27 replies to this topic

[Quine]

WHat would be a good or common source for sawdust, for growing woodlovers? I am assuming pine sawdust would not be good.

[Quine]

I live in southern NJ, the pine barrens, if this helps you name any areas/sources I can explore. :greenboun

[shroom_seeker]

I was actually wondering the same thing while lying in bed this morning (I can't get this hobby outta my mind). Where can you get sawdust?

I live in a very industrial smalltown filled with logging companies and places that make wood (boards, planks, trusses). Should I just go up to somebody there and ask for sawdust or should I buy it somewhere?

I could also use a few small oak logs for shiitake cultivation.

[golly]

Look for places where firewood is cut or tree removal companies ..The very small chips made by a chainsaw are perfect for cultivation ..
Firewood is usually Hardwoods which is prefered...

[shroom_seeker]

Thanks for the tip Golly.

[oldiebutnewbie]

..The very small chips made by a chainsaw are perfect for cultivation ..
Firewood is usually Hardwoods which is prefered...

Just got a full size pick-up load of elm cuttings. I hope they're gonna work but a guy has to go with what's available and see I guess. They are the chips ( actually almost like little planer shavings) from a 90 footer taken down in February or March.
Otherwise I'm reduced to purchasing preposterously small packages of exotic wood chips/shavings at pet stores/WalMart and the cost is prohibitive, certainly for the long term.
OBN

[Set]

Mulching companies, carpenters of nearly all stages, and the aforementioned fire-wood makers.

And if none of that works go get your own saw and make your own firewood, collecting your own sawdust! ^_^

[hyphaenation]

I have been given a large garbage bag of sawdust from a wood working shop. The only thing I know is that the person does use Birch and some exotic hardwoods. He also works with some Cedar though.

Is some Ceadr sawdust in the mix going to retard mycelium growth? I know theres only one way to find out. I'd like to use the sawdust for Oysters, P. Cyans and Cyanfriscosa if it works. I ran out of Alder for now thats why i'm contemplating trying the "mixed" sawdust.

Thanks

H

[Hippie3]

a LITTLE cedar you might get away with
but
cedar has a natural resistance against mold and fungus
and is highly acidic.

[Myc]

Many exotic hardwoods are also very high in acids as well. Cocobolo, for example, has such high acidity as to be dangerous to the woodworker without using a dust mask. It'll cause severe respiratory damage. Also some Oriented Surface Board (OSB, particle board) materials contain an anti-fungal element. When I do projects, I take care to separate the "desirable" sawdust out for later use. Personally I have avoided using the mixed bag of sawdust from the dust collector for these reasons.

[joystik]

Try this. Wash the sawdust in gypsum-Lime bath for a few hours. Then dry and add 5% cattle feed or whatever, Maybe even dog feed will work, i think. Some 25% coarse verm should finish the trick. I got away with it using cubies.

Use you imagination! Stamets did!

[Orchidman]

My understanding is that it is the volatile oils that act as fungicide and as long as you can smell them they are active. So smell the sawdust to see if you can smell pine or cedar. If not they might be safe.

I'm sort of going through the same thing with my outdoor beds. The City of Toronto has depots where you can just drive up and help yourself to woodchips they make from fallen trees etc to use as mulch. But what is it? Is it going to kill my mushrooms? I decided to go and take a look and walk around smelling different colours of wood to try and avoid the cedars. Yes I know I might look a bit rediculous, but that's just too bad. If you boil the cedar it will drive out the oils.

[crazy1]

Yeah even Stamets says aromati woods aren't good to use though. But I've seen oysters fruiting right off OSB. But it was outdise for about a year before that happened. Got a pic somewhere.
For most of my grows with sadust, I use that bagged wood pellet fuel. It's all hard wood, it's been sterilized, and I've had great success with it. Just a thought.

[crazy1]

Yeah even Stamets says aromati woods aren't good to use though. But I've seen oysters fruiting right off OSB. But it was outdise for about a year before that happened. Got a pic somewhere.
For most of my grows with sawdust, I use that bagged wood pellet fuel. It's all hard wood, it's been sterilized, and I've had great success with it. Just a thought.

[Orchidman]

That's a great idea, the wood pellet fuel. I'm going to look for some here. The problem with growing woodeaters is trying to find the wood. We don't even get Alder here.

When you are desperate get the untreated Aspen shavings that they use for pet litter. It's $10.00 for a large bale at PetSmart. The cyanescens just loved it and ate it right up very quickly. Also in the lizzard department they have organic fir bark in 1/4" chips although the cyanescens had a hard time with it but finally grew on it. It's supposed to grow on fir but didn't seem to like it that much.

[hyphaenation]

I'm at this point where I have spent a fair bit on various setup costs. Just the usual, PC, tubs, plastic, vermiculite, cactus soil, jars, lids... blah blah (you know).

Now i'm tyring to scope out the freeish materials through recylcling and connecting with neighbours. I used to live in farm country and I laugh to think of the mountains of free straw and poo just laying there, everywhere. Now i'm in the mountains and theres less options particularily with the non-woodlovers.

One thing there is here is copious amounts of hardwoods, especially under powerlines where they need to be cut before they interfere. What I need now is a decent woodchipper that can generate nice sized chips. I guess they come in 2 persuations electric and gas. I'd preffer the electric for use in the yard , but gas wood make it portable.

Does anyone here have any good info on woodchippers or their use?

Thanks All

H

[Lazlo]

The Aspen shavings from Petsmart do work well as mentioned.

[crazy1]

Hypha, I have a TroyBuilt chipper/Shredder that is gas.Works well for the straw used for oysters and small limbs used for the Shiitake and Hericium. Cost about $600 though. A bit pricey. As to any of them saying they handle 3" limbs.....don't believe em. They don't.

Lazlo, must be Big Toothed Aspen they use in that. Many different species grow on that tree.

[hyphaenation]

A lot of Alder, Birch and Maple in the area comes up in clusters. There are always nice slender young'ins coming up in the bunch. I'm hoping to get the chipper and collect some 1 - 2 inch specimins. Its good to know that I can use it for straw as well. Manually breaking up straw is ..for the birds.

Does your chipper make decent sized chips? IE: not to big.. Can you adjust chip size at all? Or is it one size fits all?

Thanks

H

[crazy1]

Yeah the straw by hand does suck. As to the size of the chips, it is one size, about 1/2" x 1/2 " or so. The substrate with this size does colonize quite quickly, and thoroughly.
Hope that helps ya out.