10 replies to this topic

[casgoodie]

foaf got some coir, gladware oven trays and regular aluminum trays.

plan is to pasteurize the coir + verm casing in the oven because tray is too big for microwave.

foaf has no idea on how long to pasteurize the casing in the oven in the mentioned trays.

using the trays for fruiting as well, foaf would like to know how to case it.
is it a layer of casing, colonized substrate, and another thin layer of casing? if so, how thick?

thanks in advance for all the wise opinions and responses, peace:rasta:

[Hippie3]

1. casing goes on top, not under, the substrate.
2. don't use aluminum pans for casings, they corrode and leach aluminum, risk for your health perhaps.
3. ovens and microwaves can sterilize but not pasteurize well, better to place material in ziplocks and submerge in hot water baths [165*F]

[casgoodie]

thanks for the tips hip,
won't use the aluminum pans,

as for the hot water baths for the casing material:
165F like you said, but how long? hwo deep in the water? do i want to do this like the tyndallization process? a cloth in the bottom of the pot, some water and let it boil? thanks again, foaf is trying to do this soon

[golly]

Bring a large pot half full of water up to temp..Drop in your ziplock filled with sub or casing mix - it should float off the bottom if you have enough water..
Turn heat down to the lowest setting to just maintain temp...
Put the lid on and in about 15 mins you can turn the heat off ...
You want the heat to penetrate the center of the ziplock for at least 1 hour.
Refire the stove occasionally to keep temp up - but just at a low setting..

[casgoodie]

cool, thanks golly

hopefully foaf will have some pinset pix soon!!

[bugs]

13. ovens and microwaves can sterilize but not pasteurize well[165*F]

I've seen, somewhere in here, a method using oven bags and an oven set to 170 deg. or so using an oven thermometer. Thoughts?

Or maybe that was for a verm/coir/poo substrate? Appreciate the input, FOAF is still having variable results with casings.

[golly]

Sure..If your oven is fairly stable at that temp range and you have an oven thermometer then you can pasteurize in covered pots or O bags ..
It takes longer though because the heat transfer is slower ,so 3 hours is an average time for a gallon o' stuff...

[Hippie3]

most over thermostats are too inaccurate,
the temp fluctuates too far

[TVCasualty]

I've pasteurized peat-based casing mix in a large stockpot in the oven many times. I put an oven thermometer (kind with probe at end of long wire) in the middle of the soil then tightly cover with foil. I mix it on the wet side, where a handful when squeezed produces a solid stream of water for just under a second, then drips a few times. I turn the oven on to 250F until the temp. starts showing a rise, then cut it to 200F. When the temp probe reaches 145, I cut it off and take it out of the oven (can take couple of hours with large pot). I've found that thermal momentum carries the internal temp up to the 155-170F area and holds it there long enough to pasteurize. By the next morning it is usually cool enough to use, I just leave it in front of the flow hood all night (hood is on of course). The moisture content has also been reduced to the ideal range (trial and error for this part).

I've seen the performance of my cheap oven thermometer decline over time, so I advise replacing them fairly often. Test it in boiling water; it should read very close to 212F, adjusted for your altitude and the weather. If not, chuck it. I routinely get 4-5 flushes before contams set in (if at all), and recently I got my 8th (the "flush" was three mushrooms) but there is still no sign of any contamination (as of today). I've been dumping water on this tray since after the first flush in late November!

[casgoodie]

update
-foaf mixed up 2 parts coir 1 part verm
-packed in ziplock bags
-let float in slowly bubbling water for 1h
-let the bags chill in the pot to maintain the heat while stove is off
-after cooled down - ready for use

the casing mix was a small batch in two bags to make sure the heat penetrates all the mixture, no thermometer was available