18 replies to this topic

[mushaman]

Hello all, a foaf wants to try straw for the first time. She decided to go spores on agar then to brf then to straw and then to straw once more. My question is, is that one too many transfers? If it is, would one really notice the slow growth because i read on here to only transfer three times. Just looking out for a friend.
mush

[max]

I would skip the agar and brf and just start with grain. When colonized, each kernal is it's own innoculation point and will colonize your straw in a jiffy. The more transfers you make, the harder it is for the mycleium to recuperate.

[dial8]

I agree with captain. Ther is a definite need for agar work when trying to isolate or transfer away from a contaminant but in your case you don't need the agar. No need to spawn from straw to straw either. Straw is not the best spawning material.

[mushaman]

Well the agar reduces the time greatly when spawning to brf. She saves a week + than she would if she just used spores on the brf. And I assumed the brf would be crumbled into the straw. Shes set in her ways but if her attempts fail I will inform her of you advice.
mush

[mushaman]

bump

[waylitjim]

Agar > brf to straw will work fine.
It's a tried and true method.

[Hippie3]

if her attempts fail I will inform her of you advice.

a bit late then,
might tell her
before she fails
:lol:

seriously,
are you dumping a wedge of agar in bags of brf
or what ? can't see agar wedge doing much good in a pf style jar unless you turn it into slurry syringes

[mushaman]

Yes she turns it into syringes hip. From agar to fully colonized brf cakes its 3 weeks max. But the real question here is when the brf cakes are colonized can she spawn straw then spawn that straw onto more straw? Or is that one too many transfers for its own good. I know agar to brf to straw is proven true. thanks. oh and its pf style cakes

mush

[iamsmiley]

a bit late then,
might tell her
before she fails
:lol:

seriously,
are you dumping a wedge of agar in bags of brf
or what ? can't see agar wedge doing much good in a pf style jar unless you turn it into slurry syringes

i've used agar in brf bags for years and it works just fine.

[Hippie3]

indeed
but pf tek jars not so easy as bags, eh.

[mushaman]

so can i get an answer?

[apokalypse]

You should be able to, so long as you crumble the BRF up really good so that it gets maximum surface area to sprout myc on the straw from.

[waylitjim]

can you spawn straw with BRF then spawn that straw to more straw?

No, staw does not make good spawn. You'd be better off making more BRF jars, and using a larger amount of straw. There is no point in using straw to spawn more straw. It will most likely contaminate before you see any fruits.

[mushaman]

ok well could one go agar to brf to horse poo to straw? basically my question is, would 4 transfers be noticably different than the usual 3?

mush

[waylitjim]

You could do 4 transfers.

Just saying, bulk substrates (manure/straw) don't make good spawn.

If I had to use one, I'd go with manure over straw.

[mushaman]

What would be a good method for 4 tranfers? Agar to brf to brf to poo/straw? Anyone know any forums for brf to brf transfers?

mush

[waylitjim]

Here's 4 transfers for ya.
Agar slurry> BRF > Rye berries in Qt jars > Bulk Substrate

[mushaman]

Thanks, I was actually thinking of that right after I posted. Thanks jim, you've been a real help. Time to search the forums for rye berry info now. Any suggestions?

mush

[alpiner]

cakes can make a killer spawn, I have done this a few times
I do grain almost exclusively but when you grind a half pint cake into dust in a food proccessor it goes as far as a quart of grain
plenty of grain teks around, I prefer white millet, rye berries and WBS in that order depending on what I am doing with it and what species I am using it for
rye berries are probably the easiest and most forgiving with getting them hydrated properly but white millet is much smaller so you get more points of inoculation
remember that too dry is better than too wet, in particular when you're only using grain for spawn