oyster growing

[medicinedan]

I have a few 'almost' colonised 500ml and 1litre jars of wild bird seed (WBS).

I started from a 'tissue clone' which I transfered onto a potato dextrose agar (PDA) petri.

When this had grown out I took a small piece and transferred it to a liquid version of the 'PDA' (basically the 'PDA' recipie with only a smidgent of agar, so it ends up being like soup consistency when cool)

I shook this liquid around; once every 2 days for a week.

I took my Pressure cooked grain and added a splash of liquid to each jar, then shook the grain all around.

The whole jar had whispy, white growth in 2-3 days, but it was whispy, not thick white mycelium. After a few more days it started getting thicker. Question; Is it completely colonised when every single grain has mycelium on it? Or does the mycelium have to be thick and meaty, so that when its fully colonised all you can see is a big marshmallow?

I was thinking about pasteurising some chopped straw and adding the grain to that, putting it in a big lunch bag/ shopping bag and hanging it up somewhere with some slits in the bag.

I'm not really concerned about a big yield, as I don't know how many of these I will eat myself.

Could I just case the grain with coco peat, in foil trays? Or do they need to grow sideways out of something?

Anyone got an easy favourite method?

Anyone got some eating suggestions? (raw, cooked, ect?)

Thanks dudes, I will post some pics here If I have some success

[mescalito]

Sounds like you're doing really well for a first grow congrats!

Just make sure all the grains are colonised so no competitors can get into the uncolonised grain when you spawn your straw.

I think Rev prefers to lime soak straw over pasteurising as Oysters are pretty aggressive colonisers.I haven't had a chance to try this myself yet as things are at a standstill on the myco-front for me atm.

Other than that I think you've got everything right with the shopping bags just make sure you pack them tight and let them colonise like you did with the jars before you hang them up.They will need to breath while they're colonising too so punch some holes in the bags and stick them back in the incubator untill fully colonised.

Moisture content of the straw can make or break a successful grow out so you'll have to use trial and error and get to know how much or little moisture is needed.This is where my failures came from and a little dry is better than too wet IME.

Good luck Dan

[watertrade]

Hi Dan,

Fully colonized grain should be completely covered... but not too much! .. I like to use grain when it’s fully covered in mycelium but before it turns into a marshmallow. I find the marshmallowed grain is hard to mix though the substrate.

You could also consider using plant pots as a container to hold straw instead of a bag. I like to use then for a number of reasons and find them very convenient. Get some large unused plant pots pack them full of pasteurized straw and spawn then place in a plastic bag and wait until fully colonized. Then start fruiting. I have used the quite a lot and find it pretty easy.

When you are packing the straw and spawn, do it in layers. A layer of straw packed in hard/ a sprinkle of spawn/ layer of straw etc until you reach the top. The last layer of straw can be packed in pretty hard and tucked in at the sides. Put it in a bag then wait to colonize. The more spawn you use the better your chances of success become, I like to over do it and put in more than enough. More grain would also give you a better yield.

Have a look at...

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...?showtopic=8129

Also I think Funkyfungus.com mentions using plant pots.

Let us know how it works out. This is the part of mushroom growing that starts to get exciting.

[medicinedan]

Update ;

I ended up using one jar as spawn to 70% newspaper shreds 30% coco coir.

Another jar I cased with coco coir in a big yogurt tub.

The bulk substrate (newspaper/coir) got cooked in a heat wave and was too moist.

The jar that I cased straight out with coco coir is going really well and pinning like crazy, I have it in a plastic bag that has several holes in it (to keep humidity up, and allow fresh air exchange).

[Rev]

sweet

dont forget to dunk for a second flush