27 replies to this topic

[SeArChEr4]

Hello all, I’ve been away from Mycotopia and the growing process for awhile but some old Terrance talks started the fire again. I inoculated four different strains, Alacabenzi, Brazil, GT, and B+. The Alacabenzi colonized EXTREMELY fast and left the other in the dust in that regard but with colonization complete I set the monotub out to fruit today. As it’s been quite a while since my last experiments, I wanted to check in and get some opinions on how things are looking for fruiting. This is also a brand new strain to me and if anyone has some insight/ experience with it, I’d love to hear how yours went.

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[Stencill86]

Looks like your well on your way again! Very nice, can’t wait to see the rest.

[Boebs]

Looks like a lott of pins forming:)
Good luck to you!

[SeArChEr4]

Hey, thanks for checking in Stencill & Boebs! So today is day about Day #5 of my mono tub being in fruiting conditions. I’m trying to keep the anxiety down, and patience up but there doesn’t seem to be much action going on in the tub. There seems to be a good amount of knitting going on but I haven’t spotted a single primordia to date. I was very attentive about getting my substrate to Field Capacity before pasteurization but I’m starting to worry that everything might be too wet? Due to the amount of small water droplets covering the surface of my tub (if you zoom in you’ll see what I mean). My understanding is that it is the evaporation of these many droplets from the surface that creates a comfortable environment for the coming fruit body formations. I’ve only sprayed the sides of the tub twice since starting fruiting; I have also been basing this on the amount of moisture on the top/ sides of the container. The temperature is a constant 70-72 F. I’ve been fanning 3 times a day consistently and the whole tub is right next to a window for indirect sunlight. Perhaps, with the waning amount of light due to the time of year, everything hasn’t gotten enough light? I bought a 65k bulb and small lamp to try facilitating the process that way moving forward with a 12/12 schedule. Anyway, here’s another pic from tonight and as always, if my fellow mycology enthusiasts have suggestions or advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks everyone!

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[Boebs]

That tub looks great, now i see what you mean about the droplets, looked like pins forming in the other pic.

Does this variety need to be cased?

[SeArChEr4]

That tub looks great, now i see what you mean about the droplets, looked like pins forming in the other pic.
Does this variety need to be cased?

You know, I’m not sure. This is my first interaction with it but I’d be open to trying; that is if it’s not to far down the proverbial road to throw a layer on there? lol I appreciate you checking it out btw

[coAsTal]

No-- unless I'm mistaken only Penis Envy-type cubes need anything like a casing

[FunG]

I concur, p.cubensis do not require a casing.

If you're going to case any future projects apply it after you've mixed up the spawn and bulk material so that it colonizes evenly with the underlining substrate.

[SeArChEr4]

That sounds familiar. I was thinking Boebs meant casing the tub after colonization; that was a misunderstanding on my part. I DID put a casing layer of coir and verm on top of the spawn originally. I then let it incubate for a few days and when the top layer was fully of fluffy white, I set to fruit. I’ve increased the air exchange slightly and moved to an artificial light source for firm 12 hour intervals. No discoloration or smells to date; fresh as can be. I sort of assumed that this would be a furious fruiter due to its speedy colonization of the original rye and the spawn layers but I’m starting to be concerned there’s no evolution into pins or even small bodies... I’m looking around the site for some posts about inducing pinning/ pinning issues. If any of you have a good one in mind, I’d love to see it. Just for reference again:
-Temp : 70- 72 F
-Light : 12 On/ 12 Off
-AE : 3 x Daily w/ Desk Fan (2-3 mins each)
-Misting : 1-2 x Daily just before Fanning
-Humidity: No gauge/ sensor in place. Just monitoring the moisture on top of the colonized casing layer & using the moisture levels on the sides & top of the tub.

[FunG]

How long has it been in fruiting conditions for?

Usually it takes 7 days to fully colonize

Then another 7 days to achieve pins and another 7 for them to mature. So 21 days in total from time of spawning. Give or take a few days.

[SeArChEr4]

How long has it been in fruiting conditions for?
Usually it takes 7 days to fully colonize
Then another 7 days to achieve pins and another 7 for them to mature. So 21 days in total from time of spawning. Give or take a few days.

Today is Day #6 after full colonization so I guess I have some time... I appreciate the frame of reference! There just hasn’t been much movement in the tub since introducing fruiting conditions but hey, there’s definitely a lot of potential in the starting formations it seems. If you were me, would you just keep everything the same or tweak something sooner than later? Thanks for tapping in

[SeArChEr4]

Just a quick update on this. I couldn’t get water to evaporate especially from the center on the colonized spawn. I put a glove on and could tell it was really wet to the touch. This promoted me to get two paper towel sections and lay them on top of everything and these got SOAKED from just lying on the surface... this might have been a cause of the slow fruiting formations. This bruised some of the knots forming although I did this drying process but as gently as I could.

Additionally, I put together an automated grow tent, that had already been in the works. This was to give the ‘benzos a change of scenery of sorts and so I can completely ensure that ALL the aspects of fruiting can be controlled

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[SeArChEr4]

Do you think it’s time to maybe dunk and try initiating a “2nd” run because of how long it’s been fruiting?

[FunG]

You're worried for no reason. Surface condensation is perfectly normal and it does evaporate after awhile.

If it pools up on the surface just tilt the bin to disperse the water as much as possible, Water does not hurt mycelium " "if" the substrate is fully colonized with no exposed grains.

And no, dont dunk it. Bulk substrates are intended to contain all the water needed for atleast 3 flushes. Dunking bulk subs when grain spawn is used only leads to bacteria outbreaks and mold.

[SeArChEr4]

You're worried for no reason. Surface condensation is perfectly normal and it does evaporate after awhile.
If it pools up on the surface just tilt the bin to disperse the water as much as possible, Water does not hurt mycelium " "if" the substrate is fully colonized with no exposed grains.
And no, dont dunk it. Bulk substrates are intended to contain all the water needed for atleast 3 flushes. Dunking bulk subs when grain spawn is used only leads to bacteria outbreaks and mold.

I appreciate the more level- headed input FunG. I tend to get a bit fidgety when it comes to the I paid close attention to the FC before spawning so I should be good... thank you

[FunG]

Hmm... how large of a fruiting chamber are you using?

A Martha or tier greenhouse? Cause those would require humidification by a humidifier to prevent the substrate from going dry on you. Taking a second look at your photo I'd say to mist it heavily cause it is looking pretty dry. Avoid dunking it though since if there is any exposed grain it could trigger a bacteria outbreak since sterilizing grain only renders the bacteria (bacillus) dormant but given submerging grain in water and fae and it will become active again.

[SeArChEr4]

I’m using a tiered greenhouse. I have a bag of perilite cover wing the bottom and have a large Vicks humidifier supplying the humidity. An inkbird controller is maintaining the RH at about 86%. I’ll share a picture of the whole setup when I get home but really, thank you for your input. I will give it a good spray down tonight to see if I can get it back to good health, and post of picture after.

It sounds like you’re well versed with grain, this is my first time not doing cakes actually...noobie stuff. Besides the point, have you come across a better medium to inoculate in your opinion? I’ve seen some corn and popcorn TEKs around but it’s scary branching out into
the unknown!

[SeArChEr4]

I’M A DAD!!!

[SeArChEr4]

I’M A DAD!!!

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[SeArChEr4]

*Tried posting this with the pic but it got lost in translation*

Time did it’s thing (like usual) and I think they like their new home... got a couple fatties in the works and quite a bit more on closer inspection. So so grateful and thank all you the members who posted and gave me input on this run. I’ll keep updating with the fruits and flushes as it continues.

I’m still a novice when it comes to monotubs and bulk subs in general... would anyone be willing to share their favorite methodologies on how to care for everything in between/ transitioning flushes?