Overview: Many requirements are needed to initiate pinning and to complete the fruiting cycle of mushrooms. There is a vast array of simple- labour intensive or high tech- expensive fruiting setups available. This fruiting chamber was designed with all of the nessesary fruiting requirements in mind, while reducing the cost of initial setup. Humidity is supplied via moist perlite.This is by no means the ultimate fruiting chamber, but it is a low cost alternative to other 'high tech', personal scale, fruiting setups.

Materials:

2X Styro-foam fruit/veg boxes,without lids

1X 3mm Clear Acrylic * size to suit

1X Thermometer

1X small aquarium air-pump with in-line filter

1X 1-2m aquarium air tubing

1X 240V mains adjustable timer (15min increment)

Approx 5ltr perlite

"Gaffa" or wide plumbing tape

Water ( HO2 optional addition)

Ultra-Sharp hobby knife (or old knife for hot-cutting)

Styrene-safe Silicone

Procedure: From the above picture, you have an idea on what the finished setup will look like. It is actually one upside down styro-foam box, cut and faced, set on top of another, "recessed" styro-foam box. If you notice, the fruit/veg boxes have a raised channel on the top of the box so that the lid can snuggly fit on. We are going to make a "recess" in the bottom box , and create a faced lid with the other "raised channel" box, forming a tight seal, between the "recessed" bottom and the "raised channel". The top box is then cut along its length, creating an angled frame to support the acrylic window, which is then secured into place. Sounds like a mouthfull, but the pics make it easy. Holes are then made with a small nail or screwdriver to support the thermometer and fresh air intake. The procedure will be divided into the following: the lower box, and the upper box.

Lower Box:

Using the lower box, we will be cutting off the "raised channel" creating a "recess" of the same proportions as the removed "raised channel". This can be done by either of the following methods: 1, A hot knife. This can be very difficult at first, but with a little practise on scrap foam, you will get the feel for the weird cutting properties of the foam, or 2: Using a very sharp hobby knife and a steel rule, this gets good results and a clean edge.

1: (a)Remove the "raised channel" and mark out the new "recessed channel" line on the top and the inside of the lower box. These lines will be your exact cut marks so make them nice and square.

2: Place steel rule along the marked line, and proceed to cut at the required depth to create a nice square channel (b), don't undercut and break off the scraps, and don't overcut and weaken the box. Take time, there's no hurry. You should be left with a nice clean square "recessed" channel(c). Well done.

See pics below for cutting diagrams:

3:Once the bottom box is finished, place the upsidedown "upper" box on top of the lower box, the recess you have just created should allow the raised channel to fit snuggly on top , creating a neat seal. If it doesn't fit, do a little cutting here and shaving there to suit. It doesn't have to be perfect, as long as it is a reasonable fit.

4: Finally, punch a hole with a pencil or nail into one side of the lower box, near to the top edge. This will allow the air inlet tubing to snuggly fit in, leaving 20-30mm on the inside of the box.

Upper Box:

Using the upper box, we will be turning it upside down, so the base is facing up. We leave the "raised channel" as this is what will form the seal. The box will be cut across its length, on an angle, maintaining structural strength, and will be faced with an acrylic panel to form a dripshield/window.

1: Mark out the box as the following pics show:

2: Using either the hot knife or hobby knife, cut along the length and at the required angle to form a flat surface for the acrylic panel to fit onto, see pic below:

3: Cut acrylic panel to suit the size of your new angled box, leaving a 10mm gap from the edge.

4: Run a bead of silicone onto the cut edge of the box, on the inner side. You won't need too much.***Important*** Make sure the silicone you use is safe for poly-styrene or you will have a molten mess and will have to start again.

5: Press down the panel into place, and allow to dry at the recommended times. Tape down the edges when dry, making a neat seal.

6: Using a pencil or nail, punch a hole into the top of the styrofoam to accept the thermometer, allowing the thermometer to hang in the middle of the chamber. Insert thermometer.

The SETUP:

Place moistened perlite into the bottom of the lower box, at the depth of around 25-40mm, pour a little more water into the box, at around 10mm depth. This way, the water will be pulled up through the capillary action of the perlite, and released into the micro-environment as tiny particles, creating the required humidity.

Place the fully spawned and cased/uncased fruiting tray/s into the lower box, raised off of the perlite by baby food jars. Thats what I've been recommended. One on each corner. This way the air can circulate under the tray and not cut down the available 'wet' surface area for humidity.

Hook up the air-pump with a timing of 15 minutes on every 2-3 hours, depending on ambient temps. See mushroom growth parameters

I have found that this timing clears the problem of CO2 buildup, while maintaining ample humidity. Although there is no exhaust outlet, the nature of the seal we have made will allow the gases to be exchanged between the chamber only when the positive pressure of the new-incoming air is pumped in. An exhaust hole can be made in the upper section of the upper box, near the thermometer, with a baggie taped over the hole.

Place upper box on top of the lower, forming the newly made seal, and thats it!! Leave the box alone for a few days, checking on the water level. Pinning should be initiated within a week (occasional misting may be used if needed, depending on casing makeup, I didn't use any). Fruits within two!! This chamber is suitable to spawn, pin, and fruit most species with minimal fuss. Heating is provided by ambient air temps, and light source is indirect sunlight, near a window. Both of these can be improved, by using an aquarium heater in a glass jar filled with water inside the sealed box, and adding a single 2 foot fluro light above the box, set at 12 on and 12 off. During spring and summer, there is no need to use heating. For optimal conditions, see mushroom growth parameters