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Folders:  bulk_pasteurizer  casings  composting  contaminates  fruiting_chambers  humidifiers  ipomoea_tricolor  lab_equipment  misc  other_species  spawning  spore_printing  substrates 
compost_ph.jpg
compost_ph.jpg

Properly made homemade compost should come out pretty close to pH neutral...

coco_coir_ph.jpg
coco_coir_ph.jpg

6.5 pH is actually ideal for mycelium to colonize a substrate. Only raise the pH of your casing mixtures.

compost_04.jpg
compost_04.jpg

Field Capacity: Look closely at the underside of my fingers and you will see that water only trickles out when I squeeze the substrate very firmly...

compost_03.jpg
compost_03.jpg

Ready To Be Pasteurized: The compost is fully hydrated to field capacity and is ready to be used. I like to blend mine 50/50 with coco-coir, myself.

compost_02.jpg
compost_02.jpg

Here I've added 5% (by volume) Garden Gypsum and thoroughly mixed it in evenly. If the substrate was wet, this would be impossible and would clump.

compost_01.jpg
compost_01.jpg

fully dried over a week's time, the compost is dead dry and ready to be prepared.

compost_substrate_02.jpg
compost_substrate_02...

If you look closely you can make out the fact that this compost is only "half-composted" when it was harvested. Mycelium likes something to "chew"...

compost_substrate_01.jpg
compost_substrate_01...

This is our compost substrate drying in the sun for several days after being harvested from the pile. I always like to start with my substrates dry.

vermiculite_02.jpg
vermiculite_02.jpg

Field Capacity for vermiculite is sometimes hard to judge so I often prepare it first and allow it to drip-dry in a colander until needed...

vermiculite_01.jpg
vermiculite_01.jpg

Coarse Grained Vermiculite. Not the powdery fine-grade often sold in big-box stores.

coco_coir_06.jpg
coco_coir_06.jpg

Ready To Be Pasteurized: The separately hydrated coco-coir and vermiculite are mixed thoroughly together and your substrate is ready to be used...

coco_coir_05.jpg
coco_coir_05.jpg

Field Capacity: Look closely at the underside of my fingers and you will see that water only trickles out when I squeeze the substrate very firmly...

coco_coir_04.jpg
coco_coir_04.jpg

Hydrate the coco-coir to field capacity before adding the (already hydrated) vermiculite to the coco-coir...

coco_coir_03.jpg
coco_coir_03.jpg

Here I've added 30% Used Coffee Grounds (by volume) to the coco-coir & gypsum mix. Again, working with dry materials makes mixing it up so much easie...

coco_coir_02.jpg
coco_coir_02.jpg

Here I've added 5% (by volume) Garden Gypsum and thoroughly mixed it in evenly. If the substrate was wet, this would be impossible and would clump.

coco_coir_01.jpg
coco_coir_01.jpg

Coco coir, hydrated 24 hours prior and allowed to dry & drain as much as possible during that time. Remember, always start with dry substrates first!

used_coffee_grounds.jpg
used_coffee_grounds....

Used Coffee Grounds provided free from the Starbucks "Grounds For Gardens" program and sun dried thoroughly before being used.

garden_gypsum.jpg
garden_gypsum.jpg

Garden Gypsum: Used in substrates up to 5% by volume to act as a long term pH buffer as well as a micro-nutrient source for the mycelium.

substrates_01.jpg
substrates_01.jpg

Gather all your pre-measured materials before you begin. The mud-tubs are invaluable in my humble opinion and are cheap at most hardware stores...

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