This can rehydrate the cake from the inside, and as you say, as long as you inject sterile water, there should be no downside. Just make sure you sterilize the needle between each cake.

A great way to accomplish this shaft, neat and clean, is to cut the bottom off a syringe, and pack some moistened vermiculite into the syringe, place this syringe vertically in the mason jar before filling with substrate. When the addition of the substrate is complete, use the plunger to deposit the vermiculite as you lift on the syringe, so the cylinder is well-shaped, and perfectly placed. My nematode doesn't take credit for this mini-tek, It read it somewhere. It's never tried it, so if you tell me how it works, I'll relate the info.

Good luck!!

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-=zillion=-

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..... LEGALIZE .....
See my pictures here.

[This message has been edited by DarTank (edited August 02, 2000).]

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..... LEGALIZE .....
See my pictures here.

Surely if you insert the needle of the syringe in the top and push the plunger the water will go into the cake and not come out?

Perhaps what you mean is that if one was to just put the syringe in and press the plunger, only the syringe hole would fill with water ?? (a mere 1ml or whatever).

Zillion, you say you've sucessfully injected water? Describe the process. Also, how did it affect yields (in terms of dry weight or how many mushrooms more, or percentage - just gimme numbers).

Kid

Hey, the less contams the better... in whatever stage...