CreonAntigone said:

When I searched the answer on google the 'AI answer' was that it could only last a few weeks at most. But I don't see why. If it's sealed, it's not going to lose much moisture and if it was sterilized properly it's not going to contaminate. So what's to stop a plate from lasting for several months, or even a year?

Eventually maybe the plate will start to dry up or something. Surely that takes longer than two weeks. And how is the moisture escaping, if the plate were to be to be wrapped in plastic or if you used a sealable jar? The biggest risk would probably be the agar separating and liquid pooling or something like that.

I have a test plate from a month ago I prepared to check my sterilization, and I sealed it. Nothing grew on it. So what's to make it any less usable?

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AI is wrong and you are right

If I know a plate will have to sit for several months I double wrap it and put it inside a small sealed tub. Unless you pour thin plates it will not dry up in 6 months and are most likely viable after a year. Even dried up plates will for the most part have viable mycelium.

I can have unused plates sit for months from time to time and they work just as good as freshly poured ones

LeoHale420 said:

So, I always store mine chilled in my mini fridge to put them in hibernation to last longer. Is this unnecessary then?

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In my opinion yes. And don't you get a lot of condensation when they are in the fridge? I always did, to the point where drops would fall down on the mycelium matting and bruising it

LeoHale420 said:

Omg yes lol. I always have to store them upside down to avoid the water falling on the myc🤣

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Yeah, there you go Pasty's point is valid though so keep that in mind if you have cultures that easily pins on plates

CreonAntigone said:

When I searched the answer on google the 'AI answer' was that it could only last a few weeks at most. But I don't see why. If it's sealed, it's not going to lose much moisture and if it was sterilized properly it's not going to contaminate. So what's to stop a plate from lasting for several months, or even a year?


I have a test plate from a month ago I prepared to check my sterilization, and I sealed it. Nothing grew on it. So what's to make it any less usable?

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The Tao said:

CreonAntigone said:

When I searched the answer on google the 'AI answer' was that it could only last a few weeks at most. But I don't see why. If it's sealed, it's not going to lose much moisture and if it was sterilized properly it's not going to contaminate. So what's to stop a plate from lasting for several months, or even a year?


I have a test plate from a month ago I prepared to check my sterilization, and I sealed it. Nothing grew on it. So what's to make it any less usable?

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The way I read the OP Creon was asking about uninoculated plates.

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Yes Creon was and I adressed it in my first post, but Leo asked about colonized plates.

Pastywhyte said:

I guess we were technically off topic but I’m slackin on mod duties round these parts

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Thank Ra you're slackin or I would be moderated all the way down to the pub

Kloakk said:

Pastywhyte said:

I guess we were technically off topic but I’m slackin on mod duties round these parts

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Thank Ra you're slackin or I would be moderated all the way down to the pub

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Pastywhyte said:

I think that qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment

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Pastywhyte said:

The only big issue with keeping a plate room temp long term will probably be the plate pinning and dumping spores over and over. If it’s a strong pinning culture it will be more of a spore bomb than anything. Of course this will be slightly species dependent but certainly for cubes it might be an issue over time. I used to count on plates pinning for a source of clean clones to test, but you gotta get em in time.

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CreonAntigone said:

Pastywhyte said:

The only big issue with keeping a plate room temp long term will probably be the plate pinning and dumping spores over and over. If it’s a strong pinning culture it will be more of a spore bomb than anything. Of course this will be slightly species dependent but certainly for cubes it might be an issue over time. I used to count on plates pinning for a source of clean clones to test, but you gotta get em in time.

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If you use a wedge on a plate that has fruited and covered in spores, would that be more likely to contaminate? I mean the spores would probably be 'clean' as far as plates go. I guess the only issue would be you now has an MSS culture not a clone.

Also, would sealing the plate help prevent this by restricting gas exchange or would here be enough air even in a covered plate to pin?

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