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That_Idiot


Registered: 04/12/15
Posts: 35
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Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production?
#21756646 - 06/03/15 09:25 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I am wondering what are the pros and cons of growing each in each medium. Why other than availability do people choose one over the other?
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PsilocyBen17
Pin Pornographer


Registered: 10/20/13
Posts: 3,751
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: That_Idiot]
#21756806 - 06/03/15 10:29 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: PsilocyBen17]
#21756838 - 06/03/15 10:35 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I am allergic to straw but still use it because yields are higher for me and its more fun to work outside than in the hot-ass lab.
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TrohnnyGum
Stranger
Registered: 12/05/14
Posts: 59
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: drake89]
#21765746 - 06/05/15 12:36 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Better results with straw. Different mushrooms grow better on different substrates. With oysters straw is king.
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mush madness
absorbing everything



Registered: 05/22/15
Posts: 252
Loc: Brazil
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: TrohnnyGum]
#21766160 - 06/05/15 02:36 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
TrohnnyGum said: Better results with straw. Different mushrooms grow better on different substrates. With oysters straw is king. 
As long as flavor isn't an issue I would agree, I get the best flavor with sawdust, alfalfa and cottonseed meal
Slower but tons more flavor also better texture
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TrohnnyGum
Stranger
Registered: 12/05/14
Posts: 59
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: mush madness]
#21766270 - 06/05/15 03:07 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
mush madness said:
Quote:
TrohnnyGum said: Better results with straw. Different mushrooms grow better on different substrates. With oysters straw is king. 
As long as flavor isn't an issue I would agree, I get the best flavor with sawdust, alfalfa and cottonseed meal
Slower but tons more flavor also better texture
There is also BioMass Efficiency and cost to consider as well.
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space walk
Enthusiast



Registered: 07/23/14
Posts: 459
Loc: la la land
Last seen: 28 days, 18 hours
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: TrohnnyGum]
#21768685 - 06/06/15 02:14 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thanks for the efficient replies, y'all. I had been wondering the same thing.
And I'm thinking... If Sawdust lends to more flavor, and the reasoning behind it IS in fact based on the increase in biomass, AND if the oysters just looooove to colonize quickly on straw, I'm going to give loosely packed straw a try, and, separately, very finely chopped straw packed almost tightly in another container and see if the finely chopped straw will give me a "best of both worlds" kind of medium between the more intense flavor lended by the increase in biomass per square inch and the fast-growing nature of the normal preparation of straw.
Just stuff to think about.
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Knowledge is the best gift; it's fun to obtain, free to give, and priceless to receive.
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Migraine
Expanding Life


Registered: 09/21/09
Posts: 158
Loc: Alabama
Last seen: 2 months, 22 days
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: space walk]
#21769070 - 06/06/15 06:17 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Loosely packed straw is not good -- high risk of contamination as the block will take much longer to colonize.
Your straw should be very tightly packed!!! -- Think like using a press to pack type tight.
To colonize, the mycelium has to grow from one piece of straw to the next. If loosely packed -- suggests air gaps between straw pieces which will block growth movement.
Pack your straw very tight!!!
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MudaFuka
Poppin bottles



Registered: 12/14/13
Posts: 18,648
Loc: Canada
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: Migraine]
#21769488 - 06/06/15 08:58 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I used sawdust for my oysters last year. This year I switched to straw. I find straw nicer to work with and I can prep a lot more of it at a time. I haven't seen a real difference in flavor. Straw seems to colonise faster as well. You definitely want it chopped or shredded really well and packed as tight as you can get it.
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poofterFroth
Feel Like A Stranger



Registered: 03/15/14
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: MudaFuka]
#21769863 - 06/06/15 10:33 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I also call bullshit on the difference in flavor between sawdust & straw. IMO the main factors affecting flavor and quality of fruits is mostly environmental, temperatures probably playing the biggest part.
The only reason I might consider sawdust to trump straw is because most straw is heavily sprayed with nasty chemicals for weeds and pest. Natural sawdust and chips are obviously much cleaner.
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space walk
Enthusiast



Registered: 07/23/14
Posts: 459
Loc: la la land
Last seen: 28 days, 18 hours
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: MudaFuka]
#21769888 - 06/06/15 10:39 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I'm glad to read y'all saying this, because I have a bale of hay in the garage and I can't find free bulk sawdust anywhere. Actual straw is foreign to my part of Texas for some reason. Feed stores don't even have the option to order it. Does anyone know if hay is bad for growing oysters? I can't find much at all on it, and it seems like it should be better as it contains more nutrients. Maybe I'll have to PC it instead of pasteurize it?
Also, thanks for pointing out the need to chop, shred, and tightly pack it, because things I have seen online, especially for industrial production, have looked anywhere from finely-, to incredibly broadly-spaced shoots. I'll go with what you guys say. It may have just been an optical illusion from where I was standing.
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Knowledge is the best gift; it's fun to obtain, free to give, and priceless to receive.
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: space walk]
#21769921 - 06/06/15 10:48 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
space walk said: I'm glad to read y'all saying this, because I have a bale of hay in the garage and I can't find free bulk sawdust anywhere. Actual straw is foreign to my part of Texas for some reason. Feed stores don't even have the option to order it. Does anyone know if hay is bad for growing oysters? I can't find much at all on it, and it seems like it should be better as it contains more nutrients. Maybe I'll have to PC it instead of pasteurize it?
Also, thanks for pointing out the need to chop, shred, and tightly pack it, because things I have seen online, especially for industrial production, have looked anywhere from finely-, to incredibly broadly-spaced shoots. I'll go with what you guys say. It may have just been an optical illusion from where I was standing.
you COULD do OK with hay, but more than likely you will grow a buncha green mould. putting hay in filter patch bags will most definetly be a pain in the arse unless you can almost powder it first. The drought has made texas an importing state of straw/hay. However, I would posit that you can source cotton seed hulls. Straight cotton seed hulls are a very good substrate, but it's honestly best when cut with straw or sawdust. can you source fuel pellets? i guess you can sterilize cotton seed hulls but i just pasteurize with straw and spawn heavy.
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MudaFuka
Poppin bottles



Registered: 12/14/13
Posts: 18,648
Loc: Canada
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: drake89]
#21769974 - 06/06/15 10:58 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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yeah. You will want to sterilise hay and don't really see that being practical.
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space walk
Enthusiast



Registered: 07/23/14
Posts: 459
Loc: la la land
Last seen: 28 days, 18 hours
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: MudaFuka]
#21769978 - 06/06/15 11:01 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I've been wracking my brain to figure out why hay would not work so I'm curious. Why green mold? Is it because of the higher nutritional value it offers? And yeah, I do expect it to be a real drag packing that straw in there, but I'm not trying to profit on this yet, I'm still just having fun and don't mind a little small-scale work 
It's looking good on the cottonseed side of things. Bags cost about twice what rye seed costs, but it's still doable. Thanks a million for the suggestions!
Quote:
MudaFuka said: yeah. You will want to sterilise hay and don't really see that being practical.
I just pictured myself doing this four times. You're right. Terribly impractical at even trying to get through a full bale.
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Knowledge is the best gift; it's fun to obtain, free to give, and priceless to receive.
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MudaFuka
Poppin bottles



Registered: 12/14/13
Posts: 18,648
Loc: Canada
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: space walk]
#21770013 - 06/06/15 11:09 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hay contains seeds and has too much nutrition to be simply pasteurised. It would be like using pasteurised grain for spawn and expecting it not to contam.
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space walk
Enthusiast



Registered: 07/23/14
Posts: 459
Loc: la la land
Last seen: 28 days, 18 hours
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: MudaFuka]
#21770177 - 06/06/15 11:55 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I thought that was it, but didn't want to jump to conclusions. Thanks a ton for the help. It sounds like you saved me a lot of wasted time, effort, and equipment.
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Knowledge is the best gift; it's fun to obtain, free to give, and priceless to receive.
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: space walk]
#21770275 - 06/06/15 12:20 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hay CAN be used- just use the search function, a fella named buckeye did it. But you need good luck and a lot of spawn. You just need the oyster myc to outrun the mould. Hay is not as nutrient rich as grain, and it's not as susceptible to bacterial contamination.
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TrohnnyGum
Stranger
Registered: 12/05/14
Posts: 59
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: drake89]
#21771911 - 06/06/15 08:40 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yea what MudaFuka and drake 98 said on hay. Definately the search button on this would turn up some really good info. And definately don't be afraid to hit threads 5-9 years back. They got lots of info on people running comparison runs on this stuff. No sense reinventing the wheel
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t3chnobily
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Re: Straw vs sawdust in oyster mushroom production? [Re: TrohnnyGum]
#21772122 - 06/06/15 09:40 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Sort of depends on the Hay. Good first cut doesn't have many seeds but it is nitrogen rich. Large substrates can go composty from heating up too much. I have mixed it up to 30% with straw to good effect.
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