Time to try another species (thank eatyualive for the generous spore donation!). This time I am going to grow Jamaica. Again, I started spore inoculation into a with a solution composed as follows:
Standard Liquid Culturing 4% Sugar Solution
- water 600 ml
- 12 g dextrose
- 12 g light malt sugar
DAY 7 - The pictures attached are after 7 days of liquid culture maturation being constantly stirred at approximately 60 to 200 RPM. This day I will use the culture because it is fully mature (note the clearness of the amber sugar solution as indicative of its maturity). Of particular note in this particular liquid culture, the mycelium aggregates were one of two distinct terminal morphologies as depicted in the illustration attached. I haven't even a good guess why this would be.
Also, this is a good time for me to say that I strongly advocate active stirring liquid cultures for vitality and, further, allowing them to mature very well before use in an inoculation. I have noted much better colonization when I do this. My belief is that lingering bacteria in the solution are wiped out only once the mycelium has really gained a foothold, and if one uses the solution early, when only a few blobs are available, then bacterial competition drains energy from the growth, although I have no hard scientific proof of this notion.
The liquid culture was injected into a sterile fruiting substrate consisting of the same formula I used with my previous successful Panaeolus Cambodgeniensis grow:
Standard Fruiting Formula (Fills 3 Large Spawn Bags)
- Manure 75 oz
- WBS (dry) 18.8 oz
- water 188 oz
- vermiculite 2.5 liter
The mix was confirmed to have an approximate moisture content of 65% via a microwave dehydration test, put into three large spawns bags which were sealed, and pressure sterilized for four hours. After being allowed to cool for 12 hours, they were injected each with approximately 190 ml of the mature liquid culture (even a quarter of this would have been fine in my opinion), kneaded through the bag to evenly distribute the liquid culture, and allowed to colonized undisturbed on wire shelving separated by no less than one inch (to prevent overheating).