do u have any pics???

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I smoke two joints before I smoke two joints and then I smoke two more.

Very true videoman. I dont plan on introducing light until at least another week possibly two.

Not suprisingly, yes mushrooms are as easy as inoculating a bag of chex mix. Contamination is also a huge worry. Many common molds and fungi such as the dreaded cobweb mold (which is actually a fungus its self) prey on mushroom mycelium.

This having been said Im pretty sure you can take most of those contamination controls and throw them out the window because in the end most of the sterilization methods are nothing more than a waste of time.

All you need is hot water and antibacterial soap to sterilize a container for propagation. I personally use a powdered food services sanitizer I use for cleaning by homebrew carboys. and you may want to wash or boil your substrate before inoculating I didnt but I like doing things wrong and making them work. And take a shower because if anything is going to contaminate your mushies i can say with 99% certainty it was probably you.

There are many teks for growing mushrooms I decided to try it old school. I basically made a compost heap in a container and threw some dried spores in there tightened plastic wrap over the top and put pinholes in it for better air exchange. Most teks will tell you not to do this because when the mycelium is growing it needs very little air and the holes do add a greater chance of contamination (This is why I keep them in a still air enviornment) ie. my desk drawer.


Pictures coming soon. You guys are gonna laugh at the ghetto'ness

This video should have some useful tips and info for you:
Mushroom Growing Made Easy - Google Video

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I saw that video the other day actually. I found it informative but it only shows the preferred method of cultivation. These were just some bag spores so I wanted to try a bit of a dirty grow to see how strong the strain is. From what I hear cubensis are tough. and I just need one cap to get more spores than I began with.

Good luck dude, I've had one success with shrooms, and about 4 failures! So go figure that one out. I also bought a kit too. Complete with the humidity addition. It's kinda cool, but I've put it on hold for now, maybe in a month or so, I'll try again. I did however "plant" somne myc outside last fall, I can't wait to see if it works.
This is what I bought.....

wow thats a snazzy little grower lol. My room is temperature controlled already in the right range for the ladies and the pinholes in the plastic wrap seem to make the terrariums rain with humidity.

Looking at my substrate ingredients does anyone see something that might be inhibiting the mold?

I've had a few speculations. One is the soil that is mixed in. Fungus has a much easier time penetrating soil than mold. also the corn smells as though it might be minorly fermenting perhaps from wild yeast that may have been on the kernels. I know trace amounts of alcohol can also serve to inhibit mold growth.

Anyways I'm not out of the woods yet the mat hasn't taken over all of the substrate and probably wont for anther week.

pics:

i was jokeing, but that's ok. i shoulda added a smily.

I am pretty sure these will contaminate but nothing says i cant try to get a cap to make more spores I really wanted to use a lot more than i did.

Heres the newest pic of the tupperware. the 2-litre is growing back from a healthy stir.



definitely fungus