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Joshua
Holoman

Registered: 10/27/98
Posts: 5,398
Loc: The Matrix

Casing Mix 101

1
#1597724 - 06/01/03 03:10 AM (20 years, 6 months ago)

Please open your mycology minds for another lesson. Today we study the technique of making a casing mix.

The casing layer is a layer covering colonized substrate. I find the casing to serve two primary purposes:

1) To help the substrate retain moisture and provide moisture durring flushes.

2) To increase the surface area available for pinning by creating an ideal environmental interface for pinning to occur.

As always, this is just one technique of the many that are known and will be known with time. I encourage modifications and experimentation.

This mix is called "50/50 +", a term I first saw at The Hawkes Eye many years ago. I will be using a 10:10:1 ratio of coir:verm:crushed oyster shell in this mix. The ratio of verm and coir is not essential. Some have used all verm, some all coir. When I mix my mix I do it by eye. But for the sake of this lesson, I will teach proper measurement.

Casing 101

Ingredients/Supplies

Coco Coir
Vermiculite
Crushed oyster shell
Quart Jars
Plastic Lids for Qt jars
Tyvek
2 mixing bowls
Microwave

Step one:

Break off a sufficient ammount of coco coir into a large mixing bowl.

Coco coir often comes in compressed stratified bricks. To break these apart you find the grain of the brick and break along the grain with your hands or with a knife. These bricks are compressed to 1/10 their original volume. That means the brick will expand to approximately 10 times its original size.

Here is a pic of the brick I used.

Step 2:

Add quite a bit of water. The ammount is not crucial. You can always add more later and the ingredients will absorb an amazing amount of water, that is what makes this a good mix.

Step 3:
Break up the larger chunks so that all chunks are immersed. As the coir absorbs water it will become softer and more workable. Keep breaking the chunks up until the coir is fully expanded.

I usually break the chunks up so they are immersed and wait 15 minutes. Usually the coir will be very soft by the time I return.

Here is completely hydrated and expanded coir.

Step 4:

Measure an appropriate amount of coir and place in the second mixing bowl. I have found that 4 cups coir, 4 cups verm, and 2/5ths cup crushed oyster shell will compact into two quart jars very nicely.

Make sure when measuring volume not to compact the material. Fill the measuring device to the appropriate level with loose material.

Step 5:

Add an appropriate volume of verm to the mixing bowl with the measure coir. In this case I added 4 cups.

I have heard many argue whether large partical verm or small partical verm are better for this purpose. I don't really care myself. I buy what's available. I encourage you to find your own preference with experience. I would probably lean toward large partical verm in this case (ha...ha!).

What you see in this tek is medium grade verm.

Step 6:

Add appropriate ammount of basic buffer. In this case I suggest 2/5ths cup finely crushed oyster shell. Hydrated lime works as well.

As mycelium grows it creates acidic metabolic waste and tends to acidify the casing layer. Contams often like lower pH soil. By adding oyster shell we basify the casing mix and make it slightly basic and we buffer the mix so that when the acidic metabolites are produced they are neutralized by the basic shell.

Here is a pretty shot of all the ingredients and their textures.

Step 7:

Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly. Add water to field capacity. Field capacity is the point at which the mix is at hydration capacity. You want the casing mix to hold quite a bit of water with out turning to a muddy consistancy.
Step 8:

Spoon mix into quart jars and compress. I use a canning funnel for this step. It keeps things clean and makes the job much easier.

I usually add 1/4 cup water to the top of the jar for extra hydration as some will be lost in the microwave step.

Step 9:

Place Tyvek square over mouth of jar and place vented lid over that. See picture.

Tyvek will keep a good portion of water in your casing mix while allowing pressure to escape. I use the same lids that I use for my grain jars. They have a 3/8 hole drilled into the center. I have also used lids that are PF Tek style with 3-5 needle sized holes in them.

Step 10:

Pasteurize/sterilize mix

At this point you may PC the jars or put them into the microwave. I prefer to place them into the microwave. I microwave them for at least two close sessions of 10 minutes. The idea is to at least paseurize the mix by keeping the temp at 170 F for at least 30 minutes. I tend to microwave my mix for 10 minutes, wait 10 minutes and then cool off. Sometimes I'll microwave the next day for another ten minutes.

Several times I have laid down a casing layer onto some nice white and fluffy substrate only to find cobweb or green in a couple of days.

I have no problem nuking my mix thoroughly.

If PCing the mix, 30 min to 45 min @ 15 PSI should do the trick. If I PC them I usually do them along with some grain jars.

Step 11:

Apply mix to substrate surface. At this point I spray the substrate surface with a 1.5% sol'n of peroxide. I loosely lay down the casing mix over the substrate to my desired depth (1/2 inch - 1 inch), and then spray the top of the mix with more 1.5% peroxide sol'n.

1 qt of compressed casing mix will cover a 3 Gallon Rubbermaid worth of substrate.

Enjoy!

Joshua

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Edited by Joshua (01/23/04 05:23 PM)

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