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EvilMushroom666
Heretic




Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Shiitake Blocks Round 2 (Harvest) 2
#14247246 - 04/06/11 12:39 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I just placed these two blocks into fruiting a few days ago after a couple days of cold shocking outside. The substrate is pasteurized hardwood fuel pellets and nothing more.
I used 1L of spawn per bag and inoculate them about 2 months ago. The strain is from he who will not be named.
I notice pins forming today:


I thought I would share these with everyone and start another grow log to document the grow. Enjoy!
Edited by EvilMushroom666 (04/11/11 07:49 AM)
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Toni L
Amateur



Registered: 01/01/11
Posts: 439
Loc: Earth
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Good job! you're winning the trusted tag to forced marches, you deserve it.
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RogerRabbit
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Registered: 03/26/03
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Nice so far. Hopefully they don't form mutants due to the very high spawn rate. That's an awfully lot of grains. You'll know in a few days.
When stripping the bags off, are you washing the substrate well and giving it a good spanking? Physical shock is a major pinning trigger with shiitake and you can dramatically increase yields on first flush by slapping your blocks around for a minute or two before exposing to fruiting conditions. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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EvilMushroom666
Heretic




Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14252342 - 04/07/11 10:13 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I spawned my last 6lb block with 1L of spawn as well and things did end up turning out fine(I did have a single mutation). I have since switched to 1/2 a L per bag on my last bag run(1-2 bags got a full L).
I did not wash the blocks off at all after stripping the bag, but I did give them a good "spanking" while still in the bag. Next time I will remember to give them a good wash down.
Also: -FC is near a window that stays open during the day so the blocks receive indirect sunlight for about 8-10 hours a day. -Fc is in a room that sits at 63-70F, the lower temps being at night.
Here are some updated pictures, I love how quickly shiitake develop.

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biologys
Mycologist in Trainning




Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14252571 - 04/07/11 11:10 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: Nice so far. Hopefully they don't form mutants due to the very high spawn rate. That's an awfully lot of grains. You'll know in a few days.
When stripping the bags off, are you washing the substrate well and giving it a good spanking? Physical shock is a major pinning trigger with shiitake and you can dramatically increase yields on first flush by slapping your blocks around for a minute or two before exposing to fruiting conditions. RR
thank you for that, would of never known that and shall coe in handy in the next few weeks
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: biologys]
#14257723 - 04/08/11 09:56 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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UPDATE:
24 Hours later:

There does seem to be more mutant this time around:
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Toni L
Amateur



Registered: 01/01/11
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Loc: Earth
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Nice, mine seems is full of mutants.
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Ozzy
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: Toni L]
#14257831 - 04/08/11 10:22 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Great progress Evil!
Can you do anything with the mutants or are you planning on chucking them?
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: Ozzy]
#14257894 - 04/08/11 10:36 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Last time I harvested I cooked everything up, caps, stems, mutants everything. This time I will most likely be doing the same. I know the stems can be tough and most people do not eat them, instead they dry them for use in stews and soups.
I personally did not find them tough at all, and I figured waste not want not.
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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UPDATE:
April 9th 2011

April 10th 2011

The ole lady holding freshly harvest shiitake

The block after the devastation!

April 11th 2011

After harvest

Harvested Weight:
First Harvest = 171 Grams Second Harvest = 355 Grams = 526 Grams (18.78 Ounces OR 1 Lb 2.78 Oz)
There is still a few more mutant fruits to harvest before I will be trying for a second flush.
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Toni L
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Registered: 01/01/11
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Loc: Earth
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Well done! after harvest, what you have to do to get another flush?
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: Toni L]
#14271044 - 04/11/11 08:04 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Last block I fruited I left in the chamber for a few weeks and just misted. After a week and a bit if I remember correctly a small spot of trichoderma appeared and I tossed the block into the garden. This time around I may let them dry out a bit first and then dunk for a few hours and place back in the FC.
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Toni L
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Registered: 01/01/11
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Loc: Earth
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Without give it a cold shook?
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: Toni L]
#14271064 - 04/11/11 08:10 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I may be wrong but I think you only cold shock to initiate pinning for the first flush. Like I said I may be wrong tho.
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RogerRabbit
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Registered: 03/26/03
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True, you don't need to cold shock after first flush. However, using sawdust(no chips) and the correct supplementation and pinning triggers, you'll get 80% to 90% of your available product from the first flush. In our farm, we no longer go for a second flush indoors, because the risk of green mold is greater than the return from a small second flush.
Our blocks flush once and then go outside along our creek bed in the woods. They produce a few more mushrooms out there. During winter, we pile them up in the snow, and they fruit again in the spring when all the snow melts. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14271170 - 04/11/11 08:41 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks for the input RR as always.
If 80-90% of my available product has already been produced I think it would be a good bet to just toss these blocks outside along with my other spent substrates for hopefully some spring times flush's.
While I have your attention, what is your opinion on fruiting your first flush outside?
As you know I have been trying to pump out shiitake blocks as of late and I should be tossing my first run into fruiting around May 24. I plan to fruit most if not all of the supplemented blocks inside so I can see first hand the difference in yields between methods, but for the pasteurized blocks to save room I was planning on building some sort of fruiting chamber outside.
I might just build a wooden frame, staple some plastic sheeting over it(leaving an opening in the front) and then place stones at the bottom that I can water daily to provide humidity. This will be temporary and will be switched to steel shelving when time and money permits.
Would bugs/larvae make it not worth my while?
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RogerRabbit
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For outdoor use, don't make a fruiting chamber. Find a spot in semi-shade from brush or trees. By using a lawn sprinkler once a day on the brush and ground, it will help hold the humidity you need, especially if there's grass as you see in my pic above. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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EvilMushroom666
Heretic




Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Re: Shiitake Blocks Round 2 [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14271199 - 04/11/11 08:52 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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That got me to thinking about the flood plain behind my property. There is a little creek that runs through and a lot of overgrown grass and vegetation. Once the trees start re-gaining leaves I should have a lot of shade cover.
I know that there are a lot of coyotes running around back there at night, but I would tend to think they would not be interested in mushrooms.
Another concern I have is because I live semi rural we have a very high number of cluster fly's along with mosquito's and other winged insects.
What are the chances of these insects interfering with my grows and laying there larvae in my precious shiitake fruits?
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EvilMushroom666
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Registered: 11/18/09
Posts: 10,289
Loc: Canada
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Just harvested the rest of the last block, did not feel like taking any pictures.
Harvested another 4.26 Oz's bringing the total harvest to 1Lb 7.04 Oz.
Just shy of a 1 and a half pounds from 2 blocks. This is pretty consistent with the 3/4ths of a Lb I harvested from my last block.
Not the greatest yield per block, but for the amount of work and effort used to make a pasteurized bag I think it is all relative.
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RogueTrippeR
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Registered: 02/27/11
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Quote:
EvilMushroom666 said: I just placed these two blocks into fruiting a few days ago after a couple days of cold shocking outside. The substrate is pasteurized hardwood fuel pellets and nothing more.
I used 1L of spawn per bag and inoculate them about 2 months ago. The strain is from he who will not be named.
Evil, could you explain how you made your shiitake substrate block?
I have some grain spawn I think will be ready to use soon? I took a young unopened shiitake off a block from FP, ripped it in half and took a tissue sample using a syringe and injected into a LC jar of water/malt/dex. it seemed to work fine. then I sucked some up of the LC and injected some into rye jars. Now the rye jars are looking colonized and I need to figure out what my next step is. I have some filter bags (and other bags I could poly-plug?). I have some alder BBQ pellets around, do I need chip too? How about other additives? Thanks.
If there is an up to date tek you could point me to that would be great too! I've been looking, but still a bit in the dark. Thanks again. RT
-------------------- Cluster Headache
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