Edit: Didn't follow through with grow log... whoops... not completed...
Hello Shroomery! First time poster and grower, I have been lurking for a couple months, learning terminology, techniques, and safety. At this point in time, my phone is broken, and my camera has no memory card, so no pictures. I was going to log my next grow with pictures and comparisons/differences to this grow. (Pictures might show up in two weeks or so.)
My objective is to learn how cubensis, and pf cakes work before moving on to a bigger, slightly more advanced, casing technique. In this time I want to see how the hyphae works to grow and create an environment in which the mycelium can thrive with little to no room for contamination. I also wish to accomplish a better understanding of the necessities of different techniques and why they work, so that I can learn when to improvise and when not to.
Most of my research came from Shroomery grow logs and teks, but I hope to change that with experience. I wanted to throw my log up here and update to completion so that it might help some future or present first time grower. (Pictures might show up later.)
I'm trying my hardest to not ask any stupid questions and do all the research myself. I know I might get a curve ball here and there, but with my research, attention to detail, and ability to follow instructions, I think I'll be fine. I won't know if I don't try, right?
Any and all input is appreciated and will be taken into consideration, thank you all.
First Mushroom Grow Day 1 June 3rd, 2016 @ 0030
Prologue: I bought a 10cc spore syringe(psilocybin cubensis B+) from *non-sponsor*, and a basic 6 jar(1/2 pint) growing and drying kit from *non-sponsor* after finding interest in learning how mushrooms grow. I have been reading for about a month on growing and cultivating mushrooms. After reviewing the shroomery, reddit, and shroomology forums religiously, as well as reading the guides for my specific set-up, I decided I was going to give it a go. I've heard that psilocybin cubensis- B+ is a beginner strain(as well as all cubes), and fairly forgiving to grow. I have also heard good things about the grow kit I purchased being a proven source for kits from friends. I, being new to mushrooms was willing to spend a little extra money rather than purchasing the materials. It gives me a little more confidence and security going through a known, proven method. I do not have a pressure cooker to sterilize the jars or materials for inoculation, and hearing this is the most important part, I did not want to mess it up trying the "steam clean method". Cleanliness is next to godliness and in this sense, I need no airborne particles of mold, or really anything. I read this can contaminate the cakes with mold and make them unusable, and I don't want that. Sterilization is key here, so... I went out and purchased a few cans of lysol, 70% rubbing alcohol, paper towels, anti-bacterial cleaner, degreaser, black trash bags, and sterilized non-powdered nitrite gloves. I cleaned the living hell out of the kitchen from ceiling to floor with bleach first, then a degreaser, followed by the anti-bacterial cleaner. I turned off the A/C and fans to make sure there is no moving air, then I sprayed the whole room with lysol.
The Dreaded Inoculation and Incubation Preparations: I cleaned a black trash bag with alcohol and laid it across the table. I can't be too clean here. I opened the grow kit and spore syringe then set the jars and spores on the table. I took the tinfoil off one at a time while injecting and then recovered them. I took the alcohol and paper towels and wiped excess vermiculite off of the top of the jars. I shook and rolled the syringe to allow spores to float freely and off of the edge of the syringe. I opened the syringe and attached the needle, then I used a lighter and alcohol wipe to sterilize the needle. It must cool down first. I injected .25-.50cc of the spore solution into each of the 4 holes in all 6 jars. I wiped the needle with an alcohol wipe if vermiculite got on the needle, or in between jars. I put the tinfoil back on loosely after injecting each jar. I heard this is good for gas exchange. After I inoculated all six jars, I put a black trash bag cleaned with alcohol in the storage tub to block out light and laid a freshly bleached cleaned towel under and on the side the jars and provide a little insulation for a more constant temperature. I places that tub uncovered into another larger tub with purified water for a better insulation. It is sitting between 74-80° F with a humidity between 60-70%(although I heard humidity in incubation isn't necessary). I'm not going to leave it alone, I'm going to watch every step to learn, only checking on temps 2 times a day, and keeping an eye out for contamination. I've also heard if you need to make adjustments to the temperature or to wait at least an hour before checking the change. I'll spray lysol before opening the incubation chamber. It should take anywhere from 2-5 weeks to fully colonize the substrate with mycelium. After the jars look fully colonized I'm supposed to leave them for 3-7 days to give any substrate the chance to colonize completely and allow the mycelium growth to consolidate around the outside of the jar.
Incubation:
Day 1 Checked twice... looked like jars that just got injected.
Day 2 Same.
Day 3 One jar has a dime spot mycelium growth on one inoculation hole.
Day 4 Same jar is now quarter sized, no other jars showing signs of mycelium growth. Day 5 Three other jars now have smaller than a dime growth. The first jar has growth on three out of four inoculation holes growing now. ATTN: Picked up a jar and the lid was not tight. I did not drop it but it was open to air. I put it in the bottom left to keep an eye on it.
Day 6 All jars showing signs of mycelium. The first jar is now showing signs of growth on all four sides, with the first side showing mycelium almost 3/4 of the jar down on one side with good rhizomorphic growth. I think this bad boy will be birthed first. But, not to get ahead of myself.
Day 7 Steady mycelium growth showing up on all jars, except the first jar is slowing down. It might be colonizing the middle now. Bottom left jar is okay.
Day 8 Did not check today, hope it doesn't mess with the habit of getting gas exchange everyday, twice a day. Not a big deal, I've been told you can leave jars for days unattended in a cupboard, should be fine. Checking on it this much is more for me to understand the way the mycelium colonized in the jar and be familiar with my first grow as much as possible.
Day 9 I checked the jars today and everything is looking fine. The first jar with lots of growth showed more rhizomorphic growth again. The other five jars continue to grow. If I had to put a number to it, I would say 1 jar is at about 40% the other 5 are closer to 10%. Bottom left jar is okay.
Day 10 Jars are looking good, no signs of distress.
Day 11 One of the slow jars boomed with rhizomorphic growth overnight and is catching up to the most colonized one. Two at around 40%, three at around 10%, one at 15%. Only those two at 40% have strong, visible rhizomorphic growth.
Day 12 It's the same.
Day 13 There is moisture in jars, although I read this can happen with whats going on inside the substrate during colonization.
Day 14 Moisture in jars is starting to grow along, inside the jar, a little bit of growth from the least colonized jars. I'd say bringing them up to about 30%. Still no visible rhizomorphic growth in the bottom 4 jars. The two jars that are showing strong rhizomorphic growth at 40% have moved up to about 60%. I removed the tinfoil from the jars reading that it isn't necessary.
Day 15 There isn't as much moisture inside the jars. I guess it's normal after comparing the observation more online, and can be from removing the foil. Growth shot up in four of the jars: two jars are at around 90%; one at about 80%; and three are around 40% colonized. The jar at 80% showed much more visible rhizomorphic growth.
Day 16 I guess I'm going to be birthing two or three jars before the others. I'm going to put a piece of masking tape on the side with the date of complete colonization. Then after five to seven days I will birth, dunk, roll, and move them into a fruiting chamber. I'll be saving the dry top vermiculite layer from the jars, since I didn't buy any, to roll them on after the birth and dunk for better moisture control. I'll put the cakes in the refrigerator, in purified water, in zip-lock bags, in a tupperware container for 18 hours before transferring them to the fruiting chamber. The fruiting chamber will be a shotgun fruiting chamber for better fresh air exchange, and moisture control. I'll put a layer about 2-3" thick of moist perlite along the bottom for better humidity. The room temperature will be between 70-80° F. I'm going to stick two lights on top of the fruiting chamber, hanging from the inside to help initiate pinning, alongside the evaporation of water from the cake, and the cold shock from dunking and refrigerating the cakes. These are the three factors I have read that help initiate strong growth from hyphae knots, to primordia, and eventually pinning if you don't have intrivo already.
Day 17 About the same as day 15. Anxiety is real... lol I guess this is the mycology nesting phase, I started making holes in the fruiting chamber 1/4" big, 2" apart, cleaning everything with alcohol, and planning out the fan and mist schedule, or when I will need to check on the cakes. I wiped down, vacuumed, and cleaned the clothes in the closet I was going to put the mushrooms in, I made sure the lights worked and I had enough batteries for them as well as replacement velcro to mount them to the fruiting chamber. I made sure my spray bottle worked and my fan was cleaned. The waiting game ensues. I will continue to check everyday for 100% colonized jars.
Day 18 The most colonized jar has about a quarter sized spot left to colonize, I will check it again tomorrow. There is another jar at about 90%, one at 85%, one about 70% two are about 60%. The two least colonized jars still have yet to show strong or visible, stretching rhizomorphic growth in the mycelium.
Day 19 The quarter size shrunk to a dime, the other jars stayed the same.
Day 20 The dime size is about half the size now. Some jars grew, and some didn't. Jars are at 99%, 95%, 90%, two are still around 70/75%.
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Edited by FallopianCubes (07/19/16 04:02 AM)
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