Hi! I am new to mushroom cultivation and I am so excited about what I've got so far that I can't resist sharing these beautiful pictures of my mycelium growth. These were taken yesterday, exactly one week after inoculation.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3310/3242123273_9b775bc181.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/3242951290_d4aec19943.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3242949328_e12db9b7b6.jpg)
Now my main question: does this look right?? Also, is it ok to expose the jars to light like this for a minute or so a day to check them out?
I'm using a B+ strain. I sterilized jars in a normal pot with a lid for 90 min. I did all my work in front of a HEPA filter, I wore latex gloves, I swapped almost anything involved with rubbing alchohol, I flame-sterilized the needle between each jar. So far I can't identify anything in the jars that looks like a contaminant.
The speed of growth kind of took me by surprise. For the first few days, there was nothing and all of a sudden BAM! I was worried because my "incubator" is a foot-high wooden stool sitting between two space heaters but I guess the temperature range must be pretty right on.
Here are some additional questions:
I read to wait a week after full colonization to birth cakes. Is this just to let them pin? Should I birth as soon as pinning starts? Do I start exposing to light once the jars are fully colonized or a week after full colonization?
I'm planning on doing a dunk after birthing, can I dunk even if pins/mushroom heads have formed? This is all hypothetical of course, none of this has happened to my jars yet, just want to be prepared.
By the way I love these forums, I've been poring over them for the last two weeks and I've based everything I do off of what I read here. So thanks for giving me what I needed to know to get to see this beautiful mycelium! Hopefully nothing terrible will happen from here!
Where did you get your spores? I just did my first run of this and it's been almost 3 weeks and I have NOTHING like your growth! How warm do you think you've kept them?
Sorry...also, how many mls or ccs did u use per jar?
WOW....thoes look great to me. I always wait 2 to 5 days after the jar is fully white
before i dunk. as for pins, i have never had any pins in my jars. but i hear it is o.k. to dunk a cake that is pinning. BTW i don't know if it matters. but i lite shock my jars for 24 hr. before dunk. i just take and put the jars upside down under a lite.
I got my spores from sporeworks.com. Honestly, I don't remember how many ccs per jar... on the first jar, I was really nervous and I used way too much. My fiance stopped me and reminded me that I had to stretch it out and I barely made it... there was only enough left on the last jar to do one of the four holes. But they all have been colonizing as well as jar #1.
Can anyone tell the difference in potency from B+ strains to any others? I'm using them just because they have a reputation for being flexible regaring temp, etc. Should I be more bold with the next round? Can someone recommend a potent strain?
Oh an regarding how warm I've kept them- no idea! They are sitting between two space heaters. It's probably in the mid 60's in my bedroom, and the area that the jars are in are probably 10 degrees hotter. The jars feel pretty warm to the touch. It's hard to judge though, as it is in the middle of winter and my sense of warm temperature is greatly exaggerated!
incubation should be around 80 degrees...as for strain, two weeks ago i eat 2gs.of
B+ and they peeled my cap...lmao ^_^
"peeled my cap"...LOL!
I read that the Penis Envy strain is supposed to be very strong. I don't know from personal experience though.
I think I read somewhere that T. Mckenna started the Penis Envy strain. Not that it really matters at all, but it is interesting. Anyone confirm or deny?
so far so good.
Penis envy originates from South America/ Columbia.
PW
that looks great,
I'm about to start a batch of penis envy from hawkseye
I'll let you know how it turns out
redeye
The inside of my jars are starting to look pretty humid. How much is too much? There's a good bit of condensation. The jars are approaching full colonization and seem to be getting wetter. Is it too hot in there?
you tell us..temps?
PW
Hey man. Would u mind telling me EXACTLY what type/size/brand of vermiculite and brown rice flour you used? I have no idea if it makes a big difference or not, but your growth is just a million times better than what I have going on and I'm not sure what I can do to improve things next time. Thanks a bunch.
I used organic brown rice flour from the bulk section at a local food co-op. The vermiculite I used is pretty fine. It doesn't say anything on the bag about it being "medium fine" or "fine" or anything but I would guess it is probably "fine".
ok, i think i have my temp under control. It's hard to get it right since I'm just using space heaters in a very bumbling amateurish kind of way. What happens when mycelium gets over heated? Does it bruise or die or just stop growing? I mean what happens to it when it reaches temps of 90 and above? Can you see damage by looking at it?
Ive seen cakes shrink considerable from being over heated, other than that i dont know how to tell if they've been overheated. 104 degrees or above and mycelium will die.
Is it ok to stack my jars or will this keep the bottom ones from getting enough air circulation? I just stacked them because they get more even heat and I don't have to use two space heaters (it makes my room too hot). Is this ok-
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/243/3265029412_929fa17c11.jpg)
The one of the jars on the bottom is now getting sweaty enough that there is a tiny bit of water pooled on the bottom of the jar. Is that ok?
Thanks for all the help.
Is it ok to stack my jars or will this keep the bottom ones from getting enough air circulation?
-Yes, even thou the tins still on.
The one of the jars on the bottom is now getting sweaty enough that there is a tiny bit of water pooled on the bottom of the jar. Is that ok?
-Yes.
PW
OK here's what I've got, 25 days after innoculation. The other side of these jars are totally white, they look great, but these areas seems to be a little stalled, or just weak:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/3289076560_1549652777.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/3289074528_751359ce35.jpg)
Anything wrong? I know the PF tek website says that you should reach full colonization within 29 days, but I don't think I'm gonna get there that soon. I'm guessing that the definition of full colonization is when you can't see any substrate, yes?
Anything wrong?
-No.
I'm guessing that the definition of full colonization is when you can't see any substrate, yes?
-Yes.
Patience,
PW
ok, a couple of these jars are getting close. how long after full colonization can they stay in the jars? I ask because I will be out of town for most of the next two weeks. even my fullest jar won't be ready to be birthed until a week from now- would an extra week hurt it?
i'm getting excited!
i have read and read and read on these things and they say u should give it a week after 100% colonization to let the myc really get a hold on the substrate
i don't know how long they can stay in the jars until it starts to damage them sorry
but i know u have at least 2 weeks and u can slow the growth down if u put them in a refrigerator
Your jars will be fine if you leave them in the incubator. Ive left fully colonized jars for weeks and saw no difference when it was time to birth. If there PF-make sure their in the dark 24/7 cuz you don't want to trigger any pinning.
PW
I always wait at least a full week after the jars appear to be fully colonized. Like PW said just don't expose them to light and they should be OK.