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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
Posts: 28
Last seen: 10 years, 8 days
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Picked! Second flush, much improved. :-) (New Pics)
#20164051 - 06/21/14 01:25 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Hi there,
Well, this is my first post. I am a complete noob to growing and as such opted for going with a grow kit for my first attempt to gain confidence in the growing procedure, so I can eventually make my own kits when I know what I am doing a bit better and am more comfortable with what it entails.
Well, so with that out the way, my Cubensis mushrooms have entered the fruiting stage. Everything seemed to be going fine: No signs of infection from what I can see (no black spotting etc.) and I see mushrooms forming all over the Vermiculite. However, as you can see from the pictures, over the past few days one of them has grown into an absolute monstrosity, with a twisting stem and a cap which seems to be "inside out".
Is this anything to worry about, or is it just the way they have decided to form and a few have joint up to make one huge mushroom? I have googled this and searched things like "Large twisting stems", but can't seem to find anything about it. I have looked through people's logs here and haven't seen anything quite as big and twisty as this.
Anything to worry about?
Many thanks for your time and help!
- BC
PS really sorry the quality of the photo is so poor. I am having to use an ipod touch for now. However, you can see the mushroom in question as it is...quite distinctive, on the left wrapping round the whole cake on one side.
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Edited by Bat Country (07/03/14 01:49 PM)
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Mushiez



Registered: 04/28/14
Posts: 1,057
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) [Re: Bat Country]
#20164058 - 06/21/14 01:29 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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All good, just a normal fruiting body mutation. Mutations are benign
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
Posts: 28
Last seen: 10 years, 8 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) [Re: Mushiez]
#20164099 - 06/21/14 01:44 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Ah man. That is what I wanted to hear. What a relief! I will try getting a better photo of it tomorrow. It is pretty impressive. The stem is about 2 inches thick at it's thickest point, and I think once straightened out from root to cap it will measure about 1 foot lol
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
Posts: 28
Last seen: 10 years, 8 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20173417 - 06/23/14 02:02 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Well, here are more pics. They are growing rapidly now, and some have shed the membrane under the caps. You can see the mutant mushroom with the inverted cap and massive twisty stem in the second and third photo below, on the right sides of the pictures.



My questions are: I have read you should pick them when the caps open, and on some of them they have, but others not. Should I wait until every one has opened their caps and pick them all at once, or should I open the bag up everytime one is ready and pick them individually? Logic dictates I should not open the bag at any point, because it exposes them to air and thus bacteria and infection. But I am just worried the ones that have stopped growing - especially the monster mutant with inverted cap - is going to start rotting (is it dead if it stops growing?) and spread infection everywhere.
Sorry for the total noob questions and my naivety, just I don't want to mess this up as they have been growing for weeks and am looking forward to trying them in a couple of weeks (it's been too long since I last tripped)!
Thanks for your help.
BC
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Mazz


Registered: 05/02/14
Posts: 74
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20173503 - 06/23/14 02:28 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Long skinny twisting stems could be a sign of not enough fresh air. Once you're in the fruiting stage they are more resistant to bacteria. It's a pain when they don't grow uniform but opening the bag each time to pick them as the veil breaks should not hurt anything.
-------------------- Mazz's Journal
Edited by Mazz (06/23/14 02:36 PM)
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
Posts: 28
Last seen: 10 years, 8 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20173623 - 06/23/14 02:49 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mazz said: Long skinny twisting stems could be a sign of not enough fresh air. Once you're in the fruiting stage they are more resistant to bacteria. It's a pain when they don't grow uniform but opening the bag each time to pick them as the veil breaks should not hurt anything.
Hey, thanks for the reply.
How do I get more air into the system? Punch small holes in the bag? Open it up for a while each day?
Also, all of them are still furry at the base of the stem. Should I wait until this goes until picking?
Thanks
BC
Edited by Bat Country (06/23/14 02:52 PM)
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Mazz


Registered: 05/02/14
Posts: 74
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20173770 - 06/23/14 03:08 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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If the veil has broken it's ready to pick even if the base is furry looking. That base will just revert back to mycelium after the fruit is picked. Keep in mind that colonizing mycelium only needs a small filtered hole for gas exchange but after you begin fruiting you need a little more air flow to promote surface evaporation which helps pinning. Check out pics of monotubs and SGFC's to see air hole examples for fruiting. I've never grown in a bag so I can't give good advice on how to fix that type of airflow. Try a search for free air exchange FAE while growing in a bag.
Edit: I almost forgot, you mentioned you were using a kit. I think most bag kits are designed to be self contained and do not need any bag modification for fruiting. Some folks will cut the bag open to harvest then seal it back shut for more flushes. Hopefully a trusted cultivator can chime in. I'm curious myself how bags work.
-------------------- Mazz's Journal
Edited by Mazz (06/23/14 03:32 PM)
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20173958 - 06/23/14 03:37 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Okay I shall start picking them tomorrow then (too late here to do them now). I figure another day won't hurt as the veil on the first one only broke a few hours ago.
The kit came with a filter for FAE that is at the top of the bag. I did notice I partially blocked it whilst wrapping and sealing the bag, but rectified that a few days ago, so maybe it's a hangover from that? Might be that I have been storing it in a box (opened to expose it to some natural light near a window, but not direct sunlight) and that has restricted the air flow slightly? I find it strange however I would get that massive mutant mushroom with 2 inch thick by 8 inch length stem if the airflow was the cause of the thin twisty stem problem in other mushrooms. Hmmm...
Either way, I guess the psilocybin content wont be dramatically affected with thin stems?
Many thanks for your time.
BC
Edit: Just saw your edit. haha no worries. Yeah it is a self-contained system as the kit came with everything 'built in' so to speak. I will not need to cut the bag open either, as the bag as been sealed at the top with pegs that I can just open and pick the mushrooms that are ready and then easily re-seal. I too would like to hear what other veteran cultivators have to say about the airflow issue (if that is the issue at all) and why the huge mutant grew first yet most the other shrooms have weird thin twisty stems (they look pretty cool to be honest, but a few more uniform mushrooms would make me feel better). I only really got the kit to just give me confidence in introducing the growing process. Next time I will definitely start trying to make my own monotubs.
Edited by Bat Country (06/23/14 03:45 PM)
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Mazz


Registered: 05/02/14
Posts: 74
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20174056 - 06/23/14 03:53 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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In that case I think the bag probably fine and has enough air. Accidentally blocking that filter for a little bit during colonization wont hurt much but you do want it unblocked for fruiting. Make sure it gets good sunlight for 12hrs on 12hrs off (by your window is good as long as the temp is ok). Gravity makes stems grow up (but in a they're more prone to twisting from pics i've seen, maybe that's just how bags work) and caps open up to absorb sunlight for energy so you want plenty of light. I wouldn't keep it in a box during the fruiting stage.
-------------------- Mazz's Journal
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Mazz


Registered: 05/02/14
Posts: 74
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20174088 - 06/23/14 03:59 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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When you grow cakes or spawn to tubs, gravity tells them to grow upward. Your typical fruiting chamber (if done correctly) will promote enough FAE to not make them stretch/reach for fresh air. Maybe since bags are not a solid container the substrate is more prone to movement and that single entry point for air does not promote an even airflow and causes the twisting? Your large fruits tell me there's enough moisture and air. Again, take my advice with a grain of salt and good luck!! Post some more pics later!
-------------------- Mazz's Journal
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PussyFart
Retired Cultivation Extrodinaire



Registered: 04/08/12
Posts: 22,502
Loc: Orbiting Earth
Last seen: 7 months, 28 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20174300 - 06/23/14 04:30 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mazz said: Edit: I almost forgot, you mentioned you were using a kit. I think most bag kits are designed to be self contained and do not need any bag modification for fruiting.
But when fresh air is the main pinning trigger, you kind of have to modify the bag.
Poke a bunch of holes in the thing...make it look like a shotgun hit it.
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THIS HOBBY IS NOT FOR THE IMPATIENT! PLEASE BE PATIENT, DON'T BE A PATIENT!
A Tale of 10 Isolates, GT Cluster Clone Monotubs, RR's Let's Grow Mushrooms DVD,
SGFC(Shotgun Fruiting Chamber), Monotub Tek, Damion5050's Coir Tek, TL's Tek List, Frank's Tek List,
EvilMushroom666's Pasteurization Tek, How It Should & Shouldn't Look - NEW CULTIVATORS GUIDE
*** *** AFGHAN KUSH GROW LOG *** ***
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Mazz


Registered: 05/02/14
Posts: 74
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: PussyFart]
#20174386 - 06/23/14 04:41 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
But when fresh air is the main pinning trigger, you kind of have to modify the bag.
Poke a bunch of holes in the thing...make it look like a shotgun hit it.
I was curious about putting extra holes in bag grow kits. I was thinking maybe they somehow were designed to allow enough air for fruiting. Thanks for the input.
-------------------- Mazz's Journal
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
Posts: 28
Last seen: 10 years, 8 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20174604 - 06/23/14 05:07 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mazz said:
Quote:
But when fresh air is the main pinning trigger, you kind of have to modify the bag.
Poke a bunch of holes in the thing...make it look like a shotgun hit it.
I was curious about putting extra holes in bag grow kits. I was thinking maybe they somehow were designed to allow enough air for fruiting. Thanks for the input.
Yeah I thought this too. I will do this tomorrow after picking the mutant.
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20179485 - 06/24/14 02:27 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Well, here they are picked!
This is the weird mutant:



Split stem: Is this just bruising?
Boxed and washed ready for drying:


Do these look okay? The discoloration is how I remember bruised mushrooms to look, kinda blue/green (teal) color. But I thought i'd check with you guys here just incase it could be anything nasty. Better safe than sorry.
Thanks again.
BC
PS I have pierced holes as advised and added more water to the vermiculite and have addressed the light issue. Hopefully this improves the stem issue with a second crop.
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Mushiez



Registered: 04/28/14
Posts: 1,057
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20179847 - 06/24/14 03:37 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Yup, bruising
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Mazz


Registered: 05/02/14
Posts: 74
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mushiez]
#20179982 - 06/24/14 04:02 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Funky looking mutant!
-------------------- Mazz's Journal
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Cubenthusiast
Squared



Registered: 03/28/14
Posts: 223
Last seen: 5 years, 29 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20180043 - 06/24/14 04:12 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Boxed and washed? Did you wash them before drying them?
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Bat Country
Stranger

Registered: 06/21/14
Posts: 28
Last seen: 10 years, 8 days
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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Cubenthusiast]
#20180775 - 06/24/14 06:32 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Cubenthusiast said: Boxed and washed? Did you wash them before drying them?
When fresh mushrooms were pseudo-legal here many years ago I use dto buy from vendors, and so I never bothered washing them. The only reason I did so this time is because quite a bit of vermiculite got over them. I know it isn't toxic in small quantities (at least I read a thread saying this here earlier today), but it's better to be cautious in my opinion, so I just very quickly ran some of them through a tap to get the blobs of vermiculite off. Why do yo ask? Do you think it washes away significant parts of the psilocybin?
BC
Edited by Bat Country (06/24/14 06:33 PM)
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Bat Country
Stranger

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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Mazz]
#20180803 - 06/24/14 06:38 PM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mazz said: Funky looking mutant!
Yeah it's an ugly mutha isn't it? lol I have cut it up a little to dry it out as I am worried it won't dry quickly enough within 48 hours, as my food dehydrator isn't working and I am left having to dry under a fan. Fine in my experience, but just less convenient and takes a bit longer.
BC
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Bat Country
Stranger

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Re: Massive twisting stem. Should I be worried? (With Pic) : Update, more questions! [Re: Bat Country]
#20187968 - 06/26/14 06:42 AM (10 years, 6 months ago) |
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So, dried them out and have weighed and so far the yield is almost exactly 3.5 grams dried (exactly the amount I usually take for a decent trip lol).
I would really like at least another 3.5 grams dried (so 35 grams fresh) so my wife can trip with me. Is there anything else I should be doing with a second flush? Right now, there are still a few more small mushrooms forming and I imagine they will open the caps by this evening.
From what I have read, when all the mushrooms have been flushed first time round, people sometimes either roll the cake in the vermiculite and add more water, or I have read people turn the cake upside down or even cut the cake into quarters and roll them. Which one should I go for to maximise the yield? And when is the right time to do all this? I am getting conflicting info in threads and books I read, so I am guessing it is just down to preference.
Thanks
BC
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