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svampnathan
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First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures)
#22306216 - 09/29/15 01:20 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Hello. I will document my attempt to grow oysters (Winter oyster, strain M 2191) in this thread since almost all I know I have learned from the pro´s here.
My aim is to have some income from the in time, but right now I just hope to learn and improve my setup.
I live in a small farm in Sweden, where growing condition as far an temp. and humidity is in my favor. Also I have perhaps an acre of forests with a lot of young aspen trees that I hope to utilize as a substrate, both in the form of chips and logs. I have a barn with concrete walls half the way up in the bottom floor, suitable for growing rooms I believe.
I started 26/9 by inoculating barley that I had soaked for 24h, boiled for 5 min, rinsed, PC:d in plastic jars (food trays) and let cooled to room temp. The barley were inoculated in a SAB, I G2G:d four of them with spawn I ordered from a Swedish supplier (rye I believe).




I also made a GLC master by just putting a few spoons of the spawn in a glass jar with PC:d tap water, interesting to see how that works out.

I used the GLC to knock 4 more boxes of barley up.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22306315 - 09/29/15 02:05 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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The barley trays were put in a refrigerator used as a climate chamber (a fish tank water heater in a water tray used to control the temp).


The remainder of the ordered grain will be used to spawn aspen wood chips. I will make 2 trays, one with soaked chips and one with chips I did not soak. I want to know if the soaked (for 36 h, then rinsed) will perform better, and if its more likely to cause contamination.

I will also use the spawn to inoculate a few logs. I hope to do this later today.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22306321 - 09/29/15 02:08 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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I did not state in the first post that comments and suggestion are more than welcome, but that may be obvious. Please educate me more if you like.
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midnightmaraude
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22306891 - 09/29/15 07:21 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Why don't you try using fuel pellets? Much easier for the myc to consume =faster fruiting times.
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mwhtmn
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: midnightmaraude]
#22306901 - 09/29/15 07:26 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Following. Thank you for your time and work. I'm learning as well. Keep us updated!
--------------------
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: midnightmaraude]
#22307004 - 09/29/15 08:03 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
midnightmaraude said: Why don't you try using fuel pellets? Much easier for the myc to consume =faster fruiting times.
Yes, I might go there later on, but i have (kind of childish perhaps) a wish to be as self sustained as possible, and since i have my forrest I want to use it. But as said, I might go there... Also, storage will not really be a problem either.
Nice to know people are following, will try to update as long as it is interesting.
Today I spawned my two buckets of wood chips, only complemented with some gypsum. As I said, a dry one:


And a soaked one.

They were put in plastic bag to contain the moisture, I will probably have to vent it by opening the bags and letting some fresh air in from time to time.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22307028 - 09/29/15 08:13 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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I also spawned two logs, around 50 cm in length and 10 cm in diameter. But I think the drilling holes and sealing with wax thing seems to time consuming, so I tried another approach (I´m probably not the fist one to try this, and there might be a reason that I have not seen this anywhere...)

I simply split the logs like you do firewood, it should give the spawn surface enough to colonize?



Then the logs were strapped together an also put in plastic bags.


And oh, I forgot to say that the trees (logs and chips are from the same aspen tree) were cut down 10 days ago.
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moonlightmushrooms
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22310257 - 09/29/15 07:01 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Looks very interesting, look forward to your updates!
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Toadstool5
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22311120 - 09/29/15 09:36 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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This is a really cool idea for doing logs! Let us know how it works and if it is faster than plugging/waxing holes.
I feel like the mycelium will have a harder time jumping onto the log but once they do it will colonize faster becasue the entire core is exposed to spawn. I only have tried sawdust bags so I am only guessing bunch of noobs in here!
-------------------- If you do not know where the mushroom products you are consuming are grown, think twice before eating them. - Paul Stamets AMU Teks Stro's Write Ups
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: Toadstool5] 1
#22312009 - 09/30/15 01:06 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yes, it will be interesting to see how fast the logs colonizes.
Quote:
I feel like the mycelium will have a harder time jumping onto the log but once they do it will colonize faster because the entire core is exposed to spawn.
Time will tell i guess. I think i read somewhere that the colonization is much faster in the direction of the fibers than perpendicular the direction in the fibers. By doing this I belive the way the mycelium will have to go is quarter of the circumference. Since the logs are about 10 cm in diameter this length is around 7 cm at most; less than suggested spacing between drilled holes.
But as I said, time will tell. Will update when something happens (in a few months or so...) Hopefully the chips will be a little faster.
Edited by svampnathan (09/30/15 01:07 AM)
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22328650 - 10/03/15 02:37 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Checked in on the logs today, they are colonizing faster than i had thought.


the chipped wood also shows some sign of colonization.

My G2G spawn are also looking quite good, I gave them a shake today

The GLC:d one are more slow, only seeing a hint of mycel in the bottom of the jar.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22387943 - 10/16/15 11:19 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Time for an update. I think the boxes of barley spawn I G2G:d are fully colonized and ready to use.

The ones I inoculated with GLC were slower, but seems to be taking of as well, a week from full colonization perhaps.

The spawned logs seems to be doing quite well ,but I´m not really sure if I would be able to tell if anything is wrong.


I would love some feedback regarding this, what do you think I should look out for, how do you believe the logs should look when they are ready to pin? completely fussy all around or only on the ends? They are stored in a plastic bag, the temp in the room varies between 17 and 20 Celsius most of the time (63 - 68 F). Is this a good setup?
The chipped branches seems to be colonizing as well, but I almost think the logs are doing better... Thought it would be the other way around.

They are stored in the same place as the logs. Thoughts regarding this also appreciated.
I also knocked 6 PC:d glass jars with barley and sawdust up with GLC a few days ago. Have yet to see any mycel in them. The plastic boxes i have used so far seems to be taking some hit from the PC, the rubber sealings seems to be damaged since the mycel is gladly growing on the outside of the boxes as well... There might be a reason why glass jars are recommended, and the quite often repeated advise to follow the teks in detail might also be worth listening to, even if I´m still convinced of my excellence!
Anyhow, seems I have a bit of good looking spawn to play around with, I only have to decide if I should use it on logs or chips.
Thats it for now I guess.
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Gr0wer
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22395014 - 10/17/15 07:45 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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It normally take weeks if not months to colonize logs so i would give it time. Looking real good though!
Edited by Gr0wer (10/17/15 07:45 PM)
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GalindoiSioux
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22400714 - 10/18/15 11:11 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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I've just started on fuel pellets for my first grow. Thanks for the great post. I'll be following as well.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: GalindoiSioux]
#22400768 - 10/18/15 11:35 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks for the kind words. Realized i did not post any pics on the wood chips, here is how they looked a few days back:

I am thinking I maybe should try to up the temp for the logs while they colonize. Mycelia.be states 25 - 30 celcius (77 - 86 F) as incubation cond. Should not be to hard to construct some kind of room for that since my operation still is very small (even if the incubation period probably will be several months). Went with logs for my two latest spawn jars, trying Elm this time. Will upload pics later.
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Gr0wer
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22401911 - 10/19/15 09:21 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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I wouldn't sweat incubating. What are your current temps?
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: Gr0wer]
#22404008 - 10/19/15 03:08 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Now they are incubating in around 63 - 68 F, but I´m running out of space there and dont have anywhere suitable with those temps as it is now. Outdoors it is freezing at nights, and will get colder. I will probably be able to incubate around 50 logs a week, depending on how efficient I will be producing spawn. If I can not find a space where they can incubate (I guess they will go to sleep if below freezing) it will be hard to get an operation running. I scored another refrigerator in the scrapyard this weekend, and will test how much better incubation goes in there (equipped with a 75 W heater for aquariums as heat source, will try to get it around 80 F in there). I spawned a bunch of logs, cutted to fit the refrigerator.



The logs are two batches of Elm, one of the batch has been laying for around three weeks and the other was totally fresh. I cut down a small aspen this weekend also, planning to spawn it next weekend to compare different trees.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22421682 - 10/23/15 06:59 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Spawned Aspen logs today, from a tree that has been laying 6 days. I spawned it the same way I did the other logs.
They are now (hopefully) colonizing together with some of the Elm logs in a modified refrigerator that keeps around 63 degrees F.

The grow room is almost done, I have to fix some way to secure the sliding door from letting in flies but I found some kind of door-brush thing that I believe will do the trick. Otherwise the walls and sealing are covered with plastic, except for an air-inlet opening of around 1 m2 where I have put some fine fiber cloth


 The outlet fan might need to be replaced to a more powerful one later on, as I fill the room up. Right now its a 14W fan. I have not calculated what air flow I will get out of it yet, will try to measure somehow when the room is sealed the way I want it to be.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22421701 - 10/23/15 07:09 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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The first logs I spawned has been a bit to wet I think (stored in plastic bags only vented around once a week). I unfolded them and moved them to the grow room to prevent mould or some other nasty takeover, but I dont think they are colonized enough for fruiting yet.


The buckets with wood chips has some green mold on top of it, I think from being wet from condensate on the lid. I have not decided how to handle that yet, perhaps I will remove the moldy parts and store it somewhere a bit separate from the other substrates. Did not pasteurize it or anything, so not very surprising perhaps.
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Gr0wer
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22421705 - 10/23/15 07:10 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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This will be interesting seeing actual logs indoors. Do you plan on making more traditional straw logs as well?
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: Gr0wer]
#22422042 - 10/23/15 09:20 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Not sure really... If this works well I kind of like the setup. I´m able to spawn tons of substrate quite fast, and storage (colonization will take more time of course) will not be a big problem. I guess the key (or one of the keys at least) will be to have the logs colonizing in high co2-environment and moisture without getting molds, and then to get them fruiting in concentrated flushes. I like the idea of not having to pasteurize and so, energy efficient and low-tech this way.
But this is just a trial really, I might very well go with straw if this does not become productive. If I can only get a fruit here and there every other week its not good enough of course. Although I have to admit getting a bit jealous at your grow room also, I like the high-tech setup there. I like gadgets, and you have plenty!
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Gr0wer
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22422238 - 10/23/15 10:05 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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I don't think you will get concentrated flushes. Logs typically produce multiple small to medium harvests over many months or years even. With the logs you will need an army down there to produce enough for market, and may have issues with timing your harvests for sales. Thanks on the compliment, many hours spent fiddling, reading, and learning and a few hundred dollars too lol. How do you plan to control humidity in there?
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: Gr0wer]
#22434633 - 10/26/15 03:33 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yes, it will be interesting to see if I will be able to provoke fruiting or not. Soak and dunk can be used for Shiitake according to Stamets, right? But have anyone tried it with Oysters?
Not really sure how to control the climate. Right now the climate is about right as is I think, but when I have to adjust it I will look for passive ways first. Some kind of swamp cooling (or similar) when hot, and heating in trays of water when cold I think. But I´m not there yet.
Thanks for all input!
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vvHeavyvv



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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22442965 - 10/28/15 01:11 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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This is very cool I'll be continuing to follow along! Hoping to learn more about oysters.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: vvHeavyvv]
#22481158 - 11/05/15 01:20 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
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The logs in the incubation refrigerator seems to be going ok, but I dont really know what to look for to know if they are ready to move to the fruiting chamber. Some of them are almost completely covered with myc on the ends, but nothing has been braking through the bark. It might not have to though, I guess it could fruit right out of the openings between the two log pieces.


I need to build some bigger room for incubation. I am trying to incubate in much lower temps also, but the progress is definitely slower. And it probably takes 2-3 months at least to incubate them, so I need space for it.
I have a room in the barn, around 8 by 8 by 8 feet, that is already insulated to some extent. I think I will cover it (or perhaps a section of it) in plastic and put a small heater in there. Since I dont have to vent it I think the RH might be ok just from the logs in there.
In other words, still going with wood logs, Im not giving up just yet.
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dreadhed

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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22481679 - 11/05/15 03:59 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
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Looks like it's coming along nice. I've been thinking about doing up a few logs & giving them ago this year.
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invitro

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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: dreadhed]
#22483133 - 11/05/15 09:01 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
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I'd pull a log out and fruit it just to see what happens.
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: invitro]
#22603844 - 12/02/15 12:13 PM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Update is due I think.
Logs are colonizing further in the refrigerator, but the two I pulled out and put into the fruiting room are not showing any sign of pinning just yet.
Another try I did seems to go better though, a PP sewage pipe with holes stuffed with wood chips is fruiting and I believe fist cluster ready for harvest?

It is slow however, since I can´t justify heating the place (this pipe is the only thing fruiting yet). Temp is just above freezing for most of the time this time of the year. FAE and humidity should be ok, as well as lighting (75W 4000k fluorescent). Would it be plain stupid to water the pipe as it is fruiting (could easily have it drained at the bottom), I think it might be somewhat dry in there by now... The diameter of the pipe is 110mm (4 inches).
Since last post I have built a bigger incubation chamber (just covered part of a small insulated room in the barn with plastic, put a small heater and a simple swamp cooler in there for rough climate control). Some more logs and pipes are colonizing in there, seems do be doing OK.


I also have some logs colonizing in a plastic covered rack in the unheated part of the barn, and that ones seems to go in the right direction but very slow. I am contemplating letting the logs in the different places colonize ´till spring , then dunk them and put them in fruiting room. Will be testing different approaches I think.
Thats about it for now I believe.
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Gr0wer
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22604000 - 12/02/15 12:51 PM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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I wait till one of the caps tops flatten out, not most of them just the one most mature. The earlier you pick the smaller they are but the shelf life is longer on young fruit. I would say maybe tonight or tomorrow pick it.
with those logs you shouldn't have split them, unless you plan to sandwich spawn between the splits?
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: Gr0wer]
#22604853 - 12/02/15 03:56 PM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Ok. Thanks for the timing advice. Regarding the logs i guess you mean them on the last pic? Thats actually another experiment, they are soaked in spawn LC for a few days, just wanted to see if that could work... Seems not to so far. Just some small growth where the grains happened to end up. They will probably dry out before colonizing. I am trying sandwiches also, in another place, but its not ideal since the "planks" from the different logs are never flat. Too much gap between them.
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Gr0wer
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22606976 - 12/03/15 12:02 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Get a whole log and split it, then sandwich them back together and tie it tight.
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frog48
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: Gr0wer]
#22607026 - 12/03/15 12:30 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Hi Nathan,
Nice set up. I've been growing shiitake on logs for about ten years. If you've got another activity next to that you're ok, but I never managed to make a living out of it. But I agree with you on the low-tech, that's interesting and it's a pity you can't make more money with it. I know somebody who made cuts in the logs with a chainsaw and filled it up with grainspawn. The wounds are just covered with tape, works fine!
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: frog48]
#22607472 - 12/03/15 05:35 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Gr0wer said: Get a whole log and split it, then sandwich them back together and tie it tight.
Yes, thats how I have done with most of the logs. Works fine.
Quote:
frog48 said: I know somebody who made cuts in the logs with a chainsaw and filled it up with grainspawn. The wounds are just covered with tape, works fine!
Nice to know, might try that as well. These are not Shiitake but Oyster, I will try Shiitake also later on, but think it might be smart to start with Oyster since they are faster. What tree species are you using? Outdoor or indoor grows?
I´m not counting on making my living by growing these, but hopefully it will generate some income in time...
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frog48
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22607501 - 12/03/15 06:02 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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White oak, had 10.000 of them. Pain in the back!
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svampnathan
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: frog48]
#22608099 - 12/03/15 10:05 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Haha, Nice! My Aspen logs are probably a lot lighter, but you dont have to cut new as often as I will have to...
Quote:
frog48 said: had 10.000 of them.
I´m guessing outdoor then
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frog48
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Re: First Oyster attempt, grow log (pictures) [Re: svampnathan]
#22608173 - 12/03/15 10:22 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Stocked them outdoors but fruiting was indoors. Now I do logs only outside for tourists because I converted to shiitake on sawdust substrate. Producing 20 k's a week at the moment. Much more complicated but much lighter!!

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