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 Split
enthusiast
Registered: 11/04/01
Posts: 354
Last seen: 22 years, 4 months
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 Re: Adding extra "stuff" to casings. . .  [Re: ]
#540930 - 02/05/02 02:20 AM (22 years, 7 months ago) |
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I'm not an experience mycologist, but I was reading the bit about the honey, and I'm working on growing out some cubensis strains on a honey-enriched substrate (before sterilization), and other than the cakes seeming very dense and taking a little longer to colonize, everything seems ok. There is some amount of caramelization though, for sure, my substrate is much more red in color than usual after sterilization.
I hate to bring this up, but I didnt get any feedback in the regular forum, would worm castings be considered a nutritive layer? I substituted worm castings for peat in the 50/50 casing recipe, and it looks ok so far ??
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Anonymous
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Re: Adding extra "stuff" to casings. . . [Re: Split]
#541815 - 02/05/02 10:10 PM (22 years, 7 months ago) |
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Worm castings have very little nutritional content, the worms do concentrate some micronutrients into the castings, but as far as NPK value it is very non- nutritional. Growers of plants use the stuff because of the texture it adds to the soiless mix. It is exceptional for this use at about 20 percent volume of soiless mix. Some growers use higher concentrations, but 20% is reccomended.
As far as using it for casing soil in mushroom farming, I have zero experience. I will say this, every picture I have seen when it is used, looks great. Either used on it's own or as an ingredient of a mix. It supplys good water retention qualities, negligible PH disturbance.
Overall the stuff is VERY GOOD for it's various uses. I would not consider it nutritious. I would consider it structural, kind of like a peat substitute.
If you have it, use it. It would be considered a casing component more so then a substrate component. Though it might have some use as a substrate component to, for Water retention, and pore space. Hell I put perlite in my substrate mixes, and it has very little water holding potential, and offers zero nutrition, but the aeration qualities are EXCELLENT.
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Anonymous
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Re: Adding extra "stuff" to casings. . . [Re: ]
#541822 - 02/05/02 10:18 PM (22 years, 7 months ago) |
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Honey hardens, and this is why I wouldn't use it. It might actually seal up sections of the substrate, and prevent it's utilization. But hey, I have never tried the stuff, so keep us informed of the progress!!!!
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UrbanistiC
Hmm....
Registered: 02/03/02
Posts: 262
Loc: Seattle, Wa.
Last seen: 12 years, 1 month
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Re: Adding extra "stuff" to casings. . . [Re: ]
#541958 - 02/06/02 12:16 AM (22 years, 7 months ago) |
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I thought I would drop what I know about casing... But I am not going to scold anyone. And the experienced ones may agree with me on this... Any soil-type casing gives chance to contams. But if you keep the CO low, then you reduce your chances of contams. From what I know, casing is like a way to keep moisture on hand for the shrooms. And also it keeps the mycelium at a constant humidity level which is just right. And yes, I am sure that the minerals in some types of casing does benefit to get primordia going. Now if you were growing something other than P. Cubensis, then I could see the importance of having the right minerals and salts in the casing... but in my opinion.... there isn't much benefit with using soil-based casings. I would rather not risk contamination. What I use is what I learned in Stamets books. Usually peat moss, mixed with gypsum and chalk to keep to acidity and Ph levels perfect. But usually I use the "no possible way for contams" tek.... water crystals and vermiculite, half and half. The crystals are a bit expensive, like 9 bucks for a little jar, but they hold a mad amount of water. And like someone said above... its about the water. The minerals you need is all in the substrate. What do you guys think?
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Keep it ReaL.
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Opi
newbie
Registered: 11/12/00
Posts: 22
Last seen: 22 years, 5 months
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Re: Adding extra "stuff" to casings. . . [Re: Elektrolurch]
#542066 - 02/06/02 02:00 AM (22 years, 7 months ago) |
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When I said "this type of environment does not usually occur in nature", I meant a completely non nutrient casing. That USUALLY only occurs in cultivation..
Opi
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Anonymous
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Re: Adding extra "stuff" to casings. . . [Re: UrbanistiC]
#542074 - 02/06/02 02:13 AM (22 years, 7 months ago) |
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You are absolutely right. There is no necessity for microorganisms in the casing layer with cubensis. No nutritional factors are necessary either in the casing soil with cubensis. That is why people use Peat based casing (soiless) mixes, or just vermiculite mixes. Hell I don't even add lime or limestone to my peat based casings and still get great results just using my alkaline tap water for soil solution Ph adjustment. Don't try this at home kiddies, you can lose some casings if you don't spot any contaminants EARLY.
I still prefer peat to vermiculite, I don't ever use vermiculite at any stage. I use Peat and perlite for casings. I am a masocist I guess. But I sterilize everything.
This coir looks pretty interesting, but I hate having to order stuff in the mail if I don't have to.
Polymers ? Why not just the straight vermiculite, would be cheaper and cleaner. Do you really notice a difference between the straight vermiculite and the Polymer, vermiculite mix? Or do you just have to mist less?
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