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DeadPhan



Registered: 05/05/04
Posts: 5,260
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
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Mixing spawn for outdoor beds is such a fucking pain
#23429643 - 07/10/16 03:25 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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A worthwhile one albeit. I was fortunate enough last season to have a cement mixer. So much nicer. Although I still had to do by hand a little. I guess it's just the OCD in me. Of course there's nothing wrong with my wanting to mix so evenly. But right now using a trash can. Its frustrating how after like 15 mibutes of mixing by hand when i go to lay the bed i notice that its still not distributed evenly to my liking. Tons of grains always at the bpttom. I feel ok enough if i pick up a handful and see grains every inch or so. But sometimes patches that arent mixed. It is what it is and i just ought to be more methodical about it. I've used large coolers before which is better but still a pain. The worst part is that the heavy/dsmall stuff such as the manure and grain all to the bottom alot. Would it be feasible to maybe lay put the cut up straw manure and spawn on the ground and just mow over it and suck it up like that then just shake around the mower bag and dump. I mean, a cut colonies grain shouldn't be detrimental or even beneficial with more surface area.
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Big Gulps! Alright! Well, See ya later! And if i claim to be a wise man, well, it surely means that i dont know!
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Supalemonhaze
Spore syringe hater.



Registered: 10/02/15
Posts: 6,725
Loc: 12" down Europe's butthole
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Re: Mixing spawn for outdoor beds is such a fucking pain [Re: DeadPhan]
#23430002 - 07/10/16 06:11 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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When using something that has a lot of space inbetween, like woodchips or hand cut straw, the grains will fall to the bottom if you mix them. You should do layers in that case.
A way to counter that is to add enough manure/compost/soil to fill in the gaps between the straw as well as use a weed wacker to chop the straw as fine as you can. Hand chopped straw is horrible at holding grains.
This is how I like my straw.

I've heard of people using lawn mowers to chop straw but I don't think it's as effective as a brush cutter. I use this small electric model that had been sitting in my garage for ages.

Still makes quite a mess, I use a thick piece of plastic to cover a tote full of straw and make a couple of slits in a "+" shape to be able to get the brush cutter in. A lot of dust and straw particles still go airborne, best to do it in a garage or outside.
Finely chopped straw will clump together once wet, manure or soil will help it stick together and it will hold your grains much better.
Edit:
Also, the mycelium seems to like finely chopped straw more than hand cut straw. With straw that retains it's shape, the mycelium will have to get inside the stalks to be able to devour it, it doesn't like it's waxy outside. Since finely chopped straw has all it's insides exposed, the mycelium will grow thicker on it and colonization is faster overall. The weed wacker is one of my favourite items for mycology, made my life a lot easier.
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DeadPhan



Registered: 05/05/04
Posts: 5,260
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
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Re: Mixing spawn for outdoor beds is such a fucking pain [Re: Supalemonhaze]
#23430021 - 07/10/16 06:18 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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I used to layer. I should Proly give it a go again. I've had some great results from mixing the grains all throughout. I'll throw down some beds with both methods and see how it goes.
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Big Gulps! Alright! Well, See ya later! And if i claim to be a wise man, well, it surely means that i dont know!
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Supalemonhaze
Spore syringe hater.



Registered: 10/02/15
Posts: 6,725
Loc: 12" down Europe's butthole
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Re: Mixing spawn for outdoor beds is such a fucking pain [Re: DeadPhan]
#23430112 - 07/10/16 06:58 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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Colonization is definitely faster via mixing if the grains don't fall to the bottom. When I used to hand cut my straw there was no way I could mix it evenly though, you need really finely chopped straw+manure for that.
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