/7 because the air can't build up, then vented. For best results, have constant air
absorb all the moisture you're pumping into the exchange during fruiting. It's counterproductive to use a
greenhouse. If your casing layer becomes waterlogged, humidifier for air exchange. You will never get the
it won't pin. If you'll put trays of damp perlite on the humidity high enough for cakes if you're pumping in
empty shelf space and floor, you can easily get 99% fresh air with a humidifier. Rather, leave the door
humidity in a martha with a cool mist. I place mine unzipped or cut slits in the sides of the plastic both top
inside the greenhouse, which raises humidity even more and bottom to allow for constant air exchange and
because it recirculates already humid air through the circulation. Place the humidifier(s) on a bottom shelf or
cool mist. I only use cool mists, with trays of perlite on floor of the greenhouse. Humidity in mini-greenhouses
the floor to catch drips. As you can see, it's steady at seems to stratify into layers with higher humidity near
95%. Put the cool mist inside the greenhouse and run it the top and lower at the bottom. By placing the
no more than 25% of the time. You want a Vicks 400 humidifiers on the bottom of the unit, the air drawn into
humidifier. I'd put two cool mists on timers or a the humidifier will cause circulation from the top back
humidistat inside the greenhouse for humidity, then down, thus equalizing the humidity. You need a floor.
simply cut about ten to twenty holes big enough to stick Easiest is to use plastic sheeting and duct tape it to the
your arm through at various points in the sides. Put half sides. To catch drips, use trays of damp perlite. These
the holes you cut high, and the other half of the holes will return the drips to the air as humidity. I spent years
down low. If you open windows while doing sterile modifying humidifiers before I worked out this method.
work, it hurts. If you open windows near your A humidifier that has been modified has a life span in
greenhouse or terrarium, it won't hurt at all. In fact, I weeks, sometimes months, but not years the way an
have a 4" clothes dryer hose connecting my mini unmodified unit has. My two coolmists on the floor of
greenhouse to the outside. Just make sure you shut my greenhouse are now over two years old without
everything before you do any sterile work. You want failing. Also, when it fails, you can't return a drilled out
totally still air for that, plus a glove box. You still want humidifier to the store. Using the above system, I can
the greenhouse open though. The more openings the easily keep my greenhouse at 95% to 99% humidity,
better as long as you can maintain humidity. I know which is what's required for cakes or substrate blocks of
from experience if I allow the cool mists to run for more sawdust during fruiting. You'll need a good cycle timer
than two minutes, they begin to drip because the air for the humidifiers. Don't let them run more than a few
can't absorb the moisture as fast as one of those can put minutes at a time, followed by another few minutes of
'off' time. When you're first filling up the greenhouse,

43
place trays of damp perlite on any empty shelf space. A and the door is a simple piece of plastic sheeting that
greenhouse full of substrate is much easier to keep hangs from the ceiling all the way to the floor and is not
moist than an empty one, so the trays of perlite make up attached at all except at the top. This leaves two slits the
the difference. Supply air to the bottom, and return air full vertical length of the greenhouse. All of the above
out the top if you're circulating. This helps to counter provides plenty of air exchange, and an impeller type
the natural tendency of the humidity to stratify in layers. cool mist inside the greenhouse provides the humidity
You don't need to worry about removing CO2 in a mini by only running one to two minutes on, five to seven
greenhouse. Just have a few openings top and bottom minutes off. I tweak the cycle timer depending on how
and that will take care of itself. You want air circulation full of substrate trays it is at any given time. It also
and turbulence to help prevent molds. helps to get a bunch of plastic trays and fill each one
with damp perlite. Use these to line the floor to catch
GREENHOUSE FC - Greenhouse: Air exchange is drips, and also to fill up any empty shelf space within
provided by the very loose fitting door. My greenhouse the greenhouse. Doing the above will provide you with
is framed with PVC pipe and covered with plastic 90% to 95% humidity along with ample air exchange.
sheeting. I got all the parts at the hardware store for less You can also do a search, and you'll find all of this has
than $35. I'd say it's twice to three times the size of the been covered many, many times before with
Martha closet. I didn't put zippers or anything else to experienced growers using all sorts of methods. This is
seal the door, so it's open on both sides from floor to my method, but by no means is it the only one that will
ceiling. This provides for plenty of air exchange, and the work. Other growers prefer to put the cool mist outside
cool mist humidifiers have no problem keeping the the greenhouse, and then modify it to pipe the humidity
humidity right around 85% to 90%, which is perfect for in, but that isn't my personal choice for reasons I've
cased substrates. When I use it for cakes or straw logs, previously posted, but it certainly works and they have
etc., that require higher humidity, I simply cover them the pictures to prove it.
with wax paper which holds in the humidity in that
specific area while still fitting loose enough to allow GREENHOUSE - I have two 4" holes near the bottom
gas/air exchange. Wax paper works great to put over on each side. Two more 4" holes are at the top on each
cased substrates from the time you first expose to side. The door is an opening that covers the entire front,
fruiting conditions. It will keep the humidity near 100% nearly 5 feet across. It's a sheet of plastic that hangs
right on the surface where primordia form, then as the down from the top; with a piece of PVC pipe at the
pins grow, they will push the wax paper out of the way, bottom to hold it shut by gravity. The side slits are not
opening the edges to allow for less humidity. It's sort of attached to anything, thus air exchanges the full length
a self-regulating system. Just be sure to change the wax from top to bottom on each side of the door, and the
paper out for a clean sheet every second day. Also, you other 4 holes also pass air. There are also a few smaller
must use this tek right from the start. If your casing has holes I've cut for taking pictures and never sealed up.
already been open and exposed, placing wax paper over The idea is to have as much air exchange as you can
it will help the contaminant spores to germinate and possibly have and still keep mid 90's percent humidity. I
grow. If used from the start, most contaminant spores use 2 vicks kaz cool mists sitting inside the greenhouse,
falling from gravity will land on the wax paper, which set to run 1 minute on, 4 to 6 minutes off depending on
you carefully remove and replace every 48 hours. Just ambient humidity. I'll tweak it daily due to local
lay the wax paper over the top. Don't try to tuck it under conditions. When things get really dry weather-wise, I'll
the cake or other substrate or you'll do more damage often run a third cool mist in the room the greenhouse is
than good. You can fold it if necessary to fit, but don't located to raise the ambient humidity. Good luck. The
try to make a tight seal. weight of the PVC pipe is whatever a 2" X 5' length of it
weighs. Perhaps two or three pounds. Yes, I built a place
GREENHOUSE - I get 90% to 95% with cool mists for it to hang. To open it, I simply roll up the PVC and
alone. I have never used an ultrasonic because I've 'door' from the bottom. It makes a nice little roll to hang
found them not necessary. Never seal a fruiting chamber on the hooks at the top. My entire greenhouse is framed
or greenhouse up tight. You want massive amounts of with PVC pipe and covered with plastic sheeting. I also
air exchange to stimulate pinning and to prevent have a self-contained air conditioning system to use
contaminants, which thrive in stale, still, moist air. I when fruiting cold weather loving mushrooms such as
have several 4" holes cut in the sides of my greenhouse, oyster and shiitake. I can keep the greenhouse at 58F,

44
while the room outside is 70F. timer depending on season and ambient humidity in the
room. If you run it longer than fifteen minutes, you'll
GREENHOUSE - There is absolutely no need or
have water everywhere. I burned up at least 20 cool
reason to even attempt to keep a greenhouse sterile. We
mists before I stopped modding them and placed them
use sterile procedure to colonize grains, but once they're
inside. The same two cool mists have now been in the
colonized, everything else is done in normal air. You
mini-greenhouse for over two years. Using hoses creates
don't need a fan to provide air exchange in a
static pressure that ruins the bushings, thus burning out
greenhouse. Simply take a knife and slice the plastic
the motor in a very short time. Cool mists are designed
from top to bottom in a few places. This will allow
to provide humidity, not move air.
normal room air to circulate into and out of the mini
greenhouse. Use a cool mist humidifier (or two) HUMIDIFIER - I've always recommended people in
depending on size to provide humidity, not air dry climates run a humidifier in the general area or
exchange. Trays of damp, well-drained perlite placed on room their grow is located. If you can bring the ambient
empty shelf spaces and the floor will help to catch drips humidity up to 50%, you'll have no problems. While it's
and return them to the air as humidity. To repeat, a mini- true that Seattle has a damp climate in the fall, winter
greenhouse should have high humidity and high air and spring, summers are very dry here. I always run a
exchange, with very bright high frequency lights such as cool mist 24/7 in the room my terrariums are located.
natural daylight fluorescent on a 12/12 cycle for best This becomes especially important if using a terrarium
results. Don't waste time stressing over filters or other with many holes drilled into it. Air exchange is a major
means of scrubbing the air. It isn't necessary. pinning trigger as well as preventer of contamination, so
make sure your ambient humidity is up to the task.
HUMIDIFIER/GREENHOUSE - You don't need
distilled water for your humidifier. I've used tap water HUMIDIFICATION
for many years in different parts of the world. It's fine. CASING/CAKES/GREENHOUSE/FC - Get rid of
You also don't need to clean it with bleach once a week. standing water. If you can't find perlite, you can use
When it starts to get nasty, clean it in the sink with soap paper or cloth towels in the terrarium. Replace paper
and water. Impeller type humidifiers DO move air, but towels or wash cloth ones every three days to prevent
not much. They are the type to use for mycology. You molds and/or bacteria from growing on them. I've ran
don't need one for a monotub or terrarium, but when terrariums with a large bath towel soaked, then well
you move up to a mini-greenhouse, you'll want one. rung out and folded loosely, then laid into the bottom of
Wicking type humidifiers will work fine in the room the tub. Humidity stays as high as several inches of
your grow is located in, as a way to boost the ambient perlite. People with humidity problems in mini-
humidity, but they can't produce enough humidity for greenhouses can also hang a damp bath towel or two
mushrooms. After about 60% to 70%, they won't inside the greenhouse for a great boost.
evaporate any more moisture into the air.
GREENHOUSE, HUMIDITY - Simply run an
GREENHOUSE FC - additional humidifier or two 24/7 in the room your
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/controls2.sht greenhouse is located. Get your ambient room humidity
ml up to 50%, and you'll not have trouble maintaining
I also have the humidistat they sell on that same page, humidity in the martha. This will also make your house
but if you order it, be very careful to always harvest more comfortable and much more economical to heat.
before a major spore drop occurs, because the spores In fact, you should run several humidifiers in your
will jam up the mechanism, causing the humidistat to house during the winter. The wax paper tek works great.
fail. The cycle timer mounts outside the greenhouse so Lift it to mist, and change it with a fresh sheet every two
it's safe. Also, the humidistat won't provide over 80%, days. Wrinkle it up, and then flatten it back out so
which is fine for cased substrates as long as you put a plenty of air can still circulate under it.
sheet of wax paper over the casing layer during pinning
GREENHOUSE FC AIR EXCHANGE - I have
initiation.
several large slits, and even a few holes cut in the plastic
GREENHOUSE/COOLMIST - With mine inside the for air exchange. In fact, the door is simply a large sheet
greenhouse, it only needs to run one or two minutes, of plastic sheeting hanging from the top, with a weight
followed by five to seven minutes off. I tweak the cycle on the bottom to hold it down. The full length of both

45
sides is not connected, so two large slits run from the MARTHA - FAE is 'Fresh Air Exchange' and is
ceiling to the floor of the greenhouse. The more air provided by ventilation holes cut into the mini-
exchange you can give the better, as long as you can greenhouse. Cool mist humidifiers are designed to raise
maintain humidity. That is the reason I moved the cool humidity, not move air. If you try to use one to move air,
mist into the inside, rather than on the outside. it will only last a very short time due to the static
pressure produced, which ruins the motor and bushings.
GREENHOUSE COOLMIST - Put it at the bottom. A
For best results, use a humidifier for humidity, and vents
cool mist needs to shoot a mist straight up about 5 feet
for air exchange.
to work properly. Mine sit on the floor of the mini-
greenhouse, one on each side of the shelves. Cut a hole MARTHA FC HUMIDITY - I know from experience
in the plastic right next to where the humidifier sits, and if I allow the cool mists to run for more than two
it will draw in some fresh air and also mix with the air minutes, they begin to drip because the air can't absorb
inside to give you a nice 95% humidity easily. Giving the moisture as fast as one of those can put it out.
lots of fresh air in a greenhouse is easy. Simply use a However, you can run them one minute on, then two to
knife to cut slits and holes in several places. ten minutes off and get 80 to 90 percent humidity with
no drips. It takes a good cycle timer to do it, but the
GREENHOUSE - For years, I've been running a self-
results are worth it.
contained AC unit in my mini-greenhouse during the
summer months. It will seriously dry out the air, so GREENHOUSE AIR EXCHANGE - Humidifiers are
you'll have to provide for increased humidification. Get for humidity. Fans, fanning, open vents or doors are for
a stand-alone unit so you can circulate the same air. air exchange. I have openings cut all over my
Don't use the central AC unit from your house. The greenhouse so air can circulate in and out top, bottom,
house AC will push the humidity out. A good humidifier and sides. Constant air exchange, with the humidifier
might be able to keep up, but it will take some inside the greenhouse gives excellent performance. I can
tweaking, so you'll just have to experiment. actually maintain 99% humidity, just like a terrarium.

MARTHA HUMIDIFIER - One hour is too long to MARTHA TIMER FC - I agree. Short cycles are the
run the humidifier. More than a few minutes at a time key. I'm running mine about a minute on, then about six
will cause drips to form. I run mine less than five minutes off. The link below will get you a good
minutes on followed by five to ten minutes off. This prewired timer for $120. Scroll to the bottom of the
maintains a high humidity without excessive dripping. page and look at the Cyclestat 4 timer. It's what I've
You need to seal the bottom and put several trays of used for two years now and it's still working great.
perlite down there to catch whatever drips do form. At http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/controls2.sht
the very least, get a timer with 15-minute intervals. ml
They're cheap. Try running 15 on, 30 off.
FAE GREENHOUSE - If you open windows while
HUMIDIFIER/GREENHOUSE - The inside of a cool doing sterile work, it hurts. If you open windows near
mist type humidifier is always at 100% humidity your greenhouse or terrarium, it won't hurt at all. In fact,
because of all the mist flying around in there. You can I have a 4" clothes dryer hose connecting my mini
run a cool mist, such as the vicks kaz models inside the greenhouse to the outside. Just make sure you shut
greenhouse without problems. I've done so for years and everything before you do any sterile work. You want
wouldn't recommend something that wasn't safe. I'm an totally still air for that, plus a glove box.
electrical engineer, as well as licensed journeyman
GREENHOUSE - Toss out the ultrasonic and get a
electrician, so am qualified to make that determination.
spinning impeller type cool mist, and set it inside the
HUMIDIFIER/COOLMIST - They don't crap out greenhouse. Adjust the timer so you get the desired
because of humidity. They crap out due to backpressure level. I use one minute on, six minutes off. In the winter
in the hose, which forces moisture into the motor when ambient humidity is lower, I use one minute on,
bearings, ruining them, which then burns up the motor four minutes off. You'll have to tweak your own setup
due to the extra load. That's why they're best used inside depending on your ambient conditions.
a greenhouse. They will also raise the humidity more
HUMIDIFIERS - Cool mist humidifiers cost from $15
because they're recycling already humid air, rather than
to $35 brand new, and a fraction of that at thrift shops. If
dry air from outside.

46
necessary, run one in the room your fruiting chamber is even more because it recirculates already humid air
located in. Right now, the ambient humidity in my through the cool mist.
house is 11% and my FC is at 98%, using only perlite
MARTHA FAE - I'd put two cool mists on timers or a
and 1/4" holes drilled into all six sides. I fail to see why
humidistat inside the greenhouse for humidity, then
you're having so much trouble.
simply cut about ten to twenty holes big enough to stick
COOLMIST FOR FAE - Actually, the spinning disk your arm through at various points in the sides. Put half
type humidifiers burn out from the static pressure. The the holes you cut high, and the other half of the holes
problem is that it forces moisture into the motor down low.
bushings, ruining them. I've used up to a 2" PVC pipe
COOLMIST - On the vics cool mists, the V shaped
leaving the humidifiers and still had them burn up
nozzle that spins in the water is detachable. Simply
within two months. By leaving them inside the
prevent the disk from turning, and rotate the nozzle half
greenhouse, they last a year or more.
a turn and it will separate. It might have become
GREENHOUSE TEMPERATURE - Check your clogged up inside where the rifling is, when you
thermometers. There might be a degree or two of cleaned.
evaporative cooling until the humidity stabilizes, but the
GREENHOUSE FC - I used a cool mist as you are for
temperature of the room and the greenhouse will be the
a year or two before settling on the way I now do it,
same. Usually, the greenhouse is a few degrees warmer
with the cool mist sitting directly on a shelf inside the
with the lights on, then exactly the same as the room
greenhouse. You'll need to connect it to a humidistat or
with the lights off.
timer to keep it from saturating everything inside.
MARTHA PROBLEMS FC - The tiny drops won't
MARTHA GREENHOUSE - Just put it inside for
hurt, but if they build up, you're in for problems. This is
humidity, and leave a flap open or the door unzipped,
a very common problem when running cool mists 24/7
etc., for constant air exchange. This system will get you
because the air can't absorb all the moisture you're
to 95% humidity. You can use trays of perlite to catch
pumping into the greenhouse. If your casing layer
drips and return them to the air as humidity.
becomes waterlogged, it won't pin.
HUMIDIFIER - I run mine less than five minutes on
COOLMIST - Cool mists can't build static pressure or
followed by five to ten minutes off. This maintains a
the motor bushings get wet and ruin. If you use hoses
high humidity without excessive dripping. You need to
from the humidifier to the GH, you cause static pressure
seal the bottom and put several trays of perlite down
to build. If you put the cool mist inside, you get high
there to catch whatever drips do form.
humidity, and if you cut slits you get FAE, plus the
humidifier will last for years. GREENHOUSE - CO2 isn't a problem in a greenhouse

GREENHOUSE - Unzip and leave it unzipped. if you cut lots of small holes or windows. You can also
Continuous air exchange if preferable to occasional air leave the door cracked open. Put the humidifier on the
exchange. I have holes cut all over mine and keep the floor or a lower shelf so it can shoot up and dissipate,
door half open all the time, and easily maintain high rather than hit the ceiling of the unit.
humidity with two cool mists. My greenhouse is about MARTHA HUMIDITY - If you need even more
the size of three martha units. humidity until you get it filled up, you can put trays of
GREENHOUSE - Cool mist humidifiers need a free damp perlite everywhere you don't have a project
space of at least five feet above them to work properly. sitting. It can sometimes be hard to keep enough
Your mist is blowing right on the bottom of the trays humidity in an empty greenhouse.
above, thus the mist can't evaporate into the air, but FC. GREENHOUSE COOLMIST - If you live in the
drips back down. For a fruiting chamber of that size, desert, you should run a cool mist 24/7 in the room your
perlite is recommended. grow area is located. That will raise the humidity up to
MARTHA/GREENHOUSE - If you'll put trays of around 50% or so, making it easier to maintain 90+ in
damp perlite on the empty shelf space and floor, you can your
easily get 99% humidity in a martha with a cool mist. I COOLMIST GREENHOUSE/MARTHA - I only use
place mine inside the greenhouse, which raises humidity cool mists, with trays of perlite on the floor to catch

47
drips. As you can see, it's steady at 95%. Put the cool Bring the water to a boil, but watch over it and as soon
mist inside the greenhouse and run it no more than 25% as the water actually reaches a boil, shut off the stove,
of the time. but leave the pot sitting on the burner. The preceding is
for an electric stove that will remain hot for a little
GREENHOUSE FC - When fruiting cased substrates, I
while after shutting off power. If you use gas, allow the
run it one minute on, six minutes off. Of course, these
water to boil for one to two minutes before shutting off
figures are based on my unique setup, so you'll have to
the stove. After a couple of hours when they've cooled,
experiment to find the sweet spot in your operation.
the jars can be removed and used.
COOLMIST - An impeller type cool mist unmodified The first time or two you use this technique, monitor the
sitting on the floor or bottom shelf running a few interior of your jars with a meat thermometer. Place it
minutes on, then a few minutes off will deliver 90% to right into the center of the peat or compost. You want to
95% humidity. make sure the center of the jar reaches at least 140F and
stays there for an hour, but don't allow it to exceed
FC MARTHA - MARTHA! Using a sonic Humidifier
170F. Depending on the thickness and capacity of your
and Cool Mist...Providing plenty of FAE (Fresh Air
kettle and lid, you may need to adjust the above times
Exchange) and RH (Relative Humidity) holes, flaps, cut
slightly. This tek works because glass is an insulator, so
open.
the temperature inside the jars lags the water in the
GREENHOUSE - If you're going to run a cool mist kettle. When I use the above procedure with 7 full quart
into a terrarium for air exchange, run it no more than jars in my All American 921, it comes out perfectly just
one or two minutes per hour. That is a fact. as written. If you use a smaller pot, you may need to
turn the stove on briefly at the ½ hour mark for a few
GREENHOUSE FC - You still want the greenhouse
minutes.
open though. The more openings the better as long as
The advantage to this tek is there is no pillowcase, etc.,
you can maintain humidity.
to drain and little to no mess or stink is made in your
HUMIDIFICATION FC - Line the bottom of your kitchen or pressure cooker. The disadvantage is you
terrarium with 2" of damp but not wet perlite, and watch have a bunch of jars to wash when you're done.
your humidity go to 99%.
WOOD LOVERS TEK, NO PC! - Wood Lover
DROPLETS MARTHA - Lay wax paper loosely over Smoothie Tek
the trays to prevent water droplets from falling on them. Last year I had an idea for a cultivation of wood lovers
that absolutely begged to be put to the test. I have put it
HUMIDIFIER TIMING FC - I run the humidifier for
to the test, and I succeeded.
two minutes every fifteen.
There was NO sterile technique.
COOLMIST/HUMIDIFER/ULTRASONIC - Vicks There was NO agar.
400 humidifier' There was NO grain.
There was NO Pressure Cooking.
HUMIDIFIER - A vicks 400, 420, or similar will last
There was NO oven heating.
for years.
And yet I succeeded. I am now the proud owner of a
storage box with 15 liters bright white, strongly
TEK/SUBSTRATE/CASING ADDATIVES
rhizomorphic Psilocybe cyanescens mycelium, with that
PASTERUIZING TEK - Pasteurization tek special mycelia odor I have come to love so much.
Load the pre-moistened to field capacity casing mix, What did I do?
compost or manure into quart mason jars. Place a lid
and/or foil over the top. Put the jars into a large covered ----------------------
pot of cold water, with the water filled to 2/3 to ¾ of the WOODLOVER SMOOTHIE TEK
way up the jars. A large kettle or pressure cooker works
well. If necessary, put a plate or some other weight over 1.soak the right kinds of dried woodchips in
the jars to prevent them from floating. Make sure you desinfecting water for three hours.
have a spacer or dishtowel under the jars to prevent the You can prepare this solution easily by adding 100ml
direct heat of the stove burner or flame from cracking household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite without
your jars. Place the lid on the pot and turn on the stove. additives) to 10 liters of water. Don't worry; it's what

48
they use in swimming pools and in commercial edible book thread in the gourmet and medicinal mushroom
mushroom cultivation. forum? If not, take a look. Below are Hericium (Lion's
2.leach the woodchips for several hours to get rid of Mane) but oysters grow from the same substrates. I'll
excess moisture. have some oyster pictures on phonebooks soon. They're
3.take fresh woodlover mushrooms, add ten parts of pinning now along with the Shiitake.
water and blenderize it to a "woodlover smoothie". Your
goal is to create a suspension of very fine mycelium bits
and spores in the water, so blenderize for a full minute,
even when the job seems done in 15 seconds. You are
creating very heavy mycelia inoculants in a liquid that
has as much spores as spore syringe fluid. I used 30gr
fresh Psilocybe cyanescens mushrooms in 300ml water
to inoculate 15 liters of soaked woodchips.
4.spread out the woodchips and sprinkle the mycelial
solution over it, turning it regularly with very clean
hands or gloves. Your goal is to get a dab of the
mycelium/spore inoculant on every bit of wood. When
you are done, keep mixing up the woodchips because
the inoculated chips will rub off mycelium onto the
untreated chips.
5.put the woodchips into a plastic storage box and cover
it with a sheet of plastic, which you fasten with
clothespins. It should breathe, but not let dust fall in.
Store this in the dark at room temperature. The
woodchips will colonize in the usual time of a spawn
inoculation.
There you have it! With wood lover mushrooms you
collect in the wild you can very easily create loads upon
loads of mycelium. Once the mycelium has colonized
the woodchips, you can use one part of this spawn to
inoculate five parts of moistened woodchips.
A couple of small wood lover mushrooms inoculate a
storage box, a storage box inoculates a thrashcan and a
thrashcan full of spawn can be used to inoculate several
gardens and wild patches.
This TEK can be used on any scale. You can inoculate a
few jars with one tiny mushroom you found, or load up
a super soaker water gun and guerilla-inoculate a whole
mulched park.

PHONEBOOK TEK - Phonebook Tek

You can inoculate pf cakes with oyster mycelium and
grow out your spawn that way without a pressure
cooker. Cut out a couple of dvd case sized holes out of
the middle of the phone book, so you'll have a place to
put a few slices of your cakes so they can inoculate the
paper. After cutting the openings, you can boil the
phonebook in water for a few minutes to
sterilize/hydrate it, and then when it cools, simply open
it up with clean hands and put your spawn into the
places you've previously cut out. Did you see my phone

49
 CASING TEK - Casing tek
Measure the appropriate amount of dry peat moss for
your application. For the first few times you make up
casing mix, you'll just have to take an educated guess as
to how much to prepare, then add or subtract from that
amount as needed for future projects.
Place the dry peat into a large bowl, five gallon bucket,
wheelbarrow, etc., depending on amount. Leave room
for the quantity to double, and still allow space to stir.
Break up the dry peat very well. There should be no
chunks when you get finished, having carefully broken
up the peat until it's all the same consistency. To each
cup of peat moss, add one teaspoon of hydrated
horticultural lime, and one to two tablespoons of
gypsum. Certain species can benefit from two
tablespoons or even more of gypsum per cup, so don't
be afraid to experiment, up to ten percent of the amount

50
of peat. this a time or two, and then let it sit for five minutes,
Mix these dry ingredients together well. After mixing, then repeat. When all the moisture that will drip or
slowly add water to the mix, stirring constantly. Add evaporate from your rye has already done so, load your
moisture until field capacity is achieved. I define field jars. The rye should look and feel dry to the touch when
capacity as being reached when you can pick up a you load the jars. All the moisture you need is inside the
handful of the mix and no water drips out. If you grain.
squeeze lightly a few drops will come out, and if you Fill jars no more than 2/3 full if they are to receive
squeeze very hard, a small rivulet or stream will flow grain-to-grain transfers, or no more than 3/4 full if they
out. Remember, the peat will not absorb all the water at are to be inoculated by spore syringe or agar wedge.
once, so when you reach field capacity, let the mix sit Use a lid with a synthetic filter disk, polyfill, tyvek or
for ten minutes and check again. Chances are, you'll similar. Cover with foil and PC the jars for at least 90
have to add more moisture. minutes at 15lbs. When the jars are cool, they're ready
In a separate bowl, place an equal amount by volume of to inoculate.
vermiculite. Fill the bowl with water so the vermiculite
AGAR TEK - Here's how to do it. Get a whiskey or
begins to float a bit. Turn the bowl over and allow all
wine bottle with a screw on lid that will fit in your PC.
the water to drain off. A fine mesh strainer works well
Drill a hole in the lid and stuff it with polyfill or cut a
for larger amounts.
synthetic filter disk to fit inside the lid. Prepare your
Mix the moistened vermiculite with the moistened
agar and pc in the normal way. The filter will prevent
peat/lime/gypsum very well and pasteurize at 140F to
contaminants from entering the agar as it cools.
160F for one hour. Use as soon as it's cooled. If you
Build a glove box. You can make one for the price of a
don't use it all, it's best to discard or use for your
clear Rubbermaid. All you need is a couple of arm
houseplants. Make a fresh batch every time for best
holes. You don't even need-attached gloves, but if not,
results.
then be sure to wear latex gloves when you pour your
MY RYE TEK - My rye tek: dishes.
Measure out your organic rye berries from a health food Allow the agar to cool almost to room temperature
store, one cup for each quart jar you intend to make. without opening the filtered whiskey bottle it's in. When
Place them in a large pot. Rinse the heck out of them. it is cooled off, but still liquid is when you want to open
Fill the pot with hot tap water, shake and swirl it around it up to pour. Work fast. Open your sleeve of
and pour it out. Do this three or four times until the presterilized dishes just before use. Wash the outside of
water you pour out is clear. You'll be able to see when the sleeve with alcohol before opening carefully from
you have nice clean water to pour off instead of water one end.
filled with chaff and dirt. Stack your dishes in two piles of ten. Pour the bottom
You want to now cover the rye berries with three times dish by lifting the entire stack, then set it down and pick
as much hot tap water as you have rye. Use half coffee up the other nine. Repeat until you've filled both stacks,
and half plain water. In other words, if you have two then CAREFULLY insert the sleeve back over the Petri
inches of rye in the bottom of your pan, you should have dishes and seal the bottom so it's airtight.
six inches of water/coffee above that, for a total of 8 The above procedure should give you a 100% success
inches. ratio with a bit of practice. I find no difference in
Add 1/4 teaspoon per cup of rye of gypsum. Stir into the contamination rates with a glove box or flow hood, but
water/grain well. Cover and leave this to sit for 24-36 of course the flow hood gives you more elbowroom and
hours. Don't freak out if you go 48 hours and it smells is much easier to work in front of.
like it's fermenting. No problem.
GYPSUM SOAK TEK - I add gypsum to the water the
Stir well and set the pot on the stove. Bring to a boil.
grains soak in. The first step is to wash the grains very
Boil for ten minutes, then, WHILE BOILING, drain the
well. Put them in a pot of water and swirl it around, then
contents through a very large colander. (Spaghetti
drain the water out. Repeat a few times until the water
strainer) If you're making a large batch, you may need
pours off clear. If you skip this step, your grains will be
more than one colander. Tip the colander side to side to
clumped up and sticking together whether you use
get the rye to drain as much of the water as you can.
gypsum or not.
Then, shake the colander in order to 'toss' the grain. This
Fill the pot with hot tap water and soak the grains for 24
will cause a lot of steam to rise from your rye. Great. Do

51
hours. Add one tablespoon of gypsum for each two looked into selling it in bulk and the shipping would
gallons of soak water. cost more than the chips. You can call a local tree
After 24 hours, bring the pot of water/grain/gypsum to a trimming company and ask them to dump any hardwood
boil for five minutes. Drain while still boiling into a chips they collect in your yard. They're free that way
strainer and allow to drain well for five minutes. Shake because they need a place to dump them. You really
the colander to toss the grains in the air a bit to let the need to find a sawmill to get the sawdust though. You
steam evaporate the moisture off the surface of the don't want what you'd get from a woodworker or
grains. Fill jars 2/3 full, cover with filtered lid and pc furniture shop because it's too fine. You want course
for 90 minutes after covering the top of the jar with sawdust. Sometimes, the pellet fuel you get for stoves is
aluminum foil. made from hardwood sawdust, and if so it works great.
If you'll follow the above instructions, you can leave the Most of what I've seen lately is pine, and not usable.
PC'd jars in the pressure cooker overnight to cool to
GENTAMICIN SULPHATE - Gentamicin sulphate
room temperature. When you remove the cold jars and
has a place in agar work. Some growers have added it to
turn them upside down, every single kernel will separate
grains, but I would discourage the practice. Not only is
from every other kernel, and they'll flow almost like
it expensive, costing about $5 to $10 for enough to do a
sand in an hour glass, with absolutely no sticking or
1 quart grain jar, but I'd worry about creating super
clumping. I'm no fan of micropore tape. Drill two very
strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
small holes of 1mm or 1/16" in the lid, then use a
synthetic filter disk or extra thick (not post office) SEAWEED - Seaweed is extremely high in natural
tyvek. Good luck. tryptophans, thus the reported increases in potency. I
live on the coast, so go out and pick up seaweed off the
AGAR POURING TEST TUBES - Fill your test tubes
beach. After drying, I mix it in with my bulk substrates
1/2 full. I always insert a piece of wood, such as a
at about ten to twenty percent. The myc colonizes it
medical tongue depressor into each slant. The mycelium
almost as well and fast as straw.
colonizes the wood and lasts much longer under storage.
Get test tubes with screw on lids. Drill a 1/8" hole in the BLOODMEAL ONLY IF COMPOSTED - For
lid. Cut a synthetic filter disk to fit inside the test tube nitrogen, you can add blood meal to all substrate
lid. Screw the lid down tight, and PC in a rack with the materials including horse manure, at the rate of one
test tubes standing upright. tablespoon to ten cups of substrate. It really does make a
When removed from the PC, lay the rack over with a jar difference in the quality of your crop after harvest.
lid or something under one side so the test tubes are at
HAIR - Yes. In fact, you can compost hair and grow
an angle as they cool. Try to get the mycelium within
mushrooms on it. I've been wanting to do a 'barber shop'
1/2" or so of the opening, so you don't have to reach in
grow for some time now, but just haven't gotten around
as far when you want to get some myceium out. You'll
to it.
have to flame any part of your scalpel that penetrates
into the slant, so it's easier if you don't have to reach in PINE SUBSTRATES - Pine shavings are antifungal
as far. and used to control odors.
I use triple the usual amount of water in the PC when I
BROWN RICE GRAIN - Brown rice flour has more
make agar so that the PC cools down slower and
food for mycelium per gram than grains such as wbs.
releases pressure slower to prevent boil over. One
Your contention that BRF isn't 'nutritious' is in error.
should NEVER lift the weight or release the valve to let
Have you ever noticed a 1/2-pint brf cake flushing?
pressure off a PC. It ruins the product inside. Agar boils
There are only a few tablespoons of brown rice flour in
over and grains (or your pot roast) dry out.
a cake. No other grain will perform as well in such
You also shouldn't use a jar for preparing agar. Use a
small quantities.
whiskey bottle or something similar with a long neck
that is made for pouring. It also will have a smaller BROWN RICE FLOUR - Actually, brown rice flour is
opening that will be less prone to allowing contaminants far more nutritious than manure. All grains are. That's
to enter. why when we use manure we use a much larger
substrate. There are only a few tablespoons of brf in a
ALDER - I have an excellent source of hardwood
1/2-pint jar, yet they can grow some crazy mushrooms.
(Alder) sawdust and chips in Seattle, but I've already
A few tablespoons of manure will get you nowhere.

52
COCO COIR - About 4 years ago, I was the very first pH, which decreases colonization time. As a substrate
one to post that coir is a substrate material. After a year additive to other ingredients, it raises the nitrogen
of flames from people claiming that "Coir has NO levels, and nobody even knows how many of the other
nutes", somebody else finally tried it, and then hundreds of ingredients such as antioxidants play a part
somebody else, and so on. Experimenting is how we as well. Use the search function and you'll find several
learn. Plain vermiculite has been used as a casing layer hundred posts on coffee going back to my original
hundreds, if not thousands of times. I used it many times experiments in 2003. You can use weak coffee in the pf
myself, but I've said this for years, and the results of cakes, and use spent coffee grinds mixed into the coir.
many experiments still hold true; Plain vermiculite is a Don't use liquid coffee in the coir or you're likely to get
horrible choice for a casing layer. It would be really nice mold. Also, coir is much better to use as a substrate than
for a change to see someone actually experiment and a casing. It tends to overlay when used for casing.
then report the results, rather than endless posts about
COFFEE - First, simply spread the coffee grinds out in
'will this work?' or 'will that work?' and then arguing
the sun so they can dry. Once totally dry, they won't
about it. Just do it. If you really want to experiment, try
mold and you can store them until ready to use. Use
something that hasn't already been tried a thousand
them at up to fifty percent of any bulk substrate.
times. Look in your kitchen, find something silly, and
Actually, you can use coffee grinds as 100% of the
then grow mushrooms on it. It's fun.
substrate if you want. I know a commercial oyster farm
COCO COIR - There are no rules for mixing that uses free coffee from starbucks as their only
substrates. Coir can be used as is, or you can dump in a substrate. However, if you're growing cubes, mix the
few days worth of coffee grinds from your leftover coffee with any other bulk substrate for a great boost.
morning pots of coffee. Worm castings, horse manure, They do NOT contaminate before you can get them
etc., can all be added by the handful, or each can even colonized if you pasteurize first and have them at the
be used for 100% of the substrate. Use between 5% and proper moisture content. As with all bulk substrates, add
10% gypsum by volume. Use 1/2 teaspoon of hydrated gypsum at up to ten percent by volume.
lime per cup of manure-based substrates.
COFFEE - Quite often, the whole is greater than the
COCO COIR - Coco coir is much better suited as a sum of the parts. Coffee has thousands of elements,
substrate material. It's superior to cow manure and nitrogen only being one of them. Coffee works, period.
nearly as good as horse. In fact, lots of growers use coir Who really cares 'what' causes it to work? Folgers and
to fluff up their manure or other compost. I do not Hills Bros work as well as Starbucks. I've seen no real
recommend using coir in a casing layer, although many evidence that coffee increases potency. It does decrease
growers do. In my opinion, the best casing mixture is colonization times, and provides for more prolific
peat/vermiculite. I'll bet that coir compost would make flushes. The results are particularly astounding with
an excellent substrate. sclerotia producing species, but every mushroom
species I've ever grown has done better with coffee than
COCO COIR - Every brick of coir I've ever tested was
without it. Reishi on coffee can even.
in the pH 5.0 to pH 6.0 ranges. You need to use gypsum
and lime. COFFEE - I was the first one to bring the use of coffee
to the community a few years ago. Here's a 50+ page
COCO COIR - Add 10% coir to your casing mix. That
thread to read if you have the energy.
is somewhat like CAC'ing that some edible growers do.
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number
COIR - Coir has as much food for fungi as horse /2283143#Post2283143 You can use weak coffee to
manure and will grow very similar crops to horse hydrate your pf cakes. Use it at 1/2 drinking strength,
manure. but no more. Too much coffee actually slows down
colonization. Some growers thing it's the nitrogen, some
COFFEE - Whether you believe it or not, the evidence
think it's the 'nutes', others think it's the antioxidants,
is overwhelming with thousands of growers using it for
etc. All I know is it works and helps, but as said, use
many years. In fact, at least one commercial oyster farm
weak coffee, not drinking strength.
in my area uses it exclusively for a substrate. Weak
liquid coffee is used to hydrate grains instead of plain COFFEE - If you don't drink coffee, try using
water. This provides a nutrient boost, and also lowers something else instead, like bagged chicken manure

53
from the nursery. Use it at no more than 1 part chicken SUBSTRATES COFFEE GROUNDS - I'm inclined to
manure to 20 parts of the other substrate materials. The think the benefits of coffee come from the anti-oxidants
reason I say that is coffee is pretty darned expensive to rather than the nitrogen or caffeine, but I'll be the first to
buy for a substrate. If you drink coffee anyway, no admit it's just a hunch based on a few years of
problem, but otherwise there are other materials that observation.
work as well. Coffee should be brewed before using.
COFFEE - Use weak liquid coffee. Instant would be
You can brew up a pot of coffee, then use the liquid
fine. It's part nutrients and part the lower pH that coffee
coffee to hydrate your rye or wbs, and save the spent
provides. Rinsing before the soak is also an important
grinds for your substrate.
part. That gets all the dust and chaff out of the grain.
COFFEE - Properly used, coffee will decrease
COFFEE GROUNDS - I stopped at starbucks
colonization time, and provide more prolific flushes.
yesterday and picked up ten pounds. They keep it in
I've proved that for many years. A common mistake
bags right by the door. The employees at your store
with coffee is using it too strong. As I've said countless
must be lazy and throw it in the garbage.
times, it needs to be at 1/2 normal drinking strength.
That means if you use a standard amount of coffee in COFFEE GROUNDS SUBSTRATES - You can leave
your trusty Mr. Coffee, mix it half and half with plain the filter in the mix too. Coffee filters make pretty good
water after brewing, and then use that to hydrate your substrate. If it sits more than a few hours after brewing,
grains. Mixing it stronger is counterproductive and will pasteurize.
increase colonization times.
COFFEE - Nobody buys coffee for substrate. You
COFFEE - Correct. Spent coffee grinds are an excellent either get it free from starbucks, Dennys, IHOP, etc., or
substrate material/additive, and 1/2 the normal drinking you use your own leftover grounds.
strength (or less) liquid coffee can be used to hydrate
COFFEE - Coffee prevents sprouting. Don't ask me
grains prior to sterilization. It doesn't matter if it's rye or
why, but when I use coffee, the seeds don't sprout.
wbs. If you use it stronger than 1/2 drinking strength, it
will slow down colonization. That means for every cup COFFEE GRINDS - Coffee grinds hold as much water
of brewed coffee you use, add one or two cups of plain per cup as vermiculite.
water, and use that to hydrate the grains.
COTTON SEED MEAL - Cottonseed meal doesn't
SPENT COFFEE GRINDS - In addition to Starbucks, need to break down to become available. It becomes
just about any restaurant such as Denny's, IHOP, or your available as soon as the mycelium consumes it.
neighborhood greasy spoon, will give you their spent
D/E RATIO - I'd put about a teaspoon of DE per cup of
coffee grinds. Just tell the waitress to toss in filter and
peat in casing and substrate mixes. It will help provide
all, because the mycelium will munch those too. I once
moisture for the flush.
scored nearly a five-gallon bucket of free coffee grinds
from IHOP that was generated during the hour I was DIATOMACEOUS EARTH - Diatomaceous Earth is
eating my breakfast. also an excellent additive that holds tons of water. If you
use DE, add it dry to the dry peat and lime, then
COFFEE GROUNDS - IHOP and Denny's also give
hydrate. I think it was Agar that pointed me to using DE
away all their coffee grinds to whomever asks. It's better
in casings. It definitely holds moisture and gives bigger
for our substrates and gardens than the landfills. You
fruits because the same amount of casing material holds
can leave the coffee filters in with the grinds when you
much more water without being saturated.
use them too, especially for edibles such as oysters. This
has all been posted before, but it's good for the new D/E - Use DE at up to 5% by volume of the dry
folks to see it again. ingredients. In other words, one cup of DE for each 20
cups of dry horse manure, etc. I always mix all dry
LIME SUBSTRATES COFFEE - Correct. I add a
ingredients together first, then add water. With DE,
teaspoon of hydrated lime to each two to three gallons
you'll think you have the moisture content right, and
of weak coffee/water mix. Use coffee at no more than
then ten minutes later when you check, it's dry again.
1/2 the normal 'drinking' strength. Too much coffee will
The stuff really absorbs a lot of water. I check and
actually slow down growth, lime or not.
adjust at least three times at 20-minute intervals before

54
loading into jars and pasteurizing. for the mycelium to easily colonize, and it resists pH
swings as the mushroom metabolites try to swing the
GYPSUM - That makes no sense. In addition, every
pH lower.
commercial agaricus farm I know of uses gypsum in
their substrates. Gypsum is not used to change pH. GYPSUM CASING - 10% by volume the amount of
That's the job of lime to raise pH or sulfur to lower it. substrate is the correct amount of gypsum to use. Just
Gypsum contains both calcium carbonate and sulfur, eyeball it. Anywhere from 5% to 10% is fine. Lime isn't
thus it tends to keep the pH near neutral, preventing necessary in bulk substrates, but don't forget to use it
swings as the metabolites try to push the pH down. We if/when you use a casing layer. It's necessary for casing
add lime to make the casing layer inhospitable to material because it doesn't fully colonize with
competitor fungi, which are less tolerant of a high pH mushroom mycelium, and therefore the uncolonized
than established mushroom mycelium. Calcium parts are susceptible to contamination.
carbonate or hydrated lime is not used to counter the Mushroom size, provided you used a good substrate is
effect of the metabolites. As said above, that's what the related to moisture content. If you had coir/coffee then
gypsum does. Use gypsum on substrates such as you had a good substrate. I'd speculate the small fruits
compost or horse manure, but don't use lime. Save the were related to not having enough moisture. Next time,
lime for the casing mix, where you should use gypsum dunk after full colonization. I like to make my substrates
and lime together. It's more of a stabilizer. Gypsum up a tad on the dry side because they colonize faster that
helps to prevent swings in either direction. The ability to way and are less prone to contamination. Then, at full
prevent clumping is why we use a small amount in grain colonization, give a 6-hour dunk to re-hydrate the
jars. I'm sure it's a side benefit in substrates and casings substrate before placing into fruiting conditions.
as well. The other benefit of gypsum is to supply
GYPSUM - Gypsum is calcium sulphate. It should be
calcium and sulfur, which are both essential for good
available at any nursery or garden center. If you can't
fruit body formation. Some substrates seem to have
find it, drywall (sheetrock) is made from gypsum. You
enough of both to develop great fruits without it, but it's
can get a sheet of it and smash with a hammer to get the
still there for the pH stability. I pay just over $3 for a
gypsum out. In fact, the garden gypsum I get at a
25-pound bag, which goes a long way, so there's no
nursery is a byproduct of the drywall industry. It even
reason not to use it.
has some of the white and brown paper mixed in. Use
GYPSUM - Studies at commercial mushroom farms gypsum at 5% or so by volume of the total amount of
have shown up to a 20% increase in yield when gypsum bulk substrate. You don't have to measure it exactly. If
is used over the exact same strain and substrate without you have twenty handfuls of manure, toss in a handful
gypsum. I've been saying it for years, Paul Stamets has or two of gypsum.
been saying it for years, and you can google gypsum &
GYPSUM - Actually, that's right on. Gypsum isn't used
mushroom farms, and see the results for yourself.
to adjust the pH. A side benefit of gypsum is it tends to
Mushrooms are one of the best sources for humans to
hold the pH stable, preventing a swing to acidic
get calcium. The calcium in mushrooms is much easier
conditions caused by metabolism of the fungi. Sulfur
to absorb into your system than calcium from dairy
and calcium are both essential for good fruitbody
products. Doesn't it make sense to make sure your
formation, so gypsum helps to ensure that our substrates
substrate has plenty?
have plenty. In addition, it's a soil conditioner that helps
A few years ago, they said I was nuts when I reported
prevent clumping. In some species, such as Shiitake,
that coir is a useful substrate material. Everyone said,
gypsum has shown a 20% increase in yields over the
"coir has no nutes", as if mushrooms somehow need
same substrate without gypsum.
NPK. Search 'coir' and my username here and in
advanced from 2003-2004 and you'll see what I mean. GYPSUM - Gypsum isn't used to adjust the pH. A side
Then they said mushrooms would never grow on coffee- benefit of gypsum is it tends to hold the pH stable,
it's too acidic. Now they say gypsum provides little preventing a swing to acidic conditions caused by
benefit, despite evidence to the contrary. metabolism of the fungi. Sulfur and calcium are both
You can grow cubes without using gypsum, as we well essential for good fruitbody formation, so gypsum helps
know. However, you'll get more bang for the buck when to ensure that our substrates have plenty. In addition, it's
using it. In addition, it keeps the substrate nice and loose a soil conditioner that helps prevent clumping. In some

55
species, such as Shiitake, gypsum has shown a 20% skip the lime and just use gypsum. Coir has a pH of
increase in yields over the same substrate without around 5, which is pretty darn low. Trichoderma prefers
gypsum. a pH of 5, so without lime or gypsum, coir and peat are
perfect trich foods. We can get away without balancing
GYPSUM YIELDS - Commercial mushroom growers
coir because it colonizes so fast, but I'd still use gypsum,
report up to a 40% increase in total biomass harvested
which tends to set the pH in the mid 6 range.
when gypsum is added to the casing mix. Shiitake
growers report up to a 30% increase in harvests when GYPSUM - Without ph strips, try using equal amounts
gypsum is added to the woodchip/sawdust substrate. of peat and vermiculite. Add gypsum at the rate of one
Gypsum supplies calcium and sulfur, both essential cup to each ten cups of peat. Add one teaspoon of
nutrients in mushroom metabolism. It's used in grains to hydrated lime to each cup of peat. Mix all the dry
prevent clumping, but it's used in substrate and casing ingredients except the vermiculite together, and then
mixes to supply valuable nutrients. moisten. Add moisture to the vermiculite, and then
combine the two. Let sit for half an hour, then begin
GYPSUM - Gypsum contains both calcium carbonate
adjusting for field capacity.
and sulfur, thus it tends to keep the pH near neutral,
preventing swings as the metabolites try to push the pH GYPSUM - Every agaricus farm in the world that I'm
down. We add lime to make the casing layer aware of uses gypsum in their substrates and casing. All
inhospitable to competitor fungi, which are less tolerant you have to do is google 'agaricus' and 'gypsum' and
of a high pH than established mushroom mycelium. you'll see. Gypsum tends to hold the pH stable, as the
Calcium carbonate or hydrated lime is not used to mushroom metabolites try to swing it lower. Gypsum is
counter the effect of the metabolites. As said above, not a substitute for lime. You still need to pH correct
that's what the gypsum does. casing material with lime.

GYPSUM - Calcium carbonate is lime. Hydrated lime GYPSUM - Gypsum has been used as a soil conditioner
is calcium carbonate (crushed limestone) that has been for a very long time, and in mycology since I've been
heated in a kiln. The result in brief, is that it becomes around. I know several articles that came out in the 70's,
water soluable so it goes to work right away, making it showing a dramatic increase in yields across many
my personal choice for pH control. If you use limestone, species when gypsum at up to ten percent was added to
oyster shell flour, or calcium carbonate, there is a lag the substrate.
time before the lime raises the pH. You'll want to pH
GYPSUM - Gypsum will actually lower the PH slightly
balance your casing material to a pH of around 8 to
due to its sulphur content. Gypsum supplies both
start.
calcium and sulphur which mushrooms need. The
GYPSUM - The horticultural grade gypsum I get here advantage to gypsum is that it tends to hold the PH
is obviously a biproduct of the drywall industry. It has steady, not allowing radical swings either direction.
lots of pieces of white and brown paper mixed in, just
GYPSUM - The other benefit of gypsum is to supply
like sheetrock. I think it's the broken pieces from the
calcium and sulfur, which are both essential for good
manufacturing process that they chop up and put into
fruit body formation. Some substrates seem to have
bags. It works great. Remove the paper, but don't get too
enough of both to develop great fruits without it, but it's
anal about a few scraps you might miss. The mycelium
still there for the pH stability.
will colonize them easily.
GYPSUM MANURE - Gypsum keeps the manure nice
GYPSUM - Gypsum adds calcium and sulfur, both
and fluffy and loose afterwards. Many hobby growers
essential mushroom nutrients and can provide for up to
skip this step, but it really helps. I don't know of any
a 25% increase in yields. In addition, gypsum prevents
commercial ops that don't use gypsum. It's well worth
the grains from sticking together, which makes it harder
the few seconds it takes to add.
for the mycelium to colonize. There's not a commercial
grow operation in the world that doesn't use gypsum, GYPSUM - Yes, sheetrock is gypsum. I had a muddy as
and their livelihood depends on maximizing yields and hell pond on my property, so when I sheetrocked my
performance. new house, I threw all the leftover scraps into the pond.
The water was crystal clear in two weeks!
COIR GYPSUM - If coir is your substrate you 'can'

56
GYPSUM - Use gypsum on substrates such as compost work, but you could get the same results with rye or wbs
or horse manure, but don't use lime. Save the lime for by simply using 1/10th of a jar to inoculate a substrate
the casing mix, where you should use gypsum and lime rather than the whole jar.Once spawned, the larger
together. kernels are more prone to drying out, which weakens
the mycelium on them, then when re-hydrated, the mold
GYPSUM - Every commercial agaricus farm I know of
spores that have landed get the advantage over the
uses gypsum in their substrates. Gypsum is not used to
weakened mushroom mycelium, therefore the higher
change pH. That's the job of lime to raise pH or sulfur to
contamination rate also continues right through fruiting,
lower it.
with more trichoderma contamination later on down the
GYPSUM - To provide calcium and sulfur, and also to line. In short, if there's NOTHING else available, use
prevent pH swings. Gypsum tends to hold the pH stable, popcorn as a last resort, but only while you look for
wherever you set it with lime. something more suitable. You're paying twice the price
per pound of product to get ten percent of the mycelium,
GYPSUM - Don't forget the gypsum. It increases yields
and that assumes that you have 100% success, which
considerably and is well worth the effort to find. Lime
you won't.
to an initial Ph of 8.
CORN - Corn often harbors an insanely high amount of
GYPSUM - Gypsum also tends to stabilize the Ph,
bacterial endospores that survive pressure cooking. In
preventing swings either direction. I consider it
addition, the large kernel size of corn means there is far
mandatory for all substrates.
fewer kernels in each jar, thus less mycelium in each jar
GYPSUM - The metabolites want to decrease pH, as in than if a traditional spawn such as rye was used. Corn
lower it. The gypsum tends to keep pH stable. was never good and now bad. It was always bad. That's
why not one single mushroom farm uses it for spawn
GYPSUM/LIME - If you add gypsum there's no need
generation, and they depend on success to make a
for anything other than lime.
living. Some people have success with corn. I made
CHEAP GYPSUM - A 50lb bag of gypsum is only like hundreds of projects with corn and had success, but not
4 bucks though. at the same rate as with rye, and it was never as good as
rye when it comes to grain to grain transfers or
GYPSUM - Most important one for pH stability is
spawning, because you need to grow out four or five
Gypsum.
times as many jars to get the same amount of mycelium,
MIXING DRY INGREDIENTS - Try baking a cake thus further increasing your chances for contamination.
by mixing the flour in after you've added the wet
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH - It won't do squat for the
ingredients and see what happens. It won't look like,
gnats once it's mixed into the substrate. DE has other
taste like, or even BE a cake. The reason for mixing the
benefits though, such as holding a LOT of water, so it's
dry ingredients together first, is because dry ingredients
good to use. At one time, I'd put about a teaspoon of DE
WILL mix together. Wet ingredients will clump and
per cup of peat in casing and substrate mixes. It will
bond to each other, and not mix properly. It ain't dogma,
help provide moisture for the flush. DE must be totally
it's common sense.
dry to work on insects. It works in much the same way a
POPCORN - The large kernel size, means a larger pile of broken glass would cut you up if you had to
space between the kernels, thus more WASTED space in crawl naked on your belly across it.
a jar. You can observe this by simply looking. The larger
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH - Don't go over 5%. That
kernel size also means less total surface area within the
might even be a bit much. The only real benefit is it
jar, thus LESS mycelium is produced. It's no secret that
holds so much water. I've used the baited and unbaited
a quart of popcorn will colonize faster than a quart of
and both work equally.
rye, but it has only about 10% as much mycelium as the
same sized jar of rye, therefore it's MUCH slower than HAY - Hay doesn't work. It has flat stalks and seeds
rye for producing mycelium. There are far fewer which will contaminate. You want straw instead. Straw
inoculation points with popcorn, therefore it doesn't go needs to be pasteurized, never sterilized.
nearly as far when used to spawn to bulk. There is no
HYDRATED LIME/GYPSUM - Calcium carbonate is
doubt that despite its higher contamination rate, it does
lime. Hydrated lime is calcium carbonate(crushed

57
limestone) that has been heated in a kiln. The result in contaminants because they are less tolerant of a high pH
brief, is that it becomes water soluable so it goes to than mushroom mycelium.
work right away, making it my personal choice for pH
HYDRATED LIME/GYPSUM - Actually, you want
control. If you use limestone, oyster shell flour, or
hydrated garden lime. Ground limestone takes too long
calcium carbonate, there is a lag time before the lime
to break down and go to work. Hydrated lime is water
raises the pH. You'll want to pH balance your casing
soluable and goes to work right away. A combination of
material to a pH of around 8 to start. I won't speak for
hydrated lime and gypsum is the best way to buffer a
why someone made a mistake on their website, other
casing layer. The most critical time for contaminants to
than stuff happens like that in any technical field. In
enter a casing is during the initial colonization and first
addition, my experience isn't the last word on any
flush stages. Once the layer is fully colonized, it's very
subject. I have however, sent them a pm. With the
contaminant resistant. Hydrated lime and gypsum
amount of gypsum you'll use, and the fact that it's heavy
protect your casing layer during this critical early stage,
and expensive to ship, I'd suggest a local nursery. I've
where ground limestone or other buffers that take weeks
never yet been to one that doesn't carry it. I get 25 lb
or even months to break down do not.
bags of horticultural grade gypsum right up the street
for just over $3. If you can't find it locally, and don't GYPSUM/LIME - We use lime to raise the pH only for
want to smash up a sheet of drywall (sheetrock) order the reason that mushroom mycelium is more tolerant of
your gypsum from a vendor. a high pH than mold mycelium is. Both mushroom and
mold mycelium grow best in a pH of around 5.5 to 6,
GYPSUM/LIME - Actually, gypsum contains calcium
but since mushroom mycelium can tolerate the higher
which raises pH, and sulfur which lowers pH, resulting
pH, we do that so our casing layer favors it over molds.
in a buffer that prevents wild swings in either direction.
I use 1 teaspoon of hydrated lime per cup of peat. Don't
We use lime to raise the pH only for the reason that
figure the verm when calculating lime. Use gypsum at
mushroom mycelium is more tolerant of a high pH than
5% to 10% by volume of the amount of peat. In other
mold mycelium is. Both mushroom and mold mycelium
words, for ten cups of peat, use 1/2 to 1 cup of gypsum.
grow best in a pH of around 5.5 to 6, but since
As said above, always mix the dry ingredients first, then
mushroom mycelium can tolerate the higher pH, we do
add water.
that so our casing layer favors it over molds. I use 1
teaspoon of hydrated lime per cup of peat. Don't figure HYDRATED LIME - Make sure you use horticultural
the verm when calculating lime. Use gypsum at 5% to grade hydrated lime. If you got the masonry lime for
10% by volume of the amount of peat. In other words, mixing with mortar, it will cause the problem you're
for ten cups of peat, use 1/2 to 1 cup of gypsum. As said seeing. Using horticultural hydrated lime, a good
above, always mix the dry ingredients first, then add ballpark figure is to use one teaspoon per cup of peat.
water.Gypsum, as I said, prevents swings in either Don't count the verm when adding lime. Also, make
direction, but the commercial growers long ago realized sure you mix the lime and gypsum together first, and
that it also increases disease resistance and also then mix those into the DRY peat before adding
increases the size of the mushrooms by providing moisture. If the peat is wet, the lime will dissolve and
valuable trace nutrients and minerals. clump, meaning it won't mix well. You'll have zones of
very high pH and zones of low pH.
GYPSUM/LIME - 'Spawn' is your grains, and you can
add a pinch of gypsum between your thumb and HYDRATED LIME - The calcium carbonate is used to
forefinger to each jar, or add a tablespoon to each few raise the pH. I prefer hydrated lime because it goes to
gallons of soak water that you soak the grains in to work right away when you need it. We don't lime for the
hydrate them. Add gypsum to your coir and manure mushroom mycelium, because it actually prefers a
substrates, but lime is usually optional because they're slightly acid pH. We lime because contaminant molds
not generally exposed to contaminants except during require a low ph, so by making it 7 or above, the casing
colonization, and they've already been pasteurized just layer favors mushroom mycelium over molds. I'd
prior to that. Lime is for casing layers that are exposed suggest a teaspoon of hydrated lime per cup of peat.
to the natural contaminants in the air for extended times. That will get you into the ballpark without danger of
We don't lime for the mushroom mycelium, because it making the casing too sweet.
actually prefers acid conditions. We lime for the
HYDRATED LIME - Mushroom mycelium prefers a

58
pH of 5 to 6, so you're fine. We pH balance casing immediately, and lasts the life of the average casing
layers because they're left exposed and non-colonized layer. If you skip the lime, your casing layer will have
on top of the substrate. For casing layers, hydrated lime trich quicker than it can flush. I also recommend using
is best because it goes to work right away. Calcium ten percent gypsum in a casing layer.
carbonate takes time to break down, so is of less use
HYDRATED LIME - Oyster shell flour can be used,
since the average life of a casing is only a few weeks.
but isn't as effective as hydrated lime because hydrated
HYDRATED LIME - As we know, mushroom lime goes to work right away when you need it. Once
mycelium grows fastest and is perhaps the happiest with the substrate is fully colonized, it can take care of itself,
a ph of around 6. Unfortunately, that is also the ph making so-called 'long term buffers' unnecessary.
favored by most other fungi, which includes the mold
HYDRATED LIME - Consider 2% Mg to be the upper
fungi that are the enemy. We use lime because
limit. Use HYDRATED LIME. You don't want to adjust
mushroom mycelium can tolerate a higher ph than the
the pH of your casing material next year; you want to
green molds can.
adjust the pH now. That means using hydrated (water
FINDING LIME - Lime can be hard to find locally if soluble) lime.
you live in an area that has alkaline soil. In areas where
HYDRATED LIME - About one teaspoon of hydrated
the soil is acidic, lime is sold everywhere. You can order
lime per cup of coir (after hydration) will balance it
it online from doitbest.com Just search for 'hydrated
pretty close. Be sure to use agricultural grade hydrated
lime' when you get to their site. They have two
lime, not the stuff for mixing cement or mortar for
industrial types, and two horticultural types of hydrated
bricklayers.
lime.
LIMESTONE - Limestone isn't dangerous. It's calcium
HYDRATED LIME - The high ph does indeed slow
carbonate. Some people pay big money for it in pill
down the mycelium a bit, but it kicks the trich in the
form when they have heartburn. (Tums)
butt. Another good trick is to sprinkle a bit of lime right
on the surface of your casing layer. This creates a high HYDRATED LIME - It's in Stamet's GGMM, page
ph zone right on the top where the trich and other 189 in my edition. He says to use 2 to 4 pounds of
contaminant spores land. Hope this helps. hydrated lime for each 50 gallons of water.

HYDRATED LIME - If it says "Safer than hydrated HYDRATED LIME - Don't use lime anywhere near
lime" on the bag, it's the WRONG type of lime. your pressure cooker. It's highly caustic and will pit the
Consider 2% Mg to be the upper limit. Use aluminum. Use a plastic tub.
HYDRATED LIME. You don't want to adjust the pH of
HYDRATED LIME - Hydrated means water-soluble,
your casing material next year; you want to adjust the
thus it's ground to a fine powder in order to be effective
pH now. That means using hydrated (water soluble)
right away.
lime.
HYDRATED LIME - Try fifty with lime next time,
HYDRATED LIME - You want to use hydrated lime or
there will be an assurance of zero contamination then.
calcium carbonate for pH adjustment. However,
hydrated lime is water-soluble so it balances the pH HYDRATED LIME - Only use
right away. Calcium carbonate is a long term buffer that horticultural/agricultural hydrated lime, never slaking or
is better suited to gardens, since mushroom casing masonry lime.
layers are not used long term.
STERILIZING MANURE - Ponder this.
HYDRATED LIME - Coir has a pH of around 5, Manure is 3-tier gangbang. Bovine eats it, in bovines
which is pretty darn low. Trichoderma prefers a pH of 5, gut other microbes/bacteria have a go at it, once
so without lime or gypsum, coir and peat are perfect expelled everything out there as a go at it. Only the
trich foods. We can get away without balancing coir strong survive. So the turd pile is pretty well occupied
because it colonizes so fast, but I'd still use gypsum, with whatever is still munching down on it. It is also
which tends to set the pH in the mid 6 range. depleted on most nutrients other things - besides those
microbes in it - even look for. Hey, it's a shit pile. On
HYDRATED LIME - I recommend horticultural
top of that, the microbes that do occupy that turd pile
hydrated lime for ph control. It goes to work

59
defend their space fairly well. So, any outside microbe pile is aged, in which case it's probably already got pan
tries to get a foothold, the homey's either eject them, kill subbs growing/colonizing it.
or eat them. All in all, the turd pile is some well-
COW MANURE SUBSTRATE - The coffee grinds,
defended turf.
castings and coir are to break up the store bought cow
Now, sterilize that third pile.
manure which is ok to use, but too heavy by itself and
Suddenly, it is no longer - well defended turf. So, any
the myc has a hard time colonizing it. The other
blue/green mold gang that happens to wander by can
problem with store bought cow manure is it has a lot of
enter & set up housekeeping. So, if you sterilize
urea in it because it comes from crowded feed lots and
manure. Treat it like you would an LC. In other words,
the cows urinate as much as they defecate and it all gets
be very careful not to allow anything to come in contact
scooped up together. Be sure when you open the bag of
with it. Except, what you want to introduce into it.
cow manure, if it smells like ammonia, spread it out on
HORSE/COW MANURE - A cow does not have 4 the back porch in the sun for a day or two and the
stomachs. A cow has 1 stomach. A single stomach with ammonia will flash off, leaving it ok to use.
four compartments is not 4 stomachs.
CHICKEN MANURE - Agreed. As said, just don't use
Cow manure is NOT already composted when it comes
very much. I've used the composted chicken manure
out.
available at nurseries with success, at no more than one
Aged horse manure or cow manure does NOT need to
cup of chicken manure to 20 cups of other substrate
be leached.
ingredients. Lay it on a tarp in the sun for a few days
Washing/leaching manure does NOT remove ammonia.
until there is no ammonia smell, then mix with your
It needs to be air dried or cured in the sun to evaporate
other ingredients and pasteurize. Bat guano is no good
the ammonia.
for mycology.
You do not want fresh cow manure. You want aged
manure. Cow patties work fine. In fact, when I first COW MANURE DEHYDRATED - Dehydrated
started growing mushrooms in 1971, picking up cow would be better, but be sure if there's any ammonia
pies and bringing them home to place in compost was smell to it that you dump it out of the bag and lay it out
the only way we knew to home cultivate. All the current in the sun for a few days. Cut the store-bought cow
teks have evolved from those early trials. manure by mixing it evenly with coir/vermiculite. You
Exactly which shroomery manure teks suck for people will end up with a substrate of 33% bagged cow
in colder climates? What difference does a cold climate manure, and 33% each of coir and vermiculite. Mix well
make? Moisture and ammonia will sublimate from and pasteurize.
frozen manure as fast as it will evaporate from manure
STEER MANURE - Be sure to cut it with some coir or
in a warm climate.
vermiculite, because the bagged cow manure tends to
Growers can be successful with aged manure by simply
compress due to its texture, which makes it hard for the
breaking it up and using after hydration and
mycelium to colonize. The bag stuff you get at the
pasteurization. In fact, I've NEVER leached manure.
nursery needs to be layed out and dried in the sun for a
HORSE MANURE - You'll find these outside any few weeks so all the ammonia evaporates.
horse ranch. They're not rare. The problem is they're
CHICKEN MANURE - Composted chicken manure is
usually stable sweepings and often have cedar chips
great. Use at no more than 5%, which is one cup of
mixed in to control odor, which prevents much
chicken manure to each 20 cups of coir or horse
mycelium growth. In addition, they're usually fresh
manure. Be sure to open the bag and lay what you're
manure, not aged. What you want to grow on is field
going to use out in the air for a couple of days to
aged. A truckload delivered to your back yard might be
evaporate the ammonia out before pasteurizing.
good after you spread it out to dry and leach in the sun
and rain, but I doubt dumping some spawn into a large MANURE SUBSTRATE - Next time, leave the
pile at a horse ranch is going to do much. They substrate loose and airy. I like to add a touch of
constantly dump fresh manure with a front-end loader vermiculite to manure for that purpose as well. A
on top of the earlier pile, burying any spawn you put slightly dry substrate will actually colonize faster, so I
deep into the pile. Not to burst your bubble, but I doubt don't think that's the problem. I make mine dry on
it would work unless it's an abandoned ranch and the purpose, and then dunk before first flush.

60
COW MANURE AND HORSE MANURE - Cow Perlite in its crude form weighs 70 pounds per cubic
manure gets fed better/it's more compacted and has foot, after expansion the weight is reduced to 2-10
more nutrition. Horse manure is basically half digested pounds per cubic foot depending upon the application.
straw and hey which is less nutrition and holds less
PERLITE - Perlite is a crystalline mineral that doesn't
moisture.
absorb water, so it would NOT absorb water in 24
GYPSUM MANURE - Gypsum keeps the manure nice hours, or 24 years. Perlite that is under water may as
and fluffy and loose afterwards. Many hobby growers well not be there. This has been proved by hundreds of
skip this step, but it really helps. I don't know of any growers with humidity problems, who dumped the
commercial ops that don't use gypsum. standing water out, and watched in awe as their
humidity rose to 99%.
CHICKEN MANURE - Chicken manure makes an
excellent addition to your compost/poo mix. Use no PERLITE - Perlite is crystalline and impervious to
more than 5% by volume. water, but with a large surface area to hold and
evaporate it off from. Perlite is for humidifying
CHICKEN MANURE - Chicken Manure Gets Way to
terrariums and/or adding air and fluff to casing layers. A
hot. It would BURN myc. Use only in small quantities.
bit of perlite can also be added to casings, but then, it's
OYSTER SHELLS - You can use oyster shell flour in to provide fresh air pockets that are conducive to hyphal
both substrates and casing layers. Crushed oyster shells knot formation.
are sometimes added to casing material for texture,
PERLITE - Perlite is crystalline, like glass or quartz
REUSING PERLITE - I put the whole darn terrarium crystals, and it does NOT wick water any more than
in the shower, and let cold water run for an hour or two broken pieces of glass will wick water. Submerged
to wash it clean. Of course, I have holes in the bottom of perlite is useless, period. Look at the picture of perlite
the terrarium for the water to escape. If there has been a below and describe how it would wick anything if you
contaminant outbreak, I'll pour some water mixed with doubt the above.
bleach on first, then let that sit for half an hour before
turning on the shower. Before any of the 'conserve
water' people jump my ass, bear in mind I live where the
more water we use, the less the rivers and reservoirs
flood. If you live in a desert with limited water supplies,
simply bleach soak and rinse the perlite if contaminants
were present. Otherwise, simply rehydrate the perlite,
drain well and use. Perlite is a mineral that will last for
many years.

PERLITE - Using paper towels in the bottom of

terrariums for humidity is a long-proven technique. In
fact, for many years I've kept them stuffed into any spot
in my mini-greenhouse that tends to collect drips of
water. Change them out once a week or so, and keep
them fairly well squeezed of excess moisture so that
what's in the paper towel can evaporate back out. You
can even press damp paper towels against the back
and/or sides of the FC to give more surface area. Clean
cloth towels can also be used, and simply tossed into the
washing machine once a week.

PERLITE - Perlite is a hydrated volcanic ore from the

Pennsylvanian era of geology, with the approximate
chemical composition of glass. Expansion is due to
between 2-6% bound water. When heated to 1400+
degrees, the water vaporizes forcing the rock to expand.

61
 before adding moisture or the vermiculite. I also see you
didn't add gypsum, which helps to moderate ph swings.
In addition, I have not yet seen a probe type ph tester
that was worth the powder it would take to blow it to
hell. They are designed for soil, and just don't perform
properly in peat/vermiculite/manure.
I get a starting ph of 8 to 8.5 by mixing one teaspoon of
hydrated garden lime and two tablespoons of garden
gypsum to each cup of dry peat. Mix the peat, lime and
gypsum, then add water to approximately field capacity,
then set aside.
While the peat sits, mix the vermiculite with water in a
separate container to approximately field capacity.
Now, you can mix the two together and make the final
adjustments in moisture content. Be sure to let it sit for
fifteen minutes, then check moisture content again by
squeezing a handful of material. When you hold a
handful of the casing mix, no water at all should drip
out. Squeeze a bit, and a small amount will drip out.
Squeeze hard and a small stream will flow out. This is
field capacity.
Pasteurize and use. For home grower amounts, a great
way to pasteurize is in quart mason jars sitting in a large
pot of water. A pc or large kettle with a tight fitting lid is
great for this. You want the interior of the jars to reach
at least 140F for an hour, but not to exceed 170F. The
use of quart jars preserves your ph and moisture content.
Good luck.

PH - If coir is your substrate you 'can' skip the lime and

just use gypsum. Coir has a pH of around 5, which is
pretty darn low. Trichoderma prefers a pH of 5, so
without lime or gypsum, coir and peat are perfect trich
foods. We can get away without balancing coir because
PERLITE - Misting should be enough to keep the it colonizes so fast, but I'd still use gypsum, which tends
perlite damp. You might also try 'raking' the perlite with to set the pH in the mid 6 range. Casing layers should be
your fingers to fluff it up. If it gets packed down, it set to an initial pH of 8 because peat/vermiculite rarely
won't work right. Fluff it up and that's probably all you colonizes fully, so you want protection from
need to do. I've had perlite still damp after two months. trichoderma, and a high pH is the best way to do it. For
Peroxide and bleach are a waste on perlite. Just use pasteurizing straw, you need hydrated lime. The others
plain water. You're not growing mushrooms on the won't cut it. 'Hydrated' means water soluble, so it raises
perlite; it's only for humidity. the pasteurization bath water to a pH of around 12,
which nukes most organisms. Nobody can say exactly
PERLITE - I've been using perlite from the same bag
how much hydrated lime to use for casing layers. My 1-
for at least ten years. All you have to do is rinse it off
teaspoon per cup of peat is a safe starting point, but the
well, and bake in the oven for an hour or so, and it's just
correct amount to use is what it takes to get an initial pH
like new again. You never have to toss it out.
of 8 to 8.5.
PERLITE - Perlite is not hydrophilic, although it can
PH - Liquid coffee is slightly acidic, but coir is even
be treated to have hydrophilic type properties.
more so. Coir runs pH 5 to pH 6.5 depending on origin.
PH - It's important to mix the dry peat with the lime Acids lower pH, not raise them. I've found no evidence

62
that coffee boosts potency. It does however; speed up PH OF CASING - Pickling lime is hydrated lime. It's
colonization, because it's excellent fungi food. In my favorite, and many commercial grow operations DO
addition, the lower pH results in faster growth because use it. Use one teaspoon of hydrated lime, and one
Cubensis prefers a substrate in the pH 5.5 to pH 6 range. tablespoon of gypsum per cup of peat, and mix into the
Using a substrate with an acidic pH like yours results in dry peat. Mix the dry ingredients very well, then slowly
faster colonization and better performance overall, but bring to field moisture level and pasteurize. If you can't
also exposes the project to an increased risk of find hydrated lime, you can get it online at
contamination, because molds such as trichoderma also www.doitbest.com When you get to their website, do a
prefer an acidic food source. In my area, the mold spore search for hydrated lime.
count is so high; I'd never be able to get a substrate that
PH CASINGS - A buffers resist change in ph. Lime is
had been hydrated with liquid coffee colonized before
not a buffer. Gypsum is an excellent buffer. If you wish
parts of it were green from molds. Hopefully, yours will
to bring the ph of your casings higher, you would want
work out. It's almost colonized. Good luck.
to use hydrated (water soluble) lime. Limestone is for
PH - While mushroom mycelium prefers a slightly long-term use, such as in a garden. Casings, which flush
acidic substrate, contaminants do also. What we've for a month or so, do not need long-term ph adjustment.
found from experience is that by adjusting the pH They need short term, therefore hydrated lime is what
upwards with lime, the mushroom mycelium can you would want to use.
'tolerate' it, but the contaminants have a harder time.
PH - A pH of 8 is a good place to make your casing mix
There is usually no need to adjust pH of substrates, but
initially. Mushroom mycelium grows and fruits best at a
casing layers, which don't ever fully colonize, can
lower pH of around 5-6, but unfortunately, that pH also
benefit from a higher pH of 7.5 to 8. This will allow the
favors contaminants as well. Mushroom mycelium is
mushroom mycelium to get the benefits of the casing
more tolerant of a higher pH than molds, which is why
layer, but will slow the onset of mold contaminants.
we add lime.
However, remember that after a flush or two, the
uncolonized parts of your casing layer are going to be PH - Oyster shell raises Ph. Mushroom mycelium
susceptible to molds, so be sure to watch daily and toss grows fastest with a slightly acid ph. You don't Ph adjust
out any tray at the first signs of 'green' molds. Good spawn. The only reason we use Ph buffers to raise Ph in
luck. bulk substrates is because mushroom mycelium, while it
prefers a Ph of 6, is tolerant of Ph up to 8.5, while
PH CASINGS - Actually, you want hydrated garden
trichoderma is not tolerant of a high Ph. Thus, the
lime because ground limestone takes too long to break
hydrated lime or oyster shell flour makes our substrate
down and go to work. Hydrated lime is water-soluble
selective for mushroom mycelium.
and goes to work right away. A combination of hydrated
lime and gypsum is the best way to buffer a casing PH - A high pH will slow down trichoderma, as well as
layer. The most critical time for contaminants to enter a helping to prevent trich spores from germinating. It also
casing is during the initial colonization and first flush stresses mushroom mycelium, which prefers a lower
stages. Once the layer is fully colonized, it's very pH, but not as much. The mushroom mycelium is more
contaminant resistant. Hydrated lime and gypsum tolerant of high pH than most molds.
protect your casing layer during this critical early stage,
PH - For a substrate, 5.5 to 6 will probably give the
where ground limestone or other buffers that take weeks
fastest colonization. It would be the same for casing
or even months to break down do not.
layers as well, but since molds also thrive at a low pH,
PH - You don't need to pH balance bulk substrates. In we lime our casings to sweet of neutral. A good starting
fact, mushroom mycelium actually prefers an acidic pH for a casing is 8.
substrate. We pH balance casing material because it
PH - In my opinion, a good starting point is around 9-
remains partially uncolonized throughout the fruiting
10. I know that's sweet, but the myc doesn't seem to
cycle, thus is prone to contamination. Bulk substrates
mind much, and most contams like a slightly acid ph. It
colonize fully, thus are resistant to contaminants, so you
keeps the little bastards at bay while the myc colonizes
can leave them slightly acidic and they'll do just fine.
your casing.
Mushroom mycelium is more tolerant of a basic pH
than molds, and that's why we add lime to casings. PH BENEFITS - Lime raises the ph, and gypsum keeps

63
it stable. They both provide calcium, but gypsum also VIDEO - After pasteurization, I lift the straw out of the
helps with texture. tote with a strainer, allow it to drain for a few seconds,
and then place on a screen that is laying in the bottom of
PH STRIPS - Squeeze some water out of the casing
a second tote. When the pasteurization tote is empty (of
mix after it has sat for at least an hour, and then measure
straw), I take pot fulls of hot water out of it, and pour
that with your strip.
them into the toilet to get rid of them. By the time the
PH - Contaminants prefer a low ph; a high ph is straw has cooled, it has also drained long enough.
unfavorable for them. Remember, you're going to have holes in your straw log
and/or laundry basket, so any excess water will drain
PH - Gypsum added to an acidic soil will raise the pH.
out during the first few days, leaving it at the perfect
RATIO SUBSTRATES - Use the chicken manure at up moisture content.
to 5% of the total substrate. It gives a nice boost. Most
LIME FOR STRAW - I think hydrated lime is the
commercial mushroom farms use it at that percentage.
BEST choice for pasteurizing straw. It causes a very
Composted cow manure from the nursery also works
rapid swing upward in PH, which is fatal to living
well when mixed with coir or vermiculite to cut it a bit.
organisms, which is the purpose of pasteurization. It's
If any bulk substrate you mix up seems a bit 'heavy' just
the only lime I use. I don't recommend chemical
add ten to twenty percent vermiculite to keep it nice and
pasteurization alone for straw. Use 1 cup of hydrated
loose. Another benefit of vermiculite in bulk substrates
lime per ten gallons of 140F to 150F water and
is it makes an excellent moisture reservoir for use
pasteurize the straw for one to at most two hours. Drain
during fruiting.
and use. Be sure to soak the straw in warm water for
PF/MANURE RATIO CASING - Break up your pf two hours prior to the pasteurization to hydrate it.
cakes into four times as much manure. That means one
STRAW - I soak in warm soapy water for two hours,
pf cake can inoculate 2 pints of manure. Don't crumble
and then transfer the straw to water that is kept at 140F
and case pf cakes. It's a waste. If you want to fruit your
to 160F for 60 to 90 minutes, and then it is removed and
cakes as is, simply birth them, and then do a dunk and
drained/cooled, and spawned. I use one cup of hydrated
roll and place in fruiting conditions. This is the quickest
lime for each ten to fifteen gallons of pasteurization
way to a harvest, and spawning to manure is the best
water. I don't add lime or bleach to the pre-soak, and
way to a larger harvest, although it takes a couple of
don't use bleach at all in the pasteurization. There's a
weeks longer.
short sample clip of my procedure on youtube and also
SUBSTRATE RATIOS - That's about right. 1 cup of on my website. It should be enough to give you the
hydrated chicken manure per 20 cups hydrated coir basic idea.
would make 5%. Add gypsum at ten percent as well. 1/2
STRAW - I use an electric weed whacker with the straw
teaspoon of hydrated lime per cup of coir/chicken
in a tote with the lid on it. I cut a very skinny rectangle
manure will help give a bit of contaminant resistance,
out of the center of the lid so I can move the weed eater
but it's optional. Lime is far more important in casings
around in the box to get it all. It takes about five
where part of it never colonizes. Substrates colonize
minutes or less to do a 125 quart sterlite container full
fully, therefore can hold their own.
of straw. I do this right in my living room, since I also
COMPOST - They use urine as a nitrogen boost to heat live in a condo. There's some mess, but not much.
up the compost pile. If you're not composting, use aged
STRAW - Yea, 1 cup of lime should be plenty for a
manure.
pillowcase. If the pot is aluminum, the lime will eat
SUBSTRATE RATIO - Spawn to manure, and then at through it pretty fast, but it's your stuff, so you make the
full colonization, case. 1 to 4 is fine. I usually go 1 to 3 call. It's easy to boil the water in one pot and then pour
for the extra food the grains provide. it into a plastic tote or bucket with the lime. That way,
you don't ruin the kettle.
CAKE TO MANURE RATIO - Use one part
colonized cakes or other spawn to three or four parts STRAW - Straw is dry. Therefore, the 'straw juice' is the
manure. dirt, pesticides, and other debris that is stuck to the
surface of the straw. Don't use it for anything.
STRAW SUBSTRATE PASTURIZATION RR
Mushroom mycelium doesn't want the dirty brown

64
water you wash off the straw. Mushroom mycelium starting Ph of around 8. This high Ph favors mushroom
wants to eat the straw itself. mycelium that is tolerant of sweet substrates, but
prevents germination of contaminant spores that favor
STRAW - Straw has a pretty good texture for fruiting
sour substrates.
uncased, and the hollow straw holds a LOT of water,
negating the need for a casing layer, providing you SUBSTRATES - Coir is very close in performance to
maintain near 100% humidity at the surface of the straw. horse manure. Cow manure can perform nearly as well
too, but will benefit from a bit of coffee grinds and
SOAP IN STRAW SOAK - Soap for straw would help
some loosening up with vermiculite. As I've said
break down the waxyness of the straw. To absorb water
hundreds of times, a combination of substrate
better. Because it's anti-bacterial.
ingredients will give better performance than any one by
STRAW SUBSTRATE - Chopped straw. Wheat and itself. That means, you'll get more bang by mixing cow,
Barley are the two most common ones in the US, and horse, and a bit of chicken manure with coir, coffee
both work fine. grinds, compost and straw. Horse manure is a preferred
substrate because its texture is easy for the mycelium to
STRAW - Straw, something that contaminates the most,
penetrate, and works fine by itself, as do any of the bulk
does better at pasteurization temps of 140-150.
substrate ingredients listed above. Horse manure edges
STRAW - BE up to 200% is fairly common with straw. them out a bit in my opinion, but coir runs a close
second. My preferred spawn material hands down over
SUBSTRATES! - People need to make a distinction
all the others is organic rye berries. Rye grass seed
between growing plants and fungi.
would be second, with wbs coming in third.
Worm castings are an excellent substrate additive
material, but not because of nitrogen content. They are COMPOST SUBSTRATES - I have a local source for
lower in nitrogen then either straw or horse manure, yard waste compost and it's a great addition to
which are both lower in nitrogen than steer manure. substrates. It works best if you mix it with some
Blood meal is high in nitrogen, but is totally unusable to manure, and even the composted cow manure from
fungi unless it is applied in the composting process, nurseries works well mixed with the garden compost.
which most home mushroom growers do not do. The Add a small amount of bagged chicken manure from the
use of blood meal added to manure or coir is a waste of nursery and you have a great substrate. If it seems thick,
resources and actually encourages algae to form on the cut it with a bit of vermiculite and/or coir. You can also
surface of the substrate or casing layer, leading add perlite to bulk substrates to fluff them up. The
inexperienced growers to throw out a perfectly fine perlite holds air, which comes in handy in manure-based
project thinking they have 'green mold'. substrates. You can also throw in a few days worth of
Chicken manure is high in nitrogen, but once again it spent coffee grinds. In other words, the more different
needs to be added at the composting stage. However, things you add to your substrate, the better it will
composted chicken manure available in bags at perform.
nurseries is an excellent additive to manure or straw
LIME FOR SUBSTRATES - Gypsum yes, but no
because it's already composted, therefore available to
lime. Mushroom mycelium prefers an acidic substrate,
the fungi.
and since we pasteurize horse manure and then allow it
Fish emulsion, available at garden centers is also an
to fully colonize, it's resistant to contamination.
excellent additive to manure or coir substrates because it
Therefore, a pH in the 5.5 to 6.5 range is perfect. I used
has already been composted or otherwise broken down
to add a touch of lime to bulk substrates, but no longer
anaerobically at the processing facility.
do and performance is better. We add lime to casing
Gypsum should be added to all substrates for the texture
layers to protect them against molds, since they don't
it helps to provide as well as the calcium and sulfur,
fully colonize with mushroom mycelium. No lime in
both essential nutrients for mycelia metabolism. An
manure substrates. Cased or uncased. Performance will
added benefit of gypsum is that it tends to hold Ph
be higher. Besides, gypsum tends to stabilize the
levels steady, preventing wild swings as the mycelium
substrate into the mid to upper 6's.
colonizes a substrate.
Coir, worm castings, horse manure, chicken manure SUBSTRATES - The coffee you use in substrates is
etc., are all acidic and should be buffered with lime to a ONLY what you empty out of the strainer or filter after

65
brewing a pot. In other words, leached coffee grinds. Do Getting the texture right is part of the skills of growing.
not use instant or liquid coffee in substrates. Mix coffee Horse manure is ready to use once it's been field aged.
in any percentage you want. I've grown on pure coffee. Cow manure works better when fluffed up with
The more items you mix into the substrate, the better. If vermiculite, coir, straw, etc., but it's all-good.
you have manure, coir, worm castings, compost, coffee
SUBSTRATES - Performance will be poor at best. BRF
grinds, straw, etc., use a little of all of them. Add up to
has at least ten to twenty times the nutrition of manure
ten percent by volume of gypsum and mix all the dry
or coir either one. They will only dilute the substrate.
ingredients. Then, add water to field capacity and
That's why they're bulk substrates. They need to be used
pasteurize.
in large quantities, not small.
SUBSTRATES - Coir in a substrate helps to provide
SUBSTRATE ADDATIVE - It's been used
food the horse manure doesn't. It's part of a balanced
successfully in substrates before, but it was a mistake to
diet. Vermiculite is great mixed with everything
use in a casing. Casing layers should be non-nutritious.
mycological except straw. Used coffee grinds from your
morning pot of coffee are also an excellent additive. SUBSTRATE - Dried pumpkin seeds have been used in
Ditto for worm castings. A small amount of chicken the past, but the flesh of the pumpkin is ...garbage.
manure is also beneficial but don't go over 5% by
SUBSTRATES - Pick out the logs. The little sticks are
volume of the substrate. Put a combination of all-
fine, as they'll colonize.
together in your substrate and watch your mushrooms
thank you for it. VERMICULITE - Fine vermiculite holds more
moisture per volume of measurement than course
SUBSTRATE MIX - I like to mix store bought
vermiculite, due to there being more of it. The basic
composted cow manure, coir, coffee grinds, and worm
formula of 2-1-1 works great with fine or medium
castings all together, then add 1/2 tablespoon of
vermiculite, but if you're using course vermiculite, you
hydrated lime per cup of mix. Then, mix all that with an
might want to cut down a bit on the water. I've found
equal amount of damp vermiculite.
that cakes as well as grains, and even bulk substrates
Bring it all to field consistency and pasteurize. It works
colonize a bit better and faster if made up on the dry
like a charm.
side. With cakes, it's easy to adjust the water down, and
BULK SUBSTRATES - Bulk substrate IS less then simply do a dunk and roll at birthing to put the
nutritious than grains. That's why we need to use so moisture in for the flush at that time.
much of it. Bulk substrate can be simply pasteurized,
VERMICULITE - Vermiculite is soft and resembles a
while the much more nutritious grains must be sterilized
mineral sponge, able to soak up water and hold it.
and kept sterile until colonized. Then, they add
Vermiculite also has lots of passageways the mycelium
significantly to the total nutrients in the bulk substrate
can colonize while absorbing the moisture within.
they're spawned into.
Vermiculite is for holding water as a reservoir and
SUBSTRATES - Complex substrates are always better. releasing it to the mycelium as needed. Vermiculite is
Mix as many ingredients as you have. Coir, horse used in pf cakes and casing recipes. It will also provide
manure, worm castings, coffee grinds, cow manure, fluff and a rez effect (reservoir) in manure and compost
chicken manure, compost, straw, etc., are all good, and mixes.
mixed they're even better. Don't go over 5% of the total
VERMICULITE - I use the fine vermiculite, which
as chicken manure though. Use gypsum at ten percent.
holds more water per cup then the medium grade
SUBSTRATE ADDATIVE - I did a few experiments vermiculite, but still use the basic 1-1-2-pf recipes. This
several years ago where I added fish emulsion and makes a drier substrate that colonizes in two weeks.
several other nitrogen boosters such as blood meal to Give an extra week to consolidate, then birth, dunk and
manure and compost mixes and saw no effect on the roll. I see pins regularly 48 hours after birthing this way
crop. I then added small amounts of chicken manure and instead of having the cakes sit there for a week or two.
saw a very noticeable increase in yield.
VERMICULITE - Vermiculite is an excellent moisture
SUBSTRATES - Cow and horse manure are equally reservoir that holds more water for its size than anything
suitable for growing dung and straw loving mushrooms. else. Any substrate, including sawdust/woodchips or

66
manure can benefit from the addition of vermiculite. in science one need not use vulgar terms if he wishes to
There is also no other method of growing that can grow be taken seriously. I'll be the first one to let out a four-
more mushrooms on less substrate than pf cakes. That's letter tirade over politics when I'm having a few beers
a fact. down at the pub, but not here, and not in conjunction
with mycology. I hope this clears it up. I'll stay on it
VERMICULITE STERILIZATION - I've done it
until people stop using the wrong terms. It's no different
both without and with sterilizing the vermiculite.
than correcting someone for referring to an uncased
Vermiculite is an inert mineral that does not harbor or
bulk substrate incorrectly as a 'casing' or referring to
grow contaminants, but if mold spores are present, they
manure as a spawn, rather than a substrate, etc. It's
might have an opportunity to grow. I usually put mine
simply incorrect and should be corrected or new
on a baking sheet for half an hour at 350F, just because
growers trying to learn get fed the wrong information.
it makes me feel better.
METABOLITES MYCELIUM PISS - Mushroom
VERMICULITE - In addition, the danger with
mycelium secretions do not equate to human urine in
asbestos is from inhaling dust from the fibers over a
any way, shape or form. That is disinformation and it
long time, such as working in a mine 8 hours a day for
makes the hair on my neck stand on end when I see it
20 years. It isn't from eating mushrooms from a cake
constantly repeated. They are unrelated. In fact, the
with vermiculite in it, even if it DID have asbestos,
secretions from many fungi are used to make
which it doesn't.
antibiotics. Read up on the production of penicillin,
VERMICULITE - I also use fine vermiculite, and it tetracycline, erythromycin and other antibiotics that are
works fine. In fact, it holds a bit more water than course made from the secretions of fungi. This has been known
vermiculite, and the mycelium seems to colonize it just for a long time in professional circles. For some reason,
fine. It's also better for use as the contaminant barrier on people around here keep repeating the same old
top. 'mushroom piss' crap and others read it and repeat it ad
nauseum. The secretions, which contain acetone and
SOAKED VERM SUBSTRATE - I have soaked
other volatile compounds can actually be fermented and
straight vermiculite in various nutrient laden solutions.
distilled out of the liquid culture the fungi mycelium is
It will colonize, just fine - without anything else added.
being grown in. In commercial penicillin production,
large fermentation tanks of over 30,000 gallons are
METABOLITES/LIGHTING
common. It is not the penicillium mold itself that they
METABOLITES - That quote above by Stamets in make penicillin from, but its secretions. Please stop
TMC written in 1985 when he was fairly new to using urine as an analogy for the antibiotic secretions of
cultivation was a mistake. He corrected it very well in our precious fungi.
the 1990's when he wrote 'Growing Gourmet and
Medicinal Mushrooms', where he correctly stated they METABOLITES FIGHT - Actually, I have harvested
are antibiotic compounds. metabolites and used them on other molds, which they
Furthermore, the journal of medicinal mushrooms kill. Often, when a grain jar is left too long after full
publishes articles on a regular basis identifying the colonization, metabolites will begin building up in the
various antibiotic compounds in various species of bottom of the jar. These can be poured right on an
mushroom mycelia metabolites. infection in another tray. If caught in time, many molds
The first mass use of metabolites in medicine was in can be neutralized this way. I doubt it's the antibiotic
WW2 when the production of metabolites from the properties of the metabolites at work against molds, but
Penicillium mold saved thousands of Allied soldiers rather the solvents. Antibiotics are effective against
lives due to a product that was named Penicillin after bacteria, which isn't a contaminant of casing layers.
the mycelium metabolites it was made from. I'm METABOLITES PURPOSE - Mycelium produces
completely in awe that you folks don't know this. It metabolites in response to contaminants or stress. These
should have been taught in elementary and junior high are antibiotic compounds that the mycelium produces to
school, both in history and science. It's not brand new kill competitor fungi or bacteria. They are not in any
news. way, shape or form related to the urine that is secreted
Furthermore, there is a time and place for vulgarities. by mammals. The metabolites produced by mycelium of
I'm no prude and no religious freak by a long shot, but the penicillium fungus for example are used in human

67
medicine as antibiotics to kill bacteria. The metabolites
produced by mushroom mycelium serve a similar
purpose.

METABOLITES - Actually, metabolites don't attract

bacteria; they're a response to it. They're antibiotic. It
sounds like you have some bacteria in the jar and they're
being excreted by the mycelium to help fight it off. You
can lay the jar on its side, and then rotate it once per
day. This keeps uncolonized parts out of the liquid,
helping them to finish up. The above assumes it's a
grain jar. If it's a pf jar, disregard. Laying on its side and
rolling can disturb the vermiculite filter leading to
contaminants entering.

USES FOR MYCELIUM METABOLITES -

Experiment. Put some bacteria on a Petri dish, and then
put down a line of metabolite. Watch how they stop the
spread of the bacteria. Without a lab, I doubt you could
make your own antibiotics, but penicillin and the other
common antibiotics are made from fungi metabolite.
I've also found that mushroom metabolites will kill
trichoderma mycelium on a Petri dish. In fact, it would
probably kill off any competitor fungi, even other
mushroom species.

METABOLITES - Mycelium often produces

metabolites of different colors depending on what
infection they're fighting. This red color was on the top
of the vermiculite barrier where the mycelium had
worked it's way up to where contaminants had entered
through the vent hole and were laying dormant on the
vermiculite barrier. When the mycelium reached that
spot, it produced metabolites (antibiotic compounds) to
kill the mold spores or bacteria that were present in that
location. METABOLITES - The metabolites are antibiotic
secretions, so when they're in large amounts, it usually
means something is up. High colonization temps will
also lead to metabolite production, so remember to
colonize jars at room temperature. A jar with a good
filter will contain any contaminants that are within, so
don't toss it out. Don't use any jar with a lot of
metabolites for grain-to-grain transfers, but if they
colonize fine, they're good to use for spawning to bulk.

METABOLITES - Colonized poo trays sometimes

emit a little honey yellow, to as dark as Tobacco juice
colored metabolite type waste on the top of the tray. So
long as it colonized nicely & the metabolite waste
doesn't turn into a gusher. It's good to go. Been there &
done that a few times, especially with big bulk trays that
had a strong cow/poo mixture in them. The stuff is

68
commonly called MYC PISS. If it's fully colonized, add
a casing cover & go for it.

METABOLITES - There will be no live bacteria in the

metabolites. They're acids and often ethylene based to
kill bacteria and are produced in response to it. There
may be bacteria in the grains, but not in the metabolites.
That's why grain jars should be used at full colonization,
not weeks later. The metabolites are the myceliums
defense mechanism. I've used the metabolites from
Hypsizygus ulmarium to kill bacteria and trichoderma
on a Petri dish.

METABOLITES - It's metabolites since they're yellow.

That is a sign of too much bacteria and/or excessive
temperature. Is that uncased manure? I'd suggest gently
dabbing the excessive off with a clean dry paper towel.
The metabolites help to fight infections, but too much of
a good thing isn't always good. Dry it off, and increase
air exchange. You want high humidity, especially if
fruiting uncased, but you also want lots of fresh air.

METABOLITES - The manure isn't eating the holes in

the aluminum, the mushroom metabolites are. I have a
mushroom that was sent for metals testing after
harvesting from the tray pictured below. I should know
within a few days if aluminum was conducted up into
the fruit body. We know that heavy metals end up in the
fruits, but as far as I know, nobody has ever had a fruit
professionally tested for aluminum contamination.

METABOLITES - It sounds like metabolites and is

often caused by excess temperature, which leads to
bacterial contamination. Metabolites are antibiotic and
are secreted in response to the bacteria or molds.
Incubate at room temperature for best results and lowest
contamination rate. I haven't even owned an incubator
in ten years. They're not necessary and cause far more
problems than they solve.

METABOLITES - The metabolites are generally

produced in response to bacteria that are stimulated by
high incubation temperatures. My rule of thumb is if
you can see visible metabolites in the bottom of the jar,
it's ok to spawn to bulk, but don't do a g2g with it, or the
dormant bacteria will come back to life in the fresh
grains. Next time, incubate your grains at room
temperature.

69
METABOLITES - The excess moisture you see is mycelium.
metabolic discharges from the mycelium trying to fight
METABOLITES - It's just metabolites from the high
off the contaminants, and/or metabolites from the molds
temperature. NEVER use a jar with a lot of metabolites
trying to fight off the mushroom mycelium. Start over,
for grain-to-grain transfers, but you can use it to spawn
and use a very light syringe, or better yet, prove your
to bulk or lay in a tray and case.
spores on agar, and transfer a proved, clean mycelium
culture into your rye and watch it take off. METABOLITES - They're actually antibiotic
compounds used to neutralize competitor fungi and
METABOLITES - A large amount of metabolites
bacteria. That's why medical antibiotics are made from
generally means a bit of bacteria in the jar. The
them.
metabolites are antibiotic secretions, so when they're in
large amounts, it usually means something is up. High METABOLITES - An excess of metabolites can point
colonization temps will also lead to metabolite towards bacterial contamination, over-colonization of a
production, so remember to colonize jars at room substrate, or too high a temperature.
temperature.
METABOLITES - Yes. Excessive heat will cause the
METABOLITES - Mycelia metabolites are not urine. mycelium to produce more, so if there's a lot of
They're antibiotic and much more like medicine than metabolite, try to reduce temperature.
pee. In fact, they also help to break down the substrate
METABOLITES - The metabolites will do no harm.
for the mycelium, much like the saliva in our mouth
You can leave the substrate soaking in it. They destroy
(which is also not urine) helps break down our food,
contaminants, not cause them.
making it available to the mycelium.
METABOLITES - A large amount of metabolites
CAUSES FOR METABOLITES - Elevated
generally means a bit of bacteria in the jar.
temperatures are a major cause of that. The high
temperature stimulates bacteria, and then the mushroom METABOLITES - Actually, metabolites don't attract
mycelium must secrete antibiotic metabolites to deal bacteria; they're a response to it.
with them. It's important to use room temperature for
colonization, especially with larger substrates. LIGHTING

WHAT ARE METABOLITES - Antibiotic drugs such Light has absolutely NOTHING to do with telling the
as penicillin are, and have been made from fungal mycelium that it has reached the surface. The increased
metabolites for over fifty years. It is not a theory. I have fresh air, with the corresponding drop in CO2 levels
used a syringe to draw metabolite from a grain jar and sends the mycelium that message.
placed it on bacteria in a Petri dish. It kills the bacteria Light is also NOT just to establish the direction the
dead within hours. fruits grow. In fact, air currents have a greater effect on
direction of growth than light. If you doubt this, place a
METABOLITES - Antibiotics such as penicillin are
fan on your crop and watch.
made from fungi metabolites. They're a powerful anti-
A few seconds of light per day will NOT help to
bacterial. They also help the mycelium to break down
generate a good pinset. In fact, light is a secondary
substrate materials. There are still a lot of unknowns to
pinning trigger, but an important one. The difference
be researched, but they're not urine or feces, that's for
between three or four pins, and hundreds of pins on a
sure.
substrate can be directly correlated to the length,
METABOLITES - I'm convinced many growers who intensity, and frequency of the light applied, provided
think they 'cut away lipstick mold' and succeeded, the primary pinning triggers have been fulfilled.
actually cut away harmless metabolites from their jars. The light needs to be intense enough to penetrate 1/2"
Metabolites are produced by the mycelium in order to into the substrate. Not all pins form on the surface.
attack competitors. They're a weapon. Many originate from deeper in the substrate or casing
layer.
METABOLITES - Metabolites are a natural secretion
Higher frequency light above a color temperature of
of fungi both as a defense mechanism against
5,000 Kelvin will generate far more pins than a 'red'
competitors and to break down food sources. Molds
source of light such as incandescent lamps.
produce as much or more metabolites than mushroom

70
Fungi are a living organism that is much more closely the Celsius temperature scale and remains constant.
related to mammals such as humans, than to plants. Therefore, water freezes at 237K and boils at 337K. If
People need to quit looking at mycelium as a different you heat a piece of metal to a temperature of 4,763C,
kind of plant, which it isn't. Mycelium has been shown the resulting glow will have a color temperature of
to have circadian rhythms just like mammals, and this is 5,000K. The color scale is used as 'corrected' color
the reason that 12/12 light cycles work best. This planet, temperature when fluorescent or other gas type lighting
and all surface life on it are based on the 24-hour day. fixtures are used. A 'natural daylight' fluorescent tube
For best results, learn to work with nature rather than with a color temperature of 6500K would glow with the
against it. Mycelium has an amazing ability to cope with same color as a dark object heated to a temperature of
less than optimal conditions, and will often fruit when a 6,263C.
grower does everything wrong. However, do everything Color temperature is not an indication of the intensity of
right and watch your performance go through the roof. light, only its color. Mycelium forms fruits best with
light at the 'blue' end of the spectrum, thus a higher
TMC FAULT, LIGHTING, WHY - Recent
color temperature is required for best performance.
experiments (over the last 23 years) have shown the
Look for lighting with a high color temperature such as
error of that statement in TMC. Many experiments have
fluorescent. Cool white fluorescent has a color
shown conclusively that fluorescent lamps in the 6500K
temperature of 5,000K and natural daylight has a color
range produce better pinsets and healthier, meatier fruits
temperature of 6,500K. Avoid UV light that is too high,
than other forms of light. Stamets himself does not
and has been known to damage mycelium, as well as
repeat that 'flash of light' triggers pinning nonsense. In
cause mutations, and cancer in humans.
fact, he recommends fluorescent lamps in the 6,500-
Incandescent light bulbs by contrast, have a color
Kelvin range for 12/12 just as I do. In addition, there's a
temperature of around 3000K, which puts them in the
huge difference in saying something can result in 'pins',
'red' end of the spectrum, and they are the worst choice
and helping to trigger a very nice flush.
for fruiting mushrooms.
Light, and the intensity/frequency of light is extremely
important if one is interested in greater than mediocre LIGHTING - Many things. I've found the brightest
performance. Many species, such as agaricus and P. light stimulates more pins. You need to look at pinning
cubensis, can pin in the total absence of light. That triggers like the instruments in a band. One instrument
doesn't mean light isn't required for best results, can be slightly off, and the band still plays the song.
especially with light sensitive species such as P. Often one instrument can be taken away and the music
cubensis and P. ostreatus. still sounds ok. However, if all are working together, it's
awesome.
WHAT YOU WANT! - You want full spectrum light
Perhaps the projects you remove from light after
for best results. Indirect light from a window is fine.
exposure are maintaining a higher humidity due to no
Hyphal knot formation is stimulated more by light at the
heat from the lights. Humidity is a pinning trigger just
higher end of the scale than at the lower end of the
like light. Maybe the ones you remove from the lights
scale. A color temperature of around 6500K is just about
get better air circulation. Fresh air is a pinning trigger
perfect. This is the color produced by 'natural daylight
just like light.
fluorescent' tubes. For the geeks, I'll explain color
For the record, light has no effect on colonizing
temperature briefly. We all know when we heat a piece
mycelium, good or bad. The old advice of "incubate in
of metal, it first begins to glow red. We see this when
total darkness" is bunk. Stamets wrote those words in
we heat a syringe needle over a flame. If we continue to
TMC 20 years ago, and he disavows that advice today. I
heat it, the metal will eventually glow white hot. As we
concur. The only real time that keeping in the dark has
heat it more and more the white color begins to take on
an advantage in my experience is during casing run,
a blue hue, provided the metal doesn't melt down into a
when the introduction of light after casing colonization
puddle first. This is why tungsten in a vacuum is often
can serve as one of the pinning triggers along with air
used for light bulb filaments.
exchange and proper humidity. Bare in mind, you want
The Kelvin color temperature system is essentially the
a constant rate of evaporation from your substrate to
color a piece of dark metal will glow when heated to a
achieve the best pinset. If you're at 100% humidity,
specific temperature. The Kelvin scale starts at absolute
there will be little to no moisture evaporating from your
zero, roughly -237C. This is Zero K. The scale follows
casing layer, and pinsets will suffer.

71
To repeat, light is a pinning trigger, but it isn't the only with even direct sunlight is great to kick start a pinset,
one, and it's greatly overrated. For the best pinsets, you but don't let the tub overheat. For the rest of the cycle,
have to balance several triggers at once. Screw up on find a way to get the fluorescent to shine through the
any of them, and pinsets suffer, regardless of what you clear part of the tub. Put the light in front of or behind
do with light. the tub. It doesn't have to come just from the top. The
white lid will reflect side light down just fine. My entire
LIGHTING - Normal room lighting has no effect on
greenhouse is lit from the back with fluorescent fixtures
colonizing mycelium, either good or bad. This is one of
attached to the wall the greenhouse sits against. Cool
the old myths perpetuated by stamets 'The Mushroom
white fluorescents produce 5000k, which is very close
Cultivator', that was incorrect 20 years ago when it was
to natural sunlight. Incadescents are a much redder light
written. He corrected his own mistake in GGMM, but
and only produce at around 3200k, which is not nearly
fewer people have read that one because it centers more
as effective. You want high frequency light for best
on edibles, than on psilocybe mushrooms. My own
results. The natural daylight fluorescents are the best,
research says light doesn't make one whit of difference
putting out light at around 7000k, but are much more
to colonizing mycelium in jars. The time to protect from
expensive than cool white. Good luck.
light is during spawn run of bulk substrates and casing
layers. During the initial colonization of grains or brf LIGHTING FREQUENCIES, PLANT LIGHTS -
cakes, it doesn't matter. Light is required for primordia Plants require much more light than mushrooms
formation as well. Bulk substrate colonization is the last because they derive energy from the light source. In
step prior to fruiting. The only reason for keeping a bulk addition, most mj growers switch to a redder light at
substrate, and especially the casing layer dark during fruiting time, not the high frequency 'blue' light we get
colonization is for the timing of the pinset initiation. It from our fluorescents. Perhaps you're confusing the
allows you to introduce all the major pinning triggers Kelvin color temperature scale with intensity? My
simultaneously, resulting in an explosion of pins. A bulk fluorescent fixture provides light to six shelves, each
substrate will colonize just fine if exposed to light from one eight feet long and three feet deep. That's 144
day one, but then you aren't maximizing potential by square feet, thus less than 1 watt per square foot of shelf
synchronizing the pinning triggers. space. The foil helps to prevent the trays in the back
from being shaded by those in front. I challenge the best
TMC FAULTS LIGHTING - TMC is a classic and I
mj grower in the world to try to grow plants under that.
still refer to it a lot. In the last twenty years we've
Compact fluorescent bulbs work great as well for
learned a few things though. One, as hyphae said is the
fruiting chambers and mini-greenhouses. In addition,
mycelium metabolites. Another is that colonizing
LED technology has progressed considerably in the last
mycelium need not be kept in total darkness. I think
few years. I'm sure it won't be long before LED fixtures
Paul fixed that one in GGMM, but I know at his
are made with controllers to adjust color temperature.
beginners and masters seminars he points that out, and
his own incubation rooms filled with hundreds of LIGHTING - "Of course myc doesn't need dark but we
species, are under 8 to 12 hours per day of fluorescent use it to our advantage as a pinning trigger"
lighting while work is being done. That has been my Exactly. After spawning the grains or brf or whatever
experience as well. Light doesn't become a significant into manure, it's a good idea to cover with foil to keep it
pinning trigger prior to full colonization and the in the dark during substrate colonization and casing
introduction of fresh air exchange. This one is probably colonization, and then remove the foil for light and
nitpicking, but I don't like the TMC method of preparing sudden air/gas exchange to trigger pinning. However,
grain jars which is add dry grain, add water and a pinch I've found no benefit or harm from allowing the grain
of gypsum, and PC. We now know that if you'll take the jars to be exposed to light from day one. If a few pins
time to rinse the grains very well before cooking, they form in the grains, it is actually a good thing. Contrary
don't stick and clump up later. There's a couple of others to popular belief, a few pins in the grains can be
I can't think of now. Nothing major though. It's a great spawned right into the manure or straw (or used in grain
reference work. to grain transfers) and they do not rot or otherwise cause
contamination. There is evidence they actually help to
LIGHTING - While enough light to read by might give
give a faster, more uniform pinset in the eventual
a minimum pinset, you want bright, high frequency light
flushes. Stamets believes it's the hormones or other
to induce a massive pinset. An hour or two in a window

72
chemical triggers in the pins that do this. helping to trigger knots. Good luck.

LIGHTING - Light is very important after full LIGHTING - Light is extremely important to good
colonization, when an increase in FAE is made. Enough mushroom formation, and it's nothing to do with which
light to 'see the tray' is absolutely NOT enough light way is up. Gravity takes care of that function. The post
unless you're happy with shitty pinsets. Brighter light is quoted above is only one of many times I've typed that.
better. Higher frequency (blue) light such as is emitted The problem is every time this question gets asked,
by 'natural daylight fluorescent' tubes which produce people repeat the same 'stuff they've read' and thus if
light at 6500K are best from mine and Stamets tests. one of us fails to catch the misinformation, then
Cool white fluorescent tubes would be a second, lower somebody gets a grow compromised by using a desk
cost choice and will work fine. Incandescent bulbs lamp or some other less than desirable lighting source,
which emit 'red' light at 3000K are the worst choice. In rather than the best possible lighting. There's enough
addition, 24-hour light is extremely counter productive confusing points in mushroom growing to keep a board
because hyphal knots form, and the fruit bodies seem to like this busy forever. Ask about things you're not sure
grow the most during the period of darkness. You can all of, or of the details you don't understand after searching.
prove that by simply measuring your growing However, for the basic questions, the answers are all
mushrooms when you turn the light on, and again when right here at your fingertips. Good luck to all. I'll try to
you shut it off. You'll find growth is higher during the be less pissy.
dark phase.
EXPOSING LIGHT FROM DAY ONE - In my
LIGHTING - Use full spectrum light, or a light that is experience, it's better to expose to light from day one. If
in the higher frequency range. Don't use 'blue' lights or a you'll just let your bags or jars colonize on a shelf in a
'blue' tub. Such is not in any way, shape, or form what room of your house, they'll be exposed to normal room
the mycelium needs to perform well. The use of 'blue' light. This will help to initiate pinning as soon as the
led's or blue tubs is based on a misunderstanding of substrate is ready to support fruitbodies. Colonizing
what Stamets was talking about in GGMM when he your jars in the dark only delays pinning, and delay is
recommended high frequency lights, such as natural not good in this hobby. Get light on it right away. I
daylight fluorescent. This has all been covered ad- seriously disagree with keeping cubie mycelium in the
nauseam in previous light threads. It absolutely amazes dark at any time. I expose to light from the time the
me that people still repeat the 'any light will do' or 'if spores germinate on agar. Sometimes there are even a
you can see, your mushrooms have enough light', or few pins in the jars when I break them up for the casing.
'only a few minutes is enough' etc., etc. If one is That is no problem. Just mix them in and case it. If you
satisfied with shitty pinsets, the above is true. If you're give light from day one, your yields will go up, and you
less than satisfied with shitty pinsets, use a light in the won't face overlay problems.
6,500-Kelvin range. Incandescent grow lights are one of
LIGHTING - Lighting is EXTREMELY important for
the worst possible choices.
a good pinset. Cubes will fruit in very low light
LIGHTING - At full colonization, light becomes very conditions, but bright fluorescent light will help to
important. The only real time you need to put your trays trigger the pinsets the old timers show all the time that
in the dark is during casing run. This allows the casing makes folks drool. Actually, you're probably right. The
layer to colonize partially without the additional pinning mushrooms don't care that much about light, but the
trigger of light acting on it. At the proper time, you mycelium sure as heck does. Lights, especially
expose to light, increase FAE, and have full colonization fluorescent, should be outside the terrarium, but near
all at the same time. This results in the best possible enough to flood the fruiting chamber in bright, high
pinset. Read Hyphae's pinning strategy in his sig for frequency light. Don't put the ballast outside and the
more information on timing these events. There is no lamps inside. The tombstones have a fairly high voltage
point in putting it into the dark now that it's already potential across them, and wrapping a warm item in
pinning. The fluoros you have will be plenty, but try to plastic in a wet environment is ...dumb. There isn't
attach or hang them higher so they can give better much more useless than 'blue' mood lights, especially
direction to the fruits as they grow. It will also help from led's.
hyphal knots to form if you'll have the light above the
LIGHTING - There's a world of difference between
casing layer because it will penetrate deeper into it, thus

73
'blue spectrum' and what you get when a red light either. When fruiting time comes, you'll probably do
(incandescent) shines through blue plastic. (Dim) By better to get a natural daylight fluorescent. The 6500K
'blue' they mean high frequency light, such as would be color temperature seems to stimulate primordia
emitted by a metal halide bulb, or natural sunlight formation better than the lower color temperatures of
fluorescent. You'll want to get better lighting to get the lamps such as incandescent and HPS.
best pinsets. It's better than nothing, but only ten percent
LIGHTING - You want bright light for 12 hours per
of the electricity to run an incandescent is turned into
day, not normal room light, which is usually at the red
light. The other ninety percent is turned into heat.
end of the spectrum if it's from incandescent bulbs, and
Fluorescent fixtures are the opposite. 90% of the energy
is the worst possible choice. Incandescent bulbs produce
is turned into light and ten percent into heat. They're
light at 3000K. Cool white fluorescents are a higher
also closer to the frequency that is ideal for pinning.
frequency light and perform much better, with a color
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number
temperature of 5000K, and natural daylight fluorescent
/6611363#6611363
produce light at the 'blue' end of the spectrum with a
LIGHTING - All lights will produce heat. The light color temperature of 6500K. You don't want blue lights.
needs to be outside the fruiting chamber. Electricity and Light at the high (blue) end of the spectrum will look
100% humidity don't mix. Don't use blue Christmas white to your eyes. You don't get high frequency light
lights. They're NOT the correct color temperature. By by using a bulb with a blue dye on the lens.
'blue' we mean light at the high end of the spectrum. It
LIGHTING - Not at all. They will do best with 12
will still look white to your eyes. As said, 6500 Kelvin
hours of light. I'd put them in the dark when they're
fluorescent lights give the best bang for your buck.
about 90% colonized, then when they are at 100%, birth
They're usually labeled 'natural daylight' on the
and begin giving them light at that time. This allows the
package, as opposed to 'cool white' which are 5,000K
four major pinning triggers of full colonization, steady
and 'warm white' or 'kitchen and bath' which are 3000K,
rate of evaporation from the substrate, fresh air
which is referred to as 'red' light, even though they still
exchange, and light to all happen at the same time. Such
look white to our eyes. You can also simply place the
has been shown to give the best pinsets. Light does not
terrarium in a room with a bright window and let the
become a significant pinning trigger until the other
natural sunlight do the job.
factors have also been met. Many growers dunk at the
LIGHTING - 2700K are awfully red. It might be nice time of birthing to pump the moisture content up for the
for room light and for reading because it's 'warm', but first flush.
you want light in the bluer end of the spectrum, so shoot
TMC FAULT, LIGHTING - Light has neither good
for a frequency above 5,000 Kelvin. Lumens do matter
nor ill effects on growing mushroom mycelium. It will
to an extent. We're not deriving energy from the light,
not hurt, nor help, but there is no need to keep your jars
but it does need to be bright enough to penetrate into the
in the dark. Stamets makes this clear in GGMC. He used
casing layer. Bright fluorescent light from a 'daylight'
to recommend incubation in total darkness (TMC), but
type tube seems to help generate the best pinsets over a
he no longer recommends this. I concur. If you visit
wide range of species. I have a four-tube 48" fluorescent
fungi perfect you will see he has 10,000 square feet of
fixture with 6500-Kelvin tubes in all four slots. This
incubation space that is exposed to overhead fluorescent
light is plenty for my mini-greenhouse. I have it hanging
lights during the full workday. My jars sit on a shelf in
from the ceiling so it shines into the front of the
an open room as said above and they're exposed to light
greenhouse. Reflective foil is on the back wall of the
from the day spores are started.
GH.
LIGHTING - The Kelvin scale refers to the color
LIGHTING - It sounds like something else growing in
temperature of the light. Briefly stated, if you took a
the area. MH is known to cause early pinning in jars
piece of white paper and looked at it under 2,000K such
because of the high frequency light output of MH.
as you'd get from hps, it would look yellow. If you
However HPS is more of a red light at the lower end of
looked at it under 5,000K fluorescent tubes such as
the spectrum, so it shouldn't be that bad. I'd still move
you'd find in an office or school classroom, it would
the jars away from it. The heat could cause problems.
look white. If you look at it under 7,500K fluorescent, it
There is no need to keep colonizing jars in the dark, but
would have a blue tint to it. That's what is meant by
there is also no need to expose them to very bright lights

74
'blue' light. You can pick up an inexpensive fluorescent LIGHTING - You can't argue that light makes a big
fixture and 7500K fluorescent tubes fairly cheaply at difference with growers that are happy with crappy
your local hardware store. pinsets. However, if you want the best pinset and
growth you can get, and then use bright light with a
LIGHTING - My current setup is a larger fluorescent
color temperature of 5,000 Kelvin to 7500 Kelvin. Of
fixture that holds four 48" tubes, and I have it hanging
course, there's other parameters that are just as
vertically so it shines in from the front to bathe all five
important, if not more important than light. Failure to
shelves in bright light. I have it about 12" from the door
pay attention to ALL the pinning triggers is like trying
of the GH, so the farthest any substrate is from the light
to win the Indy 500 with a clogged up air filter or dirty
is about 36". The fruits tend to grow toward the light a
spark plugs.
bit, but that problem is fixed by rotating the trays 180
degrees every couple of days so growth is even. I'm glad LIGHTING - It's true that they tend to grow more
to see you got the right frequency of light. 6500K are during the period of darkness, but that's only part of the
awesome. You'll never go back to silly night-lights or equation. The other part is that pins for second, third,
cool white fluorescent after using one of those. They and future flushes often form during the time of first
really do make a difference in pinsets. flush. If you go cheapie on the light after the first flush
is set, you hinder primordia development for future
LIGHTING - I've still never seen a 150-watt cfl that
flushes. Mushroom mycelium has circadian rhythms
small. At any rate, with multiple shelves or long shelves,
just like humans. Give them a day/night cycle and
tubes will spread the light out better, thus giving more
they'll be much happier over the course of several
coverage. I use 5 shelves in my mini-greenhouse, with a
flushes.
48" fixture hanging vertically in front of the unit, which
holds four fluorescent tubes with a color temperature of LIGHTING - One, a 25W incandescent bulb only puts
6,500K. By hanging the light fixture vertically, the out the amount of light that a 2.5W fluorescent bulb
fixture lights the entire greenhouse between all shelves. would put out. Over 90% of the electricity used by a
With only one bulb, you're limited in coverage. They'd light bulb goes toward making heat, and only 10% of
be great for tubs and the like, but there is no need for the electricity goes toward making light. With
250 watts. It will burn five or more times the electricity fluorescent, that ratio is reversed. In addition,
your projects require. incandescent bulbs put out light at the red end of the
spectrum, and fluorescent lamps put out light near the
LIGHTING - They do care if they don't get air. You'll
blue end of the spectrum, which is much better for
get a very poor pinset without several air exchanges per
fungi.
day at the very least. Four to five per hour are
recommended. Water beads on the inside of the LIGHTING - I've been saying for years that both light
terrarium have NOTHING to do with humidity. They and total darkness are vastly overrated when it comes to
indicate a temperature differential, nothing else. You mushroom growing. Some strains seem to be better at
want your light outside the terrarium. Fluorescent pinning in low light conditions, while others require
ballasts generate a high voltage, and that doesn't go with much more. The other pinning triggers of full
near saturation humidity at all. In addition, a fluorescent colonization, steady evaporation of moisture, and air
ballast and light inside will heat your terrarium a lot. It exchange are much more critical than light. As a general
will be over 90F in there within a few hours. Also, the rule however, pinsets will be better with bright, full
heat will lower humidity, not raise it. spectrum lighting over dim/darker conditions.

LIGHTING - Mushrooms grow towards the light. Very LIGHTING - The reason intensity is important is
true. However, as an experiment, you can put the light because the light needs to penetrate the casing layer to
above and a fan blowing from right to left. Watch what the substrate below. Frequency is also important with
happens. In the absence of any wind, the mushrooms light at the higher end of the spectrum, such as natural
grow towards the light. You can also screw with your daylight fluorescent with a light temperature between
mushrooms if you're bored. Every morning, rotate your 6,000K and 7,500K providing the best results. Cool
trays of pinning/fruiting mushrooms by 90 degrees, and white fluorescent tubes are generally in the 5,000
leave them until the next morning, then rotate them an Kelvin range, and regular incandescent bulbs run about
additional 90 degrees. They'll grow up in a spiral. 3,000K, which is the worst possible choice.

75
LIGHTING - They need light for much more than to Instance I refered to was UV light in metal ductwork
know which way is up. A lot has been written about this. behind filter, because it killed anything that got past the
Bright, intense light is going to stimulate a much better filter. The ductwork fed into a "clean" room area & it
pinset than dim, low light. 12/12 has shown over the was fully sheilded.
years to give the best performance. I don't even have my
LIGHTING - Natural Daylight fluorescent has been
lights on a timer anymore unless I go out of town. I plug
shown to produce the best results. Your milage will vary
them in when I get up, and unplug them sometime in the
depending on the genetics of your strain using other
evening. They rarely get exactly 12/12, but close.
types of lights. However, mushroom primordia seem to
LIGHTING - Bright, high frequency light at 12/12 will develop best in the 5,000 Kelvin to 7,500 Kelvin range
deliver the most prolific pinsets. You want maximum which is exactly what is delivered by most fluorescent
FAE, high humidity, and bright light, especially with tubes. The Natural Daylight tubes are rated between
cased substrates. The light needs to be bright enough to 6,500 and 7,500 Kelvin depending on manufacturer.
penetrate the casing layer for best results. 'Some' pins
LIGHTING - Brighter lighting will work better than
will form with low levels of light, but if you want the
dim, far away lighting. The light needs to penetrate the
WOW factor, use bright fluorescent light or sunlight
casing layer. Don't listen to those who say if you can see
from a window. They do best with a period of darkness
what's happening, there is enough light. That is
each day.
incorrect. You can get small fluorescent fixtures
TMC FAULT, LIGHTING - Light has little to no intended for under kitchen cabinets for less than ten
effect on colonizing mycelium. I expose all jars to light dollars. Put one a few inches above your plexiglass. Put
from day one. I also incubate on a shelf in an open room it high enough that heat isn't transferred, but bright light
at room temperature. If you visit fungi perfecti, you'll is.
see that stamets has 10,000 square feet of incubation
LIGHTING - The only reason for keeping a bulk
area, all of it exposed to fluorescent lights for 8 to 10
substrate, and especially the casing layer dark during
hours per day. He no longer recommends incubation in
colonization is for the timing of the pinset initiation. It
total darkness as he did 20 years ago when he wrote
allows you to introduce all the major pinning triggers
TMC. I concur.
simultaneously, resulting in an explosion of pins. A bulk
LIGHTING - Two things. First, don't install lights substrate will colonize just fine if exposed to light from
inside a terrarium. Even a small light will create heat day one, but then you aren't maximizing potential by
that causes other problems. Second, if it's incandescent, synchronizing the pinning triggers.
it's the wrong color temperature. You want a high
LIGHTING - If you're going to use LED's, use white
frequency light such as natural daylight fluorescent for
ones. Your mushrooms need full spectrum light, not
best results. Simply hang it above the terrarium. Bright,
mood light, and some evidence points to light at the
intense, high frequency light provides the best pinsets,
higher end of the spectrum being somewhat better at
so get a good one. I use four, 4' natural daylight
setting primordia. Bright light will penetrate deeper into
fluorescent tubes.
the casing layer, stimulating more pins than dim light.
LIGHTING - Many fluorescent tubes will have the Avoid lights that produce excess heat such as
light temperature stamped on them at the end. Cool incadescent or halogen.
white bulbs are in the neighborhood of 5000k while the
LIGHTING - The color temperature(not light
kitchen and bath fluorescent tubes are warm white, and
temperature) of any specialty bulb should be stamped on
at 3000K, similar to regular light bulbs. The higher 'k'
the package. Normal incandescents are in the 3000K
numbers will deliver better pinsets, because they match
range, which is too low. HPS is even worse, in the
outdoor sunlight closer. Fortunately for us, cool white
2000K range. You want light at the other end of the
fluorescent which is superior, is also the least expensive.
spectrum. Cool white fluorescent is around 5000K and
UV LIGHTING - UV light strong enough to natural daylight fluorescent is 6500K, making it the best
STERILZE will F/U your eyes, skin, cause cancer & choice for the money.
other BS. If it is contained, as in well shielded..... it
LIGHTING - I said use 6,500 Kelvin natural daylight
works great, but you still need filtration. Best is hepa
fluorescent for best results. There is no contradiction.
filter run into UV light shielded in metal ductwork.

76
Mushroom cultivation was in its infancy 25 years ago. household light bulbs are around 3000K. The higher the
We've learned a lot since then. Lamps with a color color temperature in Kelvin, the more 'blue' the light is.
temperature of 6,500 Kelvin are NOT low frequency-
LIGHTING - I've measured many flushes of various
they're considered 'blue' light. Use natural daylight
species on a day to day basis and found that most
fluorescent with a color temperature of 6,500 Kelvin for
mushrooms grow more during the period of darkness
best results.
than during the period of light. The change in
LIGHTING - Use natural daylight fluorescent with a temperature caused by cycling the lights 12/12 is also
color temperature of 6,500 Kelvin for best results. I said positive. Mushrooms are not plants, but as said above,
use 6,500 Kelvin natural daylight fluorescent for best light does indeed have a major effect on them.
results. There is no contradiction. Mushroom cultivation
LIGHTING - The main pinning triggers are full
was in its infancy 25 years ago. We've learned a lot
colonization, an increase in fresh air that comes with the
since then. Lamps with a color temperature of 6,500
decrease in CO2 levels, and a steady rate of evaporation
Kelvin are NOT low frequency-they're considered 'blue'
light. from the substrate. Once those conditions have been
met, light becomes a secondary pinning trigger. A few
LIGHTING - Normal room light has no effect on minutes of light will work, but 12/12 has been shown to
colonizing mycelium, either good or bad. Usually, when produce superior product.
mycelium stalls, it's due to lack of air exchange. If you
have a verm filter, take the lid all the way off for a few LIGHTING - That's why growers who use a very
minutes and then put it back on. If the mycelium starts bright fluorescent light in the higher part of the color
to grow again, you know that was the problem. Make spectrum have much better pinsets and yields than those
sure the inoculation/gas exchange holes are open. who use ambient room, or worse yet, only a few
minutes a day of dim light. The light should be bright
LIGHTING - Correct. A 60 watt light bulb on the enough to penetrate well into the casing layer, which
ceiling is enough to trigger a few pins. Failure to use should also be loose and airy.
proper lighting doesn't mean the entire project is going
to fail. It simply means it will be less than what could be LIGHTING - Light is only a secondary pinning trigger,
achieved by a tad more work. It's sort of like driving not the main one. Full colonization of the substrate, with
your car with one tire flat. You'll still get there, but not an increase in air exchange are the two biggies. For best
as fast, and people will point and giggle. results, all the pinning triggers should be introduced at
once. You'll have to say more than 'kit' to get help, and
LIGHTING - Xmas lights have been used for yeats 'dirt' is what you get under your fingernails. Mushrooms
with poor to mediocre results. Don't put too much faith don't grow on it.
in the experiment done several years ago. Many, many
tests since then have shown otherwise. Most any light LIGHTING - They require light right up until harvest.
will stimulate some pins to form, but the higher It provides direction for growth. In fact, many species
frequency lights in the 5,000 Kelvin to 7,500 Kelvin such as oysters will turn into a mass of coral without
range will help to provide the best pinset possible. adequate light. Shiitake won't grow at all. Cubes without
light will twist around, not knowing which way to grow.
LIGHTING - Yes you do. They require light right up Performance will suffer. 12/12 right up until harvest is
until harvest. It provides direction for growth. In fact, the proper procedure.
many species such as oysters will turn into a mass of
coral without adequate light. Shiitake won't grow at all. LIGHTING - Light at the higher end of the spectrum is
Cubes without light will twist around, not knowing far superior to light at the low end of the spectrum.
which way to grow. Performance will suffer. 12/12 right Incandescent light bulbs with a color temperature of
up until harvest is the proper procedure. 3,000 kelvin are considered 'red', and natural daylight
fluorescent with a color temperature of 6,500 kelvin are
LIGHTING - Even MH is at the 'red' end of the considered 'blue' which is superior. Search the above
spectrum, just not as red as the old SV or HPS. MH has terms for much more.
a color temperature of around 4,000K and HPS is
around 2000K, but cool white fluorescent is 5,000K and LIGHTING - Lots of people are satisified with 'less'
natural daylight fluorescent is 6500K. Regular light. It's just that if you want the best possible results,
go with the best of all possible setups, which means best

77
light, best substrate, best temperature, best humidity, LIGHTING - Incandescent is never recommended for
etc. By all means if anyone is satisifed with less, go for mushrooms. Incandescent lamps emit a red light that is
it. Many of use raise growing to an artform, but not all. at the opposite end of the spectrum from what mycelium
To each his own. prefers for primordia formation. Use fluorescent,
preferably 'natural daylight' tubes with a color
LIGHTING FRUITING - Just use a plain fluorescent
temperature above 5,000 Kelvin.
bulb, and keep it above the terrarium, not inside it. Heat
isn't an issue that way. As said, there's a big difference LIGHTING - I said use 6,500 Kelvin natural daylight
between short wavelength light(blue spectrum) and a fluorescent for best results. There is no contradiction.
light that makes your walls 'look' blue. However, the Mushroom cultivation was in its infancy 25 years ago.
whole blue light thing is overrated. Use a full spectrum We've learned a lot since then. Lamps with a color
lamp. temperature of 6,500 Kelvin are NOT low frequency-
they're considered 'blue' light.
LIGHTING - All you need to do is rotate your tubs
every day or two to offset the light from an angle. Even LIGHTING FC - Higher intensity light helps deliver a
if you don't, it's cool to see them grow towards the light. better pinset than lower intensity light. A few hours is
There's really no reason they need to grow straight up, cool, but most growers report better success with 12.
and growing at an angle actually gives the caps more The darkness time need not be total darkness. turning on
room to spread out without interferring with each other. the light to see to see what you're during your mushies
'night' won't hurt anything.
LIGHTING - Just use a plain fluorescent bulb, and
keep it above the terrarium, not inside it. Heat isn't an LIGHTING - They never need total darkness at any
issue that way. As said, there's a big difference between time. Ambient light is fine. 'We' don't say mushrooms
short wavelength light(blue spectrum) and a light that require only a small amount of light to grow however.
makes your walls 'look' blue. However, the whole blue Depending on the species, the results on pinset and
light thing is overrated. Use a full spectrum lamp. performance from much brighter lights is well
documented.
LIGHTING - If it's incandescent, it's the wrong color
temperature. You want a high frequency light such as LIGHTING - And natural daylight fluorescent takes it
natural daylight fluorescent for best results. Simply a step higher than cool white. They're the best of all.
hang it above the terrarium. Bright, intense, high Warm white=3000K, cool white=5000K, and natural
frequency light provides the best pinsets, so get a good daylight fluorescent=6500K. The higher the light
one. I use four, 4' natural daylight fluorescent tubes. temperature in Kelvin, the higher the frequency, or
closer to blue light.
LIGHTING - What you're giving is great. There are no
hard and fast rules. Some experienced folks give more LIGHTS, IN OR OUT OF FC/MARTHA - The
light, some less, but all get great pinsets, so don't worry problem is when the lights are turned off, they will draw
too much about light. A few hours a day is fine, so in moisture as they cool, then will be wet inside next
placing your project near a window where it gets time they're turned on. It's best to keep the lights outside
diffused sunlight, but no direct sunlight is ideal. of the terrarium or mini greenhouse unless they're
battery operated.
LIGHTING - You want lights that are high in the color
spectrum, thus a color temperature of 6500 to 7000 LIGHTING - And natural daylight fluorescent takes it
Kelvin works great. It will look bright white to your a step higher than cool white. They're the best of all.
eyes. Christmas lights are a poor choice. They do have Warm white=3000K, cool white=5000K, and natural
some full spectrum LED's out now, or you can use daylight fluorescent=6500K. The higher the light
'natural daylight' compact fluorescent lamps. temperature in Kelvin, the higher the frequency, or
closer to blue light.
SMART FRUITING CHAMBER LIGHTING - If a
light 'looks' blue to your naked eye, it means the blue LIGHTING - I use four 4' natural daylight 6500K
has been filtered out of the spectrum. It's fluorescent tubes for my mini greenhouse. It works like
counterproductive. The blue light is at the high a charm. The important thing is to keep the humidity to
frequency end of the spectrum. The best source of blue as close to 100% you can get while still allowing plenty
light, if you want to experiment, is a Metal Halide lamp. of air exchange. All three are important pinning triggers.

78
LIGHTING - I've found the brighter the better. You LIGHTING - NEVER use 24 hour light. They grow
might even move the cakes to where they can get some and form primordia during the period of darkness. Attics
diffused sunlight each day. Even direct sunlight for a are usually horrible places to grow due to wild
few minutes is a good thing. You might try some damp temperature swings. Light is required for primordia
verm on top of the cake too. That seems to help with formation as well.
pinsets.
LIGHTING - 12/12 from a high spectrum fluorescent,
LIGHTING - If a light 'looks' blue to your naked eye, it such as 'natural daylight' tubes with a color temperature
means the blue has been filtered out of the spectrum. It's of 6,500 Kelvin, will outperform other sources unless
counterproductive. The blue light is at the high you have a bright south window. Avoid direct sun.
frequency end of the spectrum. The best source of blue
LIGHTING - Incandescent is the worst possible light
light, if you want to experiment, is a Metal Halide lamp.
for mushrooms. While it might 'work', you'll get much
LIGHTING - 5100K is fine. I think 6,500K to 7,500K better performance and pinsets if you'll screw in a
is better, but when you compare to incandescent bulbs compact fluorescent instead of an incandescent light
which burn at 3,000K, they're way better. Definitely, bulb.
you don't want red. You also don't want any sort of
LIGHTING - Cool white fluorescent gives the most
colored cover over the bulb, and that includes blue.
bang for the buck in my experience. You'll definitely see
LIGHTING - If it's a 'kitchen and bath' fluorescent, it an increase in pinning activity with metal halides, but
probably has a color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin, just they use a lot of energy and produce a lot of heat.
like incandescent. It will still work, but possibly not as
LIGHTING - CFLs use a tiny fraction of the electricity
well as 'natural daylight' fluorescent. Put it right up
an incandescent bulb uses to produce the same amount
close to the fruiting chamber, but not inside.
of light. If you buy a CFL for mushroom growing, look
LIGHTING - 5100K is fine. I think 6,500K to 7,500K for one that says 6,500 K on the packaging.
is better, but when you compare to incandescent bulbs
LIGHT - Light has absolutely NOTHING to do with
which burn at 3,000K, they're way better. Definitely,
telling the mycelium that it has reached the surface. The
you don't want red. You also don't want any sort of
increased fresh air, with the corresponding drop in CO2
colored cover over the bulb, and that includes blue.
levels sends the mycelium that message.
LIGHTING - 12/12 is optimum, as is light at the high
end of the spectrum. For the best bang for your buck, LIGHTING - Lighting is extremely important, and it's
get natural daylight fluorescent tubes and run them important to provide it at the right light temperature and
12/12. Mushrooms grow and hyphal knots form intensity. Look for tubes with a light temperature above
primarily in the period of darkness, so 24/7 is a mistake. 5,000K.

LIGHTING - To repeat, light is a pinning trigger, but it LIGHTING - A 13 watt cfl does not produce 60 watts.
isn't the only one, and it's greatly overrated. For the best It produces the lumens a 60 watt incandescent bulb
pinsets, you have to balance several triggers at once. does, but at a higher frequency, which is better for pin
Screw up on any of them, and pinsets suffer, regardless formation.
of what you do with light. LIGHTING - I'd check the manufacturer website for
LIGHTING - Light has no effect on colonizing that info. You can get a 6500K fluorescent fixture and
mycelium. The information from twenty to thirty years tube for under twenty dollars at your local home
ago to keep them in the dark is just plain wrong. Light is megacenter.
not a pinning trigger until full colonization and a LIGHTING - Diffused sunlight through a window is
reduction in ambient CO2 levels. great. In fact, five to ten minutes of direct sunlight will
often get a stubborn substrate to begin pinning.
LIGHTING - You want bright fluorescent light in the
high frequency range. Look for 'natural daylight' tubes LIGHTING - Bright light stimulates pinning. The light
or whatever they call them in your country. They should has to be bright enough to penetrate the casing layer.
have a color temperature of 6,000 Kelvin to 7,000 Dim light will result in poor performance.
Kelvin for best results.
LIGHTING - Warm white=3000K, cool white=5000K,

79
and natural daylight fluorescent=6500K. The higher the them. Just don't do something stupid like pop the weight
light temperature in Kelvin, the higher the frequency, or off the PC at the end of the cycle and you can seal jars
closer to blue light. just fine. Agar being sterilized for Petri dishes in a jar or
bottle should get a filtered lid, as I said above. The agar
LIGHTING - Fluorescent lighting is great. Look for a
will settle out until after pressure cooking. Just before
color temperature in the 5,000K to 7,000K range. UV
pouring the plates, give it a stir. By the way, you can PC
light is bad for mushrooms.
any sealed container, except some plastic bags. I
LIGHTING - For those of you who have a project that routinely PC water in jars and also test tubes of agar that
'just won't pin' try switching to natural daylight are tightly sealed. They don't blow up. Pressure inside
fluorescent and watch them take off. the jar and outside is the same, therefore there is little to
no differential between them. Just don't do something
LIGHTING - You don't need a light right on the tub.
stupid like pop the weight off the PC at the end of the
You can have it near a window(recommended), or use
cycle and you can seal jars just fine. Agar being
just a regular ceiling light.
sterilized for Petri dishes in a jar or bottle should get a
LIGHTING - That would explain the no pins. You want filtered lid, as I said above. You can use jars as Petri
a light at the other end of the spectrum. I'd suggest dishes, but you'll tire of it quickly. They're much more
fluorescent tubes. of a pain in the ass to work with than Petri dishes. Many
growers new to agar use their jars, but once they switch
LIGHTING - You can get a 6500K fluorescent fixture
to Petri dishes, they don't go back. A simple strain
and tube for under twenty dollars at your local home
isolation series can easily generate fifty or more dishes
megacenter.
working simultaneously, and that's a LOT of jars to keep
LIGHTING - I use four 4' natural daylight 6500K stacked up.
fluorescent tubes for my mini greenhouse. It works like
AGAR - A few years ago, I ran several experiments to
a charm.
prove/disprove stamets' theory that if you clone very
LIGHTING - You don't want blue. You want full young healthy pins, the hormones that stimulate pinning
spectrum. That means they will look white. are active, therefore the mycelium that grows from
those pins will in turn produce better flushes with
LIGHTING - Light is a secondary pinning trigger, once
abundant primordia and fewer aborts. These pins were
full colonization has been reached.
not sterile by any means, yet they were layed on the
LIGHTING - Any cfl would be better than an agar and the rapidly expanding mycelium simply
incandescent light bulb. overran any bacteria or molds that may have been
present. You wouldn't get that same performance from a
LC/AGAR/CLONING/STERILE large fruit that was fully mature. Of course, I would
PROCEDURE/HELP/PROBLEMS/OTHER never transfer those sections to grains because of
AGAR - Put a lid on the jar that has been drilled and dormant contaminant spores that may be present.
fitted with a filter. In other words, if you're using a jar, Instead, a small piece of mycelium from the leading
treat it like a grain jar. I use a whiskey bottle with a edge should be transferred to a new dish, which once
filter in the lid for agar because it's easier to pour. Pour grown out for a few days can then inoculate up to ten
the dishes after the agar has cooled, but before it's quart jars, or be transferred to LC to grow out the
solidified. I wait until I don't need an insulated glove or isolated strain for even larger inoculations. It was
pot holder to protect my hands from the heat. This will inconclusive on the hormone thing. This was already an
prevent condensation. Pour the dishes in a vertical stack, isolated strain and an excellent performer. If anything, it
and then slip the sleeve back over them as protection may have pinned a day or two sooner, but there's too
while they cool. The agar will settle out until after many other variables involved to be able to attribute it
pressure cooking. Just before pouring the plates, give it to just the hormones. Use pins. The pins grow very
a stir. By the way, you can PC any sealed container, aggressively to eat for lunch any contaminant spores
except some plastic bags. I routinely PC water in jars that might be on them. a large already slowed down fruit
and also test tubes of agar that are tightly sealed. They will not. I used Gentamicin Sulfate.
don't blow up. Pressure inside the jar and outside is the AGAR/ISOLATES - The hot agar is a way to isolate
same, therefore there is little to no differential between

80
away from contaminants. It's mostly used when cloning the temperatures between the dishes and reduce
wild mushroom tissue that is infused with bacteria and condensation to a minimum. If you don't have a
molds within the mushroom itself. You pour the piping flowhood, you should slide the plastic cover back over
hot agar over the contaminated culture until it's the stack to enclose them as they solidify.
completely covered with agar, and then watch it An excellent bottle for agar is a used whisky or other
carefully over the next few days. The bacteria and liquor bottle with a long neck and screw on lid. You can
molds are 'pasteurized' by the hot agar, but in this case, use polyfill or a synthetic filter disk cut to size in the lid.
the mushroom mycelium is more resillient and begins to Just drill a 1/4" or larger hole in the lid. Cover with foil
grow up through the top layer of agar, reaching the and PC. The filter will keep the agar from
surface in 48 hours or so. Shave off the mycelium with a contaminating as the PC cools and until ready to pour.
scalpel as it appears on top without taking any of the Don't remove the foil until just before you pour the
agar. Do this with each growth that appears on top as dishes.
soon as you see it, preferably within an hour or two of
AGAR - In a glovebox you can easily get a tiny piece of
its appearance. This tek separates healthy mushroom
good mycelium from that dish and move to a fresh one.
mycelium from the contaminants. After the transfers,
Get the mycelium from the opposite side of the dish to
each dish is inspected under the microscope to identify
the contaminant. Once you have the mycelium on a new
perfect vs imperfect fungi. The molds are tossed out and
dish, about two to three days later, you'll see the
the mushroom mycelium is kept.
mycelium crawling off the wedge to the new agar. At
AGAR - Do not turn them upside down. As workman this point, transfer a tiny piece of the fresh growth to a
said, keep temperature swings to a minimum. Keep the new plate. If you make the second transfer before the
dishes in a vertical stack, and usually only the top one mold germinates, you now have a clean culture. If not,
will have any condensation after a few days. It also continue doing transfers until you get ahead of the mold.
helps if you wait to pour the Petri dishes until the agar It's easy to clean up cultures from contamination on
has cooled enough that it starts to thicken. You won't agar. You need to wrap your dishes to prevent
need heat protection for your hands at this point either. contaminants getting under the lid. Remember, any time
This is the best way to avoid condensation. Always the air temperature in your room changes, the agar
colonize agar at normal room temperature. You'll need expands and contracts, forcing air in and out of the dish.
to transfer away from contaminants as soon as they're This causes contamination if you don't have a gas
noticed. Antibiotic agar will help with bacteria if you're permeable wrap around the edges such as parafilm.
attempting to clone outdoor wild mushrooms, but the Some growers use cling wrap with success, but I stick
antibiotics aren't needed when working with indoor with parafilm. At any rate, get the edges wrapped. Good
clones or spores.You want to wrap Petri dishes with luck.
parafilm. It breathes, yet has a pore size that prevents
AGAR - One swipe of spores on agar will yield
contaminant spores from entering. Without parafilm, the
hundreds of strains. By selecting a dozen or so of the
slightest temperature variation will cause contaminants
best rhizomorphic strains and fruiting each one
to be drawn into your dishes, where they might remain
separately, you can find the super performer that will
dormant until you spawn the agar to grains, at which
cover every spot of your casing layer with healthy pins.
time you'll wonder where all the green came from. I
It might take hundreds of multispore grows to find that
would imagine micropore tape would work also. Some
strain, if ever, because multispore inoculated substrates
growers use Glad cling wrap. I use Parafilm.
usually end up with only one or two strains by the time
POURING AGAR - Don't disturb them unnecessarily. they fruit because they've all combined. (anastomosis).
Over time, the excess water will replace moisture that This means the good fruiting and potent strains combine
evaporates from the dish. The moisture is caused from with the poor fruiting and bunk strains. You never know
the inside of the dish being warmer than the outside. what you're going to get. Isolate on agar, then fruit
When you pour agar, let it cool until it begins to thicken separately and test each strain. When you find the best
a bit. You want it to cool in the bottle you sterilize in, one, you can keep master slants in the refrigerator and
not the Petri dishes. When cool enough to pour without grow that isolate forever.
heat protection for your hands, fill your Petri dishes, and
AGAR - The reason you don't see rhizomorphs early on
leave them stacked in a vertical pile. This will equalize
is because there's so many substrains active, they cover

81
each other up. It usually takes two or three transfers to transfers of pieces of mycelium from the leading edge
begin to see rhizomorphic growth. I'd transfer a tiny of the circle of growth and transfer to new plates. As
piece from each sector to new dishes. I usually make the these start to grow out, you'll probably see some
first transfers as soon as the spores begin to germinate, sectoring. Transfer each sector to a new dish, and
when the total growth is the size of a dime or less. continue until you have single sector isolates, and then
Repeat the process a few times. Don't try to isolate 'one' fruit each one to find a few stellar performers. Be sure
rhizomorphic growth. Instead, isolate as many as you to keep them properly labeled so when you fruit out a
can, and then fruit each one. Once you determine the great one, you can go back to the original Petri dish that
best isolate, you can store it in master culture slants to you've stored in the refrigerator, to get an earlier version
use for years to come without degradation. of it to propagate and store in a culture slant.

AGAR/TRANSFER - A Petri dish that is fully AGAR - The purpose of agar is to be able to isolate
colonized is not one that I'd use to inoculate grain mycelium away from contaminants, and to be able to
masters with, even if the dish was wrapped with isolate strains. By inoculating and leaving, if
parafilm. I'd suggest taking a small piece of mycelium contaminants are present, they'll germinate and get a
from the Petri dishes, and use it to inoculate fresh head start on the slower growing mycelium. I'd wait
dishes. Allow that to grow for a few days, and then grab until you get back to inoculate. Often, bacteria and
a very tiny piece of mycelium from the leading edge of molds will be growing along with the mushroom
the new growth. Transfer that fresh mycelium to a third mycelium, and you'll want to be there to make transfers.
dish and allow to grow 2/3 of the way across the dish. Agar isn't for expanding mycelium, so don't allow a dish
This clean mycelium can then be used to inoculate up to to grow fully out.
ten 1 quart/liter grain masters, which can each inoculate
AGAR - A single swipe of spores from a print, or a
ten more via grain to grain transfers.
couple drops from a syringe might generate dozens or
AGAR - You simply lift the lid of the grain jar and drop more sectors. I'd suggest transferring all of them to new
the agar wedge in. Prior to that, wipe the surfaces of the dishes. You don't want to just isolate one strain, because
Petri dish and grain jar with alcohol, flame sterilize the it might be a dud. Isolate several promising looking
scalpel, wear surgical gloves that have been washed strains and then grow each one out to determine the
with alcohol, and work as fast as possible, leaving the one(s) you want to keep for perpetuity in master culture
agar culture exposed for only a few seconds, and the slants.
grain jar lid open no more than 2 seconds. It may be
AGAR - Cool the agar until just before it's too thick to
stating the obvious, but the use of a glovebox or
pour. In addition, be sure to stack the dishes in a vertical
flowhood should be considered mandatory. Let the
configuration for colonization. Temperature differential
mycelium recover from the wedge into the grains for a
causes condensation, so both the hot agar, and also the
few days before you shake.
heat produced by the mycelium will cause condensation.
ISOLATING ON AGAR - Sometimes, even with a Stacking the dishes helps prevent condensation from the
clean sporeprint, you'll get a bit of contamination on the latter by equalizing the temperature.
dish along with the mushroom mycelium. This is easy to
AGAR - You'll be much more likely to inoculate with
transfer away from, by taking a small piece of
molds and bacteria using powdered material. The dry
mushroom mycelium and moving it to a new dish.
tissue can also be grown out on agar without spores, but
Always take mycelium from the leading edge of the
it takes a lot of transfers and patience. I'd suggest
growth because this is the farthest away from the
antibiotic agar. You can use up to 15mg of Gentmycin
contaminant. We also transfer individual sectors away
sulphate per liter of agar to help control bacteria. You'll
from each other so individual strains can grow out to
just have to isolate away from the molds though.
determine the best fruiting ones. When cloning wild
mushrooms, there's almost always molds and bacteria AGAR/LC - Can you get DEXTROSE (straight corn
present, so it takes several transfers to get a clean sugar) & LIGHT DRY MALT powder? Both can be had
culture. at wine & beer (home brew) places. If so? Level
teaspoon of each, into quart water. Simmer on stove to
AGAR - It often takes a few transfers from the initial
dissolve, filter, pour in jars, PC 5 to 8 minutes & you
spore swipe for strains to differentiate. Take a series of
should end up with a fluid that is a light golden beer

82
color (no chunks or flakes). mycelium. Agar itself isn't used to expand mycelium.

AGAR - We don't use agar to expand the mycelium so AGAR TRANSFER - You want the Petri dishes open
large dishes are worthless. We use agar to clean up our the least amount of time possible. I follow the 5 second
cultures from contaminants in the two dimensional rule. Never allow a Petri dish or jar lid to be open for
space of a flat plane. Therefore, smaller dishes are most more than five seconds at any time. Never have more
efficient because you shouldn't leave a culture growing than one Petri dish open at the same time.
more than ten days or so on a dish before doing
WATER, AGAR - Lake water works fine, as does
something with it.
bottled or even tap water. I use regular tap water for
AGAR - Never use a warming plate with Petri dishes. everything except mixing agar. The organisms in the
Leave them in the bag they come in until they are IN lake water won't help as they'll be 86'd by the PC.
your glovebox or in front of a flow hood. Wrap with
AGAR - Fungi is perfect bacteriological agar made
parafilm, four squares per dish as soon as you inoculate.
from the correct Petri types of agar, has
There is absolutely no reason to worry about keeping
malt/peptone/yeast which is the best combo, and has
Petri dishes in the dark. Light has zero effect on agar or
alot more then those packets you get form those 10
colonizing mycelium.
dollar packets.
AGAR/SPORES - Unless the spores were from a cap
AGAR - Normally, the term nutrient agar is used to
that just dropped them an hour or two earlier, it takes a
refer to agar that has blood or other ingredients to tune it
bit longer to see growth. You might see something if
specifically to bacteria, which is what we are trying to
you put the dish under a microscope, but it takes a few
tune against. I recommend MEA.
days after germination for them to thicken up enough to
see with the naked eye. AGAR - I don't remove it from the pressure cooker until
it's below 150F, and I then wait to pour until I don't need
AGAR - Always mix the dry ingredients first, then add
any heat protection for my hands. That's about 115F or
a small amount of room temperature water and swirl it
perhaps less. If you pour it too hot, you'll get a lot of
around until the powder is dissolved. Don't shake, just
condensation on your Petri dish lids.
swirl. Then add the rest of the water and sterilize. Pour
the dishes before the agar cools below 100F or it will AGAR - The moisture on the lid is caused by the
begin to solidify. temperature differential. Don't store dishes upside down.
Inoculate as soon as the agar cools. There is no need to
AGAR - If two drops or even three land, it won't kill
wait.
your plate. One is usually enough though, especially if
you're doing strain isolations. Just be sure to put one AGAR - If not the pre-mix, you'd want to get some
drop on each of a dozen plates so you can isolate out a bacteriological grade, light malt extract,
LOT of strains to find the best performer(s). dextrose(optionally) nutritionally yeast, and peptone.

AGAR - Antibiotics such as Gentmycin sulphate will LC/AGAR - I use extra water in the PC when doing
help protect against bacteria, but do nothing to slow agar or LC so the pressure will drop more slowly due to
down fungi such as trichoderma or the other the thermal mass of the extra water.
contaminants of mushroom culture. Sterile technique is
AGAR - Yes. You can also transfer healthy mycelium
the key to avoiding contaminants of all kinds in our art.
away from the contaminant, thus cleaning up the
AGAR - When working with wild prints, I'll often use culture.
antibiotic agar, and mix it with less malt. If you buy pre-
LC/AGAR - Extra light malt, dextrose, nutritional
mixed agar powder from fp or sporeworks, you can mix
yeast, gypsum. Makes the strongest growth.
it a bit weaker than recommended. This will keep from
feeding the mold and bacteria quite so much. AGAR - One fruit body MAY contain multiple sub-
strins of the same original. Look into AGAR.
AGAR - Agar is for germinating spores and isolating
strains from each other and away from contaminants. AGAR - Gentmycin sulphate makes a great antibiotic
You can use agar wedges to inoculate jars, which you because it's autoclavable.
then use for grain to grain transfers to expand the
AGAR/PETRI DISHES - Glad cling wrap instead of

83
parafilm. store. It says "10% iodine solution" on the bottle. I like
it for cloning because it kills bacteria without stressing
CLONING - Often, the reason later flushes produce
out the mycelium the way peroxide does. When you're
only a few larger fruits is because the pinning surface
cloning, you want the mycelium to grow as fast as
has been torn up by previous picking, and the few
possible, and peroxide shocks it, and then it has to
remaining spots to pin from are all that's left...thus
recover before it grows again. As we all know, molds
larger fruits form. Cloning these does not insure you'll
grow faster than mushroom mycelium, so we don't want
get large fruits next time. That said, large fruits are not
to do anything to slow down growth.
desirable. Smaller fruits have more active product per
gram than larger ones, so try to produce larger flushes of CLONING INDOOR FRUITS - I should also
smaller fruits. When cloning, select a young, rapidly mention, when cloning clean indoor fruits, no iodine is
growing fruit for best results. You want a fruit that is needed. Simply split the stem as shown in the video, and
rapidly dividing cells, so it will take off quickly on agar. scrape a touch of mycelium out of the center where it
I prefer to clone from clusters, because they'll tend to hasn't been exposed to air. The iodine/betadine is perfect
produce clusters on future flushes, giving the volume for cloning wild outdoor mushrooms that have all sorts
desired, but with smaller and more desirable fruits. of bacteria and molds growing in conjunction with
them.
CLONING TEK - Just so you take the tissue from the
center of the stem after tearing it open with your hands. CLONING STRAIN - Small, rapidly growing fruits
Use a flame sterilized blade. You can probably skip the make the best candidates for cloning. If the mushroom
alcohol. The air inside the bag should be still. I do has already matured, the cells have stopped dividing,
similar when cloning wild mushrooms on backpacking thus it's not a good candidate. If you like clusters of
trips. I take several Petri dishes sealed up in a baggie, a fruits, clone from a cluster. If you like individual fruits,
clear trash bag to use as a glovebox, and a scalpel and clone a loner.
alcohol torch. The scalpel is flamed outside the bag,
CLONING BLEACH - I've cloned wild mushrooms
then stuck in while still hot. When it cools, the clone is
before by dipping in 10% bleach for up to fifteen
taken. Don't forget to wear latex gloves.
minutes to kill bacteria before placing on agar. The
CLONING - You can pour iodine over the stem to kill bacteria is killed, but not the mushroom OR mold
live bacteria on it, but it's really not necessary if you rip mycelium that might be along for the ride.
the stem lengthwise first to expose tissue that has never
CLONING MUSHROOMS - I often dip wild
previously been exposed to air, thus generally free of
mushrooms, and dry mushroom tissue into a ten percent
contaminants. Outdoor mushrooms should be dipped in
bleach solution before cloning, to kill off bacteria. The
iodine no matter what before cloning, but with indoor
fungi survives just fine, but it kicks the bacteria out.
grown ones usually it isn't necessary. Don't use alcohol
on mushroom tissue. STRAIN ISOLATION VS CLONING - As for
cloning vs strain isolation, they're not related. By the
CLONING - It won't affect your pinset because that's
time a substrate fruits, hundreds or perhaps thousands of
related to your technique, but it's well known that
strains have exchanged DNA, either weakening or
mycelium cloned from a cluster will produce
strengthening the mass. What you get is a 'heinz 57' that
mushrooms in clusters. That's not just cubes either.
may or may not be that great because the weaker genes
Edible growers have noted this for decades. The best
and the stronger genes(mycelium) have all combined.
oyster strains have been cloned from wild fruits that
An example would be mixed breed dogs. We've all seen
grew in clusters. In other words, clusters are a genetic
good examples and others that are dumber then hell.
trait.
Strain isolation on agar begins when the spores first
CLONING - You can use iodine, or better yet, just tear start to germinate. I make the first transfers as soon as I
the stem lengthwise to expose virgin tissue in the can see mycelium growing from the point of
middle, and then cut a tiny piece out from there that has inoculation, long before sectoring can be detected. By
never been exposed to air. Use a flame sterilized needle doing this, and by continuing to separate each individual
or scalpel to get the tissue. growth, you can isolate mycelium prior to the process of
anastomosis combining dikaryons into a single mass.
IODINE CLONING - I get iodine from a local drug
You don't isolate looking for one super rhizomorphic

84
strain. You isolate down to single sectors and then fruit STRAIN ISOLATES - It's extremely rare for
out each one to determine the best performer. When you rhizomorphic isolates to be none fruiting.
transfer mycelium to a grain master, the original Petri
LIQUID CULTURE - 1000ML LC a.k.a Liquid
dish the mycelium was taken from is placed into a clean
Culture
refrigerator. By doing this, when you find the best
1%=1.92Ts
performing strain, you then go back to your well marked
2%=3.84Ts
Petri dishes, thus your original P1 culture. This Petri
3%=5.76Ts
dish can be used to inoculate a few test tube slants that
4%=7.68Ts
can be incubated for a week, then placed in cold storage.
1%=0.64TB
Whenever you need mycelium, a tiny piece the size of a
2%=1.28TB
grain of rice can be taken from the test tube and put on
3%=1.92TB
agar to grow out, while the test tube is placed back into
4%=2.56TB
the refrigerator. These stored test tube cultures preserve
the low P value of your isolated strain for years. LIQUID CULTURE - Throwing spores into honey or
I have a complete video tek on strain isolation and karo has to be the worst possible way to make a liquid
master slant preparation and use already filmed. I'll culture and I'll be glad when this current fad passes and
release it when I get the rest of the teks filmed, and folks can get back to established techniques. Just
editing completed. Hopefully soon. inoculate some grains or brf in the standard way and
you'll be miles ahead. For those who wish to make LC
ISOLATING STRAINS - Right. You isolate every
for inoculation, here's a way to get 100 syringes full of
single strain you can, and then fruit them all. While
inoculant in two weeks: 1) Inoculate a quart jar of rye
they're fruiting, the 'master' from each strain is in the
berries or wbs with your spores. Upon full colonization,
refrigerator. After you determine the best performers,
shake the jar to loosen each individual kernel. Be sure to
you go back to the appropriate masters and get them
give it the smell test to make sure it smells like fresh
out. Those are the ones you transfer to culture slants for
mushrooms. 2) PC a quart of distilled water in a jar with
long term storage. Rhizomorphic mycelium tends to
a filter disk or tyvek, etc. In a glovebox or in front of a
fruit better than cottony mycelium, but a single swipe of
flowhood, pour 2/3 of the quart jar of sterilized water
spores on agar is likely to generate fifty or more
into your jar of shaken grains. 3) Shake well and then
individual sectors(strains), and half or so of those will
pour the now mycelium rich water back into whatever
be rhizomorphic. Those are the ones I keep for fruiting,
was left of your jar of sterilized water. Use the jar lid to
and discard the cottony sectors.
hold back the grains themselves from pouring out. You
ISOLATING - Don't wait for the first dish to fully now have a full quart of highly concentrated mycelium
colonize. As soon as it begins to grow, transfer water that can then be used as is, or diluted two or three
mycelium away from the point of cloning to new dishes. times again, and used to fill syringes. Because the grains
This way, you can isolate healthy mycelium away from were shaken first, the mycelium is ripped into shreds
contaminants. You won't be doing strain isolation on a and will be sucked through even small needles easily,
clone, so don't bother looking for rhizomorphs. Just get although larger needles always work better for
healthy mycelium. this.Remember, mycelium grows poorly in water unless
under constant stir which oxygenates it. With grains,
STRAIN ISOLATION - For strain isolations, you can't
they colonize in two weeks or less because oxygen is
beat the three section dishes. You're only letting the
throughout the jar in the spaces between the kernels.
mycelium grow for a few days before making the next
transfer, so you can to three times the amount of work LIQUID CULTURE - A glovebox is not advanced
on each dish. The four section dishes are great too. I equipment. One can be made free with stuff around the
don't even order the plain dishes anymore. house, so there's no need for people to work in open air
or fecal and mold infested bathrooms and kitchens.
CLONING/ISOLATING - Cloning a fruit from within
There is also no way to generate 100 full syringes of
a cluster will provide a strain that will produce clusters.
liquid mycelium in very small pieces within two weeks
It matters not which fruit you choose from within the
from injecting spores into honey or karo. I'm sure if
cluster, but you'll have better success if you'll clone
people blindly used the grain method I described above,
while they're still small and rapidly growing.
many would still have problems too, because they're

85
inserting unproved and possibly contaminated spore inoculate ten to twenty additional jars of grains via grain
solution into grains, which also isn't proper mycological to grain transfer in the traditional method.
technique. However, agar can easily be poured in a
LIQUID CULTURE/COLONIZED SPAWN JAR -
glovebox, and the Petri dishes used to isolate healthy
You want a fully colonized jar of grains to start with.
mushroom mycelium away from any contaminants in
Add sterilized distilled water to nearly fill up the jar,
less time than it takes to even know if a karo LC is
then shake well, and draw the now myceliated water
contaminated or not. That agar wedge can then be used
back out. This is far faster and more dependable than
to inoculate the quart(or pint) jar of grains, that can then
making LC from spores because you can smell the rye
be turned into at least 100 syringes, or used for g2g
jar before using to make sure it isn't contaminated. In
transfer to get ten jars the old standard way. In addition,
addition, a jar of rye colonizes in two weeks, and will
after the water is poured out of the grain jar, it can be
make at least 30 syringes. You won't get that
placed back on the shelf to re-colonize, and the process
performance from karo water.
can be repeated again. I just strongly feel new growers
are doing themselves a disservice when they simply LIQUID CULTURE - You can harvest liquid
inject spores into honey water and then sit there waiting mycelium from the rye or wbs several times. After
for something to happen. At the very least, inject shaking the jar of grains to break them up, you can pour
directly to grains so you can visually inspect the nearly a full pint of sterilized water into the jar, then
process. Perhaps Agar's lids with injection ports will shake again. Since there are nutrients in the grain
help those who have never used grains to get off to a juice/mycelium, you only need to pull a small amount of
good start. this solution into each syringe. Finish filling the syringe
with sterilized water, and the mycelium will grow into
LIQUID CULTURE - You might want to read more
it, expanding by several factors within a week.
than the last paragraph. I described a method to generate
ten times as much LC in a shorter period of time LIQUID CULTURE - The more air to a liquid culture
without contamination. I'm not against liquid culture. I the better. That's why experienced growers always use a
use it all the time. I'm simply dead against the idea of magnetic stirrer running 24/7. This ensures the entire
squirting a syringe into a bottle of karo/water. I insist on LC is constantly oxygenated. I still don't understand
having at least some verification my LC is good before I why growers are slowing down their work so much
inject a bunch of jars. The analogy of a new growers trying to grow liquid cultures in mason jars. You can
greatest fear doesn't hold water. If his pf jars expand mycelium at least ten times faster in grains than
contaminated due to contaminated spores/syringe, it in liquid, AND you'll know if it's contaminated before
does no good to have even ten gallons of contaminated you use it.
LC on hand. If they contaminated due to his sloppy
LC CONTAMINANT EYE - If it's snow WHITE. It's
procedure, he's likely to have used the same sloppy
right. FOR LC If you don't stir or agitate one every day,
procedure making an LC. In my posts, I always try to
myc gets to the top & forms little islands that turn to
show a way to have the greatest possible success rate,
thick pancakes. As, it has better gas exchange on the
not necessarily the cheapest, easiest or laziest method.
surface. How, I test for LC contams, is to STOP stirring
LIQUID CULTURE - Sort of, but if you want liquid one. If anything grows on the surface that isn't snow
culture syringes, all you have to do is grow out a quart white. It isn't RIGHT. Most often contams show up as
jar of rye berries, and then when it's fully colonized, light gray / light blue growing on the surface.
shake it well, and pour nearly a full quart of sterilized
LIQUID CULTURE - In addition, many growers waste
water into the jar. Shake well again, and then draw the
valuable time by injecting spores into sugar water.
myceliated water back out into syringes. As an
Many times, you don't know you have contaminants
alternative, you can pour the quart of myceliated water
present until you use your 'lc' to inoculate grains or brf.
into a sterile gallon of water to dilute the solution. You'll
By then, you would have long ago discovered the
then have enough liquid culture to fill a few hundred
contamination and replaced the contaminated jars, had
syringes, and it only takes two to three weeks to get to
you been growing on grains or brf directly.
this point from spores. In addition, after harvesting the
mycelium from the surface of the grains as described AGAR/LC - Can you get DEXTROSE (straight corn
above, you can then still use the left over grains to sugar) & LIGHT DRY MALT powder? Both can be had

86
at wine & beer (home brew) places. If so? Level Mushrooms are NOT plants and don't have a circulatory
teaspoon of each, into quart water. Simmer on stove to system. Mushrooms grown on straw don't taste like
disolve, filter, pour in jars, PC 5 to 8 minutes & you straw and mushrooms grown on a bible don't taste like
should end up with a fluid that is a light golden beer paper, and mushrooms grown on horse manure don't
color (no chunks or flakes). taste like horse manure...you get the point.

LC JAR - Every tiny exposure to unfiltered air, CONTAMINATED NATURE MUSHROOMS - In

increases the chance of a contam getting in. After jars nature, thousands upon thousands of organisms can
are cool. With polyfil in one hole, simply stick syringe inhabit the same square inch of soil, thus each has his
needle right through tape on other hole, inject & tape own niche and they all work together in harmony like
(with sterile tape) over the existing tape. That minimizes instruments in a band.
external air exposure. Since we have no way to duplicate this indoors, we use
sterile culture where the only organism allowed to grow
LIQUID CULTURE - I sterilize the water that will be
is the mushroom mycelium.
used for the LC syringe. In a separate pan I boil the
It's a common misunderstanding that a contaminated
syringe for at least half an hour. Put a lid on the pot and
substrate means a contaminated crop, which is incorrect.
leave the syringe in the boiling water right up until
By that definition, all outdoor mushrooms would be
you're ready to go to work.
toxic, yet they are not. If our sterile culture becomes
STORING LC - You can store G-1 LC in 5, 50 or 100 contaminated, the contamination might kill off our
vials of sterile water (years & years).Any time you want mycelium, but will be of little harm to us. Eating
G-1 pull a tube out of the Fridge & go for it. Either start mushrooms from a cake with green mold will NOT hurt
a new LC with it, or go to grains, then G2G. anyone.

LC - If you allow LC to go longer than five days post MUSHROOMS FROM CONTAMINATED
eberbach, the mycelium begins to grow into a solid SUBSTRATES - Every mushroom that grows in the
organism which is not nearly as effective to inoculate wild grows in conjunction with molds. In fact, I don't
with as a few million individual colonies. think I've ever picked an oyster mushroom from a log in
the forest that didn't also have trichoderma growing on
LC - 1/2 teaspoon light dry malt, 1/2 teaspoon corn
it. That's how common trich is. In fact, trichoderma
sugar to quart water, simmer, filter, add to jar, add lid
inhabits nearly every cubic inch of soil on earth except
w/filter, PC 15 minutes, innoc, store at around 82F.
extreme deserts and the arctic. On page one of Paul
DON'T USE MARBELS FOR LC - FOR Stamets 'Mycelium Running', he starts with this
LC...Marbles tend to break glass and not have that sentence: "There are more species of fungi, bacteria, and
swirling tornado twirl when using. protozoa in a single scoop of soil than there are plants
and vertebrate animals in all of North America".
LIQUID CULTURE - In fact, I have liquid mycelium
However, we can pick wild boletes, chaneterelles,
cultures stored in the refrigerator for years that are still
agaricus, matsutake, etc., etc., from this mold infested
viable.
soil, and eat them without getting sick. We can pick
INOCULATING WITH LC WBS - Drain the WBS Cubensis from a nasty pile of maggot infested cow shit
much longer, if you inoculate with LC. (rids WBS of and eat it without getting sick. If you put blue cheese
excessive moisture). salad dressing on your salad, you're eating huge chunks
of the penicillium mold, because it's floating in the
LIQUID CULTURE - People have used bottled fruit
dressing. It never ceases to amaze me the fear that gets
juice for LC for years. It requires no sterilization.
spread on these boards over harmless molds. If your
LC/AGAR - Extra light malt, dextrose, nutritional fruits were covered with yellow or brown molds, I'd say
yeast, gypsum. Makes the strongest growth. toss them, as you would any moldy fruit or other food.
Likewise if they were wet and became rotten from
LC - LC's are very prone to contamination, if ever
bacteria, because bacteria can cause food poisoning.
exposed to open air.
However, as I've said for many years, just because
FLAVOR OF MUSHROOMS - You won't add there's a spot of mold on a cake, does not mean the
anything to the substrate to change the flavor. fruits growing from that cake are contaminated.

87
Mushrooms do not have vascular systems like plants, mushroom nutriment needs? SUBSTRATE: carbon /
and do not suck up contaminant molds or bacteria from nitrogen ratio <17:1, nitrogen 2.6%, phosphorus 0.2-
the substrate. If the fruit is fine and healthy, munch 0.5%, potassium 1.5-2.5%, calcium 1.5-2.5%, available
away. And, for those of you who don't know, please stop boron <2 ppm, available ammonium <10 ppm, soluble
spreading myths and fear. salts 3.0-5 OdS/m. This suffices from spawning to
cropping.
SPENT MUSHROOM MYCELIUM - Once your
mushrooms have fruited a few times, the substrate is SPENT MYCELIUM - The reason is it's probably not
used up. You can't replace it with more fertilizer, out of food. It's old. You can't take some 100 year old
because mushrooms are not plants that uptake water and dude and if you keep feeding him, he'll keep on living.
nutrients to create energy in the leaves. Mushroom It doesn't work that way. Things live for a given time,
mycelium, which lives in the soil, eats its food, then die. It's nature.
therefore after a few flushes, the food is gone. If you
KEEPING MUSHROOMS FRESH - I've used a
have a straw and dung loving species, you can bury the
combination of CO2, Argon, and Nitrogen gasses, and
spent substrate into some horse or cow manure in a
shady spot outdoors. Keep it slightly moist, and in a they still rot. You need to dry them though.
month or two, you'll probably see a nice flush. If you CONTAMINATED MUSHROOMS - Molds would be
have a wood decomposing species, do the above, but visible, and bacteria needs water to survive. If they were
with hardwood chips and sawdust. cracker dry, they're fine.
COOKING WITH MUSHROOMS - Next time you MUSHROOMS CAN'T SUCK UP SHIT LIKE
have a bunch of fresh cubes, cut off the stems and set PLANTS - Mushrooms DO NOT HAVE
them aside for another day. Take the caps and rub a little circulatory/vascular systems.
blue cheese or ranch salad dressing into the gills. Rub
olive oil on the outside of the cap. Add salt and pepper MUSHROOM GENETICS - Mushroom genetics are
to taste, then grill outside on the bbq until done(gill side far different than plant genetics. With mj, one can plant
up), usually only a few minutes. when the dressing in seeds that will generally produce a crop similar to the
the gills starts to boil, it's done. It's hard to beat cubes parents. Such is not the case with mushrooms. Each
for good taste when cooked. When raw, they're nasty as mushroom produces millions, if not billions of spores.
hell, just like any raw mushroom. The heat will degrade Each spore has a set of genetics unlike any other spore.
them slightly, but not much. Cook up about 50 grams of 'Think fingerprints'. Now, another analogy. Humans
fresh caps and you'll be happy. breed fairly true because a male and female produce
offspring, thus the child is a 50-50 cross. Following that
MUSHROOMS FROM CONTAMINATED analogy, understand that mushrooms can have 20,000 or
SOURCE - Mushrooms from a contaminated cake are more 'sexes' represented in those billion or so
safe to eat. They don't 'absorb' contaminants from the individually unique spores. Thus, the chances of a
substrate or all wild mushrooms would be unsafe to eat. collection of mushroom spores breeding true to the
If the mold or bacteria is on the fruit itself of course, parents is very low.
don't eat it. It's common in the commercial industry to
harvest fruits from contaminated substrates and send MUSHROOMS - It's not just nutrients, because
them to market. There are no health regulations against mushrooms aren't plants. Mushrooms eat their food just
it because it's not a risk factor. like humans and produce body heat as they metabolise
the food, just like humans. They also release the carbon
EATING MUSHROOMS - Getting nausea and the in their food as CO2 just like humans. Therefore, they
shits from eating raw mushrooms is not a sign that they
need solid food, not just nutrients. Their preferred food
were contaminated. It's very hard for our systems to
in artificial cultivation seems to be grains, such as rye
digest raw mushrooms, thus it's normal for the body to
and rice. You can expand your harvest by using large
want to puke them out. Raw mushrooms are not
amounts of less nutritious foods for the mycelium such
digested, thus you excrete them in much the same form
as manure and coir. You won't find a 'nutrient' that you
as you swallow them. Therefore, getting the shits a day
can add to the solid food that will enhance the crop
after tripping is also common.
much, if any at all.
MUSHROOM SUBSTRATE NEED - What do

88
MUSHROOMS - Nitrogen is for plants. Mushrooms growers move on to other species, or lose interest in the
eat their food. I speculate in a few years, you won't ever hobby. I suggest to all to stop in at the gourmet and
even hear the term 'nitrogen' in relation to fungi. medicinal forum to exchange tips and ideas on legal
Potency isn't related to substrate, so you can add all the edibles. Mushroom growing is great fun, and if you play
junk you want and it won't make them more potent. your cards right, there's a lot of money to be made.
You'll want to isolate for a strain on agar that is more
MUSHROOMS FROM CONTAMINATED
potent, and then save it in master slants.
SOURCE - Mushrooms from a contaminated cake are
MUSHROOMS - You are correct. Mycelium doesn't safe to eat. They don't 'absorb' contaminants from the
have a vascular system. It's composed of long cells, substrate or all wild mushrooms would be unsafe to eat.
stacked end to end to form a network. It doesn't take a If the mold or bacteria is on the fruit itself of course,
circulatory system for heavy metals to be absorbed. don't eat it. It's common in the commercial industry to
Other substances are metabolized by the mycelium. harvest fruits from contaminated substrates and send
That's why mushrooms can grow on manure, but we them to market. There are no health regulations against
don't get e coli from eating mushrooms. However, it because it's not a risk factor.
according to stamets, if there's lead or mercury in the
MUSHROOMS AND PLANTS - All fungi help to
soil, they will absorb it. I've never personally tested for
break down material in the soil, which in turn makes the
such.
nutrients more available to plant roots. In fact, our
MUSHROOMS - Mycelium does NOT absorb myco- nemesis trichoderma is a very beneficial organism in the
toxins from other species such as molds and transmit soil for that reason. I've noticed also that burying spent
them to the fruits! This is very well known in mycology. and/or contaminated cakes into houseplants or the
Every wild mushroom grows in conjunction with garden benefits the plants. They always green up and
hundreds of other fungi, yeasts, and bacteria, yet who look much better a month or two later.
has ever been poisoned by wild morels, chanterelles,
MUSHROOMS - Mushroom mycelium consumes
cubensis, etc?? However, it's best not to use them
oxygen and releases the carbon in its food as CO 2, just
because the contaminant molds have already eaten some
of the substrate that you want your mushroom mycelium like humans. Plants do the opposite. Mushroom
to eat. mycelium produces heat as it metabolizes its food, just
like humans. Plants get energy from the sun, but
MUSHROOMS - Mushroom mycelium consumes mushroom mycelium gets energy from its food source,
oxygen and releases the carbon in its food as CO 2, just just like humans.
like humans. Plants do the opposite. Mushroom
ANASTOMOSIS MYCELIUM MUSHROOMS -
mycelium produces heat as it metabolizes its food, just
Anastomosis is the pairing of dikaryotic mycelium with
like humans. Plants get energy from the sun, but
other dikaryotic mycelium. In other words, combining
mushroom mycelium gets energy from its food source,
strains, but not species. For example, Penis Envy could
just like humans.
combine with cambodian cubensis via anastomosis, but
MUSHROOM SPORES - Mushrooms can have up to neither could combine with oyster, shiitake, or mold.
23,000 'sexes', and millions of spores on a print, so it's
MUSHROOM MYCELIUMS LIFE - The mycelium
always a crap shoot. If you want a particular set of
runs out of food and/or it reaches the end of it's natural
genetics, you need to isolate strains down to single
cell division life cycle. Both often occur at about the
sectors, then keep master slants. Single sector isolates
same time. Adding nutrients or more manure will be of
can be crossed with other single sector isolates by
little benefit, just as giving a steak dinner to a 100 year
dikaryotic mating on agar as well.
old man isn't going to make him 20 again.
MUSHROOMS - I haven't grown cubes in years. I
MUSHROOMS/PLANTS - As for helping with the
grow legal edibles. We also harvest several hundred
CO2/O2, forget it. The mycelium produces way more
pounds per year of wild reishi. For those who are not
aware, reishi brings $1,000 per kilo on the legal market. CO2 than plants can metabolize, and the amount of
That takes a lot of drying space. Cubensis are a great plants that would fit in a mini-greenhouse won't do
way to learn the mushroom life cycle, but it only takes a squat as far as helping with O2 for the mushrooms.
few months to grow a lifetime supply. That's why most

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LIFESPAN MYCELIUM - It's worse than a g2g Mycelium.
because once a mycelial network flushes a few times,
MYCELIUM - Mycelium is the vegetative part of a
the natural cycle is to die back like a spawned out
fungus consisting of a mass of branching threadlike
salmon. To get maximum growth, it's best to always use
hyphae that exists below the ground or within another
fresh spawn when going to bulk.
substrate. It is through the mycelium that a fungus
MUSHROOMS - Mushrooms depend on a LOSS of absorbs nutrients from its environment. It does this in a
moisture from the substrate to fruit. If you saturate two stage process. Firstly the hyphae secrete enzymes
them, or keep a steady moisture level, they fruit poorly onto the food source which breaks down polymers into
if at all. Mushrooms are not plants, which benefit from monomers. These monomers are then absorbed into the
steady moisture levels. mycelium by facilitated diffusion and active transport.
Mycelium is also a vital component in many ecosystems
MUSHROOMS - Mushrooms EAT their food, not
in that it helps increase the efficiency of water and
drink it from blue water. Fungi is much more closely
nutrient absorption of many plants and also is vital to
related to mammals than plants(fact). You wouldn't put
the decomposition and breaking-up of plant material to
miracle gro into your kids baby bottle would you?
form the organic part of soil and to release carbon
MYCELIUM - I once saw a chanterelle lift a rock that dioxide back into the atmosphere.
weighed at least ten pounds out of it's way as if it wasn't
MUSHROOMS/MYCELIUM - Mycelium grows by
even there. It's amazing how much hydraulic pressure
cell division. Primordia grows by cell division. Once
mycelium can build when it needs to.
they're fully formed mushrooms(ie pins), they grow by
MUSHROOMS - Growing mushrooms is as much cell expansion, but not entirely. Basidia are single cells
about water as 'nutrients'. In other words, a jar of brown that produce spores at the ends of tube-like projections
rice won't fruit nearly as well as a jar with 1/3 rice flour called sterigmata, and they're located on the gills. A
and 2/3 verm. That's a fact. larger cap will have more basidia, thus more spores. In
other words, you'll get far more spores from a large cap
MUSHROOM LIFE CYCLE - Hyphal knots are the
than a small one. When we say mushrooms grow by cell
very first stage of pinning. They're the size of the head
expansion, it doesn't mean that no new cells are
of a pin. They develop into primordia, which then grow
produced. It means these additional cells do not directly
into pins.
contribute to growth.
MUSHROOMS - Growing mushrooms is part art, and
MYCELIUM - Fungi, including molds, grow
part science, but it's not magic. Follow proper
mycelium. Most mycelium looks similar. With few
procedures, and you'll have success. Good luck.
exceptions, one can't tell what kind of mycelium it is by
MYCELIUM - Nice. Fungi in the soil helps to break looking. An experienced cultivator on the other hand,
down the manure, making it more available to the plants can recognize the fragrance signature of different
as well. Both species benefit. mycelia. Shiitake has a distinct smell, as does oysters.
Ditto for morels. Cubensis has a distinct mushroomy
MUSHROOMS - Mushrooms EAT their food, so you
scent. Trichoderma has a 'dirt' type smell to it. If I have
want to provide solid food. Don't use the liquid left over
an outbreak of trich, I can smell it when I open the
from soaking straw.
greenhouse door, a few days before it's visible as a
MUSHROOMS - Molds are fungi. I don't think there's green spot when it sporulates.
an organism that can tell perfect from imperfect fungi.
MYCELIUM STORAGE - One last thing you might
MUSHROOMS - Plants and fungi rarely compete with want to try is to take a piece of mycelium from the agar
each other, but often each benefits from the other. and drop it into a jar of sterilized distilled water. Be sure
to cover the jar with a filtered lid. Sometimes, dry
MUSHROOMS - They're part and parcel of the same
mycelium will recover in pure distilled water. Don't add
cell lines that colonize the substrate.
any nutrients to the water that might also feed molds or
MUSHROOMS - Mushrooms don't 'suck up' toxins bacteria. If the mycelium begins to grow that way,
from a moldy substrate. simply suck it up with a syringe and transfer to agar.

MUSHROOM - A Mushroom Viel is Made Of Tertiary MYCELIUM - Mushrooms do not have roots OR root

90
like structures. The mushroom fruiting body is that kills airborne bacteria
mycelium, and it's genetically identical to the mycelium
ALCOHOL - First things first. 96% alcohol is a terrible
that is colonizing the substrate. No comparison can be
sanitizer, but a pretty good fuel. For a cell to be
made to plants/roots when discussing mycology. In fact,
destroyed by alcohol, the alcohol must be admitted into
mycelium is a closer relative to humans and other
the cell via osmosis. However, cells are very good at
mammals than it is to plants. That's a scientific fact.
keeping out substances that would kill them. That's why
MYCELIUM - Mycelium is much more closely related we mix water with the alcohol. The water 'tricks' the cell
to humans than plants and that's a fact. Mycelium wall into admitting the alcohol, and then it kills the cell
consumes O2 and releases CO2 as a waste product. when it evaporates back out again. Use 70% alcohol for
Mycelium also produces body heat the way we do. I've best results. However, alcohol will do nothing against
often compared artificially increasing CO2 levels to the contaminants that are INside the needle, so you'd be
injecting them right into your substrate. Use flame
putting a bag over your head and trying to run a foot
sterilization, and there is no need to wait for the needle
race. You'd run out of air, as will your mycelium.
to cool. It will cool enough on the way from the flame
MYCELIUM - Aerial rhizomorphs, usually because to the jar, and the first drop or two of solution will finish
they're searching for moisture from the air. You can tell cooling the needle so that the rest can flow cleanly.
from Road's pic above the cake is dry from the bluing.
ALCOHOL - It's an explosion hazzard, a fire hazzard,
That's caused by the standing water in the perlite, which
and worthless against airborne contaminants because it
renders the perlite useless. Mycelium can be quite
settles out of the air too fast. The only way alcohol kills
creative in finding ways to survive.
cells is when it penetrates the cell wall, and then
MYCELIUM SMELL - If a jar smells sweet, sour, like evaporates back out. Alcohol by itself, if it doesn't
vinegar, the kitchen garbage or stinky feet, toss it. All penetrate the cell wall isn't toxic. That's why 70%
those are caused by various bacteria. alcohol works better than pure alcohol. The water
'tricks' the cell wall into admitting it, and then the
MYCELIUM - Hyphae from two compatible spores
alcohol evaporates back out from the inside, destroying
can exchange genetic information and become
the cell. Cells admit moisture by osmosis, and therefore
dikaryotic, thus able to fruit.
exclude toxins such as alcohol unless water is mixed in
MYCELIUM - 'Fuzz' on the stems, contrary to popular with it.
myth is NOT a problem, and is NOT caused by high
ALCOHOL - No. Pure alcohol kills little. That's why
humidity.
it's mixed with water. The reason is that alcohol kills
MUSHROOM MYCELIUM - Most mushroom when it evaporates away from whatever it is in. Cells,
mycelium once 'mated' holds two nuclei in each cell. including bacteria cells admit water through osmosis,
but reject toxins. By mixing water into the alcohol, the
MYCELIUM - Mycelium will suffocate and stall or die
cell is tricked into admitting it, then when the alcohol
with no gas exchange, so I'd say it's very important.
evaporates away, it kills the organism. Bacterial
MYCELIUM - I've generally found strains that poke endospores are in grains, but we PC for those. The use
spiky mycelium out end up being good fruiters. of 70% alcohol is great for tables, gloves, needles, etc.

MYCELIUM - The most aggressive mycelium I've ALCOHOL - 70% is preferred, but it has nothing to do
worked with would be Morel. with rate of evaporation. Cells admit water through their
cell walls via osmosis. Cell walls are particularly good
MYCELIUM - Rhizomorphic mycelium is the type
at preventing the entry of toxins, so by mixing water
that forms primordia, so that's a good sign.
with the alcohol, it 'tricks' the cell wall into admitting
MYCELIUM - Mycelium has very little actives to the mixture, which then kills the cell as the alcohol
extract. evaporates back out. I'm sure one of our resident
chemists can put it in more scientific terms, but that's
AIR SANITIZER - Lysol is a surface sanitizer. Get
the jest of it.
some Oust for the air. When you spray oust, it
completely fogs up the room. I do about 30 seconds ALCOHOL - 99% alcohol is a poor sanitizer. The
with a can in each hand, which really leaves a thick fog whole idea of using alcohol is to kill bacteria and mold

91
spores. Cells don't admit substances without water. percent, or also mixed at ten percent it can be used to
That's why up to 30% water is added to alcohol used to disinfect a mini-greenhouse to kill flies and fly larvae
sanitize skin or other surfaces. It tricks the cell walls between crop cycles. 30% bleach is too strong though.
into admitting it, and then as the alcohol evaporates Don't go over ten percent or it isn't as effective.
back out, it kills the cell.
BLEACH - Bleach doesn't harm mycelium much. I've
ALCOHOL - Actually, the reason 70% is more soaked tissue for cloning for several minutes in a ten
effective is because living cells admit water through the percent bleach solution. The bacteria is killed off, but
cell membrane by way of osmosis. If there is water the mycelium survives. Bleach seems to harm mycelium
mixed in with the alcohol, it's admitted into the interior far less than peroxide.
of the cell where it does the most damage. 99% alcohol
DISINFECTANT - Alcohol is the recommended
can't penetrate the cell wall as effectively, therefore it's
surface disinfectant. Some use lysol, but remember lysol
less effective.
is 80% alcohol and perhaps ten times the price of
DENATURED ALCOHOL - Use denatured alcohol buying alcohol at the local drug store. To clean your
from the paint department in your local hardware store. table, just pour it out of the bottle, then wipe with a
It doesn't create soot. Flame, then use while still hot. paper towel. Save the expensive windex for windows.
Don't cool the needle first. The first few drops of
DISINFECTANT - Use alcohol for your surfaces and
solution will cool the needle, allowing the rest to flow
ozium for the air.
cleanly. Repeat between jars to avoid cross
contamination. IODINE - You shouldn't need to do anything but clean
the surface if you're using that tek. In fact, skip all the
ALCOHOL - Personally, I use 80% because it has
cleaners and just peel off a strip of mycelium like a
enough water to penetrate cell walls of organisms, but
banana peel, and then stick the needle into the freshly
not so much water it doesn't evaporate completely. The
exposed flesh. Iodine is fine for cleaning the outside of
70% takes too long to dry off my gloves or table when I
the tissue, but use it at no more than ten percent.
wash them with it. I mix equal amounts of 91% and
70%. Works like a charm. LYSOL MUTATIONS - I want to scream every time I
hear that. It's wrong. Lysol doesn't cause mutations. I
ALCOHOL - Just a note here too: 70% alcohol will do
can only catch it so many times, and this Lysol/mutant
a better job of killing off contaminants than 90% or 99%
myth is spreading like a damn virus. Your new
alcohol. The reason is that the cell wall is tricked by the
homework assignment is to spray Lysol near(not on)
water in the alcohol into admitting it into the interior of
one of your fruiting cakes and report the results. Lysol is
the cell, where the cell is then destroyed as the alcohol
mostly alcohol and isn't good for mushrooms, but using
evaporates back out.
it in the room isn't going to cause mutations. I spray the
WATER/ALCOHOL - The higher water content is face of my flowhood with Lysol prior to transfers, so it's
what allows alcohol to penetrate the cells walls by always blowing on something.
imitating H2O.
PEROXIDE - To avoid confusion, people should
ALCOHOL IS - Alcohol is not a sterilizer. It is a mention the percentage of hydrogen peroxide they USE.
sanitizer. Big difference. If you have 30 count peroxide such as it is measured in
Europe, it is at ten percent. If you dilute it three to one,
BLEACH - Actually, bleach is approved for use in you have 3.33% peroxide. If you purchase it at a drug or
organic mushroom farms. I doubt seriously that the grocery store in the US, it comes in 3% concentration. If
running water washed away the trich. It's possible it you dilute it ten to one, you have roughly .3% after
spread it even more, but only time will tell. Bleach also mixing. As I said above, peroxide is toxic to mycelium,
doesn't kill most fungi, including trichoderma. Good all mycelium, therefore it is hated by mushrooms and
luck with that grow. I hope it works out. The trich sure mold alike. If you have an outbreak of Dactylium, you
won't impact your product or harvest, so if your second can spray the casing layer with it to wipe out the
flush comes quickly, you'll be fine. cobweb. This doesn't hurt the mushroom mycelium
BLEACH - Bleach is not toxic to fungi, only spores. It's because Dactylium rarely colonizes over the top of
fine to clean out a glovebox or table if you mix it at ten mushroom colonized casing layers. I've found it's a

92
mistake to use as a preventative measure because it sets too, so dunking in it can weaken the mycelium, making
the mushroom mycelium back and makes it less it more likely contaminants can get a foothold after the
aggressive, then the faster recovering molds get the dunk while the mycelium is still weakened.
upper hand. Sterile technique will prevent molds in
PEROXIDE - Don't assault your mycelium with
spawn, and fresh air exchange will prevent most molds
peroxide. That's like throwing acid in your girlfriends
in the growing environment, so go with that for best
face just to see if it sizzles.
results.
PEROXIDE - Peroxide is toxic to fungi, all fungi.
PEROXIDE - The problem with peroxide on agar is it
Some can tolerate it better than others, but none 'like it'.
stunts the mycelium, and then oxidizes away to nothing,
leaving the mycelium weak, but having no further effect OZIUM - Ozium air sanitizer is the best way to keep
on bacteria. For cloning, you can have far better results the air in your home or work space clean and smelling
by dipping tissue into iodine before placing on agar. fresh. Ozium does not cover up the odors associated
Gentamicin sulphate added to the agar will help prevent with sewer, pets, cooking and smoking - it eliminates
bacteria from growing, while not slowing down the them! . Ozium, the original air purifier, is a chemical
mushroom mycelium at all. In all cases, strict attention agent that actually eliminates smoke and unpleasant
to sterile procedure will outperform peroxide. I suppose odors and reduces airborne bacteria. Ozium actually
that's what I meant to say, even if I was a bit harsh on ol' cleanses the air through glycolized action. The Ozium
Rush. glycolized formula acts directly on odor causing
particles in the air. Ozium is distinguished from other
PEROXIDE - Don't use peroxide on grains. Also, don't
products that simply mask odors. Ozium is an EPA
use tools to make the transfer. Peroxide will not sterilize
registered air sanitizer and is safe to use residentially or
spoons, forks, etc. Bang the unopened jar against a tire
commercially in homes, rental property, hospitals,
to break up the grains, and then pour the grains from the
nursing homes, hotels, veterinary clinics, restaurants,
master jar to the receiving jars without touching them
bars, laundry rooms, cars, mobil homes, offices, and just
with anything.
about anywhere there might be an odor problem. Do
PEROXIDE - Peroxide is toxic to fungi, all fungi. Not Breathe It Though!
Personally, I no longer use peroxide in the humidifier,
MULTI SPORE INOCULATION - Every time you do
but I can assure you that isn't the problem. Peroxide in
multispore inoculation you mix hundreds, if not
the humidifier only serves to help control molds within
thousands of strains in the same jar. It makes absolutely
the humidifier itself.
NO difference if the spores come from the same print or
PEROXIDE - Don't use peroxide in the mist water. from prints from halfway around the world. The
Peroxide injures mycelium, so to use it for a definition of a strain is NOT the name some vendor put
preventative against contaminants might cause the very on a print he mailed out. The definition of a strain is two
problem you're trying to avoid by stressing the compatible hyphae 'mating' to form dikaryotic
mycelium, weakening it. mycelium. Hyphae from a PR print are just as capable
of mating with each other as with hyphae from a Tex or
PEROXIDE - Peroxide does stress mycelium a great
any other print. It's the same species so they're all
deal. We all know that. That doesn't mean it can't
compatible. There is NO competition between strains of
survive limited exposure, but it causes damage at the
the same species. Once they become dikaryotic, they
cellular level and that's a fact.
continue to fuse by a process known as anastomosis,
PEROXIDE - Don't use peroxide on your cakes for again with NO competition. Hybridization between
anything but cobweb control. Peroxide is highly toxic to 'strains' occurs in every single multispore project.
mushroom mycelium and shocks it, allowing the faster
MULTISPORE - Every hyphal pairing makes a new
growing trichoderma to take over.
'strain' thus every grow is different and will have a
PEROXIDE - Peroxide is no substitute for sterile different feel because there's millions of spores on each
procedure. Peroxide will wipe out cobweb mold on a print and each spore has a unique genetic code. That's
casing layer, but it has little other use, imho of course. why there's far more variation in trip quality and
macroscopic appearance from each crop from even the
PEROXIDE - Peroxide attacks mushroom mycelium
same print than there is difference between siblings of

93
the same human or animal family for example. The the information is right here for searching. Strains of the
'cube is a cube' means just that. They have the same same species are generally compatible.
growth and nutritional/environmental requirements.
MULTISPORE SYRINGE - Whoever made that
Every trip will be different, so it matters little which
syringe had no idea what he or she was doing. It's way
named strain one chooses. You won't have the same trip
too dark. Dark is bad. Fewer spores are better. That is a
twice, even from the same strain. In fact, you're very
fact. A large number of spores is also going to have a
unlikely to have the same trip twice, even from fruits
large number of contaminants attached. Using too many
from the same substrate tray.
spores is counter productive. That was known over
MULTISPORE - Multispore inoculation from a twenty years ago when Paul Stamets wrote 'The
sporeprint is a roll of the dice. You can do ten grows Mushroom Cultivator' because he made that clear in the
from the same print and have ten crops that hardly book.
resemble each other, other than being the same species.
MULTISPORE - Very often with multispore
A fruit grown from multispore inoculation may or may
inoculation, what you have is many different types of
not be an isolated strain. This is well known in the
mycelium growing together and one on top of the
edible field. More than one substrain can be present in a
others. What is often mistaken for one type of mycelium
single fruit. That's why clones from mushrooms grown
is actually this pile of various types, or even the same
from multispore inoculation do not always form single
type. If your cakes are in the FC and fuzzing up, they're
sector isolates on agar. I've seen this many times.
good to go.
However, if you isolate down to single sectors on agar,
fruits from each single sector isolate will be genetically MULTISPORE - Sometimes with multispore
identical. However, if you fruit these and take inoculation you even end up with a non-fruiting strain.
sporeprints, you're back to square one. Other times, you end up with a poorly fruiting strain.
Often, you end up with an awesome fruiting strain. It's
MULTISPORE - What you're seeing is the effects of
all a dice roll.
multi-spore inoculation. Often, several strains develop
that are not compatible with each other, thus they don't MULTISPORE - If using multispores culture on both,
form into a single organism via anastomosis. Therefore, you will have a different results no matter what and
more than one strain is fruiting on the same substrate. If each sub-strain will have different properties/levels of
you clone that big ol' choad, future flushes will have all chemicals within them..
choads, but whether you'll get enough of them to matter
MULTISPORE - The silly name on the syringe means
remains to be seen. I'd clone it, and then after you eat
nothing. Every grow from multispore inoculation is
the thing, you'll know if it's a strain you want to keep or
going to be different, just like every child born is
not.
different. It's all the same species.
MULTI-SPORE - When you grow from multispore
MULTISPORE - In a spore print MULTISPORE =
inoculation, it matters little what the name on the
Millions of diff sub strains, within the strain you are
syringe was. A cube is a cube and that's a fact. What this
using... Spores are like sperm, other then they mate with
means is every grow will be different. When you buy a
eachother
Cadillac, you can expect a luxury ride. When you buy a
Ferrari, you can expect a fast car. When you buy a MULTISPORE - Multispore will produce different
pickup truck, you can expect it to haul things. No such results everytime, because theres millions of genetics.
guarantees exist with cubes. Every multispore
SPORE MIXING - Since multispore inoculation from
inoculation will be different, thus we say, "A cube is a
a single print creates hundreds of strains, mixing two
cube".
different prints would behave no differently. As has
MULTI SPORE - If you want to mix strains, do so. been said many times, a 'strain' is two compatible
You can have multiple strains in the same terrarium, or hyphae coming together to exchange genetic
for grins and giggles, you can inoculate a cake with four information, so it makes little difference how many
different strains, one strain per hole. You'll probably not prints go into making the multispore 'tea'. The mycelium
notice anything different from any other multispore doesn't give a darn what silly name somebody put on the
grow. This has all been covered hundreds of times, and print or syringe, it's only concerned with A and B

94
mating types, and since all the cube 'strains' are the but the problem is that not all strains are going to be
same species, hyphae from one spore will exchange compatible, therefore by using an excess of spores, an
information readily with hyphae from another excess of strains are going to be created, some of which
compatible spore. Nobody can answer what the won't unite to form a common whole. The result is you
offspring will look like because nobody can say that have several separate mycelial networks, none of which
mushrooms from GT will always be 'such and such' but has access to the total amount of food(BRF) in the cake.
PR's will always be 'this or that'. I've studied all types of The best fruiting results from multispore inoculation
spores under the microscope and I'm here to tell you, comes from using minimum spores. Even better, a
these so-called strains floating around with all the fancy single sector strain you've isolated on agar in a Petri
names can't be identified either microscopically, or dish.
macroscopically from each other. That's why we
SPORE INOCULATION - Using more spores to
stickied the strain thread up on top. It was to keep
inoculate a grain or brf jar will result in faster
worthless discussion about 'strain' confined up there so
colonization, but that's not always a good thing. You'll
it didn't litter the board with wasted bandwidth.
be left with many strains in the same substrate because
DARKER SYRINGES/SPORES - Darker syringes not all are compatible enough to combine into a single
will result in more contamination problems. There is organism by anastomosis. Therefore, each 'strain' will
always going to be a certain percentage of contaminant have a small piece of the substrate rather than being a
spores on any print. Therefore, if you use more spores, single organism in control of the whole substrate, which
you get more contaminants. In addition, when you use a is better for performance. That's why we practice strain
massive spore inoculation, you force the mycelium to isolation on agar prior to inoculating our grains.
spend a lot of time and energy combining all the
SPORE LIFE PRINT - Actually, the life of spores on a
genetics into a common network. Many growers think
print is three to five years, and less if the print was taken
that more spores results in faster colonization. What it
on acidic paper. In a syringe they last longer, provided
results in is the substrate turning 'white' faster, but there
the syringe was made properly. I have prints going back
is no evidence at all the project will actually fruit
nearly 20 years, and even the ones I made four to five
sooner. I'm a firm believer in using the minimum
years ago won't germinate and grow anymore with very
amount of spores necessary to achieve a crop. Clear(to
few exceptions. Good luck and check out "The
the naked eye) syringes perform better than dark
Mushroom Cultivator" by Paul Stamets. You can get it
syringes. Nobody can see individual spores with their
from fungi.com or amazon.com.
eyeballs. What you see is clusters of a few thousand that
are stuck together. The spores in the center of these SPORES - With multispore inoculation, it's common
clusters are locked out of the moisture in the jars, so for two or more strains to make it to fruiting. They
they rarely even get a chance to germinate. usually combine into a whole via the process of
anastomosis, but some strains are incompatible and
VIABLE SPORES - I've ran several tests with the
remain separate. They don't fight, being that they're the
microscopes to determine spore viability. A brand new
same species. Fruiting is not impaired either as you can
print will give about 1 spore in 100 that will germinate.
see. The same often happens when someone injects one
After two weeks, that drops to about 1 spore in 500. At
side of a cake with one strain, and another side of the
one month since taking the print, less than 1 spore in
cake with a different strain.
1000 will germinate, and after one year, you're doing
good to get 1 spore in 10,000 that is still viable and it SPORES - I've been saying for many years, and Paul
drops even faster after one year. The thing to remember stamets has been sayin for over 20 years(it's in TMC)
is take clean prints and store them properly. An old print not to use an excessive amount of spores. It's counter
will still work, but remember that you'll need to use productive. Since no print is 100% clean, the more
many more spores to get the few that will germinate. spores you use, the more contaminats you inject as well.
Remember, when you use more spores, you also risk Since molds and bacteria grow faster than mushroom
using more contaminant spores that may be hitch hiking mycelium, dark syringes give the advantage to
along for the ride. Thus, fresh prints are better. contaminants over the mushrooms.

SPORES - Using more spores is counterproductive. I STORING MYC/SPORES - For live mycelium, I
agree they will 'colonize' faster by using more spores, inoculate a test tube slant of agar. When the mycelium

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has colonized the agar in the test tube, I pour a small SPORES - The spores will be fine since the water in the
amount of distilled water over the top of the mycelium, syringes didn't freeze solid. Freezing would likely
then place the test tube in the refrigerator for long term destroy the cell walls of the spores, but just being very
storage. Once per year, take out the test tube and cold is fine.
transfer the mycelium to a new test tube and repeat the
STORING SPORES - Distilled water is the best
process.
method for storing spores or live mycelium. Spores
SPORES GERMINATING - With a powerful stroked in distilled water don't dry out the way they do
magnifying glass, you can sometimes see it on the on a print.
second day. Using a microscope, I've observed fresh
SPORE PRINTS - After a year, they're down to less
spores germinating within 20 minutes of swiping on wet
than one spore in a thousand that will germinate. It gets
agar. That blew me away. I never thought they'd
worse from there. Prints are best used when fresh.
germinate that fast. It can take four days to two weeks to
be visible to the naked eye, with closer to four days the FRESH SPORES - If done in a clean environment,
norm. spores can be scraped directly into grains or agar. They
need not be re-hydrated first.
SPORES DROPPING - Spores drop due to internal
pressures within the basidia that literally explode the SPORES - Many minerals in tap water, and especially
spore away with force. Once dry, the process stops well water do effect the survival rate of spores in a
totally. To get more spores, put a drop of water on the syringe.
cap so it stays wet longer. Nothing will speed it up, but
DROPPING SPORES - The big deal is it makes a
lots of things can slow it down. You should have a
horrible mess and makes the mushrooms taste even
readable print in three to four hours.
worse.
SPORES - It's genetics, and something else I've
SPORE SOLUTION - That was enough for 4 jars. 2ml
discovered, is there are often basidia on the gills
per jar is plenty.
producing clear spores. Check your prints under a
microscope. You might have good prints, but just can't SPORE PRINTING - I quit taking prints on paper.
see them. The clear spores have a far lower germination There's a lot of lime and other chemicals used in pulp
ratio, but many still do germinate and grow, if used production and papermaking. I don't know if that's the
fresh. cause or not, but I've found prints taken on foil last
MUCH longer than prints taken on paper. You can use
SPORES DROPPING - There is some evidence that a
the same methods, just with foil instead of paper. I'd tear
heavy spore drop will inhibit future flushes. In addition,
a foot or so off the roll first, and save it for the kitchen,
it makes a terrible mess, and furthermore it makes the
then use the clean foil beyond that point for your prints.
fruits taste even worse than they normally would. Pick
I prefer to cover the printing cap with a tyvek sheet. I
just before, or just after the veil breaks for best quality.
buy tyvek coveralls at the hardware store, and unzip
SPORES - Spores drop spores when the pressure in the them and do the printing on foil inside the torso area,
basdidia reaches a crucial point, and then the spores are then I zip it back up. You can tie knots in the arms and
blown into the air with considerable force. You make a legs, and hood, so it totally seals your printing area up,
print by setting a freshly cut cap on paper, glass, foil, yet still can breathe so bacteria is reduced. Heavy duty
etc., and waiting for nature to do its thing. foil. It's several times the thickness of the cheap stuff.
For immediate syringe making, you can use the non-
STORING SPORE PRINTS - I think prints will
stick foil. Spores slide right off it. They will slide right
definitely last longer on glass or aluminum foil.
off the foil and into a shotglass still in the shape of the
Refrigeration might help, but I'd make sure it's a
print.
dedicated lab frige. There's too much mold and bacteria
in the kitchen refrigerator. SPORE PRINTING - If you're going to be streaking
the spores onto agar, there's no need to be sterile in
SAVING SPORES IN FREEZER..IF - Spores can be
taking the print. I don't even put a glass or bowl over the
frozen without significant loss of viability by
cap. Just lay it on a piece of typing paper, and set a
suspending in a 10% aqueous solution of sterilized
coffee filter over the top. After you streak the agar dish,
glycerol (glycerin U.S.P.; available at most pharmacies).

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watch it daily, and when the spores germinate and grow using a minimum of spores. Dark syringes or the over
half a cm or so, take a small piece of mycelium from the use of spores is also a good way to get contaminants.
FARTHEST away from the point of germination, and Remember, more mushroom spores also means more
transfer it to a new Petri dish. Discard the original. This contaminant spores that hitch hike along for the ride.
allows the mycelium to outrun the contams, and you can Since it takes longer for all those strains that germinate
get clean cultures this way. Of course, doing it this way, to combine, it gives the contaminants a better chance of
you'd just drop the agar wedges into your grain, as getting the upper hand.
opposed to making syringes. One Petri dish can innoc
DARK SPORE SYRINGES - It becomes much worse
10 quarts of rye or corn. Much faster/safer, imo.
when people make their own syringes and make them
SPORE PRINTING - If they're for printing, let the very dark. Some strains are not compatible, so when
caps begin to drop spores prior to picking. Don't let the someone uses multispore inoculation, it's common to
caps flatten all the way out because that wastes your still have two or three strains active at fruiting. Each
spores and makes a mess all over your grow chamber. If strain carves out its niche and holds it. Most strains
they're for eating, pick just prior to veil tear for best combine into a single organism through the process of
overall quality. I agree that paper is a poor printing anastomosis, but the non-compatible ones don't,
medium. Its porous surface attracts and holds therefore you'll have several different substrains
contaminants, and the lime and acids used in production growing in the same tray.
gives paper a wildly varied pH, which doesn't do much
SPORE SYRINGES - Having thousands of strains in
for the spores longevity. I use foil.
the same jar may turn it white sooner, but in no way
SPORE PRINTING - For printing, wait until the cap increases performance or yield. Time is spent combining
begins to flatten out, and you'll see spores on the stipe all those pairings into a coherent whole. Fewer spores is
above the veil remnants as well. I disagree with the much better, and in fact the clearest spore syringes often
technique of printing under a glass. I'd suggest laying a give the most massive flushes. The reason is that many
sheet of tyvek over the printing caps. All you want is to strains are incompatible, so when you start off with a
keep dust off and restrict drafts. A glass can tend to keep black syringe, there may be hundreds of incompatible
the caps too wet, and bacteria may bloom. strains at the end, greatly reducing harvest.

SPORE PRINTING - Agreed, you don't need light. SYRINGES - If you flame sterilize, anything you do
Personally, I don't let caps sit for more than 12 hours afterward will only make the needle 'dirtier'. Why not
during printing because I don't want bacteria to be able just flame and use? Forget the alcohol after flaming.
to form in the stale air beneath the cap as it prints. The There is no need to cool down the needle. Just use hot
good news this way is you can get two prints from each and let the first drop or two of solution cool the needle,
cap. Although they will be lighter prints, they will work so the rest can flow contaminant free.
just fine.
INOCULATING - 2CC's is plenty for quarts of grain.
SPORE PRINTS - Dark prints equal more spores, and Shoot over to the side of the glass so the spore solution
since no print is completely clean, it also means more can run down. Don't shake until 20% or so colonized
contaminant spores, which germinate and grow faster with mycelium.
than mushroom spores.
INOCULATING - A torch lighter will leave the needle
SPORE PRINTING - After five years, especially if the sterilized. Just make sure you get the needle to glow red
print is on paper, there's little chance of success. It's not hot. No need to wipe with alcohol afterward.
impossible, but less than one spore out of perhaps a
SPORE SYRINGE - A print should make up to ten or
million will still be viable.
even more syringes, depending on size and darkness of
SPORE SYRINGE GERMINATING - It doesn't the print.
make them germinate one second sooner. It just causes
SEX LUBE SPORE SYRINGES - Astroglide or Jet
such a mass of mycelium you SEE it sooner. It's a
Dry.
horrible idea by the way because your mycelium spends
needless energy combining cells(anastomosis) in order INOCULATION - Inoculation' is the process of
to become a single organism. You're much better off introducing spores to your substrate. 'Colonization' is

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the phase where the mushroom mycelium is working its matings. Every single multispore inoculation results in
way through the substrate, 'colonizing' it. 'Fruiting' is the hundreds of 'strains'. Where is this fighting? Remember,
stage you're at now. a strain is born when two compatible hyphae exchange
genetic information to become dikaryotic. It doesn't
STRAINS - Strains of the same species do NOT
matter one whit whether the spores those hyphae came
compete for nutrients and they do NOT fight it out.
from originated from the same sporeprint, or sporeprints
That's absolutely silly. Do the genes of a lady from
from the opposite sides of the world. Vendor named
Florida and a man from Texas fight it out when they
strains are just that-names. If the species is cubensis,
make a baby? Of course not. Squirt as many different
they will combine normally. That is a fact.
strains into the same jar or substrate as you want. It's no
different than multispore inoculation from one print. It's STRAIN - Strain is irrelevant in mushrooms, unlike in
all the same species. Everybody who's done it has mj cultivation where it's everything. A cube IS a cube.
reported the same results. A normal flush that looks just The long-time growers know this, thus the disreputable
like any multispore inoculated flush. Most of the named spore sellers constantly invent new names to stamp on
'strains' were simply named after the geological location the same old strains that have been around for years.
the print was collected from, as if a man made line in Pick a strain from a shroomery vendor for your
the sand changes the genetics of biological creatures. If microscopy study. Sporeprints easily slide into a regular
a guy collects a print in Florida and names it treasure mail envelope. Cubes are cubes, and no named strain
coast, and another guy collects a print in Georgia and produces faster, more rhizomorphic, more potent, blah,
names it hillbilly, are they really different? Both grew in blah, than any other on a continuing basis. Strain
the same region, under the same weather conditions, and questions need to be in the strain thread at the top of the
spores from both mix freely in the wind. It's the same page please.
with all the SE Asia 'strains' in circulation. Lines on a
STRAINS - Strains of the same species do NOT
map drawn by the British 50 years ago do not cause the
compete for nutrients and they do NOT fight it out.
mycelium that's been evolving for millions of years to
That's absolutely silly. Do the genes of a lady from
suddenly morph into new strains, marketing
Florida and a man from Texas fight it out when they
considerations aside. They're all Cubensis. There are
make a baby? Of course not. Squirt as many different
distinct strains such as Penis Envy, various albinos and
strains into the same jar or substrate as you want. It's no
fruits that drop slightly different spore coloring, but the
different than multispore inoculation from one print. It's
rest is marketing, not mycology and they all mix and
all the same species. Everybody who's done it has
match easily. My point was that putting spores from
reported the same results. A normal flush that looks just
several named 'strains' in the same substrate does not
like any multispore inoculated flush.
result in a hybrid, since there's no verifiable difference
between them. MIXING STRAINS - They may or may not share
genetics(cross), but either way there is little to no harm
MIXING DIFFERENT STRAIN SPORES - Different
in mixing vendor named strains because they're all the
strains do not fight it out. They do not compete for
same species anyway. The chances are very high that
'nutes', they don't make small fruits, they don't disrupt
they will combine into a single organism via
each others networks, and they don't get cut off from
anastomosis by the time fruiting comes. Search the
their own network. I speak from experience. Use the
posts. This has been asked and answered dozens of
search feature and you'll see this issue comes up every
times in the last year or two. There's several grow logs
couple of months at least, and this same disinformation
in that forum where guys have mixed 'strains' in the
gets repeated over and over again by those who have
same tray with no problems.
never done it. Here's a post I made in a similar thread
several months ago with a picture showing two different STRAINS - People, for the millionth time, the 'named
strains fusing by anastomosis to create a third strain on a strain' crap is completely irrelevant to growing. Cubes
Petri dish. are a SPECIES, and they all grow under the same
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number conditions in the same substrates, under the same
/5545843#Post5545843Cubensis is easy to cross. Some temperatures, moisture contents, etc. It seems that
mycologists use the term hybrid, but I prefer 'cross', everyone who makes a print these days gives it a name
instead using the term hybrid to refer to cross-species and calls it a new strain, which is total bullshit. As far as

98
growing parameters are concerned, cubes are cubes, PC reaches pressure, but 30 minutes from the time the
period. interior of the jar or bag of grains reaches full
temperature. The way to achieve this is to always use
WHAT IS A STRAIN? - Remember, a strain by
the minimum stove setting that will hold 15 psi. If your
definition is a pairing of two compatible hyphae into
PC rattles at 15, then use 14 so it doesn't rattle at all.
dikaryotic mycelium. The location the original print was
Now, you'll notice after pressure is reached, for about
taken from has no more to do with the size and shape of
1/2 an hour or so, you'll have to constantly turn down
the fruits than being a human from New York or New
the stove in order to prevent the weight rattling. Once
Jersey or England has to do with how tall or how smart
you reach the point where you don't need to reduce the
you are. Remember, cubes are all the same species, just
stove burner anymore, your substrate is fully heated all
like we humans are all the same species.
the way through. At this point, allow 1/2 hour to ensure
MUSHROOM STRAINS - Some strains just don't the bacterial endospores in the very center of the
attach well to the substrate, therefore they tend to pick substrate bag are killed off. If you're above 5,000 feet
themselves by falling over. Other strains are so well elevation, double the above time to one hour.
attached they leave a huge divot when you pick them.
STERILIZATION JARS - Total sterilization would
Multispore inoculation will give one strain one time and
take at least 24 hours in the PC and your grains would
the opposite the next. It's just the luck of the draw. It's
come out as a sticky mush. The one to two hours we use
not related to anything you're doing, except handling
for 'sterilization' gives us a window of opportunity to get
them. They prefer to be left alone.
the jars colonized before the contaminants that survived
MIXING STRAINS - Most likely, you'll end up with the pressure cooker can get a foothold. Don't wait three
cubes. It matters little the name on the print. If it's a days. Instead, if you're having contamination problems,
cube, it will grow cubes. If you mix spores from more simply cook up a few extra jars and always keep a blank
than one print, you'll still grow cubes. Compare it to a or two at each step that you don't inoculate. If you do a
human from Canada having a baby with a human from grain to grain transfer, keep one jar back that you don't
Mexico. The child will still be human. As long as they're use for g2g. If you experience contaminants and your
the same species, the genes usually mix freely. blanks are contaminant free, the problem was in your
sterile technique. If both the blank and the inoculated jar
CROSSING STRAINS - Crossing one cube strain with
contaminate, the problem was in your sterilization
another is quite easy actually. Dikaryotic mycelium
process. By using blanks at every step, you can always
readily exchanges genetic information with other
narrow down the problem to exactly the step you went
dikaryotic mycelium. However, such is not a hybrid. It's
haywire on. Once you get your procedures down pat,
a cross. This site operator has a long history and is not a
you won't need to use blanks.
vendor here for a reason. I won't repeat the whole stp
story here. Click. PRESSURE COOKING - You can remove the jars
when the pressure cooker returns to zero pressure, but
SPORELESS STRAINS - I've had a few sporeless
I'd still wait a little while. If you remove the jars while
strains pop over the years. If they have the other
they're too hot, they can loose some of their moisture
qualities desired, it's a great trait since there's no mess if
content to evaporation. Overnight is not necessary, but if
you wait until after work to harvest a flush. Sometimes,
you're going to lt them sit anyway, the PC is a fine place
they're only half sterile, and you get zebra stripes on the
to leave them. If you need to cook another batch, then
gills,
there's no harm in removing them. Allow to cool to near
STRAIN - PE is definitely slower to pin than other room temp before inoculating.
strains. Correct, the PE6 is a PE/Tx hybrid. Hope you
PRESSURE COOKER - The biggest cause I see of dry
guys enjoy it.
jars is lifting the weight or relief valve to let pressure
PRESSURE COOK TIMES - For larger jars or out faster at the end. That causes the grains that are at a
substrate bags, I've got a little different technique to temperature above the boiling point of water due to
know how long. pressure, to suddenly loose all their moisture because
The bacterial endospores in grains need about 30 the pressure that was holding the moisture in place
minutes @ 15 psi, at sea level, to ensure they're killed disappears. Let the PC cool naturally until you can
off. That does not mean 30 minutes from the time your handle it without gloves or a pot holder before opening.

99
PASTEURIZATION DISCUSSION - Pasteurization temperatures far below boiling, so there's no way it
of substrates doesn't take a few seconds. It takes an survived the
hour. The idea is to kill all of the mold spores, and some
PASTERUIZATION - I can pasterize in a Crock Pot IF
of the bacteria. The surviving bacteria keep the substrate
I can watch and control the temp!
'alive', thus reducing the chances of molds forming. A
few bacteria in a substrate will also improve fruiting, PASTEURIZING - We pasteurize bulk substrates
and some species simply will not fruit on a sterile because molds are killed at very low temperatures that
substrate. are below pasteurization temps, but some of the bacteria
survive. Bacteria in manageable quantities are not a
PASTERUIZATION - You'll want to get your material
contaminant in bulk growing, but molds are. A sterilized
to the proper moisture content before loading into bags
substrate is a prime breeding ground for whatever lands
or jars. Let the substrate sit for half an hour, and then re-
on it, thus if you sterilize bulk substrates, you'll have a
adjust to field capacity. Oven bags are for cooking
higher rate of contamination.
turkeys in the oven. They're not suitable for stovetop
pasteurization, so use jars or filter patch bags, which STERILE - Kitchens are the worst possible place to
don't need to be sealed first. work. There is more fecal bacteria floating around a
kitchen than in the bathroom right after you take a
STERILIZATION - Sterilization is never complete
dump.
because that would take overnight in the PC, which
I've noticed the new growers that are saying it's ok to be
would turn the grains to mush. The hour or two we PC
nasty are also buying syringes from vendors so have
gives a window of opportunity for the mycelium to
their sterile lab work already done by someone else.
colonize and get a grip on the grains, but it's only a
That isn't mycology folks. When you learn to harvest a
window.
crop, take prints, germinate spores on agar, isolate
BEST PC BULK - If you are going to give it a strains, and produce a killer fruiting strain that blows
SERIOUS go. All American PC is BEST PC EVER. you away with its potency, you'll understand what I
Bigger the better. Build (at least) a GLOVE BOX. mean.
Better yet a HEPA FILTERED FLOW HOOD. FIND Lab work isn't supposed to be clean. It's supposed to be
HORSE MANURE. Learn WBS & G2G. Learn PH of laboratory sterile. No cut corners. When it comes to
casing is important. spawning a bulk substrate, who gives a shit if you pick
your nose while working? It doesn't matter. If the grains
PASTEURIZATION - Pasteurization only kills fungal
were properly prepared and colonized in sterile
spores, leaving the beneficial bacteria intact. After
conditions to full colonization, you can spawn to bulk
pasteurization, the substrate need not be kept sterile, so
outdoors if you want to. When you go to the Stamets
it's suitable for bulk substrates such as straw and manure
seminars, you'll see Paul build a straw log or other
that are too big for filtered jars.
project outside in the open air and it works fine.
STERILIZATION - Sterilization kills all life forms. However, you can bet your ass the spawn wasn't
After sterilization, you need to keep the substrate under produced outdoors in the open air.
sterile conditions until fully colonized or it will Learn to be sterile where sterility is called for, and be
contaminate. That's why we use filter patch bags or jars clean where being clean is called for and you'll be fine. I
with filters. live in a 40 year old condo building in a very damp
climate and my entire building is infested with black
PASTERUIZING - You should pasteurize the coir.
mold, and it has wall to wall carpeting. It's unhealthy for
Some, including me have used it unpasteurized with
us and we're trying to sell the damn thing so we can
success, but additives such as compost and/or manure
move, but every project I've done has been done in this
definitely need to be pasteurized, so just do it.
mold infested place, yet I can grow successfully by
PRESSURE COOKER - I use 90 minutes for quart following the advice given above, and even filmed my
jars at 15 psi. At 10 psi, go for two hours. I wouldn't video DVD here, doing lab work and growing a dozen
attempt corn at ten psi. Corn sucks anyway as a spawn. or more species from spores to the fruiting/harvest
Just use rye or wbs. stage. Several of my terrariums sit within 18" of a wall
that has black mold growing on it, yet it NEVER grows
PC. TRICHODERMA - Trichoderma is killed at
on my cakes.

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For sterile work, surgical gloves are a must, surgical cheeks, to prevent you from inhaling air from the edges
mask is a must(dust masks are for carpenters, not that doesn't get filtered. This is important if you need
surgeons), a still air glovebox or laminar flow hood is a protection from airborne pathogens. Surgical masks are
must, A closed, draft free room is a must especially if open at the cheeks purposely to allow a low pressure
you're using a flowhood, and spray the air with oust at route of escape for your exhaled bacteria(breath). What
least two or three times before starting the flowhood. I passes through the mask generally has 99% of the
let the flowhood run for at least an hour in that closed bacteria filtered out, depending on brand. Hospital
and oust sprayed room before beginning work, which operating rooms have HEPA filters in the ceiling that
gives me time to shower, wash my hair and brush my draw the room currents up and away from the patient.
teeth, use mouthwash, etc. By having the doctor's breath leave in the direction of
Once your spawn jars are fully colonized, you can the ceiling, thus the filters, the patient is protected. This
scratch your butt while you inoculate the coir if you is our scenario as well. When the FDA says they don't
want. Bacteria isn't a contaminant of bulk substrates. test surgical masks, it means THEY don't test surgical
The important thing is to learn when it's important to be masks. It doesn't mean they don't get tested. A surgical
sterile. If someone else is doing your sterile work for mask with the N95 rating is going to do our job just
you, then don't brag about how dirty you can be and get fine. However, a cheapie surgical mask works very well
away with it. Anybody can be dirty and get away with it too. It's all I've used for years. The thing NOT to use is a
under those conditions. construction type dust mask.

STERILE AIR - There are up to 600,000 contaminants STERILE - Opinions are like something else every one
per cubic foot of air in a normal room. That's a lot of has, so unless somebody wishes to quote some scientific
little nasties to stick to your needle or the top of your jar texts to back up claims, let's not be spreading flames
where it will get pushed into the substrate when you over our opinions. I can easily see how water 10,000
inject. A room also has normal circulation and all those feet below the surface of the earth can heat to well over
nasties are moving around. You can see this on a bright 100C without boiling. After all, think of the
day when the sun is shining in through a window. You'll weight(pressure) a 10,000 feet deep well of water will
see the larger of these dust particles, but there are exert on the water at the bottom. That's a lot more
hundreds of times that many smaller ones that you can't pressure then the walls of our PC's can contain.
see. A still air box stops the movement of these However, I doubt seriously the walls of an oven bag can
particles, greatly reducing the chances they'll get on exert that much pressure. There's no way to get every
your jar lid or needle. You can also improve your molecule of air out of a bag of coir or manure, even if it
chances by washing the glovebox and leaving the sides soaks in water for a month. In addition, even if it did,
and bottom wet. The moisture will attract the you'd be handling a bomb when you open the
dust/contaminants and then they'll stick, leaving the air microwave. My background is engineering, not
within, not only still, but with much less contaminants chemistry, so we should wait for one of the member
floating. You don't want a filter and fan on a glovebox. chemists to chime in. The overall point is mute though,
The only suitable filters for mycology are several inches because sterilized substrates are much more likely to
thick and require a plenum behind them to build static contaminate than pasteurized substrates. One shouldn't
pressure, which gives the laminar flow. If you used a heat substrate or casing material above about 170F, or
filter/fan in a glovebox, the turbulence would defeat the the chances of contamination are increased rather than
purpose. Where a glovebox really shines is when doing decreased.
agar work or grain to grain transfers. They're not as
STERILE SYRINGES - Flaming needles is to prevent
good as a laminar flow hood by any means, but they're
cross contamination between jars. Syringes should
far better than open, turbulent air. Water or peroxide. A
always be boiled before re-use. This isn't a tek, it's
wet surface will make the contaminants adhere to it and
simply stating what has been said over and over again
stick, rather than floating into your jars.
for years. There is also no need or reason to PC a
SURGICAL MASKS - The standard they're testing is syringe. Plastic doesn't harbor bacterial endospores, so
how the mask protects the wearer, which we don't have anything that might be on a syringe will be killed off by
a concern for. Our projects are not going to give us a simply boiling. You still need to flame the needle
fatal disease. Respirators are tight fitting around the between jars. As hyphae pointed out, you certainly don't

101
need a separate syringe for each jar. microbial forms.
Alcohol does NOTHING to prevent the contaminants Sterilize means the destruction of all microbical life by
that are inside the needle being injected into the grains. use of chemical or physical procedure.
The size of the interior of a needle to a contaminant is
STERILE - I'd suggest an alcohol lamp to sterilize so
comparative to the size of a human in a subway tunnel.
you won't be anywhere near your kitchen during
Needles should always be flame sterilized.
inoculations. Kitchens are full of molds and mold
STERILE TECHNIQUE GLOVEBOX - You can also producing/carrying foods such as bread and cheese,
cut the holes so they're fairly snug around your arms, vegetables, fruits, etc., not to mention all the bacteria
then just wear latex gloves. Be sure to wash your hands that lives and breeds in the sink drain and in all those
and arms first, then put on a freshly laundered long hard to reach to clean spaces. There's no need to wipe
sleeve shirt to cover the skin on your arms.(dead skin with alcohol after flaming the syringe. Wait two or three
cells flake off all the time and they'll have bacteria) seconds and inject. Work in a glovebox of course.
Remember, a glovebox does not have to be totally
STERILE INOCULATION - Swabbing the needle
airtight or sterile. It only serves as a place for you to
with alcohol does nothing for the contaminants that
open or inoculate jars or Petri dishes in a draft free
have become lodged in the interior of the needle. In
environment. I haven't used attached gloves in years
addition, look at a needle under a microscope. There's
because they're such a pain in the butt to work in. Latex
many little holes and imperfections on the surface that
gloves give you really good control. Of course, do your
alcohol is very likely to miss and thus the contaminant
glovebox work in a very clean room with no fans or air
molds or bacteria survive. Always flame before first use,
conditioners etc running.
and flame again between each jar to prevent cross-
STERILE PROCEDURE - Nobody should ever contamination.
recommend inoculations in open air, especially new
HOSPITAL SANITATION - Clean clothes & work-
growers that got started in the hobby during the winter
place, along with good sanitary procedures. AND Hair
when natural contaminant counts are low. In addition,
covering (net/cap), face mask, exam gloves &
the breath of the cultivator is the biggest source of
Lysol/Oust. ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS. These are
bacterial contamination, and dust masks stop zero
common-place inexpensive items, found at most local
exhaled bacteria from reaching the work area. Dust
drug/pharmacy stores. Using these will cut down on
masks are intended to stop the individual from inhaling
contamination. I am amazed, why many don't use them.
large particles such as dust and dirt when mowing the
Then wonder why their jars/bags, syringes, prints or
lawn, but surgical masks are called for when doing
whatever get contaminated.
mycology work. A surgical mask is designed to protect a
patient from the surgeons exhaled bacteria, which is THE OVEN TEK - The oven will increase
what we want to accomplish when doing sterile work. contaminants by stirring up turbulence that swirls
contaminants around. The oven tek is bogus. You'd be
BOILING/STERILIZING SYRINGES - Boiling
better off in a still room in open air than using the oven.
water IS enough to sterilize a syringe. Plastic does not
An air temp of 150 won't do squat to a contam spore in
harbor bacterial endospores, and fungi like trichoderma
the two seconds it takes to swirl into your jar.
and cobweb are killed by temperatures far below
boiling. I fill a pot with water and drop the syringe in. STERILE - Alcohol does NOTHING to prevent the
After the water has boiled for ten minutes, pull the contaminants that are inside the needle being injected
syringe out and suck in the boiling water, swish it into the grains. The size of the interior of a needle to a
around and squirt it out. Do this a few times. The contaminant is comparative to the size of a human in a
syringe will be sterile enough for mycology, I assure subway tunnel. Needles should always be flame
you. I've done it this way for years. sterilized.

CLEAN MEANS - Sanitize means to reduce the STERILE - Spraying Lysol into the air is a waste of a
number of contaminants to a safe or relatively safe level good surface disinfectant. It does no good whatsoever.
as may be judged by public health requirements. Use Oust to clean the air, Lysol or plain iso alcohol to
Disinfect means elimination of all recognized clean tabletops. Other than that, it should be OK. Keep
pathogenic microorganism but not necessarily all your cotton filter dry at all times or it will mold.

102
STERILE - If you fail to flame between jars, you can well enough, and allows me to pull my hands in and out
easily cross-contaminate between them. Flame between with ease to use my alcohol torch. (I don't like to use the
each and every jar. Alcohol is good for the surface of the flame inside the box due to excessive heat) My success
jars and tabletops, but flaming is the way to sterilize a rate with the glovebox described above is equal to that
needle or scalpel, inoculating loop, etc. of my laminar flow hood. I prefer the flowhood because
it's easier to work in front of and you have more room to
AIR SANITIZER - Lysol is a surface sanitizer. Get
move around.
some Oust for the air. When you spray oust, it
The problem with having a fan on your glovebox is it
completely fogs up the room. I do about 30 seconds
will cause turbulence inside the box, which will keep
with a can in each hand, which really leaves a thick fog
any contaminants in suspension where they are actually
that kills airborne bacteria
more likely to land on your project than without a fan.
SURGICAL MASKS - Go to a drug store and get Best of luck.
surgical masks. They're designed to filter 99% of your A fan is the worst possible thing you can do to a
exhaled bacteria. One of those above is only good for glovebox. There is also no need to spray lysol or oust in
97%, and the other one isn't even rated. You can do a GB. Wipe it with a damp cloth and go to work. There
much better locally. is nothing sterile about a glovebox. STILL air is what
you want.
STERILE PRINTS - There is always going to be a few
contaminant spores on every print. There's no way to CONTAMINANTS BY HUMANS - Growers must
avoid them unless we grew on sterilized substrates in a realize that WE are the biggest source of contamination.
hyperbaric chamber. I'll add to the above not to talk or sing, etc., while
inoculating jars or doing other clean work.I Your breath
STERILE PROCEDURE - If you're not gloved up,
leaving your mouth is traveling faster even than a flow
wash like a surgeon with good soap, preferably
hood can blow it back. It's also perhaps the largest
something with exfoliant properties, and use hand
source of bacteria in our jars. The bests surgical masks
sanitizer.
will stop 99% of the bacteria leaving your mouth, but
OPEN AIR INOCULATION - Anyone who think about that 1% of several billion that gets through.
recommends open air inoculations can be compared to a That's a lot of bacteria even with a good medical, not
drunk who recommends drinking and driving. dust mask. I hold my breath anytime a jar or Petri dish
is open. Gloves are mandatory for consistent success. A
STERILE AIR - If you want sterile(relatively) air, get a
box of them is less than the price of a single spore
laminar flow hood.
syringe. They'll save a lot of failures.
GLOVEBOX STILL AIR BOX - You rarely see the
WASHING HANDS - Soap lifts the oil and bacteria
old hands using any sort of 'positve pressure' box. A
skin cells and washes away with water. There is no true
glove box need not be sterile or have sterile air. There is
"anti-bacterial" soap that will kill it all (THIS IS A
absolutely no way that a dust mask or even a vacuum
MYTH). Even soap/sanitizer can't even kill it all
cleaner hepa filter on a sterlite container with a
though. Skin is constantly shedding bacterial cells, You
computer fan is going to deliver better performance than
want the beneficial bacteria on your hands. True anti-
a simple container with two holes cut for your arms, but
bacterial soaps need to be left on for a couple minutes
otherwise closed up.
too.
What you want in a glove box is to have zero air
movement. You can lightly mist the inside air of the box FILTERED AIR - Best way for filtered air exchange in
with plain water, and this will attract whatever a TIGHT clean room, or grow room is POSITIVE
contaminants are floating around in the box to the water PRESSURE. Meaning, pump in hepa filtered air in a
droplets, where they will fall by gravity to the bottom of volume much larger than the outlet. Which creates mild
your glovebox. After that, simply do your work wearing positive pressure. Enough that nothing wisps in, except
latex gloves. I use tyvek sleeves on my wrists, pulled what you carry on you.
down over the surgical gloves. Wash the gloves with
GLOVEBOX - Gloveboxes need not be sterile, and I
alcohol before working. I have nothing at all attached to
never use lysol, etc., in mine. Fruiting chambers also
the glovebox. Just two 4" holes for my arms to stick
need not be sterile.
through. The loose fitting sleeves seal around the holes

103
FUNGICIDE IN CASING - They use Banrot 40WP. I line below in the sink for 24 hours. This drowns the
ran several experiments with this fungicide a couple of adults and larvae. I use sticky paper. Works like a
years ago. It is so powerful you can soak rye grain in it, charm. Place it near the entrances to your grow area,
then PC, then leave the lid off the jar for 24 hours in an and also on the inside. They're likely breeding in your
open room, and the grains won't contaminate. It can also houseplants too. A good cure for both houseplants and
be applied to casing material, and I guarantee that no casings with fruit flies is dunking. A 24 hour dunk will
trich or cobweb will grow on it. drown them and their larvae. If you'll cut a lemon or
It works by preventing spore germination, so it has to be lime in half and leave one of the halves near your grow,
inoculated with live mycelium, as nothing will happen if they'll congregate on the lemon rather than your
you try to inoculate with a spore syringe. mycelium. It's easy then to get them with the vacuum
After determining that the Banrot 40WP works, I cleaner hose. Shot glass 1/4 full of wine are good traps.
stopped the experiments because I see no reason to use Glass with coco cola in it, they drown from the sticky
chemicals to replace proper clean room procedure. A ness. Fly Straps, they work great. I'm not talking about
properly pasteurized, NOT sterilized casing layer will little pest strips, but 2' x 4' mats. You might try some DE
have no trouble surviving two flushes, which delivers to see if it works, but it only works when dry, and it
90% of the fruits you're going to get anyway. After two won't stay dry for long on a substrate. Disposal is
flushes, I recommend tossing the tray into your outdoor probably the best option. You could bury them into
garden and replacing it with a fresh tray for the most manure or compost in a shady spot outside to get a crop.
effecient use of your growroom space. Thiophanate- They looooove stale beer and wine. Leave a half full
methyl is approved by the FDA for use on mushroom bottle of either lying around for a couple of days, not
crops and I ran some tests on it a few years ago. It's the more, and they'll crawl in and drown in the stuff. change
active ingredient in Banrot 40WP. Banrot 40_wp is so the bottle every couple of days. You can use the yellow
powerful you can put it in a jar of grains prior to duct tape, but put a layer of vaseline on it so they stick
sterilization, then leave it sitting out with the lid off in a to it. That's what a lot of the farms around these parts
dirty room and it won't grow mold, but if you put live do. DE will help if it's dry. You can even sprinkle it
mycelium into the jar it will grow unaffected. However, around the shelves, or try baiting them with a bit of
it's a chemical cure for laziness so I don't recommend it. honey on a piece of wax paper, surrounded by DE. One
Just use proper procedure, then toss out contaminated needs to be careful handling nematodes and growing
projects. It seems I used 1 tablespoon of Banrot per the mushrooms. Many species are death to fungi, while
several gallons I soaked the 10 cups of rye berries in other types of fungi can trap and kill the harmful
overnight prior to PC'ing. It's been awhile, so you might nematodes.
search some more and find the posts that I wrote when
GNATS - My favorite method is to cut a lemon in half
my memory was still fresh on it.
and leave it near the grow area. The gnats are attracted
FUNGICIDES - If fungicides have been used, they to the lemon much more than to the mushroom
only effect spore germination. As long as you inoculate mycelium. You'll see the lemon covered in gnats, and
with live mycelium, there won't be a problem. You'll then you sneak up with the vacuum cleaner hose and
just have to do a test run. suck them all up. Works like a charm.

RHODODENDRON LEAVES - Dried Rhododendron GNATS - They avoid turbulence, but it's also likely to
leaves are nearly as effective if someone is really having dry out your substrates. Try this if gnats are a problem.
trouble with trich or cobweb. Simply dry them, then Cut a lemon in half and drop it into the bottom of a
grind up in your hands and mix with the casing material quart jar. Keep the lid next to the jar. The gnats will be
at the rate of ten percent. Pasteurize and use. Fungus attracted to the citrus, and when there's a bunch in the
spores won't germinate in the presence of jar, quickly put the lid on before they can get away, and
Rhododendron leaves. dispose of them.

BUG PROBLEM SOLVERS - You can also suck them BUG PROBLEM - Get a bag of DE from the garden
out with a vacuum cleaner hose, which is kind of fun. center and sprinkle a thin layer on top of your casing.
They normally bread in your houseplant soil then fly out Completely cover the casing layer. The DE is extremely
of your mycelium to feed. They can be killed off in the sharp to insects and will rip them to shreds when they
houseplant soil by soaking the entire pot from the soil crawl across it. DE is only effective until it gets wet, so

104
you'll have to reapply it after misting. It's non toxic. though. Skin is constantly shedding bacterial cells, You
want the beneficial bacteria on your hands. True anti-
FRUIT FLIES BUG PROBLEM - They're attracted
bacterial soaps need to be left on for a couple minutes
by the smell of mycelium for a snack. I've never seen
too.
them set up home and breed in a cake or other project.
While an irritation to see in our FC's, they're for the OPEN AIR INOCULATION - Anyone who
most part harmless. I chase them down with the vacuum recommends open air inoculations can be compared to a
cleaner hose if their numbers get too large. drunk who recommends drinking and driving.

ANTS ATTACK - Another tip for ants is to put a bit of HOSPITAL SANITATION - Clean clothes & work-
borax into a jar lid of honey or karo. The ants suck up place, along with good sanitary procedures.
the karo with the borax in it, then take it back to the nest AND Hair covering (net/cap), face mask, exam gloves
to mix into the feed. Within two weeks, the entire & Lysol/Oust. ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS. These are
colony including the queens is wiped out. common-place inexpensive items, found at most local
drug/pharmacy stores. Using these will cut down on
BUG PROBLEM? - Dung/straw based substrate draw
contamination. I am amazed, why many don't use them.
gnats (fruit flies). Your infested - already...Get electric
Then wonder why their jars/bags, syringes, prints or
bug zapper.
whatever get contaminated.
FRUIT FLIES - Normally, they breed in your
SURGICAL MASKS - The standard they're testing is
houseplant soil and then fly out to your mycelium to
how the mask protects the wearer, which we don't have
feed. They can be killed off in the houseplant soil by
a concern for. Our projects are not going to give us a
soaking the entire pot from the soil line below in the
fatal disease. Respirators are tight fitting around the
sink for 24 hours. This drowns the adults and larvae.
cheeks, to prevent you from inhaling air from the edges
BUG PROBLEM - You can also get a bottle of red that doesn't get filtered. This is important if you need
wine and drink all but the last inch in the bottom. Leave protection from airborne pathogens. Surgical masks are
the bottle in the fruiting chamber as a trap. They're open at the cheeks purposely to allow a low pressure
attracted to the wine, then can't get out of the bottle and route of escape for your exhaled bacteria(breath). What
drown. passes through the mask generally has 99% of the
bacteria filtered out, depending on brand. Hospital
KNAT PROBLEMS - Use 'Knock Out Knats' Bacillus
operating rooms have HEPA filters in the ceiling that
Thuringiensis Thuricide to destroy gnats in your grow
draw the room currents up and away from the patient.
room.
By having the doctor's breath leave in the direction of
UV LIGHT CANCER - Skin, or eye exposure to hard the ceiling, thus the filters, the patient is protected. This
UV light is KNOWN to cause cancer. I have used then is our scenario as well. When the FDA says they don't
in air sterilization. But, they were enclosed in 16 gauge test surgical masks, it means THEY don't test surgical
sheet metal duct work. Which, the air was forced masks. It doesn't mean they don't get tested. A surgical
through in a hepa filter housing. Just be careful, mask with the N95 rating is going to do our job just
malignant melanoma skin cancer is NO FUN. fine. However, a cheapie surgical mask works very well
too. It's all I've used for years. The thing NOT to use is a
CLEANING - Sanitize means to reduce the number of
construction type dust mask.
contaminants to a safe or relatively safe level as may be
judged by public health requirements. SURGICAL MASKS - Neither of the above. Go to a
Disinfect means elimination of all recognized drug store and get surgical masks. They're designed to
pathogenic microorganism but not necessarily all filter 99% of your exhaled bacteria. One of those above
microbial forms. is only good for 97%, and the other one isn't even rated.
Sterilize means the destruction of all microbical life by You can do much better locally.
use of chemical or physical procedures.
STERILE - Kitchens are the worst possible place to
WASHING HANDS - Soap lifts the oil and bacteria work. There is more fecal bacteria floating around a
skin cells and washes away with water. There is no true kitchen than in the bathroom right after you take a
"anti-bacterial" soap that will kill it all (THIS IS A dump.
MYTH). Even soap/sanitizer can't even kill it all I've noticed the new growers that are saying it's ok to be

105
nasty are also buying syringes from vendors so have STERILE AIR - There are up to 600,000 contaminants
their sterile lab work already done by someone else. per cubic foot of air in a normal room. That's a lot of
That isn't mycology folks. When you learn to harvest a little nasties to stick to your needle or the top of your jar
crop, take prints, germinate spores on agar, isolate where it will get pushed into the substrate when you
strains, and produce a killer fruiting strain that blows inject. A room also has normal circulation and all those
you away with its potency, you'll understand what I nasties are moving around. You can see this on a bright
mean. day when the sun is shining in through a window. You'll
Lab work isn't supposed to be clean. It's supposed to be see the larger of these dust particles, but there are
laboratory sterile. No cut corners. When it comes to hundreds of times that many smaller ones that you can't
spawning a bulk substrate, who gives a shit if you pick see. A still air box stops the movement of these
your nose while working? It doesn't matter. If the grains particles, greatly reducing the chances they'll get on
were properly prepared and colonized in sterile your jar lid or needle. You can also improve your
conditions to full colonization, you can spawn to bulk chances by washing the glovebox and leaving the sides
outdoors if you want to. When you go to the Stamets and bottom wet. The moisture will attract the
seminars, you'll see Paul build a straw log or other dust/contaminants and then they'll stick, leaving the air
project outside in the open air and it works fine. within, not only still, but with much less contaminants
However, you can bet your ass the spawn wasn't floating. You don't want a filter and fan on a glovebox.
produced outdoors in the open air. The only suitable filters for mycology are several inches
Learn to be sterile where sterility is called for, and be thick and require a plenum behind them to build static
clean where being clean is called for and you'll be fine. I pressure, which gives the laminar flow. If you used a
live in a 40 year old condo building in a very damp filter/fan in a glovebox, the turbulence would defeat the
climate and my entire building is infested with black purpose. Where a glovebox really shines is when doing
mold, and it has wall to wall carpeting. It's unhealthy for agar work or grain to grain transfers. They're not as
us and we're trying to sell the damn thing so we can good as a laminar flow hood by any means, but they're
move, but every project I've done has been done in this far better than open, turbulent air. Water or peroxide. A
mold infested place, yet I can grow successfully by wet surface will make the contaminants adhere to it and
following the advice given above, and even filmed my stick, rather than floating into your jars.
video DVD here, doing lab work and growing a dozen
STERILE - Opinions are like something else every one
or more species from spores to the fruiting/harvest
has, so unless somebody wishes to quote some scientific
stage. Several of my terrariums sit within 18" of a wall
texts to back up claims, let's not be spreading flames
that has black mold growing on it, yet it NEVER grows
over our opinions. I can easily see how water 10,000
on my cakes.
feet below the surface of the earth can heat to well over
For sterile work, surgical gloves are a must, surgical
100C without boiling. After all, think of the
mask is a must(dust masks are for carpenters, not
weight(pressure) a 10,000 feet deep well of water will
surgeons), a still air glovebox or laminar flow hood is a
exert on the water at the bottom. That's a lot more
must, A closed, draft free room is a must especially if
pressure then the walls of our PC's can contain.
you're using a flowhood, and spray the air with oust at
However, I doubt seriously the walls of an oven bag can
least two or three times before starting the flowhood. I
exert that much pressure. There's no way to get every
let the flowhood run for at least an hour in that closed
molecule of air out of a bag of coir or manure, even if it
and oust sprayed room before beginning work, which
soaks in water for a month. In addition, even if it did,
gives me time to shower, wash my hair and brush my
you'd be handling a bomb when you open the
teeth, use mouthwash, etc.
microwave. My background is engineering, not
Once your spawn jars are fully colonized, you can
chemistry, so we should wait for one of the member
scratch your butt while you inoculate the coir if you
chemists to chime in. The overall point is mute though,
want. Bacteria isn't a contaminant of bulk substrates.
because sterilized substrates are much more likely to
The important thing is to learn when it's important to be
contaminate than pasteurized substrates. One shouldn't
sterile. If someone else is doing your sterile work for
heat substrate or casing material above about 170F, or
you, then don't brag about how dirty you can be and get
the chances of contamination are increased rather than
away with it. Anybody can be dirty and get away with it
decreased.
under those conditions.

106
STERILIZATION JARS - Total sterilization would recommend inoculations in open air, especially new
take at least 24 hours in the PC and your grains would growers that got started in the hobby during the winter
come out as a sticky mush. The one to two hours we use when natural contaminant counts are low. In addition,
for 'sterilization' gives us a window of opportunity to get the breath of the cultivator is the biggest source of
the jars colonized before the contaminants that survived bacterial contamination, and dust masks stop zero
the pressure cooker can get a foothold. Don't wait three exhaled bacteria from reaching the work area. Dust
days. Instead, if you're having contamination problems, masks are intended to stop the individual from inhaling
simply cook up a few extra jars and always keep a blank large particles such as dust and dirt when mowing the
or two at each step that you don't inoculate. If you do a lawn, but surgical masks are called for when doing
grain to grain transfer, keep one jar back that you don't mycology work. A surgical mask is designed to protect a
use for g2g. If you experience contaminants and your patient from the surgeons exhaled bacteria, which is
blanks are contaminant free, the problem was in your what we want to accomplish when doing sterile work.
sterile technique. If both the blank and the inoculated jar
STERILIZING - Actually, that's a terrible idea and I
contaminate, the problem was in your sterilization
cringe everytime I see it repeated. 'Sterilization' is never
process. By using blanks at every step, you can always
complete, but only gives a window of opportunity to get
narrow down the problem to exactly the step you went
the grains colonized. Wait until the jars return to room
haywire on. Once you get your procedures down pat,
temperature, and then inoculate. Glass is an insulator, so
you won't need to use blanks.
if they were even slightly warm on the outside of the
STERILE SYRINGES - Flaming needles is to prevent glass, your spores are probably cooked and doomed. It
cross contamination between jars. Syringes should never pays to be in a hurry in this hobby. Waiting twelve
always be boiled before re-use. This isn't a tek, it's hours to inoculate is the proper thing to do, and you
simply stating what has been said over and over again don't gain anything by doing it sooner.
for years. There is also no need or reason to PC a
BOILING/STERILIZING SYRINGES - Boiling
syringe. Plastic doesn't harbor bacterial endospores, so
water IS enough to sterilize a syringe. Plastic does not
anything that might be on a syringe will be killed off by
harbor bacterial endospores, and fungi like trichoderma
simply boiling. You still need to flame the needle
and cobweb are killed by temperatures far below
between jars. As hyphae pointed out, you certainly don't
boiling. I fill a pot with water and drop the syringe in.
need a separate syringe for each jar.
After the water has boiled for ten minutes, pull the
Alcohol does NOTHING to prevent the contaminants
syringe out and suck in the boiling water, swish it
that are inside the needle being injected into the grains.
around and squirt it out. Do this a few times. The
The size of the interior of a needle to a contaminant is
syringe will be sterile enough for mycology, I assure
comparative to the size of a human in a subway tunnel.
you. I've done it this way for years.
Needles should always be flame sterilized.
STERILE - I'd suggest an alcohol lamp to sterilize so
CONTAMINANTS BY HUMANS BEING STERILE
you won't be anywhere near your kitchen during
- Growers must realize that WE are the biggest source
inoculations. Kitchens are full of molds and mold
of contamination. I'll add to the above not to talk or
producing/carrying foods such as bread and cheese,
sing, etc., while inoculating jars or doing other clean
vegetables, fruits, etc., not to mention all the bacteria
work.I Your breath leaving your mouth is traveling
that lives and breeds in the sink drain and in all those
faster even than a flow hood can blow it back. It's also
hard to reach to clean spaces. There's no need to wipe
perhaps the largest source of bacteria in our jars. The
with alcohol after flaming the syringe. Wait two or three
bests surgical masks will stop 99% of the bacteria
seconds and inject. Work in a glovebox of course.
leaving your mouth, but think about that 1% of several
billion that gets through. That's a lot of bacteria even STERILE INOCULATION - Swabbing the needle
with a good medical, not dust mask. I hold my breath with alcohol does nothing for the contaminants that
anytime a jar or Petri dish is open. Gloves are have become lodged in the interior of the needle. In
mandatory for consistent success. A box of them is less addition, look at a needle under a microscope. There's
than the price of a single spore syringe. They'll save a many little holes and imperfections on the surface that
lot of failures. alcohol is very likely to miss and thus the contaminant
molds or bacteria survive. Always flame before first use,
STERILE PROCEDURE - Nobody should ever

107
and flame again between each jar to prevent cross- contaminate. That's why we use filter patch bags or jars
contamination. with filters.

STERILIZING NEEDLE FOR INOCULATION - A STERILE PRINTS - There is always going to be a few
bic lighter is fine. A butane type lighter is hotter and contaminant spores on every print. There's no way to
won't leave carbon on the needle, but as long as you get avoid them unless we grew on sterilized substrates in a
it red hot it's fine. Allow to cool for 2 seconds and use. hyperbaric chamber.
The needle will still be hot, but not red hot, and the first
STERILE PROCEDURE - If you're not gloved up,
half drop of solution will cool it off safely, allowing the
wash like a surgeon with good soap, preferably
rest to flow cleanly. Use a glovebox.
something with exfoliant properties, and use hand
NEEDLE STERILIZATION - The problem is the sanitizer.
alcohol doesn't penetrate to the inside of the needle. I
STERILE PROCEDURE - Alcohol your gloves and
suggest flaming the needle red hot, then using the first
tyvek wrist sleeves, spawn jars, flame and alcohol
couple of drops from the syringe to cool it down. That
transfer tools, scalpels, etc.
way, you know the inside and outside of the needle are
sterile. In other words, heat it red hot, then allow to cool FLAMING SYRINGE NEEDLE - If you flame
for only a few seconds and use. between each jar, you eliminate the possibility of cross
contamination.
STERILIZING NEEDLE - If you flame sterilize,
anything you do afterward will only make the needle STERILE AIR - If you want sterile(relatively) air, get a
'dirtier'. Why not just flame and use? Forget the alcohol laminar flow hood.
after flaming. There is no need to cool down the needle.
PASTEURIZATION - Pasteurization should not be
Just use hot and let the first drop or two of solution cool
longer than 90 minutes or too many of the beneficial
the needle, so the rest can flow contaminant free.
organisms will be killed off, thus leaving the substrate
STERILE - Alcohol does NOTHING to prevent the open for contaminants later. Water is a much better
contaminants that are inside the needle being injected conductor of heat than air, thus water or steam
into the grains. The size of the interior of a needle to a pasteurization the preferred method. Water or steam will
contaminant is comparative to the size of a human in a conduct heat into the substrate fastest, thus allowing you
subway tunnel. Needles should always be flame to more precisely control the total amount of time at
sterilized. pasteurization temperature.

STERILE - Spraying Lysol into the air is a waste of a PASTEURIZATION DISCUSSION - Pasteurization
good surface disinfectant. It does no good whatsoever. of substrates doesn't take a few seconds. It takes an
Use Oust to clean the air, Lysol or plain iso alcohol to hour. The idea is to kill all of the mold spores, and some
clean tabletops. Other than that, it should be OK. Keep of the bacteria. The surviving bacteria keep the substrate
your cotton filter dry at all times or it will mold. 'alive', thus reducing the chances of molds forming. A
few bacteria in a substrate will also improve fruiting,
STERILE - If you fail to flame between jars, you can
and some species simply will not fruit on a sterile
easily cross-contaminate between them. Flame between
substrate.
each and every jar. Alcohol is good for the surface of the
jars and tabletops, but flaming is the way to sterilize a PASTERUIZATION - You'll want to get your material
needle or scalpel, inoculating loop, etc. to the proper moisture content before loading into bags
or jars. Let the substrate sit for half an hour, and then re-
STERILIZING NEEDLE - 70% is more effective at
adjust to field capacity. Oven bags are for cooking
killing organisms than 91%, but in my opinion, syringe
turkeys in the oven. They're not suitable for stovetop
needles should be flame sterilized. Alcohol on a cotton
pasteurization, so use jars or filter patch bags, which
wad will do nothing for contaminants on the inside of
don't need to be sealed first.
the needle.
PASTEURIZATION - Pasteurization only kills fungal
STERILIZATION - Sterilization kills all life forms.
spores, leaving the beneficial bacteria intact. After
After sterilization, you need to keep the substrate under
pasteurization, the substrate need not be kept sterile, so
sterile conditions until fully colonized or it will
it's suitable for bulk substrates such as straw and manure

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that are too big for filtered jars. temperature above the boiling point of water due to
pressure, to suddenly loose all their moisture because
PASTERUIZATION - You'd have an easier time if you
the pressure that was holding the moisture in place
divided it up into several smaller bags or jars rather than
disappears. Let the PC cool naturally until you can
one large one. You want to maintain 140F to 160F in the
handle it without gloves or a pot holder before opening.
center of the bag for one hour for pasturization.
PRESSURE COOKER - POINT OF A PRESSURE
PASTERUIZING - You should pasteurize the coir.
COOKER....IN GENERAL: Canning and cooking foods
Some, including me have used it unpasteurized with
faster/ with less nutrition loss.....MYCOLOGY: Makes
success, but additives such as compost and/or manure
it so you don't lose juices and all in roasts and stuff too.
definitely need to be pasteurized, so just do it.
Steam steralization at temps higher then boiling water
PASTERUIZATION - Open water pasteurization can exhibit.
sucks, at least put it in a quart jar. Reason being,
STERILIZATION - Sterilization is never complete
because it loses nutrients and the screws up the water
because that would take overnight in the PC, which
content.
would turn the grains to mush. The hour or two we PC
PASTERUIZATION - I can pasterize in a Crock Pot IF gives a window of opportunity for the mycelium to
I can watch and control the temp! colonize and get a grip on the grains, but it's only a
window.
PRESSURE COOK TIMES - For larger jars or
substrate bags, I've got a little different technique to BEST PC BULK - If you are going to give it a
know how long. SERIOUS go. All American PC is BEST PC EVER.
The bacterial endospores in grains need about 30 Bigger the better. Build (at least) a GLOVE BOX.
minutes @ 15 psi, at sea level, to ensure they're killed Better yet a HEPA FILTERED FLOW HOOD. FIND
off. That does not mean 30 minutes from the time your HORSE MANURE. Learn WBS & G2G. Learn PH of
PC reaches pressure, but 30 minutes from the time the casing is important.
interior of the jar or bag of grains reaches full
LEAVING JARS AFTER STERILIZATION -
temperature. The way to achieve this is to always use
Leaving unsterilized grains in a closed jar is a breeding
the minimum stove setting that will hold 15 psi. If your
ground for contaminants. The more contaminants you
PC rattles at 15, then use 14 so it doesn't rattle at all.
have in a jar, the more are likely to survive the
Now, you'll notice after pressure is reached, for about
'sterilization' process.
1/2 an hour or so, you'll have to constantly turn down
the stove in order to prevent the weight rattling. Once PRESSURE COOKER - I use 90 minutes for quart
you reach the point where you don't need to reduce the jars at 15 psi. At 10 psi, go for two hours. I wouldn't
stove burner anymore, your substrate is fully heated all attempt corn at ten psi. Corn sucks anyway as a spawn.
the way through. At this point, allow 1/2 hour to ensure Just use rye or wbs.
the bacterial endospores in the very center of the
GLOVEBOX STILL AIR BOX - You rarely see the
substrate bag are killed off. If you're above 5,000 feet
old hands using any sort of 'positve pressure' box. A
elevation, double the above time to one hour.
glove box need not be sterile or have sterile air. There is
PRESSURE COOKING - You can remove the jars absolutely no way that a dust mask or even a vacuum
when the pressure cooker returns to zero pressure, but cleaner hepa filter on a sterlite container with a
I'd still wait a little while. If you remove the jars while computer fan is going to deliver better performance than
they're too hot, they can loose some of their mosture a simple container with two holes cut for your arms, but
content to evaporation. Overnight is not necessary, but if otherwise closed up.
you're going to lt them sit anyway, the PC is a fine place What you want in a glove box is to have zero air
to leave them. If you need to cook another batch, then movement. You can lightly mist the inside air of the box
there's no harm in removing them. Allow to cool to near with plain water, and this will attract whatever
room temp before inoculating. contaminants are floating around in the box to the water
droplets, where they will fall by gravity to the bottom of
PRESSURE COOKER - The biggest cause I see of dry
your glovebox. After that, simply do your work wearing
jars is lifting the weight or relief valve to let pressure
latex gloves. I use tyvek sleeves on my wrists, pulled
out faster at the end. That causes the grains that are at a

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down over the surgical gloves. Wash the gloves with cells per hour fall off each arm. That is a fact of human
alcohol before working. I have nothing at all attached to metabolism. In fact, the overwhelming majority of 'dust'
the glovebox. Just two 4" holes for my arms to stick in a house or on the furniture is actually dead skin cells.
through. The loose fitting sleeves seal around the holes If you work bare armed, those skin cells that flake off
well enough, and allows me to pull my hands in and out your arms now have a chance to fall by simple gravity
with ease to use my alcohol torch. (I don't like to use the into a jar or Petri dish. With a freshly laundered long
flame inside the box due to excessive heat) My success sleeved shirt, the shirt will catch the majority of those
rate with the glovebox described above is equal to that dead skin cells, thus protecting your project. The shirt
of my laminar flow hood. I prefer the flowhood because does NOT need to be sterile, so please stop confusing
it's easier to work in front of and you have more room to the subject with this silly arguing.
move around.
GLOVEBOX VS AIR FILTER - A glovebox can
The problem with having a fan on your glovebox is it
never rival a flowhood, although one can certainly
will cause turbulence inside the box, which will keep
screw up a glovebox by placing fans and filters on it.
any contaminants in suspension where they are actually
A still air glovebox can be used with the same success
more likely to land on your project than without a fan.
rate as a laminar flow hood, but is much more cramped
Best of luck.
to work in. A flowhood gives you a sterile work space
A fan is the worst possible thing you can do to a
that is big enough for your elbows to move around in.
glovebox. There is also no need to spray lysol or oust in
a GB. Wipe it with a damp cloth and go to work. There GLOVEBOX - This is why I recommend soap and
is nothing sterile about a glovebox. STILL air is what water only to clean a glovebox. Lysol and alcohol are
you want. both surface disinfectants, and you don't dump spores or
mycelium on the floor of the glovebox anyway so they
STERILE TECHNIQUE GLOVEBOX - You can also
are of no use. Since all a glovebox does is prevent drafts
cut the holes so they're fairly snug around your arms,
that would blow contamination into your work, soap
then just wear latex gloves. Be sure to wash your hands
and water is all that is required to clean them.
and arms first, then put on a freshly laundered long
sleeve shirt to cover the skin on your arms.(dead skin GLOVEBOX - Glovebox Hands down beats oven box,
cells flake off all the time and they'll have bacteria) too many contaminants in your oven also theres moving
Remember, a glovebox does not have to be totally air coming in and out of it because it can't be closed
airtight or sterile. It only serves as a place for you to unless you can fit inside it :p.
open or inoculate jars or Petri dishes in a draft free
GLOVEBOX - Gloveboxes need not be sterile, and I
environment. I haven't used attached gloves in years
never use lysol, etc., in mine. Fruiting chambers also
because they're such a pain in the butt to work in. Latex
need not be sterile.
gloves give you really good control. Of course, do your
glovebox work in a very clean room with no fans or air STILL AIR BOX - I just use soap and water to clean
conditioners etc running. the inside.

GLOVEBOX/STILL AIR BOX - If your box is draft TIMERS - Cheap timers won't have the switching
free, then you can skip the mask and hairnet. Most of us capacity to run an air conditioner. You'll need to get an
use simple rubbermaid totes for gloveboxes, so intermatic timer in the metal box from an electrical
breathing near the lid could get bacteria inside, so watch supply. Sometimes you can get them at lowes or home
for that and either tape the seal or use a surgical mask. depot, but make sure they have the 'amp' rating that
The air in the room doesn't need to be sterile by any matches or exceeds the nameplate 'amps' on your AC.
means. As long as the glovebox has still air and you've
BOOKS - The Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms has as
sprayed inside with water, you'll be fine. Don't use
it's editor in chief, Mr. Solomon Wasser, and on the
flammable stuff in your glovebox. You can mist it with
editorial board, another 'lay' person, Mr. Gaston
your regular mister with plain water, and whatever
Guzman. Perhaps you've heard of those two?
contaminants land on the floor or back and side walls,
The issue I'm holding in my hand has articles from such
will stick there due to adhesion.
'lay persons and hobbyists' as Paul Stamets, Christopher
GLOVEBOX/STILL AIR BOX - The problem Hobbs, John Holliday, Gaston Guzman, Toshihiro
working bare armed is that several thousand dead skin Hashimoto, Soloman Wasser, Gregory Plontnikoff,

110
Daniel Winkler and others too numorous to mention. cycle of the fungus gnats, the adult population began to
I feel strongly on a board focused on mycology we wane. Over the course of around a month, I've gone
should concentrate on mycology and not vulgarity, from gnat-body-littered stickytape traps changed once a
however, feel free to call it whatever you wish. week or so, to, no visible adult gnats in the terrarium. It
appears this particular product, though it takes a few
BOOKS - I'd recommend both of Paul's cultivation
weeks, will effectively disrupt and wipe out the fungus
books. The Mushroom Cultivator for a good basic
gnat life cycles on casings.
mycology course, and Growing Gourmet and Medicinal
Mushrooms for some more advanced tips, correction of EXPERIENCE OF ROGERRABBIT - 36 years. In
a few mistakes in TMC, and detailed descriptions and 1971, I brought home a cow pie that had cubes growing
pictures of common contaminants. These are mushroom on it because I could see 'mushroom roots' covering the
growing books, not specifically psilocybe growing whole bottom of the patty. I mixed it into my compost
books. Those I've seen that only show how to grow pile and forgot all about it until the fall rains came when
cubes are lame and inaccurate at best. I found hundreds of cubes all around the base of the
compost pile. I've been hooked ever since. It actually
DAMAGED FRUITS - Anytime a spot forms on a cap
took me well over a year to learn that mushrooms don't
from damage, it's there forever. It won't 'heal'. The fuzz
have roots. There were no books on cultivation at the
on the stem is fine, and doesn't mean humidity is too
time, and of course no internet. The Dallas, Texas public
high. It seems to happen with some strains/substrains.
library was my only source of information. I finally
Look closely at what you see. Think about when you hit
found Alexander Smith's field guide to western
your own body on something and it bruises. The color
mushrooms in the mid 70's, and learned a lot about
you see is your actual skin color. That's bruising. Now
mushrooms from that, even though it's not a cultivation
think about when you get a bad scrape or cut and if
book.
forms a scab. The scab sits above your skin as a separate
layer. A scab on your body corresponds to mold on your FIRE FANG - Actinomycetis. It will also grow on
substrate. The mold will be a layer above the substrate. coffee grinds if you store them for any length of time.

DISTILLED WATER - Everybody knows about the GNATS/FLIES INFO - They love the fruit bowls and
pure distilled water in a clean, smooth container being anything else sweet. They're attracted to the smell of the
able to be superheated slightly above 100C and remain mycelium, but they don't usually breed in our projects.
liquid. There's dozens of demonstrations on youtube and They rarely cause much problem unless they're there by
others. However, coir or anything else mixed with water the thousands. I've never had a single contaminant that I
can NOT be heated above 100C without the water could blame on them and I live in fruit fly/gnat heaven.
changing state to a gas. It doesn't matter if there's any Normally, they breed in your houseplant soil and then
air above the water or not. fly out to your mycelium to feed. Fruit flies have about
a 20 to 30 day life span. They go from egg to larva to
EXPERIENCE - I found this "dust" of Bacillus
adult flies. The adult stage is about 7 to 10 days of the
thuringiensis for begetables. It was not labeled for
span & in that time, 1 adult can lay about 700 to 800
fungus gnats, and it was not the substrate of this species
eggs. The flies do not lay eggs at temperatures below 54
indicated for controlling fungus gnats. It was really for
F (12 C) or above 91 F (33 C).
chewing caterpillars, etc. It's called "Dipel 150 Dust."
Five bucks for a pound. The values for treating soil are HALF GALLON - Half gallon jars often go anaerobic
absurd (too low for me to apply to a casing) so I took a in the centers. It's also harder for the CO 2 to escape the
tea-straining teaspoon (one of those latch-and-strain larger jars. Personally, I don't use anything larger than
teaspoons) and put it down in the container the bacillus quarts, even though I have five or six cases of half
dust and clipped it shut against the side of the container gallon jars in storage. Try leaving the jars laying on
(while still inside) then brought it out and shook it over their sides. Next grow, I'd suggest quarts for grains. In
my casings. There was a layer of this dust that sort of addition, the larger the container, the drier you make the
looked like a fine, white snow. I applied this once, then grains. You'll use about 20% less water(per measure of
a couple of days later again, then about a week later grain) with half gallons than you'd use with quarts.
again. I applied it 3 or 4 times, and, as the bacillus
thuringiensis propagated and interfered with the life LAUNDRY BASKET TEK DISCUSSION - By
Visions method if I remember correctly, you're not

111
supposed to mist the sides. Let them dry out, and the dry before, so do a few searches and you'll find all you ever
straw serves as the contamination barrier. He poured wanted to know from both sides of this coin.
water down from the top. I do it a bit different by
LOOKING FOR A MICROSCOPE - If you want
placing in a bag or large tote with holes cut into it for
good pics, get ready to spend some bucks. I've got a few
gas exchange. This keeps the CO2 levels higher during
cheapies that just sit on the shelf, and never get used
colonization, which actually prevents the mycelium anymore. You won't get quality for less than $1,000 and
from turning as much of the substrate carbon into CO 2, that's the low end. A decent C-mount microscope
which reduces the size of the substrate greatly. About a camera is going to cost $2,000 just for the camera. In
week after full colonization, I introduce to the normal fact, the camera will cost more than the scope. You can
fruiting conditions of high humidity and lots of air pick up a pretty good scope for $1,000 whether you
exchange. I don't fruit them in open air unless it's the want zoom or light microscope. I actually use my zoom
rainy season outdoors, in which case I set them on the more than the light in mycology. The zoom microscope
back porch to fruit. You can see a short, low resolution is great for looking at mycelium on Petri dishes, gills on
preview video of the way I do it on my website. mushrooms, and other stuff like that. If you want to see
on the cellular level, you'll need a light microscope and
LABELING - My system is to list the date first, parent
a box of slides and covers. I had a whole section on
species second, then strain third, and then each transfer
microscopy filmed for my video, but had to cut it out
beginning with the letter 'A' and going through the
because there just wasn't enough room on the 2 dvd set
alphabet. Assume the species is Reishi, and the strain is
for it. Perhaps it will fit into one of the future releases.
my 'sheriff' (sherrif strain got its name because a
I'm already working on the next one. Stereo
dumbass sheriff gave me a bogus ticket the day I cloned
microscopes are for looking at something from the top.
it, but that's another story). A swipe of spores made
The lens and the light are on the same side of the object
today on agar would be labeled 042607RS. Assuming
you're viewing. Stereo microscopes are for looking at
three days from now I make a series of transfers of the
gems, coins, bugs, and mycelium on a Petri dish to
first mycelium to germinate from spores, they would be
examine for contaminants, etc. A zoom microscope is a
labeled 042907RS A1, B1, C1, D1, etc. As the strains
stereo microscope with an adjustment to vary the
differentiate, the next series of transfers would be
magnification without changing lenses. Maximum
labeled (date)RS-A1-A, (date)RS-A1-B, etc. From the
magnification with stereo-zoom and zoom microscopes
second original dish, the second set of transfers would
is usually around 20X to 30X. I have a pretty high end
be (date)RS-B1-A, (date)RS-B1-B, etc and right on
zoom microscope that goes to 50X, but the field of view
down the list. It's important to be consistant with your
at that magnification is pretty darn small, defeating the
system all the way to fruiting because when you find
purpose of using a stereo microscope in the first place.
that awesome fruiting strain three months from now,
A light microscope has the light on the opposite side of
you want to be able to go back to the original dish in the
the lens from the object you're viewing, thus you see the
refrigerator that corresponds to the fruiting tray, pull it
light that shines through the object. Laboratory and
out and make a master culture slant from it. That way,
medical microscopes are the light type. If you want to
you preserve the genetics of a great strain from a very
examine the internal structure of spores, or view
early time in its life before many cell divisions have
mycelium to look for the number of nuclei in each cell
occured.
or to look for clamp connections, you'll want a light
LEARNING - Agreed. My bitch is that when people microscope. If you order a stereo microscope, be sure to
move to edibles/medicinals they have to un-learn all get LED lights, even if they're more expensive. Coin
their bad habits, essentially starting the learning curve collectors and jewelers can use the cheaper halogen that
all over again. With cubes, they'll fruit on just about seems to be standard on stereo microscopes, but the heat
anything, regardless of how you prepare the substrate, will cook your mycelium, and if you look at something
so they're like learning to ride a bike with training inside a Petri dish, the dish fogs up in three or four
wheels. However, if you don't learn to ride without seconds from the heat, blocking your view. There's
those training wheels, you'll look awfully silly someday some pictures taken with a light microscope on my
when you grow up and have to bolt them on your harley. website on the introduction to mycology page
That's why I suggest pasteurization of bulk substrates http://www.mushroomvideos.com/1811640.html along
and casing material. However, this has all been covered with the mushroom gill shots which were taken with a

112
zoom microscope, and the basidia pictures at the bottom a crop. You can half-ass on air exchange and still get a
of the page were taken with a scanning electron crop. You can half-ass on humidity and still get a crop.
microscope. The pictures of verm and perlite in this However, if you skimp on all of them, you get nothing.
thread: If you work hard on every aspect of growing, you'll get
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number spectacular results. That's why those of us who know try
/6610766#Post6610766 were taken with a stereo zoom to advise on the best ways to get the results most of us
microscope. are looking for.

MUSHROOM FARMER - I know the owners of NITROGEN - Don't use urea. If you feel you need a
several local mushroom farms in my area and every nitrogen boost, use chicken manure, but at no more than
single one of them got their start with growing magic 5% of the total bulk substrate. Make sure the chicken
mushrooms, then went into the legal business. They're manure has cured in the sun for at least a week or two
business people and hard workers, but far from prudes. and has zero smell. Otherwise, spread it out on
Just put down that you have experience and cautiously cardboard in the sun until it's dry and odor free.
decline to talk about species during the interview and
NITROGEN ONLY WHEN COMPOSTED - Don't
they'll get the point, but at the same time know you're
use blood meal because it doesn't do much good unless
being discrete. None of them will hire someone who
it's been composted in a pile. Fish emulsion does no
brags about psilocybes because that could bring heat on
good at all. Remember, mushrooms are not plants and
them. That said, most of the jobs at mushroom farms are
need to eat their food to get energy. They don't get
just labor. There's lots of compost to turn, trucks and
energy from the sun, so fertilizers are useless.
tractors/forklifts to drive and floors to sweep and high
pressure wash. Unless you get a job in the 'lab' it isn't NEMATODES - One needs to be careful handling
going to be much to do with mushrooms unless you're a nematodes and growing mushrooms. Many species are
picker, and in that case you have to learn to work very death to fungi, while other types of fungi can trap and
fast, which is darned hard work, and stops being fun kill the harmful nematodes.
after the first fifteen minutes.
PAN CYANS - Grow them exactly like cubes, except
MUSHROOMS FALLING OVER - It's substrain use a thinner substrate of horse or cow manure no more
related. Very good tendency in my opinion, because than 2 inches thick, and a 1/4" peat based casing layer.
little damage is done to the casing layer when they fall Other than that, don't do anything different. They're not
over or are picked. as cold temperature tolerant as cubes, so try to keep
fruiting conditions in the 75F to 85F range. They
MYTH - Early mushroom growers followed on the
usually take a few days to a week longer to pin than
agaricus farmers knowledge and grew their mycelium in
cubes as well. Shotgun terrarium will work fine. I don't
the dark and had good results. Therefore, the wrote that
like them anymore. The trip always seemed a bit on the
mycelium should be 'incubated in total darkness' and
dark side, not pleasant at all in my experience. Good
that myth is being repeated thirty years later, even
luck.
though it is just plain wrong.
PENIS ENVY - PE's don't pin well unless you do strain
MYTHS - Myth: If you can see the tray, it has enough
isolations and find a really good fruiting isolate. What
light.
you have is about average pinset for multispore
Reality: Bullshit. Bright, high frequency light is much
inoculation.
better. Natural daylight fluorescent or metal halide will
give the best pinsets. POPCORN - Colonizing twice as fast isn't necessarily a
Myth: You only need a few minutes of light per day. good thing. If the mycelium is starving, it will search for
Reality: Bullshit. 12/12 has been proved for years and food. Since the vermiculite is inert, it won't find it. We
years to be many times better. see the same thing when people use popcorn for spawn.
You don't find the experienced growers making those The jars colonize twice as fast as rye, but have only half
silly statements. Fluorescent light. or less as much mycelium per jar. There is no
advantage.
NOOB SPEACH - Sure, you can half-ass the light and
still get a crop. You can half-ass a substrate and still get PSILO - As we know, when mushrooms grow, they
a crop. You can half-ass a fruiting chamber and still get don't grow by cell division. The cells expand as they

113
engorge with water. A small pin has all the cells it will transfer, because you need room to shake it later.
have as a large mushroom. That's why a small fruit has Hopefully, you have a flow hood, but whether you're
nearly as much actives as a much larger fruit. The larger using a flowhood or glove box, try to get the transfer
fruit is engorged with water, thus it's less potent by done within just a few seconds to limit the amount of
weight. That's a fact. Five grams of small mushrooms time the lid is off each receiving jar. With time and
are far more potent than a single five gram fruit. That's practice you'll develop a technique where you twist the
also a fact. The picture of fahtsters above is in the master jar as you pour so the grains will flow out
pinning stage. Only a few of the caps have started to smoothly.
tear the veils. The picture from 24 hours later is on my Don't be distracted by the pictures of Paul doing g2g
video, and they're quite a bit larger. All bs aside, you with bare hands. I cringe everytime I see those. Wear
don't compare the size of fruits from a four to six inch latex gloves and wipe them down with alcohol after
deep substrate to fruits from a half pint cake. This putting them on. Also, wipe down the exterior of the
argument will be going on long after we're all dead and master and receiving jars with alcohol before the
buried. I just won't have people trashing teks because transfer to limit the chances of contaminants from the
they're unable to pull off grows with them. Ask any exterior finding a way inside.
long-time grower who has used all methods, and most
SPIDERS - Don't kill the spiders. They eat fungus gnats
will tell you for large amounts of fruits, go with bulk
that WILL cause you problems. A grow chamber need
substrates such as manure or coir. However, most of us
not be sealed up, nor sterile. You want air exchange to
aren't into selling mushrooms, and a few cakes are more
prevent trich and cobweb, so naturally the gnats will get
than enough for personal use. There is no difference in
in, and so will the spiders. Spiders are our friends.
potency between mushrooms from cakes and from bulk
substrates, unless one lets the fruits from the bulk STORING REFRIGERATOR - Often, a grower puts a
substrate get very large, at which time they're tray in the refrigerator, and a few days later gets pins.
considerably weaker. Think of it like a balloon. If you Thus, the connection is made that the drop in
blow it up bigger, you don't increase the amount of temperatures caused the pinning. It makes sense right?
rubber in it. However, what if he had a tray that he exposed to a ten
degree temperature rise and a few days later he got
SCLEROTIA - Sclerotia is a much better experience,
pins? Could he not make the same case that the increase
and the taste doesn't gag you at all. I've found mexicana
in temperature caused the pinning? In fact, this is what
to be much more like acid than mushrooms. It's a
happens in nature. A summer rain(thunderstorm) comes,
cleaner trip, without the body numbing that makes it
which 'dunks' the substrate, and then when the sun
hard to move or communicate with cubensis. I've also
comes out, the mushrooms pop up very fast, often in
found sclerotia to be a much more spiritual trip than
80's and 90's degree temperature. One could make a
cubes. In addition, it's shorter lasting, so it's not out of
very good case that in nature, it's the increase in
the question to do on a weeknight, when you have to be
temperature that stimulates the pinset. It's a survival
at work the next day. They're my favorite, along with ps
mechanism. They need to spread spores before the
cyans. I use rye berries, but they're simple as pie to
mycelium dries out again. I've done both of the above
clean up. Simply take a stone in your hands and rub the
scenarios dozens, if not hundreds of times to get to the
grains off with your fingers. The texture is similar to
bottom of this. That's the reason I say what I do that
nuts, and the mushroom taste is mild and not unpleasant
temperature drop does not play a part in the pinning
at all.
strategy of tropical species. In fact, some of the best
SPEACH - You want your grain master to be fully pinsets came when fruiting conditions were five degrees
colonized, then bang it a few times against a fully or more warmer than colonization temperature. Cold
inflated tire to separate the kernels. With the kernels shocking is the signal that fall fruiting mycelium needs
separated, you can carefully pour the loosened grains to begin producing fruits. Shiitake, P. cyanescens, P.
from the master to the receiving jar. Be sure your nameko, etc., to name a few require a cold shock to
receiving jars have been prepared no more than 2/3 full, fruit. Cubensis, H. ulmarium, Pan Cyanescens, etc., do
so that you can pour a tablespoon or two worth of grains not require a cold shock. The above is not to discourage
from the master without overfilling the receiving jar. No experimenting in any way. However, get your ducks in a
jar should be filled more than 3/4 full after the g2g row, and have many duplicate projects made exactly the

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same way, and spawned, colonized, cased, etc., exactly polymer related to super glue. This brand is made from
the same way, and then cold shock some, and increase potassium and there are others made from sodium. The
temps on others. Keep controls that fruit in exactly the crystals can absorb 400 times their weight in water, and
temperature they colonize in. From my experience, if then release it slowly back into their surroundings. They
you do the above, your results will vary. Sometimes the have been tested and shown to be non-toxic and
cold shocked tray will fruit sooner, but other times later, environmentally benign. They have been used in
often much later. Ditto for the other parameters. This is mushroom cultivation and shown to not incorporate
what has led me to my conclusions. The other pinning themselves into the fruit at all. Over time they will just
triggers of full colonization, increased air exchange, and break down to carbon dioxide and water. They
near 100% humidity far outweigh temperature drastically reduce the need for misting a casing and in
considerations. Good luck to all. Experimenting is how some instances will eliminate the need all together
we learn. I store master slants in the refrigerator for depending on the fruiting chamber. Just looking for
years at a time. I've never had one single invitro anyone's experience first hand with this product. It is not
mushroom from a tropical species ever form in a slant. a secret that it works or exists and given it's ability I
Cause and effect can be tricky sometimes. For example, would think many others before me would have tried it.
if you get drunk as snot and drive, you're more likely to
THE WAY IN - Mutlispore innoc, day six.
get in a car accident. However, what if you have a cup
5 squirts, 1 each corner, 1 down center, about 2.5 cc per
of coffee in the morning and then get in an accident
jar.
while sober? Did the coffee cause the accident, or was it
agar is GREAT, because you can tell if any culture is
just 'your time'? My experience says a tray that fruits
contam'ed - or not.
after being put in the refrigerator was about to fruit
Liquid Culture (LC)is fastest - I ever had.
anyway. The fridge probably delayed it by a day or so in
Matter of fact, once tried LC straight into pasturized
fact. There used to be a mindset that mycelium could
compost substrate, supplemented with 25% PC'ed bulk
compare to weed, where (in the case of weed) changing
WBS.
the photo period would signal a change from vegetative
Worked GREAT (but, must have very aseptic enviro to
growth to flowering. It was thought that a temp drop
incubate in).
would change mycelium from vegetative growth to
fruiting. However, after many side-by-side tests, I've TROPICAL SPECIES - It's well known that cold
personally ruled out such a phenomena, so I pass that damages tropical species and thus they should never be
info along. Feel free to experiment to either prove or 'cold shocked'.
disprove the above. In no way do I consider my
BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER......TRUE STORY -
experiences the last word on the subject. Mushroom
You cannot get
cultivation, especially when compared to crop farming,
is in its infancy and we're still learning. VOCABULARY - Spawn: Noun form: Grains, brf, etc.,
fully colonized with mushroom mycelium.
STORAGE MYCOLOGY - Or, spend $99 and buy a
Spawn: Verb form: To mix the above defined colonized
dorm type refrigerator brand new, and never put
grains into a substrate.
anything but mycology projects and unopened
Substrate: Manure, compost, coir, coffee grinds, etc.
cans/bottles of beer in it.
Substrate is the food the mushroom mycelium eats. In
STIR BARS - Latex tubing can be used over magnetic the case of brf cakes, the brf is both the spawn and the
bars in order to lower the noise of the magnet. substrate.
Casing: The non-nutritious, moisture-holding layer we
SUGARS - Dextrose and Karo are pretty much the
place on top of a substrate as a water reservoir to supply
same thing, Glucose.
the substrate with the extra moisture it needs to support
TEMPERATURE - Water boils at 212F/100C. You the developing flush of mushrooms.
can't boil at 300F without a LOT of pressure. It doesn't Patching: Applying a small amount of casing material
matter how hot your stove is or how rapidly the water is over the mycelium that is poking through the casing
boiling, it will be at 212F/100C. layer. This allows that mycelium to continue growing,
while waiting for more mycelium to reach the surface of
TERRA SORB WATER CRYSTALS - Terra-Sorb
the non-patched areas. This results in a more even
Terra-Sorb is a "water crystal" made from a synthetic

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pinset. any healthy looking pins. They'll start growing when
you pick the present flush. You pick the fruits as they're
WHAT IS - A pf jar for example is a substrate when
ready. There is no reason to pick them all at once. You
fruited directly from the cake. However, a pf jar is
don't pick pins/primordia because they're required for
spawn when used to inoculate manure or straw, etc.
the next flush. Air Dry! Then Put In Dehydrator They'll
Rye is a spawn when used to inoculate manure or straw,
shrink a lot and let you put more into the dehydrator.
etc., but is a substrate when cased with peat-verm or
verm-coir, although coir is better suited as a substrate HARVESTING - Food quality is important. If you gag
than a casing material. If you mix the rye in as an on every bite, then sit during your come-up time trying
inoculant, it's spawn, but if you lay it in a tray and apply not to puke, it's no fun. There is no increase in the
a casing layer over the top of it, the rye becomes the number of cells in a mushroom after the veil tears,
substrate. therefore no new active compounds are made. The cells
A bulk substrate is a large amount of material that that are already there simply fill up with water. That
supports mushroom growth that you spawn your means the actives that are in a freshly opened cap are
mycelium into. Bulk substrates can be manure, straw, the same actives that are in a huge, umbrella shaped,
coir, worm castings, coffee grinds, etc. Grains can black spore covered cap, but you have to eat more to get
spawn to a bulk substrate, or serve as the substrate, but them. When we say there is little to no loss of potency,
are never considered a 'bulk' substrate. that's what we mean. None was lost, but none was
gained either. Only mass was gained, thus you gag more
WHAT IS SPAWN - Spawn as a noun is the grains or
for the same amount. That's what I mean by poor food
other material such as brf cakes that are fully colonized
quality. As for developing allergies, mine have all come
with mushroom mycelium.
in the last few years as I've researched many species. I
Spawn as a verb is the act of placing those fully
often have a few hundred jars and up to several hundred
colonized grains into another uncolonized substrate for
spawn bags going at any one time. This has been my
the purposes of expanding mycelium mass.
full time job since I've been working on my dvd. I quit
Spawn as an adjective is used to qualify a noun. Thus
my job over a year ago, so I've been exposed to a lot of
when used as "the spawned substrate", substrate is the
mushroom spores in that time. All of them legal edibles,
noun and spawned is the adjective form of the word
by the way. The worst for causing allergic reactions is
spawn.
Hypsizygus ulmarium, but cubensis spores will clog up
a humidifier filter in no time, and ruin the motor
HARVESTING
bushings as well. Cube spores will also foul
HARVESTING - When harvesting your trying to get hygrometers, and if you have a computer in the room
good food grade. Fruiting in the low 70's is perfect with your grow, it will destroy the cooling fans, and if
which benefits by giving better fruit quality. Harvesting they get into the hard drive, will destroy it as well.
your mushrooms should be easy on the casing and
gentle. Gentle twist & pull is best. Object is to HARVESTING - Removing large chunks of substrate
MINIMIZE casing cover damage. But, getting out is from carelessness. You can easily back up the
clumps of shrooms, often leaves divots. Which you substrate with two fingers of one hand while twisting
patch. Try not to leave any broken stem. Because that and pulling with the other. If the fruits are very well
exposed tissue invites contaminates & rot. Better to attached, simply do what the commercial farms do and
have a divot in casing, which can be patched. Rather cut the base off with a knife, then remove the stump
than leave torn stem tissue exposed. Good practice to later. Cut the stem off right at the substrate level and
pick those big fuckers, they take the uumph out of the leave the stump there. Remember, mushroom tissue is
rest of the flush. With practice, you'll develop a mycelium. Anything below the substrate level doesn't
technique for twisting and pulling the mature fruits off need to be removed anyway. The strength of the
that does very little damage. You can even hold a fork or mushroom/substrate connection is strain related, not
spoon on the casing layer next to fruits you're picking to casing/no-casing related. I have an isolated strain that
help hold the casing in place. Food quality is best just the fruits fall over and unhook themselves from the
prior to the veil tearing. They just seem to go down substrate just as the veil tears, whether cased or not.
easier, without that 'make you puke' horrible taste. That quality comes in really handy when I'm on an
When Picking A Flush: Remove the aborts, but leave outside job working long hours.

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AFTER A FLUSH HARVESTING - After picking a HARVESTING - Do NOT pick all the pins from the
flush, allow the substrate to 'rest' for several days to a casing layer. Often, pins for the first two or three flushes
week. Let it dry out somewhat during this time. A are set at time of first flush. Picking them ruins future
substrate will not flush again right away. After the 'rest flushes. You can't pick individual fruits from a cluster
period', give it an overnight soak to bring the moisture without using a knife. Simply grab and gently twist the
content back up and place into fruiting conditions. whole cluster, and it will come off as one piece. Be
Dunking right away is counterproductive because the careful that you don't also pull up a large chunk of your
mycelium is dormant for a few days and the dunk only casing layer.
supplies moisture to the contaminant molds that might
HARVESTING - Mushrooms that are picked small and
be present, then it dries out before that moisture is
immature will be more potent by weight than they
actually needed for the next flush. Never leave a
would be if allowed to fully mature, and that's a fact. As
substrate that is flushing without air exchange. It will
the cells engorge with water, there's no evidence that
suffocate and die.
they increase in potency as well. The 'veil tearing' is just
AFTER HARVEST - After harvest, it's a good idea to a signpost along the way that indicates a good time to
fill any divots created by picking with fresh casing pick. It has nothing in and of itself to do with potency.
material. Don't wait for it to colonize, because it rarely
AFTER FLUSH - After picking a flush, it's a good idea
will. Don't re-case. Trays can be soaked for a few hours
to let the substrate sit idle for a week, and even to allow
under running water. Just let the faucet fill up the tray
it to dry out a bit. After a week, soak it for six to twelve
and gently run over the sides and down the drain. Use
hours under water to re-hydrate. We refer to this as
jars of water or rocks to hold the substrate from floating.
'dunking'. After the soak, place it back into fruiting
After four or five hours, most substrates will be re-
conditions, and the second flush usually pops fairly
hydrated. I like to wait up to a week after picking a
quick, provided the substrate has no contamination.
flush before doing the above. During this rest time,
allow the substrate to dry out a bit, and then soak as AFTER HARVEST - Nothing is set in stone, it's just
above and return to fruiting conditions. something I've observed with lots of species. Most don't
flush again for several days anyway, so during the time,
DRYING - If you choose to use desiccant, it's best to
let the substrate rest, and then give a soak to rehydrate
fan or air dry for a couple of days first. When you use
and set back into fruiting. It more closely simulates
desiccant, be sure to have the desiccant lifted off the
natural the environment they evolved in, and helps to
floor of the tupperware or other container, so that
send out a stronger flush.
moisture that drips from the fruits can run through the
desiccant to the bottom of the container to collect. This STORING - Cracker dry, then stored in vacuum sealed
will prevent the premature saturation of your desiccant bags with oxygen absorber and food grade silica gel
layer.If the fruits are for use within a few days or so, just packets in each one. They'll keep for many years
leave them in front of a fan until then. Dehydrators and without degradation that way. I recently opened some
desiccant are mainly for when you wish to package from 1996, and there was NO degradation that could be
them up for later and need to make sure they're detected after ten years of room temperature storage.
especially dry to prevent molding.
CASING AFTER HARVEST - Patching the divots is
HARVESTING - Pick all the mushroom tissue when the right move, but the new casing material will not
you pick a flush. Don't leave pieces behind. You can fill colonize, so don't wait for it to. After picking, I suggest
the divots with fresh casing material but don't recase the letting the substrate sit untouched and dry for a week to
whole thing because it won't colonize anyway. Your recover, and then soaking for a few hours to rehydrate,
mycelium has already gone from colonization mode into then return to fruiting conditions.
fruiting mode. I like to let a cased substrate sit for a
HARVEST - You can pick individual mature fruits
week after picking to 'rest'. The reason is that they rarely
from a cluster by cutting them off just above the base
flush right away anyway, so by letting it sit for a few
with a sharp knife. Don't wiggle or otherwise stress the
days to a week, then watering heavily or dunking, you
rest of the cluster. The aborts will sit there just fine until
get an immediate second flush. If you water it heavily
the remainder of the cluster is ready to harvest.
right after picking, it just sits there wet, which can
encourage molds. HARVESTING - The most bang for the buck comes

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from small fruits, prior to veil tearing. Even pins are flush.
great, and that's why you hear about aborts being so
HARVESTING - When Picking A Flush: Remove the
good. It's not because they aborted, but because they're
aborts, but leave any healthy looking pins. They'll start
at peak potency/gram at the pinning stage.
growing when you pick the present flush.
HARVESTING - With practice, you'll develop a
HARVEST - I prefer to pick just prior to the veil
technique for twisting and pulling the mature fruits off
tearing. They just seem to go down easier, without that
that does very little damage. You can even hold a fork or
'make you puke' horrible taste.
spoon on the casing layer next to fruits you're picking to
help hold the casing in place. HARVESTING - Air Dry! Then Put In Dehydrator
They'll shrink a lot and let you put more into the
DRYING FRUITS - I've never used a dehydrator. Lay
dehydrator.
your fruits on a piece of cardboard and put a large box
fan in front of them. When dry, transfer to Tupperware HARVESTING - Good practice to pick those big
with desiccant for 24 hours to finish up, and then seal in fuckers, they take the uumph out of the rest of the flush.
vacuum pac bags.
DONE! I WANT THIS TO DISPUTE ANY BAD
AFTER HARVEST/CASING - Fill in the divots with CULT ADVICE EVEN THOUGH THEIR ARE
fresh casing material. Don't scratch or re-case the whole SOME MISINFORMATION OF SENTENCES AND
thing. The mycelium is in fruiting mode so won't OUTDATED INFO SO CHOOSE WISELY.
colonize any casing material you add now. PLEASE NO RATINGS. THIS IS SOMETHING I
DID AND TOOK 3 MONTHS IN THE PROCESS
HARVESTING - You pick the fruits as they're ready.
There is no reason to pick them all at once. You don't
pick pins/primordia because they're required for the next

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