nektar61 said:

Big Jon said:

When spawning to bulk (and introducing fruiting conditions immediately, not sure if that info matters)  is it absolutely essential to have light? 

The reason why I am asking is for time’s sake, to have a perfect cycle of tubs. I want to know if it would be possible to start a tub - say a week - before a different tub is finishing up under the light so that once the tub under the light is finished I could simply put the other tub under the light.  Idk, I just figure that usually a tub isn’t even fully colonized in a week for me so does it matter if it doesn’t get light?

---

"Separate fruiting conditions" is archaic bullshit. Depriving a shroom grow of oxygen before pins increases likelihood of contam.

Shrooms just need some light, and they're not as light cycle dependent as plants. Ideal light color is 6500 k and 12 on 12 off.

That's the classic wisdom around here.

However, I recently grew this tub of x7x+ in near darkness. They look OK. I haven't tried or tested them yet to see how the potency is, but they look OK.

Grown in an outbuilding as a bit of an experiment, there are no lights in there and very little sunlight comes through one corner. Enough that in the day with no lights on in there you might not trip over things, but dark enough that you're eyes would have to get used to it to see in there.

They are taller with thinner stipes than my usual tubs of that variety. They have enough air in there, maybe they're trying to "reach up to the light" or "think" they're growing under leaves.

x7x+ grown in near darkness, just for fun. 

---

There are many drawbacks to restriction in any form, some more subtle than others. The balance of restriction and indoor cultivation is a dance, and it takes a selfless and nurturing approach to observation to really pick up on a lot of what is going on..

For example growing mushrooms in the dark is limiting, as evidenced by the microscopic fungus mite damage circled in this picture.




Mushrooms produce melanin for a reason, and that is to utilize various forms of radiation and light to produce metabolites that are integral to metabolic systems.  Things like vitamins which enhance the function of enzymes like cellulase and enzymes that are integral to immune function and growth.

Do you "need" certain things to have a good harvest? Well that really depends on your personal definitions of "good" or Success".

In my mind, any form of manipulation is just that, manipulative. If you find yourself manipulating your mushrooms for personal gain or to prove a point, I invite you to assess...

Food for thought.

Personally I don't like to torture, deprive, or manipulate any life form. I prefer to support and enhance, rather than manipulate. This leads to thriving organisms rather than surviving organisms. We all have our personal goals, most being kind of narrow such as merely yield and potency for many.

chris77 said:

can no pours in pp5 bead containers be done successfully without a PC?

---

SkanskKorv said:

Really? I've had TCs telling me to pc jars again and I've also done so thanks to this and those jars have been just as good as the other ones tbh.

---

I could be wrong.    Either way though, grain is cheap and time is not.

If the jars were prepared correctly the first time, then they don’t need cooked again because they are sterile and will remain so.

If they weren’t prepared correctly, a second cook is unlikely to save them better than just giving it another go from scratch.

I like to think of it as best chance for success rather than *could* it work out.  IRL sterility is a probability and we are all playing the numbers.

nocap said:

SkanskKorv said:

Really? I've had TCs telling me to pc jars again and I've also done so thanks to this and those jars have been just as good as the other ones tbh.

---

I could be wrong.    Either way though, grain is cheap and time is not.

If the jars were prepared correctly the first time, then they don’t need cooked again because they are sterile and will remain so.

If they weren’t prepared correctly, a second cook is unlikely to save them better than just giving it another go from scratch.

I like to think of it as best chance for success rather than *could* it work out.  IRL sterility is a probability and we are all playing the numbers.

---

catnip40 said:

stacking over time can warp the lids and eventually cause the corners of ur subs to dry out which isnt a huge deal but all my shoebox lids are bowed in from stacking now and my corners are always either dried out and bare or need misting in the corners

u thought i was capping when i said im gonna mist

---

SkanskKorv said:

Really? I've had TCs telling me to pc jars again and I've also done so thanks to this and those jars have been just as good as the other ones tbh.

---

chris77 said:

can no pours in pp5 bead containers be done successfully without a PC?

---

Proposition 122 said:

Hi All: I have been MIA for a year. Life interfered with my hobby :-(

I have four grain jars (oats) that i PC-ed around 6mo ago. They show no signs of contamination. Perhaps a little dry, not sure because I typically make my oats a little on the dry side. What is the shelf life? Safe to use? Start over?

Likewise i have a petri where the myc has overrun the agar, shows no contamination, appears healthy (to my surprise). Safe to use?

TIA

---

tryptalkaloids said:

Agar can be steam sterilized

---

chris77 said:

tryptalkaloids said:

Agar can be steam sterilized

---

tx trypt, it sure can! question is how long to steam sterilize  in a regular pot when the agar is in the typical round screw lid bead containers…
90 min? overkill?

---