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avgstnr
Smurph



Registered: 08/11/09
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Outdoor Bed Longevity
#14526583 - 05/28/11 02:05 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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I'm pretty psyched to finally see that my project didn't suffer any loss after I tried to alter my experiment. It was originally buried too deep with an insufficient amount of spawn to guarantee any results.
So, what I did was, dug up the bed (carefully, so as not to considerably destroy the consolidated network) and flipped it upside down (since there was a layer of straw in the hole before I originally buried it) adding 2 more sandwiched trays of about 80% colonized straw on top of it. Then I added about a .5" layer of black kow on the surface (which protrudes about an inch out of the ground).
Typical routine, mist everyday or other day (hadn't had too much rain for the last couple weeks until yesterday). Had a couple gnawed on pins (saw a slug trail) yesterday and got reassured. Then I saw these this morning after the rain (and fog). Seems like they'll be a good handful as long as I can keep the critters away.
Anyway, I was curious about a few things like, How could I maintain this mound of goodness? Do I have to keep adding spawn? What if I throw some coffee grounds on it from time to time? How do you typically add sustenance, just toss it on top of it, or do I bury it within? Will it go dormant and return next year?
Sorry for all the questions at once, but I'd like to think it's all interelated. Oh, and one more, would there be any problems if I started another bed of a different mushroom near by in close proximity?
Please excuse the crappy images:
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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avgstnr
Smurph



Registered: 08/11/09
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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14526817 - 05/28/11 03:55 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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OMG!! These things are even more plump after just a couple hours! I'm surprised at how fast they can grow.
I went ahead and sprinkled some diatomaceous earth on the mound to keep it from getting attacked. I hope it won't be dangerous to eat, because I sprinkled it everywhere. Hell i'm not sure it will even be helpful because it started absorbing moisture since it just rained.
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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k00laid
NEMO


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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14527039 - 05/28/11 04:51 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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doesnt DE go around your patch, not on it?
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MegaGoomba
1UPer



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: k00laid]
#14527062 - 05/28/11 04:56 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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You should put the DE in a circle around where its dry. It wont work wet. I think it is safe to eat I have a jar of it that says food safe. lol I think it is for adding to animal feed.
-------------------- You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you. Chuck Palahniuk My First Grow My Strain List
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afrosheen
9Lives the cat



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: MegaGoomba]
#14527428 - 05/28/11 05:59 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Diatomaceous earth is literally dead sea critters. There are little guys called diatoms, they're super tiny and form silica/pectin shells, there are billions of them in the ocean and they wash up dead constantly. They make a great natural abrasive which is used in lots of products. They also happen to be so tiny and so sharp that they cut insects to shreds, which is why you can use them to deter insects from your outdoor bed.
Since they're just made of silica, they're safe to eat (if only by accident). Dermatologists use DE solutions to remove dead skin all the time and it's in a lot of beauty products and toothpaste.
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avgstnr
Smurph



Registered: 08/11/09
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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: k00laid]
#14527472 - 05/28/11 06:07 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
k00laid said: doesnt DE go around your patch, not on it?
Yeah I thought that at first too, but then I kept hearing that it was safe for consumption, so i decided maybe i should just put it everywhere and just wash or brush it off (or not) after harvest.
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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avgstnr
Smurph



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: MegaGoomba]
#14527502 - 05/28/11 06:13 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
MegaGoomba said: You should put the DE in a circle around where its dry. It wont work wet. I think it is safe to eat I have a jar of it that says food safe. lol I think it is for adding to animal feed.
I initially did just a sprinkle around the perimeter and saw that after it got wet from misting it just turned to mush. So I figured i should just add DE as needed during dry days, and if it rains, then maybe the water retention of DE will benefit the patch as it grows. The brand of DE i'm using is called "Concern" it says nothing about safe for consumption or anything like that. In fact, it says it's used for pest control, but there are no extra ingredients listed.
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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MegaGoomba
1UPer



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14527647 - 05/28/11 06:45 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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You might want to make get something dry to put a ring of DE on to keep slugs ext. out it wont work at all if it is wet.
-------------------- You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you. Chuck Palahniuk My First Grow My Strain List
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avgstnr
Smurph



Registered: 08/11/09
Posts: 91
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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: MegaGoomba]
#14527682 - 05/28/11 06:54 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Guys I really appreciate the responses and all... but I was hoping someone could school me on my original post.
"... I was curious about a few things like, How could I maintain this mound of goodness? Do I have to keep adding spawn? What if I throw some coffee grounds on it from time to time? How do you typically add sustenance, just toss it on top of it, or do I bury it within? Will it go dormant and return next year?"
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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avgstnr
Smurph



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14530026 - 05/29/11 10:16 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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These things are looking lovely today (even though a few are ate up). Last night I checked on the mound and found 2 slugs just chillen. Needless to say, they were dealt with immediately. I swear I must've dumped about a tablespoon of DE directly on each one.
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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UK Explorer
Viva La Colonización!


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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14530364 - 05/29/11 12:04 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Nice grow but you've missed out one important factor... what species of mushroom is this? Cubes?
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zydisqwap
Zimmer Fingers


Registered: 11/27/10
Posts: 179
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looks like cubes...
good luck bud. I dumped a contaminated monotub in the back and covered it with straw....a month later I took a peek and got real excited to see fat pins.
The next day some fucker picked it clean. I'm in a city so I dunno, could've been a bird, squirrel, raccoon, rat, who knows. at least there's some form of animal on my block that had a decent trip?
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k00laid
NEMO


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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: zydisqwap]
#14530996 - 05/29/11 02:21 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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the trick to keeping a patch around forever (besides the proper climate)
is to not pick all the fruits. they need to ejaculate spores into the patch, then rot and become one with it again.
it's how it gets fresh genetics in the wild.
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avgstnr
Smurph



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: k00laid]
#14531108 - 05/29/11 02:47 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
k00laid said: the trick to keeping a patch around forever (besides the proper climate)
is to not pick all the fruits. they need to ejaculate spores into the patch, then rot and become one with it again.
it's how it gets fresh genetics in the wild.
so, let me get this straight.... do you mean by leaving some fruits to rot, it will replenish the nutrients in the patch... and new spores will eventually colonize the rot?
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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just me
Friend



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14531277 - 05/29/11 03:28 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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WOWOWOWOW!!! those are GORGEOUS outdoor pins! so clean and healthy!
stay on the slugs, DE, and beer traps, and slug bait all work well, but cubensis work better theyll do whatever they have to to get to your fruits
so will chickens, and so will a few other pests. might not hurt to put some some of little cage around them? or humidity dome...?
as far as longevity, look into what koolaid is talking about
but also maybe look into picking it until its flushed out youll see cycles of fruiting, then small windows of dormancy, colonizing, (good rain, or good watering) fruiting again if yorue fruiting like this, i would fruit that patch until it was pretty spent. let it age for just a little. maybe til it up a little add a BUNCH more substrate (manure etc) cover for colonization fruit again in the fall, same way, cover heavily for winter, fruit in spring
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  -------------------------------------------------- -pEaCeLoVeGoDbLeSs- "The Downfall of Mankind; is Believing He Has Limitations."
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just me
Friend



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: just me]
#14531288 - 05/29/11 03:31 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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i think doing the way koolaid mentioned, is a more natural approach. if it continues colonization by sporulation
i think the way i suggested would be more if you wanted to keep one culture one patch alive outdoors
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  -------------------------------------------------- -pEaCeLoVeGoDbLeSs- "The Downfall of Mankind; is Believing He Has Limitations."
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k00laid
NEMO


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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14531321 - 05/29/11 03:40 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
avgstnr said:
Quote:
k00laid said: the trick to keeping a patch around forever (besides the proper climate)
is to not pick all the fruits. they need to ejaculate spores into the patch, then rot and become one with it again.
it's how it gets fresh genetics in the wild.
so, let me get this straight.... do you mean by leaving some fruits to rot, it will replenish the nutrients in the patch... and new spores will eventually colonize the rot?
they wont colonize the rot.
the spores will simply merge with the existing mycelium network, some germinating, some being digested, we dont really know.
but we know it works.
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TranscendingLife
I Don't Need a Life to Live



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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: zydisqwap]
#14531423 - 05/29/11 04:08 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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I keep my outdoor beds by putting spent tubs in one spot for 1 month then once fruiting season hits I make another one close, but careful as to not cover the first one. Once the first one is done, use a pitch fork to stir it all up w/ some fresh "spent" tubs. You can also dump old LC solutions on them & tossing in anything that's good for the mushis & you don't have to worry about sterility cuz it's outside.
Just keep one spot going @ all times & have another close spot as a dump spot & rotate.
as for additives, I wouldn't pitch fork in additives until I knew that spot was pretty much done or I went to the next spot. Just dump on some additives if you think it'll help, but you don't want to tear up the mycelium network underground until you feel it's necessary.
-------------------- AMU: We Quickly Answer Questions Here "One must accept the probability of failure to experience the elation of success." - TranscendingLife “A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce
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avgstnr
Smurph



Registered: 08/11/09
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Awesome responses guys! Todlow, you are the shiznit! I feel like I'm startin to get a Blue Thumb now, thanks to all of your help. I've noticed these fruits are alot tougher than my containerized projects.
So, let me get this straight:
1. Don't add anything until it's spent. 2. Allow spores to drop before picking it clean. 3. Stay vigilant with pests. 4. Till the spent bed when adding more nutrients (fresh spawn, spent subs, coffee grounds, etc.) 5. Cover during the winter.
Sounds like a plan!
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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avgstnr
Smurph



Registered: 08/11/09
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Re: Outdoor Bed Longevity [Re: avgstnr]
#14532361 - 05/29/11 06:58 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Just had one more unanswered question....
"would there be any problems if I started another bed of a different mushroom near by in close proximity?"
This bed is a Chitwan cube. I wanted to also do a PES Hawaiian Bed nearby because this particular location is pretty low key and not so noticeable.
-------------------- "Think for yourself... question authority" - T. Leary
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