38 replies to this topic

[shoblime]

I am following the new PF TEK for Simple Minds (hehe) I have 8 jars PC'd right now, 7 perlite/BRF and one Rye Berries/BRF. I also crushed up a couple multivitamins for some minerals. I have a few questions before I innoculate later today...
1) my jars are sealed, I didn't make holes (on purpose) I plan to innoculate by removing the lids completely in my glovebox. However, I have a sort of BRF-paste from using a tiny bit too much water in my mix. There isn't any standing water, but the BRF is at the bottom is kinda pasty, is this okay?
2) This has probably been asked a thousand times, but when shroomies are grown in a common chamber NOT on cakes, what is that called? Can I start w/ jars and spread the material around on a mix of poo/straw? Or is there a different method?
3) I am growing the "brazil" variety of cubensis, with 8 cakes, how much can I expect to yield? I am hoping for at least a half ounce, is this reasonable?

[Hippie3]

ok,
you plan to use this perlite/brf mix as spawn to straw/poo,
that's not something we see very often
but i have heard that it can be done.
perlite's decent spawn once colonized
but how much rice was added ?
what size jars are you using ?
how much water was used ?

[shoblime]

Actually I didn't plan on using the perlite/brf to spawn poo. I plan on using a rubbermaid w/ heater/fan and growing on cakes. Hpwever, since I am just starting, I am trying a few different methods. How much rice was added? Umm...I used about .... enough perlite to fill 7 jars (about a cup each) I used about 1/4-1/3 BRF in each cup, and I added water before the BRF to until the perlite wouldn't hold any more, then I drained as much as possible. After I put the mix in jars, a bit of the BRF and water turned into a little bit of a paste. There is NO standing water, however. These are all in pint jars.

[insight]

I am curious to see the results

[shoblime]

anyone?

[insight]

This has probably been asked a thousand times, but when shroomies are grown in a common chamber NOT on cakes, what is that called? Can I start w/ jars and spread the material around on a mix of poo/straw? Or is there a different method?

As Hippie had stated, when you mix with straw/poo, this is spawning.

But then you said:

Actually I didn't plan on using the perlite/brf to spawn poo. I plan on using a rubbermaid w/ heater/fan and growing on cakes.

So Im confused if you are growing cakes to be spawned (which is taking the cakes, crumbling, and mixing with pasteurized straw/poo
or
Casings, where as you asked above, mixing with say vermiculite and/or coir and added a casing layer
or
Just fruiting as cakes

[Hippie3]

can we be honest with you ?
you're pretty much headed for a poor crop,
and that is if you are very lucky.
if that's a TEK you read somewhere,
they steered you wrong.
perlite cakes just don't fruit well for starters.
yours' do sound too wet, another big problem.
the rye didn't need any brf,
it'll do better without.
and a single multi-vitamin has way more than enough for several jars,
assuming one even uses them,
which no one does.

now that i've proly ruined your day,
let me point you at a very simple easy tek
that is almost 100% certain to work
the first time and every time
if you just follow the instructions.
see
http://mycotopia.net...html?1039265527

[destroy_erase_improve]

also, even if the excess moisture didnt ruin the colonization, not having any airholes would definately put you out for the count. a dry verm layer will do fine in holding off contams. you need the innoculation holes to allow air exchange and the myc to breath. its aliveeeeee it needs to breathhh lol.

dont fret though, thin of it this way, all you lost was a lil substrate material. you still have your syringes and the spores :D

[shoblime]

My day would have been FAR more ruined if I had innoculated my crops. The method I followed was http://www.fungifun....htm#materialien Instead of vermiculite, which I have been unable to find here, I used perlite. Most shroomsters seem to be in agreement that perlite will work "okay." If I follow the link suggested, can I still use perlite? Maybe I will try to find some coco hair and do the 50/50+ casing TEK from the colonized jars.

[reefer]

Order vermiculite online if you have to. There aren't any really good substitutes.

[BradJ]

Hi, I've been looking all through the forums for some answers to a few questions and I apologize if they've been asked before (I'm pretty sure they have), but I can't seem to find them.

I'm using the brown rice flour/verm mix in some PF jars with the Equadorian strain. Most are looking nice, but a couple look like at the bottoms they're too moist, or maybe its bacteria? Well I guess you couldn't tell for certain without a picture but my question is, could I cut off the bottom and still use the good stuff, like crumble it into a casing tray?

Also, with my good jars, I'm considering dunking and cold-shocking, but I'm not sure if I should dunk them before the first flush to initiate pinning, or just throw em in the fridge or do nothing or what? I'm thinking of trying about half the good jars by just dunking and rolling them in some verm, then putting the other half out as shown PF style. The couple of jars that look like they're starting to grow bacteria, or possibly are just too waterlogged I want to try and make a casing out of.

With 10 1/2 pints, any rough estimates on the yields, using half rolled and half PF style?

Last, I just started a second batch, this time with the Orrisa India strain, and I didn't see any black flecks in the syringe. Is that okay? Maybe it was a bad syringe, or is that just common to this mushroom? Also I used 1/4th pint jars for this batch, and as soon as I took them out of the pressure cooker (about 16 hours after I let it cool), about a quarter of them had that same bacteria or waterlogged look. Mostly the ones on the bottom layer. Could I have used too much water in the mix, or maybe the steam got in or something like that?

Okay any advice would be very much appreciated, and sorry if these are stupid newbie questions, I'm just really worried about my babies. I'm so damn excited about them! I want to try a few different methods of fruiting with this batch to gain a little experience and because I'm not too worried about this yield, I just want enough for me and a friend.

Okay thanks a lot!

[Lazlo]

LOL! That's ok if you can't see any spores in the syringe. I had an OI syringe like that, that had me worried also. I would think that a $15 syringe would be loaded with at least VISIBLE spores. I hope you have better luck with the OI strain than I am. Good luck man!

[taoistshredder]

"With 10 1/2 pints, any rough estimates on the yields, using half rolled and half PF style?"

Worst case scenerio - all but 3 contaminate - each cake only fruits 5 dry grams - 15g total
Best case scenerio - all colonize and fruit - each yields between 7 and 10 grams - 70-100g total

You should have plenty for you and a friend.

[chill]

my question is, could I cut off the bottom and still use the good stuff, like crumble it into a casing tray?

Absolutely. If you think your jars are too wet you can birth early, get rid of the overly moist part and either finish colonizing in the fruiting chamber or crumble and case.

Also, with my good jars, I'm considering dunking and cold-shocking,

Do NOT cold shock. IMO pinning is related to light, moisture and O2.

but I'm not sure if I should dunk them before the first flush to initiate pinning, or just throw em in the fridge or do nothing or what?

Just birth, double end case and provide lots of O2 via a fish tank pump that you run 1/2 time on a timer.

With 10 1/2 pints, any rough estimates on the yields, using half rolled and half PF style?

On average, say three flushes per cake: 5 dry grams each. More if you get lucky or go for more flushes. Dunk between flushes.

Last, I just started a second batch, this time with the Orrisa India strain, and I didn't see any black flecks in the syringe. Is that okay?

Spores are too small to see individually with the naked eye. It just means they are well dispersed. If you can see spores that means they are clumped together and MAY not be as good of a syringe as you'd think.

[BradJ]

Thanks all for the answers. Very helpful.

So I shouldn't dunk right after birthing? A double end case verm layer will provide enough water to my cakes? Would dunking right off possibly increase or decrease the flush quantity and quality, or is there no way to be sure?

And if it is indeed bacteria rather than excess moisture (I really dont know), could I still cut and crumble the mycelium or would it be sickly stuff?

[nomoreusmc]

I can't agree more with chill, cold shock is a myth with cubs, it will retard your growth. The only time they should be cold is when you dunk, they should be in the fridge

[BradJ]

Okay, no cold shocking for sure. Thanks again. And hey, I love your name NoMoreUSMC, I've got a year left in my sentence and its absolutely miserable. I take it you were prior service?

[nomoreusmc]

7 proud years, medically retired. I'd still be in if I had my choice.

[python]

if your jars look wet they may still colonize......you probably just over did the water at the beginning, or some water may have gotten in during your pcing stage.....

[python]

nice post chill