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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: mushhead]
#26715924 - 06/03/20 06:34 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Mushhead,
For agar prep, I have been using Bod's Comprehensive Agar Tek. For my next pour, I'm going to use D3's Perfect Transfers and Agar Tek.
I clean my SAB with iso. I wash my hands and use gloves wiped with iso. I wear a face mask.
In the past, I neglected to fire the scalpel to red-hot between transfers. For this last transfer, I did fire the scalpel to red-hot between transfers and will continue to do so.
I welcome any and all advise.
Thanks.
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mushhead
Potato Devourer



Registered: 08/22/14
Posts: 2,218
Loc: Dimension H-231
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26717426 - 06/03/20 06:20 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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You're headed in the right direction then. I keep a small shot glass of 70% iso that I also swish my scalpel through to remove any left over debris of agar. I then fire it to red hot and use a "cooling agar plate" which is a separate plate that's used just for cooling your scalpel. This too needs to be as clean as the plates you're transferring to. I cannot wait to see your results!
--------------------
Meditation Principles Silence: Giving you room to listen / Stillness: Giving you room to feel / Spaciousness: Just giving you room
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: mushhead]
#26718481 - 06/04/20 06:37 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Mushhead,
I neglected to mention one important detail that explains the contamination.
To excise the mycelium from the BRF jar, I opened the jar in my SAB. But I couldn't simply dump the cake out of the jar. I shook the jar, but the cake was stuck. I didn't have room within my SAB to dislodge the cake by whacking the mouth of the jar against the palm of my other hand.
So I removed the jar from the SAB, whacked out the cake and put the cake back into the SAB. I knew the cake would get contaminated and that I would have to clean the transferred mycelium.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26718545 - 06/04/20 07:31 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I have a question about my outdoor tub. I posted this question on the Woodlovers thread but I haven't received a response. Hopefully you guys can help.
As I've already described, the tub is on my deck in SF. It has drainage. It receives about 4 hours of direct sunlight each day, if the sun chooses to shine. The rest of the time, it's in the shade. The humidity is always between 60%-100%. We have our famous fog. The average temperature is about 60 degrees.
In the absence of rain, how often should I water the tub?
Dry chips on top don't reflect the moisture level of the chips and mycelium underneath. So watering the tub just because the chips on top are dry doesn't seem like a good idea.
Are there other visual signs that indicate that the tub needs to be watered?
Or is establishing some kind of regular watering schedule preferred? Twice per week?
Please share your watering expertise.
Thanks.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26728918 - 06/08/20 01:06 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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6/8/20: On 6/7/20, I detected mold on the edge of the T2B plate. Closer examination revealed, to my horror, that I had neglected to completely seal the plate with Parafilm. There was a 1/2" gap that granted the beast entry.
I immediately sealed the gap with Parafilm.
The T2A plate seems to be okay, so I'm letting it grow.
Note to self: Don't smoke 29% THC Indica prior to doing transfers.
Today I transferred a plug from the T1A plate to a new plate. I also transferred two ostensibly healthy plugs from the T2B plate.

Let's step outside, shall we?
Since I've received zero, zip, nada, nyet watering advise on two threads, I guess I'm on my own. The chips are moist every morning due to dew and fog. So I decided to water the tub once per week.
I welcome all comments, questions and castigation.
Thanks.
Edited by tomcards (06/08/20 01:25 PM)
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Typerwritermonky
shboop a doop a doop


Registered: 01/19/12
Posts: 5,375
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26729329 - 06/08/20 04:31 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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OOooo very interesting! Im just about to get some jars going with ps. cyans I picked in the bay area, hoping I can get the mycelium I've kept growing into healthy environments and colonize some jars and basically do what you've donee!
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: Typerwritermonky]
#26731023 - 06/09/20 10:15 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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6/9/20: And just for the hell of it, here is a current photo of the tub.
Obviously, nothing has visibly changed. Oh, but I'm enthralled by the wondrous ecosystem that is evolving. The mycelium is struggling to establish a foot-hold, while constantly battling against all the beasties that Mother Nature provides.
Boris the spider is trying to make sense of all of this and establish a permanent residence.
While there is visually nothing happening, many biological processes are occurring. There is a lot happening. I revel in imagining what's going on beneath the surface.

Stay tuned...
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26736878 - 06/11/20 01:37 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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6/11/20: So far, so good. I don't see any contams.
In the upper left photo at 11:00, I love seeing the thread of mycelium shooting out in its quest to eat and grow.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26744134 - 06/14/20 01:39 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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6/14/20: Here’s a photo of the plates. The mycelium is growing, slowly but surely.

On the upper left plate, ignore the white spots at 12:00, 1 and 7 o’clock. They’re specks on the lid. Otherwise, it appears healthy.
On the upper right plate, the dark line at the 10:00 position is an unfortunate visual artifact of that light and the odd angle required to shoot the photo. I think it’s fine for now. I plan to punch out a plug of the heartiest mycelium and transfer it to a slant.
The plug to the right of it arouses concern. I don’t like the gaps at positions 11 and 8. They indicate that the mycelium is fighting with a contaminant that is impeding its growth. I’ll keep my eye on it.
But happy happy joy joy! The bottom plate looks great! Healthy, spikey, rhizo growth! I may pop it into the fridge and use it as my master plate.

Stay tuned...
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26744533 - 06/14/20 05:26 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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6/14/10: Yep. Today I flipped the bottom plate upside-down, stacked it on top of the Stroph plate already residing in the bag in the fridge, sealed the bag and popped it back into the fridge.
In the worst case scenario, the outdoor tub will eventually fail, due to an unexpected supernova or the long-awaited zombie apocalypse.
But until then, the mycelium is preserved.
Aaah. What a relief!
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Celestialexplorer1



Registered: 03/25/20
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26744692 - 06/14/20 06:53 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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 I had two of these tubs fully colonized with cyanescens chips a mixture of fir bark, oak, maple and alder. I took one and layered it with more bark chips (seems to be its favorite) in this outdoor container with the holes all over it and lined the bottom and sides with cardboard. And to keep the moisture at at growable level I just wet the cardboard from time to time and I put some coir and mulch on top that I keep wet just whenever it looks dry. Seems to be doing well. So I would just suggest watering it whenever it starts to look dry ever couple days or week or so depending on your climate not to the point you flood it but just the outsides and the moisture will be taken in by the mycelium.
--------------------
 To spend just one moment in eternity
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: Celestialexplorer1]
#26745689 - 06/15/20 06:05 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Celestial,
Thanks for your watering feedback! Judging by the look of your yummy tubs, your advice is sound.
So unless the chips look really dry, or it has rained, I'll continue to water them once per week.
Best of luck with your grow!
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26781874 - 06/25/20 11:15 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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6/25/20:
17 days after the final transfer, the remaining two plates are growing slowly but surely, with no contamination. Hooray!
The plate on the left is growing a ¼” plug on my second, shallower, more appropriate agar pour. It’s doing well.
The plate on the right is growing two 5/16” plugs extracted from my very first, needlessly deep agar pour. It looks like two galaxies colliding, or two asymmetric breasts with proud, pointy nipples. I'm just thrilled that they're growing well.
I'll let them grow for about a week to see what happens. Then I'll use my 1/4" punch to extract the healthiest growth and transfer it to a slant for permanent storage.
Edited by tomcards (06/25/20 11:36 AM)
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26815155 - 07/10/20 01:09 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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7/10/20: Time for an update. Here’s a photo of the final plates. The myc is growing slowly but surely.

In a few days, I’ll excise one final plug from the healthiest portion of one of the plates and transfer it to a slant.
Then I’ll remove the remaining colonized pucks from the plates, place them on top of the outdoor wood chips and cover them with an inch of wood chips that have been soaking for over a week.
Speaking of the outdoor tub. I’m now watering it on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It continues to drain well.
Three days ago, I just couldn’t resist. I carefully lifted a small section of chips and was delighted to discover that mycelium has begun growing on them! I gently replaced the chips. I must resist the daily temptation to peek under the chips! I must leave them alone and relish the magic that is occurring beneath the surface.
Boris is doing well. He sends his regards.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards] 1
#26819520 - 07/12/20 02:09 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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7/12/20: Today, using my trusty punch, I excised two plugs from the plate on the left in the photo above.
Inside the SAB, under sanitized conditions, I transferred the plugs to the slant. I used two plugs, just in case. I’ll let the slant sit for a few days and watch for signs of colonization.

My indoor work is done.
I removed the colonized agar from both plates, cut it into smaller pieces and put it on top of the outdoor chips.

I covered the agar pieces with about an inch of alder chips that have been soaking for almost two weeks. I sprinkled some hardwood sawdust onto the chips to fill in a few cracks.

I watered the chips to help everything settle.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26845900 - 07/26/20 10:48 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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7/26/20: Two weeks after transferring the plugs to the slant, the mycelium is growing well.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26898588 - 08/25/20 11:45 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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8/25/20: Six weeks after transferring the plug to the slant, the mycelium is not only growing well on the agar, it’s growing through the agar to feast on the wood below. So today I put the slant in the refrigerator for permanent storage.

Now I just have to try to be patient as I wait and watch for development of the outdoor tub. It could be six months before I have anything new to report, so you won’t be hearing from me for a while.
Thanks again for accompanying me on this journey.
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MolecularConcept
Old School Back Again



Registered: 05/24/10
Posts: 147
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#26898612 - 08/25/20 12:02 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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nice job im about to start some too. no way ill get fruits this fall but maybe in spring? otr at least get a really good jump on next year.
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tomcards



Registered: 04/24/15
Posts: 427
Loc: San Francisco
Last seen: 11 months, 7 days
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: MolecularConcept]
#27048622 - 11/20/20 09:32 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Guys,
It's time for an update. Last night, the temperature was in the low 40's. This morning it's still in the high 40's. I checked the tub and, to my horror, I discovered this growing on the chips!

It sure as hell doesn't look like cyanescens. Does anyone know what this is? Should I remove it? Please advise.
Thanks.
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coAsTal
Friend


Registered: 04/04/06
Posts: 2,970
Loc: 8a
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Re: First time growing Psilocybe cyanescens (in progress). (moved) [Re: tomcards]
#27048899 - 11/20/20 12:41 PM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Looks like insect eggs or something. I wouldn't bug out over it.
-------------------- I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination-- John Keats Spore Trading List
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