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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Epsom salt?
#23955969 - 12/25/16 08:56 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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My gf is Thai and is taking an interest in my mushroom project.
Apparently in Thailand they use sawdust, wheat bran, gypsum, sugar, lime and Epsom salt in their sawdust bags.
What really took me by suprise was the Epsom salt. I thought epsom was a fungicide, it might be used to kill fungus gnat larva in the substrate after they lay their eggs?
"Wood shavings 100 kg, white bran 5 kg, gypsum 2 kg, brown or white sugar 1.5 kg, lime 1 kg and Epsom salt 0.2 kg"
"Other formulas have been tested successfully in China. One uses 75% cottonseed hulls, 20% bran, 2.5% gypsum, and .4% magnesium sulfate.
Stamets, Paul. Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. Kindle Edition."
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Pinpapa
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23956319 - 12/25/16 11:43 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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I have well water and in order to grow pot with my water if I do not add epsom salts the plant will not live long. It will yel;low and decay as the water is too hard and mag. will be unavailable to plant.Why would a mushroom be any different?
-------------------- "This isn't the right thing to do , so let's go"
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drake89
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: Pinpapa]
#23956334 - 12/25/16 11:49 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Pinpapa said: I have well water and in order to grow pot with my water if I do not add epsom salts the plant will not live long. It will yel;low and decay as the water is too hard and mag. will be unavailable to plant.Why would a mushroom be any different?
Because a mushroom is not a plant.
You dont need Mg, it is in high enough trace amounts in organic matter.
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Ferather
Mycological



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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: drake89]
#23956425 - 12/25/16 12:52 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Nothing wrong with magnesium sulfate (MgSO4). Just don't overdose magnesium too much or you alter behavior. There MUST be a zinc-magnesium balance, else you end up with cottony or rhizomorphic growth.
And I mean the type of growth you would never want to see again.
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Pinpapa
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I suspect ph affects nutrient uptake by mycelium .And just because its present does not mean it's available for nutrition.
-------------------- "This isn't the right thing to do , so let's go"
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Ferather
Mycological



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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: Pinpapa]
#23956449 - 12/25/16 01:07 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Its average pH is 6.0, var 5.5 - 6.5, magnesium is alkaline like calcium, sulfur is acidic. Interestingly mycelium when colonizing like to jump from lower pH to higher.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
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So adding small amounts would be a waste?
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Ferather
Mycological



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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23956693 - 12/25/16 03:43 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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No, not at all. There's a measurement for a reason.
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Ferather
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Can you get a hold of Yeast nutrients, has magnesium-sulphate plus more. It is also measured, I use between 1.25 - 2.5g per litre of water.

Costs me £1 per 50g, @ 2.5g = 20 liters.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Sounds like woodash though would have that covered. I am all ready using that so no need for epsom salt than
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Ferather
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23956777 - 12/25/16 04:28 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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In that case no you don't need it, the wood ash will be much better.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
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I'm trying some bags now with wood ash, wheat bran gypsum, two pinches of sugar and Douglas fir pellets.
I might get Epson salt and hydrated lime for the summer when I run out of wood ash. I just can't get enough of it.
Quote:
RogerRabbit said: I like medium/course sawdust, but not as large as shavings. What an industrial circular saw, such as those used in lumber mills for rough cutting logs is great, as is the sawdust from a chain saw.
Lately, I've been experimenting with Douglas fir sawdust since I can get it free by the ton. I'm finding it works, although not with as high a B.E. as Alder. I've started adding more rice bran supplement, as well as a bit of table sugar to the Douglas fir sawdust to see how that works. I'll know in a few months when I fruit the latest blocks. RR
Edited by vatman (01/02/17 09:27 AM)
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Ferather
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975550 - 01/02/17 10:03 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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My ratio is 5 cups of fuel pellets, 6 cups of water, half cup of wheat bran (thinking of raising to one cup) table spoon of wood ash, about half a hand full of gypsum and two pinches of table sugar.
Once I run out of wood ash I am going to switch to hydrated lime and espom salt instead of ash. I'd assume a much lower ratio of lime
Edited by vatman (01/02/17 10:15 AM)
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Ferather
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975574 - 01/02/17 10:12 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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Drop the cup measurements, you will go way off. Use weight to weight
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
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I'm just doing 4 bags at a time. Once I get doing 50 bag single cycles maybe weight might work.
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Ferather
Mycological



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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975599 - 01/02/17 10:21 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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Alright fair enough, its just your current recipe is 50% or less in water content.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
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Thought you wanted sawdust on the dry side.
55%-60%
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Ferather
Mycological



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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975643 - 01/02/17 10:37 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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Well that's the problem with wood dust. 100% BE requires x9 dry weight as water. About 3-4 days worth of heavy rain would normally hydrate everything.
And I know you wont dunk the bag, for a week.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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So what are you suggesting?
Also I've given up on my search for hardwood. I did find a free source of aspen wood that has some douglas fir. I think douglas pellets would be a better bet.
Edited by vatman (01/02/17 11:16 AM)
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drake89
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975780 - 01/02/17 11:16 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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Quote:
vatman said: Thought you wanted sawdust on the dry side.
55%-60%
that is a good space for calculating with 0% moisture in HWFP. Since they are probably around 5% in reality, you end up closer to 60-65% in reality which is good.
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Ferather
Mycological



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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975797 - 01/02/17 11:23 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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I suggest working at increasing water content or availability of water, before adding more dry weight. If you still don't get 100% BE when the water is correct, then add nutrients or energy.
Eventually if you keep at it, you will know exactly what to add.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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All of my fuelpellets are broken down. The bags get some condensation during the growth I could try adding 1/4 more cups of water to the mix and see where it takes me at the current ratio or 1/2 cup more water when I go from a half cup of wheat bran to a cup.
https://mycotek.org/index.php?threads/easy-supplemented-hwfp.8075/
Edited by vatman (01/02/17 11:44 AM)
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Ferather
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Re: Epsom salt? [Re: vatman]
#23975884 - 01/02/17 11:50 AM (7 years, 28 days ago) |
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Yup, I have always had that issue with wood pellets as the main body. It also rejects water content the more dry weight you add to it.
Especially if the added item has lower holding.
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