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Dirtygoat
Bread



Registered: 10/22/13
Posts: 561
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Odd questions
#19128169 - 11/12/13 07:09 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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So i finally started growing, i'm about a week in and my mycelium is more than half way in most of my jars. but i still have some questions. I looked and looked but had trouble finding answers to my particular questions. 1) at first I had trouble finding any vermiculite, so I ended up using some that was sitting in my dad's attic. It seems to work so far, as I mentioned the mycelium is spreading very nicely, but my question is.. If the verm does by any chance have asbestos, would this be bad? I don't come in much contact with the verm and I def won't be eating it, but can the shrooms themselves absorb the asbestos and be harmful to me just from eating the shrooms?? 2) also I finally found some verm, but it's not what I was expecting. It's more of a powder that is meant to be added to soil, as if it's been grounded up. Would I be able to use this? Or would it just give me a sloppy mush of wet powder when I mix all the ingredients??
Thanks for any help guy, I love this website.
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dark_nemesis
The Initiate



Registered: 09/07/13
Posts: 83
Last seen: 10 months, 9 days
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I'm no expert, seeing as I have only done about 3 grows, but the verm I use is in fact a powdery type of substance. As you said, it's a soil additive. You are to mix it with your soil, and it is to help the soil retain moisture. Although I am slightly confused as to what you are actually using. As far as I know, verm is like i said, a powder. I could be wrong, again not an expert. And as for the asbestos, I'm almost def positive that anything asbestos related should be avoided like a plague. I def would not eat any asbestos grown mushies. Any way you can take a pic of the "verm" that you used for your first grow and post?
Edited by dark_nemesis (11/12/13 07:28 PM)
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 4 days
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Asbestos won't absorb into the mycelium. IF it was there, the problem is breathing the dust. 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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Dirtygoat
Bread



Registered: 10/22/13
Posts: 561
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Cool that's what I thought, I just went on to read some more and about a different subject someone mentioned that they don't absorb any toxins only nutrients to help them grow. (Someone used cigarette butts and actually had some great success with them).
Edited by Dirtygoat (11/12/13 08:28 PM)
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Dirtygoat
Bread



Registered: 10/22/13
Posts: 561
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My first grow I use verm like the one on the left of this picture. Maybe even bigger chunks.

I just bought this verm, it is pretty much powder with a few tiny clumps.
http://
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But I also read on after this post and some people said it was better to use more coarse verm because the mycelium has more air and space to spread. But I don't mind because I just hope the powder would work as I don't know if I can get more from my day's attic.. I guess the best would be to just go for it and give it a try, I just need some time as all my jars are being used atm
Edited by Dirtygoat (11/12/13 08:33 PM)
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dark_nemesis
The Initiate



Registered: 09/07/13
Posts: 83
Last seen: 10 months, 9 days
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Just from experience, I use the powder form of the verm, and it works fine. I use the PF Tek using BRF (brown rice flower) and verm. I haven't had any problems as of yet.
My cakes may take longer to colonize, but seeing as I have nothing else to compare to, idk. My cakes take roughly 12-20 days depending on my conditions (temp mainly). Sometimes the room that I am using as a grow room drops to about 65F and can raise to about 83F. I have an old school space heater in the room and depending out how far open I leave the door leading to my hallway kind of determines the temp inside the room. I also leave a window slightly cracked to increase the natural wind flow throughout the room.
Not sure if the fact that I'm using 1/4 pint jars instead of the suggested 1/2 pint jars (couldn't find the wider stout 1/2 and didn't want to use the taller 1/2 pint jars) effects this or not, but they seem to be working for me. I have been getting about 2 or three flushes from each one as well.
*Edit* If you go into my pictures, you can see some of my cakes, and the fruits I have received, using the powder form of the verm under my "round 2" folder.
Edited by dark_nemesis (11/12/13 08:39 PM)
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Dirtygoat
Bread



Registered: 10/22/13
Posts: 561
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Doesn't let me look at your gallery. Maybe you don't have your pics visible to public? Or it may be something I'm doing wrong.. I'm still getting used to this site.
Edited by Dirtygoat (11/12/13 09:41 PM)
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dark_nemesis
The Initiate



Registered: 09/07/13
Posts: 83
Last seen: 10 months, 9 days
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Here are some of the pics:
       
Those last two were literally 24 hours apart. In the end, the biggest mushrooms I have received from these cakes were one that weighed 20.3g (wet) and measured 5.3 inches long, and roughly 1-1.5 inches wide, and one that weighed 19.8g (wet) and measured 4.8 inches long and 1 inch wide. So the powder will work fine. Just have patience.
Also if your first couple of attempts don't work, don't give up. I tried three(3) different times before I had any success. My first two attempts, I was using EXTREMELY outdated info on cultivating mushrooms and ended up throwing them out and started anew with better info and the right equipment. You're in the right place for this hobby though You can get a butt-load of info and help here from these guys. I know I have. Be sure to update and show us some pics of your first grow 
*Edit* Those pics were from my first successful grow.
Edited by dark_nemesis (11/12/13 09:53 PM)
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Dirtygoat
Bread



Registered: 10/22/13
Posts: 561
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Sweet, thanks for all your help man!  And I will be sure to post some pics now that I know how since I had to figure it out for this thread haha.
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JMcDoogle
A Serious Scholar


Registered: 07/07/09
Posts: 1,495
Loc: Nunavut
Last seen: 3 years, 9 months
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Welcome, I'll tag this post and check for any questions
If I can answer, I'll try and help.
Welcome to the shroomery
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The ego is nothing other than the focus of conscious attention.
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RogerRabbit
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Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 4 days
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Quote:
Dirtygoat said:

Fine verm is what you want. The very course is for building insulation and packaging material. 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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JMcDoogle
A Serious Scholar


Registered: 07/07/09
Posts: 1,495
Loc: Nunavut
Last seen: 3 years, 9 months
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
Quote:
Dirtygoat said:

Fine verm is what you want. The very course is for building insulation and packaging material. RR
Thanks for that RR -
Was curious myself on a TC's opinion.
I used horticultural grade, each granual was smaller than a mm - more like a coarse powder than a grain though.
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The ego is nothing other than the focus of conscious attention.
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dark_nemesis
The Initiate



Registered: 09/07/13
Posts: 83
Last seen: 10 months, 9 days
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No Problem! I'll be sure to check back on this post from time to time and check on your progress. Happy growing, and good luck!
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