532 replies to this topic

[Mrs.Hippie3]

Here's one I think would help many a beginner.

I see many new growers have problems keeping water out of the jars in the PC. The problem lies in the way the foil is wrapped around the jars.

To prevent this, put the lid on the jar after prepping them and wrap the first layer of foil around this. Then screw the ring on top of the foil and lid then wrap the second layer of foil on top of this.

A very simple point and will reduce many problems due to water leaking in.

Ive had the foil tear that way as the rim is screwed on/off. Best to wrap foil over lids IMO , use the heavy duty foil btw, and raise the jars up so the water does not reach up the jars more than an inch.

[MLBjammer]

For the new grower, being able to take clean spore prints is an invaluable skill. You can essentially become self-sufficient once you master printing. And it is really not that difficult, as being clean and careful are the most important factors.

As far as a printing technique, there are many variations. Here's one from way back that uses push pins, foil, and a big bowl. It was one of the first I tried, and it worked like a charm: http://mycotopia.net...-pictorial.html

[mushit]

Ive had the foil tear that way as the rim is screwed on/off. Best to wrap foil over lids IMO , use the heavy duty foil btw, and raise the jars up so the water does not reach up the jars more than an inch.

But the lid doesn't have to be screwed on tight. Just enough to seal the foil. It will be discarded after it has been PC'd so a little tear doesn't mean much if you get one. It is very effective IME.

Raising the jars is also necessary.

[Mrs.Hippie3]

I like my lids screwed on tight so no water can seep under the rim bands.

[mushit]

Me as well. But I don't get many tears in the foil unless I use a very rusty lid band. Clean lids screw on quite nicely.

[HughMorrisLee]

good call on the spore printing tek:thumbup:

[MLBjammer]

Thanks, Hugh.

:bow::bow::bow:

[tobynutz]

heres a cloning method im trying for the first time. im sure its been said and done before here but i like the idea because it uses many invaluable teks in this hobby. first u need a pint jar. simple enough so far right? make a silicone lid as seen above(just a metal lid with two holes and a shit ton of silicone over them to inject through) next you will need an airport syringe. if you dont know what this is look it up. more good shit to know.

heres the good part. break up some glass and throw a bunch in your jar. pour in some good water and steriilze. use your airport syringe to release the vacuum in the jar when cool. take your favorite fruit and tear that bitch open. remove clumps of INNER clean tissue and toss in some hydrogen peroxide and let that bitch bubble. take out and toss in your jar. seal it up and shake the shit out of it until your arms fail you....or the tissue is torn to tiny pieces that will come up through a needle.

seems like a lot and i probably didnt quite explain it all that well but you should get the idea.

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[MLBjammer]

Rez-Effect grows are, quite honestly, not as popular as one might think they are. The idea is to use an airy non-nutritious material (coir and/or vermiculite) to mix with your choice of spawn for easy bulk growing. You can mix spawn to substrate 1/1 or 1/2 (I wouldn't thin the spawn out too much more). The substrate simply provides the spawn a nice water reservoir, and mushrooms are 90%+ water. This is the same concept as PF cakes, wherein the rice flour is the food for mycelium, and the vermiculite provides a water reservoir.

I have personally used rez-effect for bag and tub grows, and they performed beautifully when I did my part correctly. For the beginner, rez-effect is another great way to slowly dip your feet in the waters of bulk growing.

Here is Starter's original tek:http://archives.myco...html?1075519362

[MLBjammer]

There are many variations on gloveboxes. You can go all out and construct a bad-ass positive pressure chamber or you can simply use a clear trash bag. The main function of a glovebox is to provide a still air environment in which you can successfully perform sterile work; and this is vital in making spore syringes, cloning, doing agar war, performing grain-to-grain transfers, etc.

As far as how you use your glovebox, do all your work slowly and steadily, so as not to draw in much outside air. Use bleach and water to clean your glovebox, and make sure to wait for the bleach fumes to evaporate.

I prefer a clear plastic storage tote with long rubber gloves silicone-glued onto the container. It's cheap and effective.

Here are some examples of gloveboxes:
http://mycotopia.net...s-many-pix.html

And here's a great discussion about procedures using a glovebox:
http://mycotopia.net...procedures.html

[calistoner]

thanks so much MLB

:bow::bow::bow:

you are the man. a mans man even haha ive seen your posts scattered across mycotopia and i learn from just about each one. this thread helps me out sooo much ive been looking to start growing some mushies. i bought a book on psylicybin mushroom growing but its been a little confusing. this helps me out more then you know.

bravo MLB. bravo.

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

[MLBjammer]

Thank you for your comments, man. This site has taught me most of what I know, and I am grateful to give back.

Your words mean a great deal; it is why most of us are here.

:bow::bow::bow:

[SharkieJones]

Gloveboxes can be a life saver, especially if you dont have a sterile space. Good info

[Sidestreet]

heh heh that picture reminds me of my first glovebox:

cardboard box with the top cut off, glued a plastic window on the top that I harvested from a three ring binder, cut a big square in the front for arms and draped a thin piece of cloth over the hole.

Now that's classy. :D It worked, too.

[MLBjammer]

Glad you liked the picture. It is a recession-focused GB, lol.

[MLBjammer]

Through experimentation, Hippie3 came up with a variation on the regular PF Tek brown rice flour cake. The supercake formula will cost you less than $100 to accumulate the ingredients--you can find everything at organic supermarkets and lawn and garden supply stores. The basic idea of the supercake is to give cakes a nutritional boost that aids in both colonization speed and fruit yield. If you follow it to the letter, you will improve your cake grows--and many also use it for bulk spawn. Just be sure not to use too much of any particular additive, through which you make your mix just too rich and more prone to contamination, in my experiences. And when Hip calls for heaping cups of rice and vermiculite, be generous with both (otherwise, you will not have enough mix to make whatever number of jars you figured).

Supercake formula: http://mycotopia.net...ke-formula.html

[eastwood]

This is my favorite print to syringe tek .Printing open face has lots of advantages.I encourage all newbies to give this tek a try.

http://mycotopia.net...lbilly-way.html

[MLBjammer]

One of the most common and historically successful methods for providing moisture and a proper microclimate for fruits to develop is casing. Roughly defined, a casing layer is essentially a non-nutritious layer of material placed on top of (and sometimes beneath) a substrate. As so many grow bulk cubensis nowadays, many newer cultivators never really become good at casings. But if you want to grow species other than cubensis, a casing layer is often a necessity (pans and Semperviva come to mind). And if you want a way to fruit from straight grain without going bulk, casing is a great technique. And almost everyone will admit that double-end casing BRF cakes is quite beneficial.

The biggest trick to proper casing is achieving optimum moisture content. Someone who has a lot of experience with casings can literally gauge moisture content simply by appearance. It takes several attempts to hone your skills at casing, but it is worth the effort and will benefit your stash in the long run.

Here's a good overview thread on the subject:
http://archives.myco...html?1004954059

And there is a ton of information on casing in the vaults. Enjoy your reading: http://mycotopia.net...shroom-casings/

[MLBjammer]

[MLBjammer]

Since I did not provide a daily tek yesterday, I will throw in a bonus tip today. This is TVCasualty's method of humidification using a moist towel as a lid for a grow chamber. I have not been able to try it on more than a very small scale, but his results are undeniable. And it eliminates the need for fanning and perlite/humidifiers in a fruiting chamber. I have not seen too many folks try this, but as long as you can tend to your grow every day or two, this would seem a killer outdoor (and indoor) tek. Maybe this will inspire some to give this a try and shoot us some feedback.
Anyhow, here you go:
http://mycotopia.net...-towel-tek.html