What do you do during summer?

[Fezza]

With summer just round the corner, I was wondering how everyone keeps there mycelium at temperatures of 20-25 deg C.

I know In Brisvegas during summer it can get quite warm and for long periods.

So I would just like to know how everyone keeps their crops going.

I had an idea or using a bar fridge and opening it up in a larger container, and only turn it on intermittently, or play with the resistance of the thermostat(if its resistance based) so that a constant temp of 20-25 Deg c is maintained..

Any other ideas?

[Dirty Old Man]

With most easily growable species of ethnobotanical interest no cooling is necessary. Higher temperatures might not be optimum but are not likely to cause mycelial death.

Probably cheaper and easier in the long run to buy an airconditioner and enjoy the coolness yourself.

Another cheap but very effective way to cool is evaporative cooling. You could have the tub you want to keep cool sitting in another larger resevoir of water which has a fan blowing across it or has a pump recirculating the water and cascading it over a anything with a large surface area. Th ewater will need to be topped up regularly. This could be automated with a float valve.

[Big George]

A PC fan mounted in a hole in a cardboard box blowing into the box makes a great evaporator.

A PC power supply is switched on by shorting the green wire from the large plug, to earth.

Then use any of the yellow wires to obtain 12v.

These power supplies are so easy to find, people leave old computer casings on the footpath, usually with a power supply intact.

Don't buy one for $35 just to chop the plugs up. Waste of money.

[foolsbreath]

Yeah optimum growth for mycelium is actually above 30 C. Fruiting requires initiation by dropping temp. This can be done with an ice pack, do this a couple of times and then you let it warm up again and you will again get faster pinning and fruit growth, cool again to initiate a second and third pinning.

As long as humidity is good shouldn't be a problem

[FungalFractoids]

Yeah, considering that mycelium survives Australian summers in the bush even though its only a couple of cm's under the soil one would think temprature shouldn't effect it too much.

[Bongchitis]

Just a few basic things I do that are free:

1. Draw the blinds closed until latish afternoon....windows have a large surface area and conduct heat quite well!....then the remaining light untill 7-8pm is enough for the fungi.

2. Put your tubs on the floor....hot air rises.

3. Choose the coolest 'side' of your house, typically the southern end

This should work for everyone and should give you at least 5deg C respite from summer.

Good luck!

[foolsbreath]

or use a cupboard and a small wattage light, keeps it out of sight too