Hello. I just started my first growing attempt. I have used the PF method and followed it to the T (but I did use a regular pot with lid for 90 minutes instead of the pressure cooker for sterilization). I innoculated 3 jars with 2ml of the B+ strain each. I innoculated 3 other jars with 2ml of the PF Classic strain each. I got my spores from the Hawk's Eye. I have kept the jars at around 81 degrees for 9 days and I can't see any visible growth, except for one jar, which has a dime-sized white cottony sunburst on the side of the jar. Question 1: does that sound like mycelium? Question 2: shouldn't I see growth in the other 5 jars by now? Thanks!!!!
1. Yes the white cottony stuff is mycelium
2. You could see growth by now but not neccesarily.
Just Be patient. The steam sterilization is just fine for pf tek.
81 might be a little warm always remember that it is 4 degrees warmer in ur jars. I also only use .5 ml per hole so that makes 1ml per jar. Unless I didnt get what u were saying. Also for the cheap ass price build an incubator makes a big difference I think.
I have had a jar take up to a month to see growth so be patient and I do agree with everyone else the white fuzziness is myc. Would be nice to see pics. But in this hobby beside sterilization patience is a big part of it.
FT (1,2,3,4&5)
"FT (1,2,3,4&5)
hahahaha poor FT
PW
Thanks for your replies guys. Yes, I do have an incubator and I've brought the temperature inside it to 80 degrees. The one jar with growth is moving along nicely and now another has started to show growth. Still 4 with nothing though and it's been 16days.
Patience.
How many cc's per jar did u innoc?
PW
+/- 2ccs per jar
i use the steam method myself. my jars have almost always taken a solid month or more before it's time to birth, and there are always some that are ready way before the rest. but the fact that you can see mycelium growing in one is a good sign. patience. when it's time, they'll fruit faster than you can trip.
Thanks for the encouragement! I think I read on the PF Tek method that you should see signs of growth in 3 - 5 days, so I've had that in my mind all along. But it seems now that weeks or even a month or more is not uncommon.
3 to 5 days is the norm.. if you do not see cotten looking fuzz in about 14 days more than likely there is a problem. i have come across this before. 2 things, sub is packed to tight or syringe weak or bad. these are two porblems i had in the past..
and the longer they go the more chance of contams..
Thanks. I've got 2 other strains that I haven't tried yet, so I might innoculate some more jars and see if those do any better.
one more thought, i have a bad habit of forgetting to shake my syringe and i believe that also caused porblems for me. so don't forget to shake and tap on the syringe..
Okay...thanks. I checked my incubator and the 2 that are growing are from the same syringe of PF Classic (2 of 3 are growing). The 3 that were done with B+ are all NOT growing. So maybe it was that the spores weren't viable. I think I'm going to sterilize and innoculate 2 more jars tonight with the remainder of the spore solution from the PF syringe (I only used 6 of 10 ml so far). I still have unused syringes of a Mexican strain and of Penis Envy too.
great, good luck and keep us posted. we want to see pics of 1st flush when you get there..
Okay, so I just innoculated 2 new jars with the Mazatapec strain. The syringe looked to be chock full of spores. I'm kinda bummed b/c I saw jabwemet's post with incredible growth after just 1 week! Hopefully these 2 jars will do better than the last ones!
The 2 new jars of mazapatec are both showing growth after 1 week. I'm very happy about this! I wonder if the fact that I did not buy "organic" brown rice flour has anything to do with my slow growth. I've seen several posts that say it is important, so I will use that next time.
Inorganic foods, flour for example contains preservatives "sulfites" that are used to ward off microbial growth. Nextime get organix.
PW
I'm sterilizing a new jar right now...just 1, and the only things I've changed is I'm using ORGANIC BRF this time, and my ratio of vermiculite to BRF is 1 cup to 1/3 cup. I'm going to use the same spore syringe I used for my last 2, which are showing growth, albeit slow. Let's see....
I hope you diddn't pack the mix in there, the more airy the better.
PW
Nope...no packing. Just spooned it in from the mixing bowl and dropped it spoonful by spoonful into the jar.