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Newlyn
Stranger

Registered: 01/21/08
Posts: 3
Last seen: 16 years, 10 days
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Newbie Growing Questions
#7911049 - 01/21/08 06:25 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Hey guys,
I am about to start growing my batch of shrooms (well, about to go buy the supplies soon that is!) and I have some pretty newbie questions for you all.
I have read some guides and seen some videos online on how to grow shrooms, and while this is well and good I have been looking at the Myco Farm and the Myco Box and am wondering if these are good products to use. I know a lot of people say that it is 'wasting money' to buy a kit when you can buy the things yourself for cheaper but will this dramatically reduce the odds of screwing up on the complete sterilization proceedure? Also, can these bags be used more than once and is there a smell when they are growing? How many mushrooms will 10ml of spores yield? The myco farm boasts over 400g's can be harvested, but over how long a period is this?
When growing shrooms do they attract any bugs? Do they have a strong oder? How long can shrooms keep for after being picked and tried and where is the best place to store them?
Finally, what is a good book on shrooms? Not growing them or picking them, just about them? Your favorite perhaps?
Sorry for all the questions!! Thanks!!
- Newlyn
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avidpicker
funnycolorsinmymushrooms



Registered: 08/08/06
Posts: 1,388
Loc: Mushroom Mountain
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Newlyn]
#7911072 - 01/21/08 06:29 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Do a search
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Newlyn]
#7911157 - 01/21/08 06:39 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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There are plenty of posts about the things you are asking. But Ill help you out cause I know how you feel. If you have a pressure cooker then you can do everything without a gay kit. I was 14 when I did my first grow and I didnt have any of this info. The bags of spawn and substrate cannot be reused one inoculation one use. The only smell will come from the perlite(if you use it) if it guts scunky. The most I ever got from one syringe is 2lbs but thats cause I ran outta substrate. You can grow as many shrooms as you can handle with one syringe, they keep comin till your sub or cakes dry up. youll get no bugs. You must start drying the shrooms as soon as you pick them. I have dryed frozen shrooms in the freezer that have been there almost a year and they are still good. This website is my favorite book.
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 You will be missed
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SpOrOcArPiAn
Opiate Inhaler



Registered: 01/14/08
Posts: 9
Last seen: 15 years, 9 months
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I have to agree with ShroomJew, this website is better than ANY book you could get. Also dont bother with "grow kits", theyre too expensive and that takes all the fun out of it when you can get your supplies for under $100 and do everything yourself. Just get a syringe of whatever you want, do the good ol PF tek and then you'll be able to make as many syringes as you could handle and you'll be set. Then step up to growing on WBS, rye, and all that jazz
-------------------- "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." - Ozzy Osbourne
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Newlyn
Stranger

Registered: 01/21/08
Posts: 3
Last seen: 16 years, 10 days
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cheers ShroomJew that really helped out a lot! unfortunately i don't own a pressure cooker but i have seen guides suggesting alternative methods that do not require the cooker. Only thing I am wondering is how long does it take for these cakes to dry up on average, or can you continue to water them?
I suppose when the grow kit says it can yield up to 400g it is because thats how long it takes before their substrate 'runs out'?
much thanks again.
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Newlyn]
#7911676 - 01/21/08 07:55 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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You can boil the jars for two hours but if you are going to get serious with this then get a pc. I have a 0% contamination rate. I dunk the cakes so many times that I have gotten a cake to have 30 flushes and when they are spent throw them out into your garden if you have one and they will grow out there if the conditions are right. Happy Shroomin.
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 You will be missed
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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If you have the time use the alien substrate mix for your cakes. It really does make a more potent shroom. But I use a pc because the one time I only boiled the jars 1/4 of them contamed. I have inoculated jars that I pc'd a year ago without any contams.
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 You will be missed
Edited by TheShroomJew23 (01/21/08 08:07 PM)
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Smushroom
Avid Learner
Registered: 02/02/05
Posts: 2,806
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Have you actually read any of the teks on here? I know there are several that discuss just boiling the PF tek jars if you don't have a PC and I believe there are some that deal with microwaving them as well. But as ShroomJew said, if you are serious get a PC.
Before you do anything, read. That is the best advice anyone can possibly give you. The more you read the less likely you are to mess things up. If you have any questions, do a search and read through some of the responses they will answer it for you and give you extra info that will come in handy as well.
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Smushroom
Avid Learner
Registered: 02/02/05
Posts: 2,806
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Smushroom]
#7911831 - 01/21/08 08:17 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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And as for your questions:
Growing shrooms smell like a garden. A kind of "dirt" smell. And that is just close by. You don't have to worry about anyone smelling it. The only real smell you may get is if you get contamination but then you just toss it so now biggie.
Kits are a waste of money. Sterilization depends on you. You can buy a $100,000 commercial grow operation and if don't take the necessary steps to keep contams out you will contaminate that just as easily.
There is no set amount you will get out of any grow. In theory you could grow 100lbs with that one syringe but you aren't at that level yet. Don't listen to what the sellers say kits can grow, they are sellers, not there to give you information. Most of their figures will be in wet weight so divide that by 10 and deduct however much you think they are adding on to sell you a product. Search PF Tek on the site and you will get the easiest guide on how to start out. If you stay relatively sterile you can estimate and average of 2-5 dried grams from each cake. Cakes have been known to produce more than twice that (haven't really heard of more than 10-12g) but that isn't common.
As for how long does it take? Well it depends. There isn't a set amount of time it will take. It depends on growing conditions really. What temp the cakes are incubated at and the conditions in the fruiting chamber will be your biggest determinants. Given ideal conditions and 4 flushes on average, I would say roughly 1 month from start to finish. The less ideal your incubating temps the longer it will run. Depending on how sterile and moist you keep the cakes you could have fewer flushes making it end sooner or more flushes and extend it for several more weeks but get more out of it in the end.
There won't be bugs.
Once the shrooms are dried they can last a long time. The longer you plan on keeping them, the more you need to make sure they are completely dry. Any moisture left in them will cause them to decompose quicker. If you dry them completely and keep them in the freezer you could probably keep them a year or more. If you just keep them at room temp I would say 5-6 months as long as they stay dehydrated (could probably go longer but I dunno). If you store them with some form of desiccant you can store them anywhere for as long as you really wanted.
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joshua m
Not a NoOb


Registered: 07/14/07
Posts: 168
Loc: MiD wEsT
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Smushroom]
#7911868 - 01/21/08 08:23 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Yea most of your ?'s were answered but this is the best book you can buy use the search function for any ?'s. 90% of the time some one else has asked the same question. Pm me if you need more info. Happy tripping
jm
-------------------- We can't stop here...This is bat country!!! Fear and Loathing is the greatest movie ever!!!
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joshua m
Not a NoOb


Registered: 07/14/07
Posts: 168
Loc: MiD wEsT
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: joshua m]
#7911872 - 01/21/08 08:23 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Oh yea DONT BUY A KIT THEY SUCK
-------------------- We can't stop here...This is bat country!!! Fear and Loathing is the greatest movie ever!!!
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Smushroom]
#7911882 - 01/21/08 08:25 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Newlyn, if you dont mind me asking where do you live. I'm in Chicago and it almost seems like the city wants me to grow. Once you go shopping for supplies a few times youll know wat i mean.
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 You will be missed
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DontPlay
Yeah Science!



Registered: 12/13/07
Posts: 750
Loc: On Land most of the time....
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Im not sure what shroomjew is talking about but a cake will run out of nutrients after 3-4 flushes. Between each flush you dunk the cake for 24 hours to rehydrate it. You can get an endless supply if you make an LC with the syringe. Search for this no one wants to explain it. The kit will not in any way help you not screw it up. If your going to screw this up it will be with or without the kit.
-------------------- My Trade List I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. Hunter S. Thompson
I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery. ~Thomas Jefferson
Edited by DontPlay (01/21/08 08:40 PM)
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: DontPlay]
#7912019 - 01/21/08 08:46 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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I had a hole in the center of the cake that I would fill witha liquid nutrient solution. Forgot to mention.
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 You will be missed
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Cenebite
Closet CaseShroomer



Registered: 10/27/04
Posts: 348
Last seen: 7 years, 5 months
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30 flushes haha i'd like to see that, and as for your 0%... that'll change eventually hehehe...
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lovingtickels
wit a engineringdegre wo neds tono how 2 spel


Registered: 04/10/07
Posts: 220
Loc: North or South America
Last seen: 11 years, 10 months
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Newlyn]
#7912372 - 01/21/08 09:39 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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i can do it without a pressure cooker. bic lighter some kerosene. i have never had a problem. well just once. but i digress. i don't grow anymore i just pick them from pastures. //////////////////if there is anything to invest in\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ autoclave aka pressure cooker
-------------------- I never guess. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from. - Al Franken
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deadatdusk
Stranger

Registered: 12/02/05
Posts: 295
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
Last seen: 14 years, 3 months
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: Newlyn]
#7912415 - 01/21/08 09:46 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Quote:
I know a lot of people say that it is 'wasting money' to buy a kit when you can buy the things yourself for cheaper but will this dramatically reduce the odds of screwing up on the complete sterilization procedure?
I would say no. No matter how well put together a kit is, you'll be doing the inoculation and that's where contams have the most chance of taking foot.
Quote:
How many mushrooms will 10ml of spores yield? The myco farm boasts over 400g's can be harvested, but over how long a period is this?
10ml can yield 3 grams, or it can yield 3 tons. It just depends what you do with it, grain to grain, agar, LC, etc.. 400gs? Doubt it. Casings/cakes will fruit until all it's nutrition/moisture is used up, I've seen them fruit for over a month.
Quote:
When growing shrooms do they attract any bugs? Do they have a strong oder?
Bugs can be an issue for some people. I've never seen it, don't know how common it is but I don't think it happens too often. I don't think the mushrooms themselves attract them per se. No strong odor, just mild earthyness.
Quote:
Finally, what is a good book on shrooms?
http://www.shroomery.org
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joshua m
Not a NoOb


Registered: 07/14/07
Posts: 168
Loc: MiD wEsT
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: deadatdusk]
#7912481 - 01/21/08 09:58 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Shroom jew what is that nutrient solution and where did ya get it from sounds kinda interesting
-------------------- We can't stop here...This is bat country!!! Fear and Loathing is the greatest movie ever!!!
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BlargIAmDead
Shroom Samurai




Registered: 11/04/07
Posts: 550
Last seen: 14 years, 11 months
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: joshua m]
#7912743 - 01/21/08 10:43 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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Alright, time to start the tirade .
Go to youtube. Watch the 4 videos by RR that are labeled "Let's Grow Mushrooms: PF Tek". Follow this video and if you wander from the path of the Tek don't bitch. You screwed yourself.
Next, Don't by the KIT! You can get all the supplies for about 50$ if you're good and already have a big pot.
In the video they show you how to boil BRF jars (and BRF jars ONLY! don't try this with grains) without a PC.
Dunking and rolling happens after you birth them and at the beginning of each flush. You should fan and mist anywhere from 4-7 times a day.
Don't inject liquids into your cakes, don't put straws in your cakes and fill them with liquid or "nutrient solution", and most of all don't believe people when they say "This produces more potent shrooms I promise!" because it's bullshit. Injection water is just one more vector for contaminants and the same goes for the straw idea. You're just asking to have a skanky bacteria filled tube. Also, a mushrooms potency is defined more by genetics and species and environmental variables than by what substrate you grew it on.
Some people claim hpoo, some straw, and some swear by BRF. The only definitive answer is that noone knows.
Good luck and try to sift the wheat from the chaff.
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TheShroomJew23
The Chemist


Registered: 11/29/07
Posts: 1,611
Loc: Temple
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: BlargIAmDead]
#7912929 - 01/21/08 11:19 PM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
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I made it myself. You insert a pvc filled pipe withholes amd the stuff gets put in the tube and the tub gets capped on both ends. Insert this tube innto the center of the cake and shake it inside the cake a few times, remove it and onto the next cake. Will explain fully in a week after I take all my finals
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 You will be missed
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joshua m
Not a NoOb


Registered: 07/14/07
Posts: 168
Loc: MiD wEsT
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Whats the solution made of
-------------------- We can't stop here...This is bat country!!! Fear and Loathing is the greatest movie ever!!!
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DoltishVirtuoso
Waiting



Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 151
Last seen: 5 years, 11 months
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Re: Newbie Growing Questions [Re: joshua m]
#7914031 - 01/22/08 10:12 AM (16 years, 10 days ago) |
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Just stick to RR's videos that BlargIAmDead mentioned. It's almost fool proof, but I'm the fool that didn't, and lost 7 out of 10 jars to contamination. If something like that does happen to you, don't get discouraged, do some more research and find out what you did wrong and fix it. That simple. And no book will contain information that's more invaluable than the info on this site. Stick around, and happy shroomin.
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