|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
mindfunk1
interested party
Registered: 08/27/03
Posts: 38
Loc: Tomahawk County
Last seen: 19 years, 10 months
|
casing layer depth question
#2077273 - 11/06/03 01:56 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
I am going to be attempting my first few casings after having some success with the cakes method. I'm planning on doing one with plain verm and two with 60/40 verm/coir mix. I have baking pans that are 3 inches deep. What is the proper depth of each of the three layers to get a good pinset? The FAQ's suggest the casing layer should be 1/4 the depth of the substrate layer. But this does not include the actual layer of colonized cakes. Also, I have a few jars that are 1/4 pints instead of 1/2 pints. What would be the advantage of leaving them as whole cakes instead of crumbling them? And last, for a 60/40 casing, should the substrate (base layer) be plain verm or also use the 60/40 mix? OK, hope this wasn't too many questions
thanks for your help
|
shirley knott
not my real name

Registered: 11/11/02
Posts: 9,105
Loc: London
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: mindfunk1]
#2077459 - 11/06/03 03:03 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
>I have baking pans that are 3 inches deep. What is the proper depth of each of the three layers to get a good pinset?
you don't need 3 layers, 2 works fine. try 2 inches substrate plus 1/2 inch casing layer.
>Also, I have a few jars that are 1/4 pints instead of 1/2 pints. What would be the advantage of leaving them as whole cakes instead of crumbling them?
no advantage i can think of, except if it's your first go, you learn a lot i think from fruiting at least one cake in your career. teaches patience, myc appearance and contamination lessons 101 
>should the substrate (base layer) be plain verm or also use the 60/40 mix?
you don't need a bottom layer. if you want to use one, both are fine. remember, it can soak up drips, but it also can hide contams.
-------------------- buh
|
mindfunk1
interested party
Registered: 08/27/03
Posts: 38
Loc: Tomahawk County
Last seen: 19 years, 10 months
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: shirley knott]
#2078469 - 11/06/03 08:26 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
thanks, Shirl!
how small should I crumble the substrate pieces? Will bigger chunks mean that it colonizes and recovers faster?
Also, any tips on avoiding contams? I think I loved my first casing to death and it fell victim to the green meanies. How do you check the progress of the mycelium without introducing contams?
|
mindfunk1
interested party
Registered: 08/27/03
Posts: 38
Loc: Tomahawk County
Last seen: 19 years, 10 months
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: mindfunk1]
#2081195 - 11/07/03 01:48 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
up
|
micro
bunbun has a gungun


Registered: 05/09/03
Posts: 7,532
Loc: Brick City
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: mindfunk1]
#2081202 - 11/07/03 01:51 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Marble-sized pieces. If it's too big it'll colonize unevenly.
To avoid contaminants, keep the humidity down, and fan/mist and keep the mycelium healthy. Don't overwater, and don't let pools of water collect anywhere. Healthy mycelium is a lot less prone to contamination than unhealthy mycelium.
All I can think of, right now.
-- Micro
-------------------- Any research paper or book for free (Avatar is Maxxy, a character by Mizzyam, RIP)
|
MycoCat
a.k.a. ShroomCat

Registered: 10/09/03
Posts: 1,042
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: mindfunk1]
#2081203 - 11/07/03 01:51 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
I thought I knew everything I needed to about casing, but I guess I was wrong.
So there is no need to have a bottom casing layer? Is there any benefit to having it? I plan on crumbling three one pint PF style cakes, so my substrate will be pretty thick, but I thought the bottom casing layer was to provide more moisture?
-------------------- No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious. Meow.
|
micro
bunbun has a gungun


Registered: 05/09/03
Posts: 7,532
Loc: Brick City
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: MycoCat]
#2081206 - 11/07/03 01:52 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
No -- just to absorb extra water. You don't need it -- two each their own, but I think it's a good idea.
-- Micro
-------------------- Any research paper or book for free (Avatar is Maxxy, a character by Mizzyam, RIP)
|
MycoCat
a.k.a. ShroomCat

Registered: 10/09/03
Posts: 1,042
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
|
Re: casing layer depth question [Re: micro]
#2081208 - 11/07/03 01:54 PM (20 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks.
-------------------- No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious. Meow.
|
|
|
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: Shroomism, george castanza, RogerRabbit, veggie, mushboy, fahtster, LogicaL Chaos, 13shrooms, Stipe-n Cap, Pastywhyte, bodhisatta, Tormato, Land Trout, A.k.a 1,503 topic views. 12 members, 101 guests and 37 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Show Images Only | Sort by Score | Print Topic ] |
|