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THE MUSHROOM PATCH!
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This is for educational purposes only.

Welcome!  Ready to learn how mushrooms are grown?  There is much to see and study...for education purposes only!  So roll-up your sleeves and lets get started! 

Disclaimer

Summary

A quick description of the procedure.

Inserts (one dozen) consisting of STP’s Substrate Mix, which is sealed in ½-pint jars, are pre-sterilized and ready for immediate inoculation with your favorite spore syringe.  Spores are injected via spore syringe into the substrate and placed into the Water Incubator.   When the mycelium (white fungus) completely colonizes the entire jar (or at least 90%) you will place the newly formed mycelium ‘cakes’ into the Growing Chamber, which is a converted Glove Box and/or the Water Incubator, for many flushes of wonderful and exciting mushrooms!

 

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Material List for Mushrooms  
(Not included with Kits)

Bleach (Clorox...etc.)

Spring or Distilled Water - 1 Gallon
DO NOT USE SINK/TAP WATER!

Masking Tape

Sterile Spore Syringe.
Spore Syringes can be kept in a cool place for up to 6 months.  After that the spores can become less viable.

Let's Begin!

Prepare the Substrate.

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Mixing the Substrate.

SOME KITS COME WITH THE 'INSERTS' ALREADY DONE FOR YOU!!!  DO NOT OPEN THE BOX OF INSERTS UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO INOCULATE THEM WITH SPORES.

If you received Inserts like these click here to skip to 'Preparing the Glove Box' procedure.

If you ordered Substrate Powder to create your own 'Inserts' jars then these directions below must be followed.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SOMETIMES SUBSTRATE COMES WITH BAG 1 & 2 ALREADY MIXED! 

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ!!!

Some jars may arrive with no holes in the lids for a needle to be inserted.  Please make sure you poke at least 2 holes in the lids and cover with MASKING TAPE before going forward.  You can do this with a Drill or just a hammer/nail.  Make sure the hole is at least 2x's wider then your needle for easy insertion.

Mixing the MSC SUBSTRATE MIX for creating Insert Jars.

One Large Course Grade Vermiculite (Large Bag)
One Small Fine Grade Vermiculite (Small Bag)
One Small White Bag of MSC Substrate Mix (If Applicable)

Unpack your substrate mix.  Notice the white powder mixed throughout the large bag of Vermiculite.  Sometimes this white powder comes in a separate baggie.  If that is the case then just mix it along with the large bag of Vermiculite and place it into a large container for mixing.

Add 3 cups Spring Water and mix thoroughly.

Fluff the mix as much as possible and gently scoop some out. Fill the substrate mix up to the level you see below.

Open the 2nd bag Small Fine Grade Vermiculite and fill until it is level with the lip of the jar and wipe the rim with a clean cloth or paper-towel.

Place the lid and but do NOT tighten down!  Just slowly turn the lid until you feel it starting to tighten...then STOP!

Sterilizing the Substrate Jars

Make sure you read over the directions of your new Pressure Cooker.  You are to add 1/2" of water to the bottom of the Pressure Cooker BEFORE adding the jars.  The bottom line is that you should have NO MORE THAN 1-1/2 inches of water AFTER the jars are sitting on the bottom of the pressure cooker.

Put the jars into the pressure cooker and set it to 15psi for 60 minutes and allow the pressure to build within the cooker until the regulator begins to shake.  Adjust the temperature of the stove isle until the Pressure Cookers' Regulator shakes for a few seconds... every 30 seconds.  At this point you should start counting down the minutes mentioned below.  

15psi = 60 minutes 
 

After the allotted time has passed, turn the stove isle off to allow the pressure inside the cooker to return to normal.  Take the Regulator Gauge off of the lid and replace it with a small 91% alcohol soaked paper towel ASAP!  This will filter the air entering the Pressure Cookers' hole therefore protecting the jars from any possible airborne contaminates.  

• Allow the jars to cool for one hour before opening up the lid of the Pressure Cooker.  
• Take out the Substrate Jars and place them BACK into the original box that the jars were shipped within.
• Spray each of the jar lids with Lysol and place the original piece of cardboard back on top of the jars and close-up the the box top. 
• Allow the Substrate Jars to cool for an additional 6 hours, or overnight, BEFORE going on to the next step.  

All substrate jars that have been sterilized MUST be inoculated within 48 hours or kept in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks!

Preparing & Sterilizing the Glove Box

 

STP - Glove Box  
You must prepare the Glove Box before going to the next stage.

The glove box will allow you to perform the necessary steps of inoculation without the threat of contaminations.  (Included with kit A,B and the MGK)

 

Affix the fan! When you initially receive your Glove Box you will have to hand-tighten the fan onto the frame of the Glove Box. Line it up as you see here. Make sure that the label of the fan is facing into the box.  This will allow the air to be sucked into the Glove Box through the HEPA filter disc. Allow me to be PAINFULLY CLEAR about this...the fan should be on the INSIDE of the Glove Box and the label facing inward as well.  This will allow the fan to PULL the air into the Glove Box...through the white filter disc. Next...fasten the wing nuts and bolts.  The wing nut should be on the OUTSIDE of the Glove Box.  Hand tighten the wing nuts and place the cord of the fan over, and out, of the Glove Box.

 

Prepare your Glove Box by spraying Lysol into it and wiping it thoroughly with a clean paper towel.  Make sure you spray the clear Plexiglas as well.  The Plexiglas should be used as a lid during all Glove Box procedures (so you can see from the top). 

 

 

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Inoculation of Substrate Jars

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Spore Injection 

Perform this next procedure within the Glove Box!

 

Material needed:
Masking Tape - You must supply your own Masking Tape for this procedure.
Inoculated Keepers Brew or a Spore Syringe
91% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol
Lysol
Cotton balls

Now you can open the box of Inserts and do the following.

Wipe each jar lid with alcohol and place them, and the syringe, into the Glove Box.  Also place an alcohol soaked cotton ball and a roll of Masking Tape inside the Glove Box.  Place the Plexiglas lid on the Glove Box and plug in the fan.  The cord to the fan should come out of the Glove Box DIRECTLY above the fan.  You will notice an indentation on the lip of the Glove Box...make sure the small black part of the cord lays on it.  

Take Lysol and squirt the white filter, which is located on the opposite side of the fan (outside of the Glove Box), for two full seconds.

 

WAIT FOR 5 MINUTES BEFORE GOING TO THE NEXT STEP!!!

I want you to understand the importance of the position of each jar as they are held during the spore inoculation of the substrate jars (Inserts).  If you do not follow this next step precisely you will add one or two weeks to the growing procedure.  

Hold the jar at a 45 degree angle.  When you plunge the NEEDLE into the jar point the needle against the inside of the glass.  Holding the jar at an 45 degree angle, and allowing the tip of the needle to 'touch' the inside side of the glass, allows for the .25cc of spore solution to run down the side of the jar.  This, of course, will cause the side of the jar (substrate) to inoculate from top to bottom and also allows for easy viewing as the mycelium grows.  

If there are any contamination in the jar you should be able to see it rather quickly. 

Here we go....

Put your gloves on and spray a few squirts of Lysol onto them.  These gloves can be a little difficult to work with at first.  It is not 100% necessary to wear them during the Inoculation Stage, but will be VERY necessary in future techniques.  If you decide not to use the gloves during this stage then wash your hands with Antibiotic dish soap.  Carefully place your clean hands through the holes (the flaps should lift upward) and into the Glove Box.

Within the Glove Box carefully remove all of the masking tape from each jar and place them to one side of the Glove Box...to be discarded later.  

Gently shake the syringe while you carefully hold the cap of the needle with your forefinger for about 3 minute.  Remove black, or white, protective tape.  Twist the green cap until it is in place.  If not, you will open the syringe and risk contaminating your spores!  Take of the protective green covering off of the needle and quickly (CAREFULLY) wipe the needle with the alcohol cotton ball and place the syringe off to one side.

After ALL of the jars within the Glove Box have been inoculated, place the cover of the needle back and lay the syringe to one side.

Get your Masking Tape and begin placing a piece of it over EACH AND EVERY HOLE.

 

NEW! Turn jar after inoculation! Here is a little trick that I have learned recently.  Place the jars in your hands just after inoculation and quickly flick your wrist so the substrate in the jar moves a little. Try to get the substrate to 'rotate' to the other side of the jar.  That will GREATLY speed up the process due to the fact it spreads the spores throughout the jar.

 

You may turn off the fan once you have placed clean tape over each hole of the substrate jars.  Take everything out of the Glove Box and move on to the next step. 

Note: You will notice that your syringe has 12 cc's marked on the side of the syringe.  For every 1 cc you are to inoculate 4 holes (.25 cc) = ONE JAR.  Thus, one 12 cc spore syringe should inoculate twelve 1/2-pint jars. 

Be careful not to use too much into one single hole.  It can be very easy to squeeze too hard and dump a full cc into a single hole.  This would suck because you are NOT to use more then one FULL CC into any single jar.  So if you dump a full 1cc into one hole...you have to live with it and move onto the next substrate jar.

Any unused spore solution can be kept in a cool place for up to 6 months.  
After six months the spores can become less viable and the mushroom mycelium might not spread as quickly as one would like.

Note:  Inject ALL sterilized jars with the spore syringe.  Any sterilized jars that have not been injected with a spore syringe is susceptible to contamination in the near future.  Store the UN-INOCULATED jars in a refrigerator at your own risk.

Note:  Sometimes the needle will get jammed with substrate upon entry into the jar.  If this happens you should take the needle out and wipe it with the alcohol soaked cotton ball until you see nothing on the tip of the needle and insert the needle again. 

 

 

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Incubation of Substrate Jars
      Water Incubator setup.

Material needed: Vaseline or lubricant.

Notice the tub with the 1" hold at the bottom (this is were the rubber o-ring will go)...this is the bottom tub of the incubator. 

Place the o-ring into the which will hose the heater.  Now get a small amount of Vaseline or dish soap and wipe the inside of the rubber o-ring AND place a small amount on the glass tubing affix to the heater.  Take your heater and CAREFULLY slide the tube inward so the dial is poking out and the long class 'heating tube' is completely inserted into the chamber.  Now clip the rubber suction cups (if applicable) onto the heating tube and carefully press down to the tub in order to assure the heating tub does not shift or come out of the tub.

Wipe off any extra lubricant that might have staid on the class tube or surrounding areas.

Pour water into the tub, regular house water is fine, unit it is about 2" above the heater.  Add only 1 cap full (not cup... CAP) of bleach into the water (this will to insure that no algae grows within the water) and place the other plain matching tub, the one without and changes from its original form, into the tub with the heater within.

Carefully push the tub downward until it stops (bottoms out) and make sure that you watch the water within the first tub...it will rise quickly!  You do not want the water to be pushed out and over the top...spilling all over your floor. Just get the water level as high as you can (more weight that is applied the better) but...it does not NEED to be at the top.  Just somewhere in-between.

Once you have done these things you can place all of your inoculated jars within the dry tub and place the lid slight OFF TILT so that air can enter the chamber yet still keep the heat within.  (AFTER THE INOCULATION PHASE...OF COURSE).

Plug in the heater and set the dial to 82F (or what is best for the strain you are wishing to grow) during the incubation period.

This design will GREATLY LOWER the waiting time of the  colonization of Substrate (Inserts or Grain).

Note:  You will need to place a weight on the lid to keep the container from rising to the surface of the water.  I have a radio on mine...but, anything will do.

You should check on the jars every day.  It usually takes about 10-20 days for the white mycelium to grow completely through the substrate jars.  As each jar becomes fully colonized you should it into a refrigerator for safe keeping.  This will slow the growth of the mycelium until you are ready to use it or the rest of the Inserts have caught up with the first.
Make sure you date each jar as it enters the refrigerator.  The oldest jars should be used first when it is time to grow out the mushrooms.	Jars no longer come with aluminum foil...SO DON'T FREAK OUT!

* Check on your jars once a day.  There are two reasons I would like you to do this:

To thoroughly inspect the jars for contamination.
To allow fresh air within the Incubation Chamber.

What are the optimum conditions under which to store the Insert jars?

PF jars, like other colonizing jars, should be kept in a warm (75 - 85°F), dark place that is not too dry (target RH from 50% - 70% rh). The dark allows for the mycelia to colonize the entire cake without being "told" to pin (mycelium pins when introduced to light, reduction of CO₂, temperature fluctuations and lack of non colonized substrate). You don't want the cake to pin before the entire cake is colonized, otherwise you may have to prematurely birth the cake and risk contamination of the non colonized substrate, or leave a growing fruit inside while the rest of the cake has not been completed yet. You don't want to store the jars in an extremely dry area, since the water in the jar can evaporate into the air through the small punch holes in the lid.
A too humid environment can cause molds growing on the outside of the jars and possibly spreading into the jars, so don't go with the humidity over 70%.

Incubation of the jars.

Place all 12 freshly inoculated Inserts into the incubator (you can stack them one on top of each other without worry).  JUST MAKE SURE THE WATER LEVEL IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE TOP OF THE JARS SO THAT THE JARS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PERFECT 86F ENVIRONMENT.

Note:  Unlike this picture above, you are to have Masking Tape over each hole on the lid of each substrate jar.

It will usually takes about 15-20 days for the white mycelium to grow completely through the substrate.  It will take much less time if you are using the Keeper's Brew for the 2nd or a 3rd time.

You should check and rotate the jars every day.  This is to monitor the growth of mycelium and to allow fresh air into the incubator on a daily basis.  

Note:  There is always a chance of contamination when trying to grow mushrooms.  Watch carefully for anything that is out of the ordinary.  If you do not see WHITE mycelium, AFTER 10 DAYS, from at least one point of inoculation, then there is a strong possibility that something went astray and a contaminate has somehow found it's way into the substrate.  

Note:  As long as white mycelium is growing from at least one point of injection the jar will eventually become colonized.  So do not be concerned if you do not see growth from all four points of injection.  

When the mycelium begins growing you should notice a isomorphic effect.
That is a 'finger like' characteristic of most mycelium.  
IT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO APPEAR THIS WAY!!!  
SOMETIMES YOU WILL NOTICE WHITE FUZZ ONLY...IT IS ALL GOOD!!!

When the mycelium has TOTALLY colonize a substrate jar then you can place that jar into the refrigerator or us it for the next Phase.  Place each jar, as it becomes fully colonized with white mycelium, into your refrigerator (mark the jars 1 2, 3....etc. so you know which to use next during the growing stages) until you are ready to use them.  
Always use the oldest jars first!

Mycelia Growth

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In about 6-8 days you should begin seeing some white mycelia growth.  If you don't see mycelium within about 14 days...trash it!  Somewhere within the inoculation process things went bad.  If you see anything else BESIDES white in your jars then chances are you have some contamination growing.  

 

Colonized cake. Non-contaminated	A cake contaminated with a green mold.

When the Mycelium COMPLETELY grows through the substrate jars it will be time for the Fruiting Stage!

Note: Sometimes a few jars may have mycelium grown throughout and ready for the Growing Chamber while other substrate jars are not.  The jars that are finished early SHOULD be placed into a refrigerator in order to slow the mycelium growth down to a crawl.  Keep placing the finished jars into the refrigerator until ALL jars are ready to be 'Birthed'.

Growing Chamber 
Growing Chamber Option #1
You may do Option #1 or #2.

This Phase is being rewritten due to the standard Temperature Controlled Growing Chamber that now comes with all models after 2/10/02.

In a nutshell you will be placing your Growing Chamber into the dry tub (that held your Inserts during incubation) and set the heating dial to 79F.  You are still going to set-up the chamber with Perlite and the standard sanitizing directions below.

UPDATES AND PICS. TO COME.

Convert the Glove Box/Incubator into a Growing Chamber

When all jars are grown completely throughout with white mycelium then it is time to convert the Incubator into a Growing Chamber!

Wipe-out the box with a dump paper towel until all of the dust has been removed.
Take your can of Lysol and spray/wipe clean with a new/clean paper towel.  
MAKE SURE YOU CLEAN THE LID! 

From INSIDE the Growing Chamber take a 6" piece Masking Tape and tape the bottom of the hand 'flaps' (see the RED LINES for guidance) so they became taut (flush) against the side of the chamber.  By taping (covering) the two hand holes in this way allows almost no air to enter into the chamber without being filtered through the white disc first.   

Pour Perlite, white puffs of Styrofoam, into the Growing Chamber.  Keep pouring the Perlite until you have about 2" of depth.  

Slowly pour water (distilled water is best, but you can get away with Spring or Mineral Water) onto the Perlite.  

Watch the water depth carefully!  I want you to keep pouring until the water reaches 1/2" in depth.    

Wait 15 minutes.  

After 15 minutes you will notice that the water level has dropped dramatically, possible is gone (soaked-up) altogether!

Again, I want you to carefully, and slowly, pour water into the chamber until you have about 1/2" of standing water.  

Wait 15 minutes.  

Repeat this process until you have 1/2" of standing water for over 15 minutes.  You will want to maintain this water level throughout the growing period. 

Pins and intermediate mushroom growth.

This moisture level will give the mushroom mycelium enough humidity to allow mushroom pins to 'peek-out' of the cakes and GROW! 

Lay a temperature gage on the Perlite to check the temperature.  
       
Note: The temperature of the Growing Chamber should be between 72-79F: which is usually room temperature.  

Birthing the Cakes

Mushroom pins showing through the jars.	Mycelium completely grown through the substrate jar.

After the jars have become fully overran by white mycelium and/or you see pin heads forming (small mushroom) then wait one week.  You have to wait 3 days for the mycelium to grow through the center of the substrate.  After your three days is over place the jars into a refrigerator.  That's right, put each jar into the refrigerator for about 6 hours.  This is called, 'Cold Shocking'.   This will help some of the more stubborn mushrooms to flush quickly in a temperature of 72-79F.  The jars that you do NOT want to flush at this time can simply stay in the refrigerator until you see fit (up to about 3-4 weeks). 

Also, you do not HAVE to place all of the jars into the refrigerator at the same time.  If some of the jars are fully inoculated but you have other jars that are not then just place the fully inoculated jars into the refrigerator and leave the others out to 'mature'.

Note: If you see pins forming within the jar BEFORE the mycelium has grown completely through, you are to immediately continue to the next step.  Don’t worry if you don’t have any pins, it is an either/or type of thing.  Plant a totally colonized jar, or some mushroom pins- which ever comes first.

If you see the pins, carefully scrape away and discard any substrate that has not been engulfed by the mycelium.  

ONLY IF YOU SEE PINS OCCURRING BEFORE THE SUBSTRATE HAS COMPLETELY BEEN COLONIZED WITH WHITE MYCELIUM SHOULD YOU CUT SHORT THE INCUBATION PERIOD FOR THAT JAR ONLY, AND PLACE IT INTO A REFRIGERATOR FOR AT LEAST 6 HOURS OR UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO BIRTH THAT 'CAKE'. 

Growing Chamber 
Growing Chamber Option #2a
You may do Option #1 or #2

Note: It is not necessary to sterilize the Perlite if it has not been used (wetted down).   But if you would like to save the Perlite after you have finished the flushing process you need to do the following...

Scoop the wet Perlite into a shallow pan and place it into a preheated oven set at 170F.  Allow the Perlite to bake for 2 hours and cool when finished.  Allow it to stand overnight before placing it back into the Perlite bag.

Wipe-out the box with a dump paper towel until all of the wet Perlite has been removed.  Take your Lysol and spray/wipe clean with a new/clean paper towel.  
CLEAN THE LID TOO! 

Growing Chamber 
Growing Chamber Option #2b
You may do Option #1 or #2

Casing Technique using a converted Water Incubator
Although this technique can double or triple your yield you will be opening yourself up to the possibility of contamination within the casing soils.  Proceed at your own risk!

After you are finished using the 2 tubs (Water Incubator) you will be able to create a 2nd Growing Chamber using our advance casing technique that is only here at MSC.!!!

Newer Kits come with...

A Large Bag of Casing (Special Formulated Soil).
One Bag of Vermiculite.
Spray Bottle 
Hydrogen Peroxide (May or may not have come with your kit)
Growing Chamber (This will be your two tubs that you used for your Water Incubator)

You supply...

Spring Water
Large (Microwave able) Mixing Bowl
Metal Fork
Anti-Bacterial Soap
*Fully colonized substrate jars of mycelium...created by you.

Make sure you have all of these supplies in one place before you begin the next step.

      Step 1:  Mix 1-part Peroxide with 10-part Spring Water.  Place it into the spray bottle and sit it aside.  This liquid mixture will help with the control of contaminations within the soil.

Example:  One tablespoon Peroxide + Ten tablespoon Peroxide  

      Step 2:   In the microwave able mixing bowl place 4 cups of your Casing soil into it.

Mix the soil using a fork until it is thoroughly combined. Using the spray bottle of the Peroxide and Spring water, spray the mixture and stir it until the soil is moistened to field capacity, meaning that if you take a handful of this mixture and squeeze it into a ball it will hold its shape but no water will drip out. We want the mixture moist but not saturated...somewhat fluffy and soft looking.

Place this into a microwave for about 1 minute on HIGH.
Mix again with a fork and microwave an additional 1 minute on High.  

DO NOT OPEN THE MICROWAVE THE 2ND TIME!!!!
LEAVE THE DOOR CLOSED FOR 30 MINUTES TO ALLOW THE SOIL TO COOL WITHIN THE MICROWAVE AND NOT BECOME CONTAMINATED.

While the soil is cooling you are to clean the tub that held the Inserts (Substrate Jars)  with some antibacterial soap and warm tap water...even the lid!  Turn the chamber upside down onto a clean towel and allow to drip dry along with the lid.

Step 3: After 30 minutes take out the soil and pour it into the growing chamber evenly (as much as possible) so that it covers the bottom of the growing chamber.  If possible do not touch it with your hands!  Us a cleanly wiped fork (wiped with alcohol) to slightly even it out.  

Note: It does not have to be perfect!  You are going to mix it one more time in the following steps.  I just want to make sure you put cover the bottom of the chamber with the soil.  An easier way to do this with out touching the substrate is to pick up the chamber and gently shake it side to side - that makes the soil very level. 

Step 4: Remove a lid from one of your colonized substrate jar and dump the 'cake' on top of the soil mixture. Using your freshly washed hands (anti-bacterial soap and warm water...of course) crumble the cake into small pieces (smaller the better) evenly onto the top of the soil.  If you need to apply a second colonized jar in order to finish the layering, then do it.  

It is best to have a little much then not enough.  Just wash your hands again before handling the 2nd colonized substrate jar.

Example...

Open jar, dump mycelium, quickly wash hands, crumble mycelium cake.
Repeat for 2nd jar.  

NOTE:  Most people use two 1/2-pint colonized Insert (substrate) jars to cover the top layer of soil.  It allows for faster colonization and larger flushes but, it is not 100% necessary.  If you do use two jars it will cut the life of your kit down to about 6 months, instead of the expected 9-12 months, before purchasing new Inserts and Spores.  

Quickly mix your soil and mycelium for about 20 seconds and level the soil.  This is the time when you would like to have the soil as level as possible.  DO NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING THIS!  More time spent with your hands in the soil the more likely it will become contaminated. Again...an easier way to do this with out touching the substrate is to pick up the chamber and gently shake it side to side - that makes the soil very level. 

Step 5:  You are going to use your Water Incubator to speed things up a little bit.

Place the 'Growing Chamber' into the Incubator (still set a 86F) for the next 3 days.  This will GREATLY speed up the mycelium growth.  It does not require any light during this time, but if the Growing Chamber does get some light during this time that is fine also...just not necessary.

So now you are looking at 2 tubs stacked one on-top of each other.  
The top tub will have the soil/mycelium within while the bottom tub has the water (small amount of bleach) and heater within.

After 72 hours you can take the 'Growing Chamber' out and place whatever remaining Inserts you have back into the Incubator if need be.  If you do not have any Inserts left you can leave the Growing Chamber in the Incubator...just re-set the temperature to 76F!!!  This works great if you have a cold basement or house that is a little too chilly for the fruiting process.

As the white mycelium grows through the soil it should resemble the pictures below. 

Just click picture for a larger image.

Continuing from #2b
Fruiting Stage

...AND AWAY WE GO!!!!

       This is the last and final phase of the cultivation process for the casing technique; it is also the easiest and most fun because it will be the actual growing and picking of the mushrooms themselves. 

Warning!
For this next step you are to use plain Spring Water ONLY!  Do not us the Peroxide/Water mix.  If you do so you will retard the growth and greatly effect the outcome.

After the mycelium and soil has sat at 86F for 3 days...

Next...the 2nd bag of Vermiculite is now needed.  You are to place Dry Vermiculate over the top of the soil (1/4 inch) and water it thoroughly (soak it) with clean spring water.  This will help hold the moisture within the soil and give the mycelium a little extra humidity during the pinning process.

Wait 48 hours and....

      Spray the inner walls of your Growing Chamber once a day with clean spring water.  Once, every other day, you are to spray the Vermiculite once in every section of the soil.  Another words...completely cover the soil with clean spring water with one or two squirts.

Do this quickly and thoroughly every-other-day until you see your first mushroom pins...then STOP!

Contaminations of Green Mold!

(Note the green discoloration.  This is our enemy!)

This is a bitch but, unfortunately, it is a factor of life for the mushroom grower.

Green mold is a common contaminate that can find its way into your growing chamber quite easily.  I am going to try and help you beat, or at least contain, the green fungi.

The key to winning this battle is quick and precise counter measures.

The INSTANT you see green on your casing soil get it out of there!  Flame a spoon or heat it as much as possible from your stove top.  Quickly open the chamber and scoop it out and close the chamber lid.  

Re-heat the spoon EVERY TIME it has to enter the growing chamber.

Mix 1-part Peroxide with 20-parts Spring Water and place it in a spray bottle.
Spray the newly cleaned area until it is nice and soaked.
Try to keep the mixture contained to the immediate area as much as possible.

If you find that you that you were forced to take away much of the casing soil, just place some DRY CASING over top of that area and begin spraying with the solution.

Do your best to contain and stay on top of the green mold until it is completely gone or it becomes a losing battle.

Fruiting Tips!

Within a few days to a week you should have 
many mushrooms growing out of the cakes!

To Help Induce Fruiting 

 

1. Mushrooms need a small amount of light in order to grow with a delightful appearance.  If they do not have any light whatsoever they will grow deformed.  Most mushrooms are drown to light (they only need to be illuminated with light).  Rule of thumb...if you can read next to your growing chamber then you have enough light.  
   
2. They also need a fairly high amount of humidity...85-90%.  That is why each Grow Chambers has about 2 inches of Perlite at the bottom in order to release plenty of moisture into the air OR you are spraying the sides and Vermiculite every other day.  
   
3. Last thing to do is to keep the temperature between 72-79F for fruiting.  This is not a problem if you are using a converted Water Incubator.  Although, many...many times I am aware that NO heating is used during the growing chamber process due to the fact your living environment temperature is sustained at approximately 76F.  
   
4. Cold Shocking - Place the jars into a refrigerator for at least 6 hours before birthing onto Perlite or before the attempting the casing method.  Only take  the jars out that you want to birth and keep the rest in the refrigerator.  The jars left behind should be able to stay in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
   

Pinning, Fruiting, and Harvesting

If you have done everything correctly,  you will see new "pinheads" forming on the cakes within a few days to a week!  Unfortunately, not all will grow to maturity...those that do not are called aborts.  Aborts can still be eaten and they might even be worth it!  

Most of the other mushrooms will grow to maturity.  When you see a thin white "veil" attached to the cap and stem...you should wait 'til it tears away from the cap.  When this occurs you can go ahead a pick the mushroom...the cap and stem is all good!

 

The white veil beginning to stretch.	See how thin the veil has become.   It is beginning to tear away.	This is a turning point of the shroom. Now is the perfect time to pick.

When it is time to pick, just gently twist the stem from the cake.  Put it into the 'Drying Chamber' for about four days and store it away until it is time to study it.  If you do not have a drying chamber then place the mushrooms in front of a box fan for about two days.  Afterwards you can place the dried mushrooms in a paper sandwich bag and store in a dry/warm location for future studies.

When using the Perlite Technique...Each cake can flush 1-2 times...hopefully after only 3-5 days of dormancy.  Just make sure that you flip the cakes to their opposite side after the first flush.  You should get a pleasant surprise.

E. Preservation Methods

Refrigeration 

If you are going to eat your mushrooms in the next 2-3 days you can get away with placing them in a paper bag and putting it in the refrigerator.  MUSHROOMS ARE ALWAYS BETTER FRESH!

 

Drying and Preservation

This is the great way to preserve your mushrooms via dehydrating!  This drying camber will cost you about $6 in materials.  Although it is very effective, it does not hold a great amount of mushrooms.  What is does hold is plenty for one person and a few of your good friends.

 

If you have purchased an MES...here is the link for the set-up.
MES SET-UP LINK

 

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You're not done yet!
Here is an outdoor adventure!!!

When your mycelium finally quits producing mushrooms you can break-up the 'spent mycelium mat' into small clumps and dump it into a fresh bag of humus (compost from Wal-mart).  Take the bag and find yourself a nice shaded area under some bushes or on a rim of your local woods.  

Empty the contents and mix the pile as well as you are able, forming a small mound of dirt.

Add just Spring Water the same way as you did in the previous steps and checking it daily for dryness. One should water it everyday, EXCEPT on those rainy days, for about a week or until you just get tired of doing it.  After that it is on its own!  Just visit it in the morning before heading off to work and pick mushrooms as available.

I like to plant Sugar-Baby Watermelons or Bush Cucumbers plants on top of the mound.  That way I can water my plants daily and not be overly concerned about my mushrooms.

Send those pictures in everyone!
The more pictures within the directions the better for all!!!

Stay cool my friends!
Keeper

 

 

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Advance techniques.
This techniques are on a 'on-going' basis.  I have tried to make these techniques as simple and straightforward as possible.  Some of these techniques, at this time, do not seem to go anywhere.  Just trust me! You should do the techniques and save what you have done.  We will be using them in the near future.

NEW BIRTHING TECH IS HERE...CASING!
GET MUCH MORE OUT OF EACH CAKE! 

Optional Casing Method (Medium)
Stretch your Cakes to the FULLEST!

Substitute Casing Ingredients

Helpful Information Regarding Casing.
What's The Matter With My Casing?

Creating a Spore Syringe

Creating a Mycelium Syringe

Sterilizing a Used Syringe

Making a Mushroom Spore Print

How to Clone a Mushroom

Creating Liquid Mycelium!

Creating Master Grain Spawn

 

 

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This is the property of the MSC.  Copying for the purpose of profit is prohibited and you will be prosecuted to the full extend of the law. 

This Information is for educational purposes only.  See Disclaimer 

Last updated 09/28/07

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