hey all,
I've been following a casing procedure that has me microwave moiste core first, then add lime to it, then microwave moist verm, tehn mix them together.
Is there any reason I cant mix the core/verm up front and then place in the oven for like 20 min on 350? I need a bit more then I can make in my microwave.
Thanks
Questions on casing... [merged]
Started By
pop_bottle
, Feb 19 2005 06:59 PM
54 replies to this topic
#42
golly
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modapotato
Posted 22 February 2006 - 09:44 AM
U can pasteurize in the oven but it takes a few hours [depending on volume]...Premix th coir/verm/lime and hydrate ..in a large covered pot - heat at about 175F for 3 hrs or so...Dont go higher on the temp cause u will boil off the moisture and kill any beneficial microbes....
#43
InfectedMushroom420
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Mycophage
Posted 22 February 2006 - 09:57 AM
I was talking about steralyzing, not pasturizing :) This is only a casing, unless Im confused
#44
Hippie3
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:00 AM
one should not sterilize the casing,
doesn't help much really
and can actually make it worse.
a casing layer is by nature non-sterile.
just use fresh clean materials from a newly opened bag
and you're good to go.
but if you must try baking despite my advice
cover the pan with foil to help trap the steam.
doesn't help much really
and can actually make it worse.
a casing layer is by nature non-sterile.
just use fresh clean materials from a newly opened bag
and you're good to go.
but if you must try baking despite my advice
cover the pan with foil to help trap the steam.
#45
Guest_freakachino_*
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:06 AM
My peat based casings I premix, then moisten and cover with lid and foil in oven on 170 for 3-4 hours.
I gave IM420 that microwave recipe and have never had a problem sterilizing the coir/verm casing mixes in the microwave.
I find that sterilizing these verm/coir mixes works best for me, doesn't leave anything to chance. Why exactly is it not a good idea to sterilize them? What is so detrimental to it? I understand Hippie saying they are clean materials out of the bag, but I don't use all my verm or coir at one time so it doesn't exactly stay clean etc. I've always sterilized these mixes and past. my peat casings. Guess I'm doing it wrong?
I gave IM420 that microwave recipe and have never had a problem sterilizing the coir/verm casing mixes in the microwave.
I find that sterilizing these verm/coir mixes works best for me, doesn't leave anything to chance. Why exactly is it not a good idea to sterilize them? What is so detrimental to it? I understand Hippie saying they are clean materials out of the bag, but I don't use all my verm or coir at one time so it doesn't exactly stay clean etc. I've always sterilized these mixes and past. my peat casings. Guess I'm doing it wrong?
#46
Hippie3
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:20 AM
i would not go that far.
and for sure, if your bags of material have been sitting open awhile
where dust or even insects can/might get in,
then it's worthwhile to pasteurize the casing mix once it's hydrated.
but if you store it in sealed [ziplock] bags or open a new bag
it's pretty much ready to use as is.
but
pasteurization is preferred over full sterilization,
esp. for peat-based mixes.
and for sure, if your bags of material have been sitting open awhile
where dust or even insects can/might get in,
then it's worthwhile to pasteurize the casing mix once it's hydrated.
but if you store it in sealed [ziplock] bags or open a new bag
it's pretty much ready to use as is.
but
pasteurization is preferred over full sterilization,
esp. for peat-based mixes.
#47
Guest_freakachino_*
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:28 AM
Yeah, I've never sterilized a peat based casing mix. I've always past. those in the oven at 170.
So, assuming you keep your coir and verm sealed and clean, its good to go by just adding water. I'm probably too chicken shit to actually apply a verm/coir casing without sterilizing it first :lol: I trust ya though Hippie.
I don't use the coir/verm casing anymore, but if I do again, I'll try it out with no heating of it sometime, granted materials are kept sealed up.
IM420, are you going to skip the sterilizing now that we know it doesn't "need" it?
So, assuming you keep your coir and verm sealed and clean, its good to go by just adding water. I'm probably too chicken shit to actually apply a verm/coir casing without sterilizing it first :lol: I trust ya though Hippie.
I don't use the coir/verm casing anymore, but if I do again, I'll try it out with no heating of it sometime, granted materials are kept sealed up.
IM420, are you going to skip the sterilizing now that we know it doesn't "need" it?
#48
Hippie3
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:31 AM
rehydrating coir/verm by using boiling water is one easy way.
just enough heat to knock out most competitors
just enough heat to knock out most competitors
#49
Guest_freakachino_*
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:35 AM
Good point Hippie. Boil up some water, and hydrate it all that way. So its basically a hot water hydration of the casing mix. I'll try it next time I do a coir/verm casing.
Thanks :) No need to microwave it anymore :)
Thanks :) No need to microwave it anymore :)
#50
Hippie3
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:42 AM
yah,
i don't like to 'wave coir or peat,
i've seen both catch on fire before.
:flamer:
that's real hard on the 'wave.
i don't like to 'wave coir or peat,
i've seen both catch on fire before.
:flamer:
that's real hard on the 'wave.
#51
InfectedMushroom420
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 10:55 AM
IM420, are you going to skip the sterilizing now that we know it doesn't "need" it?
Well I needed two batches hehe, the first got nuked, just had to do a few of them to make enough as I was on a very short time frame to get this done this morning. My next in a few min will do the boiling water if anything and try that. They will be used side by side so I'll have one of ea.
Anyway, I did the tk microwave as you know on my trial tubs and it worked fine, np, but then again, why go through all of the effort if not needed hehe. I'm one for triming the time down if its safe. I've yet out of my trial tubs, and my many cakes etc have had any contam problems (knock on wood) but have also aways gone the extra mile as I feared contams like you :)
I think the more I do, and the more I try, things will become more obvious to me.
My bricks of core arnt sealed, just sitting in a cupboard lightly wrapped. I dont think they'd be dirty that way. And the verm is out of the bag.
Freak, what are you using now if you don't use this core/verm? And what do you use Hippie?
Thanks
#52
Hippie3
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 11:00 AM
i rarely do casings any more,
mostly straw
which i dunk to rehydrate
mostly straw
which i dunk to rehydrate
#53
Guest_freakachino_*
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 11:08 AM
I've been mixing up my own peat based casing mix using different materials. I premix it all and store it in ziploc bags. Then when I need it, I dump out a bag, hydrate it, then past. in my oven at 170 for 3-4 hours.
My current mix I use Peat, course Verm, African violet soil mix, cactus soil mix, gypsum, and lime. Sometimes I'll add a bit of perlite if I'm low on course verm. I don't measure as I mix it all up at one time. I use 5% hydrated lime by volume, and 10% gypsum by volume. I just found it easier for me this way. Then my casing mix is all ready to go, I just have to hydrate and past.
This is just my Freak mix, peat/verm/lime is a great casing mix if you want to keep it simple. 50/50 peat/verm and 5% hydrated lime by volume. I just have found I like my mix and it works well for me. I use the cactus soil and african violet soil mixes because I need them anyway for my plants and cactii, and found the mushrooms like them as well when mixed right.
My current mix I use Peat, course Verm, African violet soil mix, cactus soil mix, gypsum, and lime. Sometimes I'll add a bit of perlite if I'm low on course verm. I don't measure as I mix it all up at one time. I use 5% hydrated lime by volume, and 10% gypsum by volume. I just found it easier for me this way. Then my casing mix is all ready to go, I just have to hydrate and past.
This is just my Freak mix, peat/verm/lime is a great casing mix if you want to keep it simple. 50/50 peat/verm and 5% hydrated lime by volume. I just have found I like my mix and it works well for me. I use the cactus soil and african violet soil mixes because I need them anyway for my plants and cactii, and found the mushrooms like them as well when mixed right.
#54
Guest_freakachino_*
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Posted 22 February 2006 - 11:10 AM
I don't case all the time either. In the winter I case more often because of the drier environment. In the spring and summer I rarely case anything.
Straw is great, you can pick clean, no casing needed, and just dunking like Hippie said to re-hydrate.
Straw is great, you can pick clean, no casing needed, and just dunking like Hippie said to re-hydrate.
#55
golly
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modapotato
Posted 22 February 2006 - 11:16 AM
Yeah the boiling pot method is the simplest, being as u are not concerned with any nutes getting diluted...For my peat/verm casing mix ,i heat to about 180F then dump in the mix and cover the pot with a towel [with heat turned off]...U can then just squeeze out excess water in a collander..
I still use the oven tec for poo though....
I still use the oven tec for poo though....
