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Psilosoulful

Registered: 09/05/14
Posts: 7,205
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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Chopped straw
#23467609 - 07/22/16 09:38 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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What do you guys think about this straw?

 The only problem is that it has some seeds that could germinate after being hydrated.
But, it's 25 lbs, which would last me a longgg time. Not to mention it's already chopped up, so I don't have to do much work in prepping it. Would a simple hot water bath with some soap be able to get it clean enough where I wouldn't have to worry about germination?
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weetsie
unlicensed tub surgeon



Registered: 05/08/11
Posts: 572
Loc: United Kingdom
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Pasteurizing should stop any grain from germinating but you could always remove the grain before use, it's not really that laborious unless you're doing bales of the stuff.
Check it's just straw, the chopped straw bedding for sale at my local feedstore has all sorts of shit in it including things to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth which is the last thing you want for growing shrooms.
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Psilosoulful

Registered: 09/05/14
Posts: 7,205
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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Re: Chopped straw [Re: weetsie]
#23467730 - 07/22/16 10:26 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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According to their website, it's all-natural, biodegradable, and weed-free. I like that it's already chopped up and it has a lot of 5 star ratings. I might just pick myself up a pack, it seems to be worth it.
It has some barley straw in it, would this be a problem? I've heard you're only supposed to use 100% wheat straw.
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weetsie
unlicensed tub surgeon



Registered: 05/08/11
Posts: 572
Loc: United Kingdom
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Quote:
Psilosoulful said: It has some barley straw in it, would this be a problem? I've heard you're only supposed to use 100% wheat straw.
I've never heard that before, barley works just fine for oysters, as does rice, rape etc.
-------------------- Active grow logs: Oysters on Straw Pellets Trade list
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Psilosoulful

Registered: 09/05/14
Posts: 7,205
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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Re: Chopped straw [Re: weetsie]
#23468028 - 07/23/16 12:11 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
weetsie said:
Quote:
Psilosoulful said: It has some barley straw in it, would this be a problem? I've heard you're only supposed to use 100% wheat straw.
I've never heard that before, barley works just fine for oysters, as does rice, rape etc.
I'm growing pan cyans with the mix of manure,verm, amd straw. Hopefully it colonizes well
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tump
ban the undead



Registered: 03/17/16
Posts: 2,383
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months
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Its will work ok if you mix it and cook it right
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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: Chopped straw [Re: weetsie]
#23468049 - 07/23/16 12:22 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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The issue with grains in straw is their nutrient content, not germination.
That said, I get grains in my straw too (I buy bales) and I often wondered if they are why straw is so susceptible to molds. I only realised just how much grains are left in straw when I left some hydrated straw sitting in the nylon netting I pasteurize it in. Easily had a dozen sprouts throughout the whole bag, probably even more.
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Psilosoulful

Registered: 09/05/14
Posts: 7,205
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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So if I wash it well in the warm water bath, then I won't have to worry about germination in my bulk sub right? I know pan cyans love straw, that's why I am soo tempted to get this product. (not to mention it's 25 lbs!!) That'll last me a very, very long time.
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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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Nah, if anything, warm will only make it germ faster. I use warm water to hydrate my straw, when I left it sitting, I got germination after a few days. Pasteurization is what will stop the seeds from germinating.
Poo and straw makes for a great bulk sub IME, I would love to unlock the secrets of what makes straw tick, or untick for that matter
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tump
ban the undead



Registered: 03/17/16
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Straw is all about water content. Most straw contams even if the seeds geration hasn't happened. I straw will do fine with seeds growing into full plants. There are. Extreme amount of mold spores on straw. But bales of straw are cheapest sub man can buy. Mixing is tricking bicth i cant ever get right.
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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: Chopped straw [Re: tump]
#23468179 - 07/23/16 01:31 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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Getting the water content of straw right is just as easy as straining it for a couple of hours. If you are mixing it with other bulks, you will have to add water anyway to get to field capacity.
I'm talking about finding out what makes straw a mold magnet. Having basically zero beneficial organisms in it is a good guess but it feels like there might be other factors at play. The grains do make a pretty good contam vector if you ask me. A while back someone made a thread about finding a single grain in his coir, let alone the dozens we have in a straw bale.
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Mr.Caterpillar
Curiouser & Curiouser!



Registered: 07/28/07
Posts: 233
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
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It might not be chopped enough. I saw something like that in a craft store recently and the straw was very coarsely chopped - not really what you want. However, you might chop it up a little more by putting it in a trash can with a hole in the lid and then sticking a weed eater down that hole. Once you have the well chopped straw then put it in a laundry bag and completely submerge it in 165 F water for an hour and pull it out and let it drain, and then spread it out to cool just as soon as it is done draining. I always tie nylon rope around the laundry bag to support it, join the bights with a carabiner, and if it is heavy enough lift it out of the bath with a winch.
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Mr.Caterpillar
Curiouser & Curiouser!



Registered: 07/28/07
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Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
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Oh, and you should check that the core of the straw is reaching 165F, once you have that then let it soak in the bath for an hour.
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,810
Loc: Canada
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The heat generated by straw is what makes it a mold magnet. Large straw subs are usually one flush wonders. Small straw subs colonized invitro and sterilized are remarkably resistant and can flush much longer than you might suspect. My straw tek containers have gone for 7 before and often put out decent yields well into the 3rd or 4th flush.
Grains in straw are a major mold vector unless it is sterilized and colonized invitro. If your straw is full of grains I recommend my straw tek for it. Would do well with that method.
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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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Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well. As long as the grains in the straw are exposed to open air, it's always a fucking gamble. Kinda sucks, how the hell would you go about finding grainless straw?
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Psilosoulful

Registered: 09/05/14
Posts: 7,205
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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I bought the bag, hopefully it'll mix well with my substrates. The straw is in 4" pieces, so all I really have to do is soak in a warm water bath, mix with some manure, and pasteurize properly
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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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4" is kinda long but workable in a pinch. I really like my straw to be fine, like this:

Mycelium just rips through it when it's all burst like that. Downside is that you have to use some kinda power tool. Weed whackers are awesome for getting fine straw.
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tump
ban the undead



Registered: 03/17/16
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Leaf mulcher run through twice makes it a fine dust.
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Mr.Caterpillar
Curiouser & Curiouser!



Registered: 07/28/07
Posts: 233
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
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Re: Chopped straw [Re: tump]
#23471196 - 07/24/16 01:32 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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You have to have the right type though, some of them just choke on the straw. The type with an impeller doesn't work. I used to have one with blades that worked nicely. I understand that a hammermill shredder is the best for straw, but that is an expensive machine.
Also, about the grains: You look for them as you are shredding. You can only shred a little straw at a time, handful by handful, so you take a look at each handful, and if you see grain heads then you throw them out. Later, after you've pasteurized and are mixing it you keep your eyes peeled for grain heads (or any other debris) again and throw them out. By the time you've mixed everything you should have gotten rid of all the grains. Not to mention, try not to select a bale of straw that is obviously seedy to begin with. But I guess the dude who posted this has found a 1/4 bale that is already chopped! Nice!!
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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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I probably should stop hydrating straw inside the nylon net, some of the grains used to sink to the bottom when I didn't do that. It's annoying to hold all of the straw under water without it though.
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