I have read a number of bulk substrate teks and I'd like to make sure I have a good feel for them. If you read anything below that doesn't sound right, please feel free to post it and correct me.
First off, the materials. A 40 lb bag of "Dehydrated Cow Manure" and a large bale of straw were aquired. The manure seemed somewhat wet still, most likely from being outside. A very strong smell to it, not one that I would describe as "ammonia" tho, not a unpleasant (fecal) smell, but not pleasant either. The straw has some trace of green in it, I'm assuming some grasses or alfalfa that sprung up as the straw was being grown. As much of the green stuff as could be was picked out, the straw cut to sections less than 3" in length. Is dehydrated cow manure what is needed? Will it work?
Now for the actual process. . . Four cups of manure are mixed with approx 1 gallon of water in a metal pot. A mixture of approx 60/40 straw/dung is made and stirred very well. This is poured into a pillowcase and submerged in the poo water with a weight on top to keep it totally submerged. The pillowcase soaks for around 24 hours. The water is poured off, more poo water is added (to once again boost the amount of nutrients in the straw) and the pot is placed on the stove. It is heated until the thermometer in the water reads 165 degrees. It is then maintained at this temperature for ninety minutes to two hours. After this time, the bag is removed and set on a wire rack over a sink to drip dry / cool.
I guess this paragraph is a bit out of order, but I forgot to mention htis earlier. As that pillowcase full was pasteurizing, another one with about 1/4th of the total volume, totally composed of dung, would be pasteurized at the same time and allowed to dripdry the same way.
Now, after they are cool and dry (maybe overnight?) they are ready to be mixed with mycelia. In this instance we are using fully colonized wild bird seed. A layer of the straw/dung is placed in the casing container and a few tablespoons of colonized grain are sprinkled on top. This layering continues until approx 2/3 of the spawn is used. All of this is pressed down as hard as possible to make more mycelia / substrate contact. A final layer consisiting of the remaining spawn and the dung is mixed and placed on top (approx 1/2" deep). The container is then sealed (putting alumun foil over the top and placing a lid on it) and put at proper p cubensis incubation conditions.
After a few days, the mycelia will have totally overrun the poo layer. At this time a casing layer is added. In this instance, the bulk layer would be approx 7", so a casing layer about 1.5 inches would be used. Most likely a 60/40 coco/verm layer. The mycelia would be again covered and allowed to "run" through the casing layer, with patch casing done when needed. After the patching, the tray is incubated for 24 more hours, and then put into a fruiting chamber
Does this sound like it should work? Any thoughts, tips or advice would be greatlyappreciated!!!
-------------------- In response to an attack killing 15 American Servicemen PsiloKitten said: Just give em a little more time, the iraqis are making great progress. And this is unorganized. Wait till they get organized.
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the tek sounds good but some comments on the materials:
1)dehydrated cow poo. first, never used it so I can't endorse its use, but if it looks and smells fine to you then go with it. If you can, try getting some real barnhouse/pasture cow or horse poo (recommended) and follow the pasteurization tek as you outlined.
2)don't compact the poo and spawn, just lightly pat it down.
3)after the mycelia has ran through the poo, case, incubate (patch case if needed) but don't incubate a second time, after you patch case move directly into a terrarium, remember that mycelia has a momentum as it is growing and especially with bulk you don't need to necessarily colonize the casing layer, when the mycelia begins to poke up through the top layer of casing (but not actually colonzing on top) then induce fruiting conditions immediatlely. Don't wati too long or think it needs to incubate cause then this will almost always lead to overlay.
good luck.
-------------------- Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, O, what panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi' bickering brattle!
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