3854 replies to this topic

[Arathu]

Anybody interested in comparing notes on growing woodlovers? If so I'll throw together a set of graphics and photo's that show an example of the usability of the TEKs already posted here. I followed Myc (agar) and WLJ (spawn generation and bed creation), damn good advice and obviously both speaking from experiences. Mine are headed down the home straight now (notice that says nothing about the time involved in doing this. If you are looking for something quick I suggest NOT doing this) meaning they are colonizing the fruiting substrate in the first bed outside. These happen to be ovoids so spring is the likely time-frame I'll be able to show fruits.

But if someone else has other wood lovers that are of the fall fruiting varieties then we could easily fill in a nice fall-winter-spring of woodlover porn for all of the brothers and sisters.

If not I'll just continue to drool and watch mycelium penetrate the various pieces of woody substances on the surface of my bed.

Very Happy mycelium............. :teeth:

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Edited by Arathu, 09 October 2012 - 07:56 PM.

[ConsciousFeeder]

I'm way interested in doing some outdoor stuff with woodlovers but don't think my current situation allows for it unless it was something like what waylitjim did in this post: https://mycotopia.ne...tml#post1099233
I could probably do that in my garage or basement inside of a cooler. Either September or October probably would be when the would thrive here which is already come and gone outdoor. I just have to actually go through and figure out the parameters for outdoor and how long to expect with it. One thing I do know is that I will grow Friscosa I've made it a goal of mine.

[Arathu]

Well.....getting spawn going on WBS was not a much different than any other WBS work although slower. It is recommended in the vaults that 1/2 pints of WBS be done and for the most part I will probably stick with that. I highly recommend studying WLJ's woodlover TEK's and the exotic roundup conglomerate of threads. Excellent late night reading and invaluable information. This work is almost exclusively following in those footsteps.


In the flow box/GB (just like G2G) four agar wedges of mycelium are added to PC'd WBS in 1/2 pint jars with poly vent and a tyvek disc under the standard ring lid, and shaken/rolled/shaken very violently then incubated at 80F. Some were shaken once during the incubation period but note that weak mycelium may not recover, it did not speed things up IMO.
Another observation.....this mycelium does not care for the millet much at all but ate the sunflower seeds, as I would expect a woodlover to do. :teeth:




Here's a graphic of the next step following the creation of grain spawn, this is the creation of wood chip spawn. Again straight out of WLJ's woodlover TEK's and it worked like charm. Bags of hickory chips from the grilling section of the local home mart were soaked for 24 hours in a pillow case, then pasteurized for 3 hours at approx 160 degrees F, and finally drip dried in the shade for 24 hours.

1 bag of chips fits into one plastic shoebox with 2 pints (4, 1/2-pint jars) of WBS grain spawn very nicely.

The top is covered and sealed with aluminum foil and 16 pin holes added for gas exchange.

The card board was soaked for 2 hours in the bottom of the shoe box by covering with boiling water (hold on the bottom with rocks) just before creating the layered spawn.

This was put into the incubator and left for about 6 weeks (longer might be better although I don't like the uncolonized/poorly colonized millet)



Some of the metabolites (assuming they were) did not look familiar and it was decided to go to mother nature ASAP.

Next I will work up graphic of that layered spawning outdoors which is very similar to creating the wood chip spawn (but done in wheelbarrow) except organic soil from the bottom of the composting heap was mixed with native hardwood chips, knotweed chunks, branches, leaves, sand and rotting logs, just like what one would expect in a flood/overflow from a stream or river.

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Edited by Arathu, 10 October 2012 - 05:03 PM.

[iatebadshrooms]

Here are two agar plates that just started, One is P. Caerulescens/Weilii- original collection from N. GA and a plate of P. Azure on its way.

Also Decided to go against the grain and try 2 quart size jars of Rye berries and aspen wood shavings, inoculated with azure MS and psilocybe Cyanescens MS, The incubation temps are a little low, So the quarts just germinated and were inocced on the oct 1st. So yeah a little slow, but that's how wood lover go to start.

The first two pics are of one plate MS AZURE astoria, last two pics are of one plate, 2nd transfer Caerulescens, georgia

Great thread Arathu!!! If you don't mind ill keep try to keep up with ya here, looks like your way ahead of me!! Anxious to see how fast the caerulescens can rip through some rotted wood and rye grass seed myco bags...

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[Arathu]

:teeth: Heh heh heh heh.......they're getting into wood! Very nice!

[waylitjim]

Greetings Arathu, good to see you're having fun with woodlovers. Sounds like you've done your research. They take more time then cubensis, but when you consider how a maintained bed can produce for many years, it's well worth the effort.

Your plot in post 1 would benefit from a nutritious casing layer. This will protect the underlying network and force the mycelium upwards, where it can join forces and grow strong in preparation for fruition. I'd use Naturescapes or little chief alder wood chips but coco coir can also work.

[shiitakegrower]

After seeing a post on using NatureScapes by Waylitjim over a year ago I picked up a bag and must admit, in my area it has been the most affordable and easiest way to purchase a substrate for my wood lover projects.

Thank you Waylitjim! :headbang:

[Arathu]

Thanks Waylit, I will roam up to the local home outlet and see what I can find today. The mycelium down under is really taking off well too......thanks again for providing such great information! This place RULES!

UPDATE: 2 cu ft for $4.97........lets see what happens..............I know, I know, chemicals and Monsanto, and genetic alterations, cosmic rays, radiation, and you can't imagine how polluted your environment already is.....:teeth: But just look at WLJ's threads on growing woodlovers.

Hah! My wife made great point that I had not considered, she said that I grew up across the river from blast furnaces, we had chemical colored snow, and just a few blocks away from miles and miles of mills and industry doing who knows what, my body is adapted to the environment in which I have developed and if I change now I'll go into shock and die. Hahahahahahaha.....I gave her a cookie and gold star! The home colony of these mushrooms is from that exact same environment.........I'm going with the flow man! :special:

Edited by Arathu, 11 October 2012 - 10:09 AM.

[hyphaenation]

I share a lot of woodlover spawn with friends that would love to have a bed in their yard. With a couple exceptions almost every time its the same thing , a year later they say "made the bed , didn't fruit" and I say "did you layer the ingredients like I told you ?" ..."nah , I just kinda mixed all and spread it there".

Here's how I told them to do it:

-Find a spot that has at least partial shade. The sunnier the spot , the more you'll have to water and mulch.
-Dig a small trench for the bed about 5 inches deep
-Lay cardboard down on bottom of bed , soak it to wet it

- Lay down a thin layer of colonized woodchips spread out evenly
- Spread a layer of pre-soaked sawdust over top the woodchips
- Spread a layer of non-colonized , soaked woodchips (size should vary)
- Spread a layer of shredded straw that's been soaked ,gently pat down to flatten
- Spread a very thin layer of potting soil

The soil in layer is very important for the development of the colony.

The other layers such as cardboard on the bottom , the sawdust and straw become super-highways for mycelium growth and travel. The woodlovers chew through these layers and into the bigger woodchips as they prepare to consolidate and fruit.

Now repeat the steps and add more layers until the bed is about 6 inches thick (it will shrink a bit as it settles). The last layer is shredded straw on top of the bed and on top of that you place a couple inches of potting soil (that layer will shrink as it settles to). Around here its hot and dry all summer , mostly , and so because these woodlovers fruit in the fall , there's no reason to keep the top of the bed exposed until fall , so I add a mulch layer of straw/leaves/debris etc. You should be able to repeat the layering steps at least 3 times to stack up the bed about 5 or 6 inches. After I'm done I put a piece of plywood on the bed and walk on it to squeeze out the air pockets and help it settle.

When you layer your woodlover beds like this , loaded with woodchip spawn , they really take off in a good way and have everything they need to fruit large canopies in the fall. Your job from tehre on is to keep the bed watered and prevent it from drying out , which really sets it back.

This is one of the best methods for getting woodlover fruits the same year you make your beds. Not always possible ... but worth the effort.

Anyhow , just trying to lend a hand to those who feel the woodlover calling.

Good luck.

[Arathu]

Sweet...the input from everyone is excellent and should help anyone hoping to create their first bed of woodlovers. Everyone please feel free to add to this. Spread the love man!


It is the spirit of all the above advice that this bed has been created, and so hopefully spring will bring some magic.







This is how this bed is constructed:

The redbrick was used to define the boundary and a then the soil scooped out about 3 inches deep into the ground (tree roots stopped further progress)
The Bottom was lined with a cardboard box soaked with rain water
A layer of soaked (24 hrs then drained 24 hrs) uncolonized hardwood chips (likely black cherry) spread out over the cardboard
1 full shoebox of colonized hickory chip spawn spread out on top of the wood chips
Soaked Hardwood/Knotweed/Spongy Wet Rotted Maple/Organic Soil Mix layer on top of the spawn (hardwood and knotweed treated same as above 24S/24D)
1 full shoebox of colonized hickory chip spawn spread out on top of the wood/knotweed/soil chips
Soaked Hardwood/Knotweed/Spongy Wet Rotted Maple/Organic Soil Mix layer on top of the spawn (hardwood and knotweed treated same as above 24S/24D)
1 full shoebox of colonized hickory chip spawn spread out on top of the wood/knotweed/soil chips
Soaked Hardwood/Knotweed/Spongy Wet Rotted Maple/Organic Soil Mix layer on top of the spawn (hardwood and knotweed treated same as above 24S/24D)
Naturescapes Mulch Casing Layer added to the top




Bed is probably pretty close to 7 or 8 inches deep alternating layers now. There is ample evidence all over the bed that the mycelium is tearing into the layered wood substrates and definitely seems to be fond of the spongy wet rotted maple pieces. The sun will never get any more intense on this bed than the splash seen here. The leaves that fall from this tree will be left to bury the bed for the winter.




Thanks guys! :hugs:

[mandrax]

Got 2 Ps. cyans tub and outdoor bed . Started with pf tek and went to beech chip with the tubs and mixed hardwood chip with outdoor beds . Got some ovoids going too, went WBS to beech and other tub to mixed hardwood . spawned to 2 jars of ovoid wbs spawn to a outdoor bed . Currently have some P.Stuntzii on WBS and P.Sub from OZ . Stuntzii Myc are not as aggressive as the other woodlovers I have grown , very slow to take to WBS.

Will upload some pick when i get sorted .Nice thread

Old pics I have of my first Cyans tubes

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[mandrax]

Struggling to upload pics to the site , link to my pics http://s1302.photobu...124/mandrax360/

[Arathu]

Nice pictures and woodlover work. Being in the north I think that woodlovers are a much more harmonious option and that any title of "exotics" for me falls upon those species that are tropical. Anything that has to be planted every year (not as in the sense of an annual growing from seeds) is exotic here. Ovoids, and eventually p.caerulipes, are natives will dot the local landscape, and hopefully a nice mix of other woodlovers too. My ultimate goal is get my hands on p. bohemica, and like my ancestors did, migrate some............ :teeth:

[waylitjim]

Here's a Friscosa tub getting started. This tub is actually a cooler, filled with a mixture of mixture of Pine, Fir, Cedar and Cypress. It's now in it's second year...



You can read more about this project in last years thread located here
https://mycotopia.ne...tml#post1099233

[Arathu]

Not only is that beautiful WLJ, which it is man, but the fact that I'm seeing ovoid mycelium tearing into the bottom of that NatureScapes casing you suggested tells me I can also expect year two, year ???????? :teeth: It jst got done raining a nice soaking wet too.......it smells SOOOOOOO good!

Now to get some more prints and start some beds that fruit in the fall, and if I can manage to find the p. caerulipes then mid to late summer will be covered too.......winter won't matter.

Pine, Fir, Cedar and Cypress

A note to pay attention to folks........I thought the resins inhibited woodlover growth????

Shortly I'll take some pictures of NatureScapes being tore up by ovoid mycelium as it's just reaching up into the new layer now. I'm hoping this thing is gonna be a mother ship!

Edited by Arathu, 23 October 2012 - 03:19 PM.

[iatebadshrooms]

Alright Arathu , I got some progress to show.

Here I have 1 plate of azurescens(astoria) and 1 plate of Psilo Cyanescens. These are getting chopped up tonight and into jar PF tek, Then to Chips.

I also have a Fully colonized jar of P.Weilii on corn, A quart of Azure on corn and aspen bedding, A quart of Cyan on Aspen and corn, Then A jar of Cyan on just corn and azure on just corn.
And to keep me busy two almost fully colonized quarts of Treasure Coast which I plan on Casing with Coir and Store bought Black cow manure.

The Weilii on corn jar( about pinch over a pint) is getting transfered tonight to a bag of pasturized , Pine Cones, Aspen, Hickory, Pine twigs, Pine straw, Red clay. All those ingredients were collected from the yard, Soaked in just over a gallon of water and 2 tbs bleach, then drained and to be safe PC for 40 min at 10 psi, This is all mixed up nicely in a large MYCO bag with airfilter, After it cools will transfer the jar of weilii into the myco bag, I am not going to layer, Just mix it up. I am kinda of wanting to fruit this indoors, but Who knows, If it colonizes nicely I may just keep expanding until just before winter ends then do a nice outdoor bed.

The azure and Cyans will be colonizing more grains and wood all winter, Majority of chips will go into Two separate outdoor beds layed this spring, but I may take some Azure wood chips, Make a WLJim syle tub and set out doors for the last two months of winter and see what happens, If it dont fruits then it will go into the bed. SO looks like its gonna be a hell of a spring, summer and fall!! First time doing woodlovers and Weilii, I can't wait, The dream is to have weilii fruiting all spring into the fall, then have a wonderfull show of azure and cyans right next to the weilii bed, Who knows, maybe they'll all fruit same time and give a hell of a show.
:teeth:
Starting from the left we have Left plate Azure then Washington Cyans plate, Followed by pic of same, Then a Close up of Azure plate, Then close up of Cyan plate, Then two jars, Left is Azure on corn and aspen, Then Cyan on corn and aspen, Followed by a colonized N. Georiga Weilii on corn, Then another two jars, Azure left Corn, Cyan right corn, THen The two Treasure coast on corn..... Im staying busy Arathu!!

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[Arathu]

Very nice bro, great job! .....I'm looking forward to this......specially getting my budgeting back.....here we go boys and girls, woodlovers unit! :teeth:

[iatebadshrooms]

Here is the N. Georgia Psilocybe Weilii Collection. MS, To Agar To Corn To a mix of Pine cone( I noticed this is a substrate Weilii love, I found it growing directly from the and others have, Pine straw, Pine Twigs, Hickory, Aspen, Redclay, Leaf Litter. MYCO BAG, 1:5 ratio. Lets see how this goes, My first time with mycobag, Was not pleased with how the procedure of transferring the spawn from the jar into the bag went, I was working in a tiny Glove box, Really pissed off, But I used a TON of hand sanitizer A TON of Lysol, And did the best I could to seal the bag.

I am hoping that since the Weilii mycelium has already taken over the corn, and none of the Substrate used is Contamination prone I will be okay. Like I said, I bleached soaked the Substrate first then did a PC run 15 PCi 45 min. Feel okay about it. Guess Ill know in 2 weeks!!!
Here is a pic, You can not really see anything except red clay!!! lol, I put about 2 cups of straight up southern redclay in there , the weilii love it, But there is mostly pinecone crushed and whole, and bunch of other shit they munch on. If this works, The contrast between the White Mycelium and the Redclay will be lovely ;)

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[hyphaenation]

From Waylitjim in the past ...

Still gets me everytime. You see some interesting insects on woodlover mushrooms.

[hyphaenation]

Here's a list of links for background reading on various woodlovers for those interested.

https://mycotopia.ne...html#post843845

I like reading threads like those and then getting lost following links within each thread. Hyper-link information fractals ...