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MObeek
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Registered: 03/24/13
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Loc: Northwest MO, USA
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Third experiment using lime bath technique
#19188859 - 11/25/13 08:14 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I went ahead and prepared some straw using the lime bath technique AV posted about. But instead of buying more grain spawn, I decided to take some of the mycelium-covered straw from the top of my crates and placed them in alternating layers with the newly prepared straw inside 2 buckets. I also added the left-over straw on top of both crates. Has anyone tried to propagate their oyster mushroom mycelium this way? Or am I just wasting my time? Thanks.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19189465 - 11/25/13 10:32 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Someone else can probably explain this better than me, but I don't think it's the best way to do it. After fruiting, the mycelium is kind of spent, and doesn't grow as vigorously as before. Not saying it won't work, it probably will, just not the ideal way to do it from my understanding. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong...
Kinda interested you see how well it does actually, never tried it myself just going by what I've read, so good luck!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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t3chnobily
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19191947 - 11/26/13 01:03 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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by using spent spent straw may contaminate before the fresh straw has exhausted its nutrients. I've done similar things outdoors but would stay away inside.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: t3chnobily]
#19192990 - 11/26/13 04:47 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Thank you for the comments. I guess I will find out if it will work or not since it is already set up. I'll keep you all posted on my progress or failure. :-)
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19265542 - 12/12/13 12:23 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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I checked the buckets today.

The top bucket has no cover so the moisture must have escaped through the plastic's small opening. You could still see some white fuzzy stuff.

The bottom bucket has a lid over it so there is more moisture in the bucket. And the white stuff is thicker inside.
So far, the direct transfer may be slowly working.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19282731 - 12/16/13 08:04 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Day 21

Progress of the top bucket

Progress of the bottom bucket
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CAP_TURTLE
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19283313 - 12/16/13 11:07 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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21 days is a long time. My straw buckets were usually fully covered on top by 8 days sometimes sooner with slightly under 2 qts of spawn. Using sawdust now, by 10 days it is typiclly covered on top as well. Your mycelium may be feeding on contams at this point. Maybe cutting your straw up more will help?
Edited by CAP_TURTLE (12/16/13 11:08 AM)
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uncle_rico
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19283806 - 12/16/13 01:01 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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The good news is: you are at day 21 without any apparent contamination ..yea ! high ph of the lime water pasteurization.
looks like your colonization will finish up shortly.
my substrates are colonized in a week. I use higher spawn ratios.
good luck to you.
--------------------
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: uncle_rico]
#19286508 - 12/16/13 11:08 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
uncle_rico said: The good news is: you are at day 21 without any apparent contamination ..yea ! high ph of the lime water pasteurization.
That is definitely good news!
I decided to try another modified laundry basket technique using 3 lbs. of Blue Oyster grain spawn. Hopefully, the straw will be colonized faster. And since I placed the straw in the bags, I'm hoping the straw won't dry as fast compared to my second experiment.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19311837 - 12/22/13 01:07 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Day 27 And still growing.

Top bucket

Bottom bucket
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RandomFX
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19312176 - 12/22/13 02:43 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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yes. I have tried wood ash, and it definitely takes longer, but it seemed to work better for me than verm and BRF....but it worked and no contams. same with using hydrogen peroxide. It definitely seems to help stop the contams, but takes longer to spread.
Now I am a total newb, so there is a high possibility the real pro's and those who really know what they are doing it have moved past this piddly stage in their knowledge and maybe have found out their production (Or I think they call it BE%) is lower if they do it with the H202 or something, but BE% is supposed to be higher with lime wash and even higher with ash, so I'm hoping it'll work out for me.
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uncle_rico
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19312199 - 12/22/13 02:47 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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What sort of gas exchange provision have you made for your colonizing buckets? (hope I didn't miss this above)
Most growers I know about colonize in buckets or plastic columns that are pierced (holes drilled or poked) which allows for GE during colonization.
The slow colonizing and failures I have had come from: too wet a substrate or insufficient GE during colonization. My substrates (oysters) are colonized in a week easy, if all goes according to plan.
your's is slow and looks kinda wet. ? what are you doing for GE?
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: uncle_rico]
#19313128 - 12/22/13 06:44 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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I placed 1/2 in. holes through the buckets. I also poked holes through the plastic bag I placed the colonized straw in through the holes on the buckets using a pair of scissors. I'll see if I can make the holes of the plastic bigger to help with the GE and see if that speeds up the growth.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19313270 - 12/22/13 07:13 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
MObeek said: I placed 1/2 in. holes through the buckets. I also poked holes through the plastic bag I placed the colonized straw in through the holes on the buckets using a pair of scissors. I'll see if I can make the holes of the plastic bigger to help with the GE and see if that speeds up the growth.
If you poked holes in the bag where the holes in the bucket are, that should be sufficient for GE. This may just be a result of using partially spent substrate instead of grain spawn A month on straw is WAY longer than it should take. You could still get fruits though, but dang it's takin' it's time!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19313439 - 12/22/13 07:47 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Okay, I made the holes through the plastic bigger. The mycelium is definitely taking a long time to grow. In fact, my second milk crate basket experiment is halfway covered with mycelium. So you may be right, Forrester. Using mycelium on spent substrate may be the cause of the slow growth. But I did add new straw substrate so I'm puzzled.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19313473 - 12/22/13 07:59 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
MObeek said: But I did add new straw substrate so I'm puzzled.
Yeah but you gotta start with something alive, strong, nutritious, and just waiting to tear it up! Like grain spawn. Start with something tired, spent, and not very nutritious to begin with and well, you see what happens 
No worries though, like you said, make some more grain spawn and start up some more grows, move forward, onward! Can't be a mushroom grower without a lot of failure. Ask anyone around here. I just tossed a sawdust block and a bag of grain yesterday that I f'd up experimenting... Long as ya learn something it wasn't a waste!
As soon as you forget about it and don't care anymore, it will probably fruit like crazy and prove me wrong
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19321390 - 12/24/13 02:11 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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This is actually a picture of my fourth experiment, the modified laundry basket technique using lime bath treatment only (no pasteurization). I have noticed that the mycelium in the top crate is growing faster than the bottom crate. My guess is that Oyster mycelium actually grow faster with more light exposure. Is my guess close to the truth? This is the second time I've used the modified laundry basket technique and in both situations, the top crate grew and fruited faster than the bottom crate.
Anyway, I've decided to modify my set-up a little to test if my theory has some validity.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19321506 - 12/24/13 02:31 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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I've read that mycelium (some kinds) does benefit from light, so I imagine that it could certainly make them grow faster. Seems to be the case here anyway!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19331689 - 12/27/13 04:07 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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It seems that my theory is correct with Blue oysters mycelium growing faster with more light exposure.
In the meantime, my buckets aren't showing much progress. :-(
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19335919 - 12/28/13 07:56 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Finally! Something's growing in the former bottom bucket on day 33. I think I like using the laundry basket technique better. Of course, I only used spent mycelium so maybe the next trial would be better if I actually use grain spawn.

Growing inside.

Growing on the side of the bucket.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19336116 - 12/28/13 09:02 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Yay mushrooms!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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CAP_TURTLE
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19336244 - 12/28/13 09:39 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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How does that bucket smell? After 33 days and still that little colonized I'm willing to bet theres somekind of bacterial contamination in there.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: CAP_TURTLE]
#19336541 - 12/28/13 11:01 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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No smell still. :-) And in spite of gnats feasting in there also. :-(
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19348607 - 12/30/13 09:05 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Day 35 Only one of two buckets has some fruits so far. Compared to my second modified laundry basket experiment, the buckets didn't produce much. Amazingly, the straw in the buckets still don't have any unpleasant smell.
 Biggest of the bunch.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19348684 - 12/30/13 09:21 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Day 15 One of two modified laundry basket experiment #2 is showing a lot of pinning to 3 out of the four sides. There are at least 8 on this picture. This is the same basket where I skimmed the top to put in my woodchips monotub experiment. And so far, the mycelium in the monotub are also still growing.
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drake89
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19348906 - 12/30/13 10:19 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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groovy on the basket. i guess you found your limit of spawn expansion
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: drake89]
#19348965 - 12/30/13 10:35 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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I see some mega-clusters!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: drake89]
#19349990 - 12/31/13 06:50 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
drake89 said: groovy on the basket. i guess you found your limit of spawn expansion 
Actually, I plan on pushing the limit even further. Come Spring, I plan on trying this:
http://www.alohaculturebank.com/gardening-with-mushrooms.pdf
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19365223 - 01/03/14 07:19 PM (10 years, 27 days ago) |
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This is a comparison of the Grey Dove and the Blue Oysters. The Blue Oysters sure grow aggressively.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19365291 - 01/03/14 07:30 PM (10 years, 27 days ago) |
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Cool comparison shot. Yeah the blues really like to make a LOT of pins in each cluster, for some reason...
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19365682 - 01/03/14 08:44 PM (10 years, 27 days ago) |
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From now on, I'll grow the blues then. I'll also try the Lion's mane someday. I just need to learn how to prepare the substrate and have my friend start making and selling spawns.
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Forrester
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19365849 - 01/03/14 09:21 PM (10 years, 27 days ago) |
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Quote:
MObeek said: From now on, I'll grow the blues then. I'll also try the Lion's mane someday. I just need to learn how to prepare the substrate and have my friend start making and selling spawns.
Not that it's necessarily better having more pins, having fewer mushrooms with bigger caps and less stem might be better, since the stems of oysters can get chewy. Just something to think about They're both fun!
Lion's mane, also fun. And easy! You tried wood fuel pellets yet?
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: Forrester]
#19367745 - 01/04/14 11:46 AM (10 years, 26 days ago) |
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I haven't tried the fuel pellets yet. I'm waiting for my friend to get his Lion's mane production up and growing. This way, I can buy his grain spawns at a less expensive price and I will know that his growing technique really works for our area.
Plus, if my experiments actually work out, then all I'll need later on are woodchip or straw substrates soaked in cold lime bath. In short, I'm trying to find the simplest and easiest way of growing and propagating mushrooms.
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MObeek
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Re: Third experiment using lime bath technique [Re: MObeek]
#19400038 - 01/10/14 04:31 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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 I've decided to harvest most of the blue oysters today. There were a lot of dried out pins from this batch and I think I should have done the same thing as I did the second attempt - putting a see-through plastic bag over the whole crate for increased humidity and putting slits for more FAE. I'll see if it's not too late to do that now.
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