Proper handling of Mycellium query....

donniemcm · Jun 21, 2012

So I had a fully colonized bag of ryeberry spawn that I just divided among 2 pre-sterilized compost bags... Sterile conditions as best I could. My question is, is the likelihood of contamination at this point reduced at all? I was a nervous wreck doing this so I'm hoping that my chances are at least somewhat decent that I didnt just contaminate my project?!? Any words of wisdom as always GREATLY appreciated!!

morfin56 · Jun 21, 2012

Why didn't you ask on mycotopia?
I noticed you made an account.

If the bag was fully colonized and the compost bag was sterilized then you will most likely have good results.
Is the compost hydrated?

Good luck.

donniemcm · Jun 21, 2012

Honestly I'm trying to spread my questions out a bit there...lol. They have been very kind but I dont want to wear out my welcome by asking a million newbie questions... so I figured I'd touch base here...besides, I trust your opinion as much as anybodys morfin...

Here's a link for the bags I bought... I think I'm good to go... also have sterilized casing soil ready and waiting if I decide to case for the first flush..(should I be lucky enough to get to that point)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/170657431279?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

canndo · Jun 21, 2012

How did you do the transfer? under what conditions? how "knitted" was your mycelium before you made the tranfer?

donniemcm · Jun 21, 2012

well, I did it in the kitchen after major sterilization... lysol and 70% alcohol... sterilized a clear plastic bag in the nuker... it was on a roll so probably sterile anyway..... and then did my work inside of the bag as was suggested as a makeshift "glovebox" on mycotopia... hands were gloved... everything I touched was rubbed with the alcohol...including my arms... wore a mask...lol!! Felt like I was ready to do open heart surgery

It was a 1lb fully colonized ryeberry bag which I broke up gently and then distributed it evenly between the 2 one pound bags of compost... I then sealed the bags with paper clips and mixed it up gently... and then back into incubation...
Hoping this is at least SOMEWHAT the way I should have gone about things~
As far as knitting... I'm not familiar with the term but it was a SOLID block of mycellium... I let it go another 4 days after I considered it "fully" colonized.... very nice earthy smell... no sign of contams... SO FAR anyway

canndo · Jun 21, 2012

The more you touch the mycelium the worse your chances. A G2G is best performed before a laf hood, as individual grains are poured from one jar or bag to another. Second best in a glove box, your handling the stuff is really not a good idea, nor did you need to use half a pound of spawn in a g2g situation, just a few grains is plenty in a pound. The fact that it was solid is a problem as well, mycelium (the several sorts that knit) do not recover well after they have done so.

the good news is that you will know very quickly. What you have done is restarted the race. the mycelium has been equalized with any contamination you may have inadvertantly put into the grain. My guess is mucor will get you - it is a slightly yellow slime that makes the grains look greasy - and it smells of rotten fruit. But you can also have been lucky. Next time don't wait, you want to use FRESH spawn.

donniemcm · Jun 21, 2012

canndo said:
The more you touch the mycelium the worse your chances. A G2G is best performed before a laf hood, as individual grains are poured from one jar or bag to another. Second best in a glove box, your handling the stuff is really not a good idea, nor did you need to use half a pound of spawn in a g2g situation, just a few grains is plenty in a pound. The fact that it was solid is a problem as well, mycelium (the several sorts that knit) do not recover well after they have done so.

the good news is that you will know very quickly. What you have done is restarted the race. the mycelium has been equalized with any contamination you may have inadvertantly put into the grain. My guess is mucor will get you - it is a slightly yellow slime that makes the grains look greasy - and it smells of rotten fruit. But you can also have been lucky. Next time don't wait, you want to use FRESH spawn.

I never actually touched the mycellium... just poured it from bag to bag in the "glovebox".... and as far as it being fresh I was under the impression that it's a good idea to let it go a few days extra to make sure the center is fully colonized

Once again.... I'm nervous... I did things the way I was told to do after chatting with a few folks.... the STRESS never ends with mushrooms!!!! lol~

morfin56 · Jun 21, 2012

Canndo, he didn't G2G.
He spawned to a bag of compost.

I bet both bags turn out fine.

donniemcm · Jun 21, 2012

morfin56 said:
Canndo, he didn't G2G.
He spawned to a bag of compost.

I bet both bags turn out fine.

Hope so my friend.... trying hard to do things the "right" way.... problem with mycology is... there are SO many variations!!!! the more I read and gather information...the MORE confused I get!!!! lol~

mojoganjaman · Jun 21, 2012

donniemcm said:
I never actually touched the mycellium... just poured it from bag to bag in the "glovebox".... and as far as it being fresh I was under the impression that it's a good idea to let it go a few days extra to make sure the center is fully colonized
Once again.... I'm nervous... I did things the way I was told to do after chatting with a few folks.... the STRESS never ends with mushrooms!!!! lol~

if this lil' bump is stressing you, you'll be a freakin' wreck by your 20th grow...this ain't brain surgery, the shit grows itself if ya let it...you will learn patience in this game...or you will fail...just my .02

donniemcm · Jun 21, 2012

mojoganjaman said:
if this lil' bump is stressing you, you'll be a freakin' wreck by your 20th grow...this ain't brain surgery, the shit grows itself if ya let it...you will learn patience in this game...or you will fail...just my .02

I completely agree mojo... I know I'm overthinking things... but the unknown and unexplored often does that to people.... once I get a successful grow under my belt I'm sure I'll feel more confident about things... I just have NO idea what to expect at any given point throughout this... ya know???

mojoganjaman · Jun 21, 2012

donniemcm said:
I completely agree mojo... I know I'm overthinking things... but the unknown and unexplored often does that to people.... once I get a successful grow under my belt I'm sure I'll feel more confident about things... I just have NO idea what to expect at any given point throughout this... ya know???

true enough...we all get a tad tight on the first go of almost anything...just keep reading and use the search function on any sites you visit...good growing!!!

canndo · Jun 22, 2012

morfin56 said:
Canndo, he didn't G2G.
He spawned to a bag of compost.

I bet both bags turn out fine.

Ah HA! I presumed something when it was right there in front of me - yes, it is likely that you will be fine, in fact it is very likely as you are going from sterile to pasteurized - works most times. Relax.

canndo · Jun 22, 2012

donniemcm said:
I never actually touched the mycellium... just poured it from bag to bag in the "glovebox".... and as far as it being fresh I was under the impression that it's a good idea to let it go a few days extra to make sure the center is fully colonized
Once again.... I'm nervous... I did things the way I was told to do after chatting with a few folks.... the STRESS never ends with mushrooms!!!! lol~

Ok, when you use grain, you should shake the grain, when you shake the grain, all the kernels are exposed inside and out, you needn't wait for full colonization after you see colonization. Yes, mycology is stressful because you can't see the immediate results of your mistakes - keep at it and relax a bit, the hardest parts are behind you.

canndo · Jun 22, 2012

By the way, when I spawn to compost or straw with shaggys or oyster I do it outside in front of God and every microscopic organism known, no gloves, no glovebox, nothing but freshly washed hands. my grows are about 90 percent successful. the reason for this is that you have set up a safeguard in that you pasteurized your substrate, you let only the benificial and augmenting things survive and killed the rest. You have a week to two week safe window where in most cases the only thing that will grow is your target mycelium.

morfin56 · Jun 22, 2012

canndo said:
Ah HA! I presumed something when it was right there in front of me - yes, it is likely that you will be fine, in fact it is very likely as you are going from sterile to pasteurized - works most times. Relax.

I knew you'd come to your senses!

I finally got my G2G done.
1 Spoonful for each of the 4 jars and the rest of the spawn went towards a tray.

What I ended up doing was mixing 50:50 with verm(in the glovebox) then I closed that up and let it incubate for a few days to patch its self up.
Then last night I did a casing of 2 parts coir, 1 part verm, and 1 part casing soil.
The casing was pasteurized for an hour and a half.

canndo · Jun 22, 2012

morfin56 said:
I knew you'd come to your senses!

I finally got my G2G done.
1 Spoonful for each of the 4 jars and the rest of the spawn went towards a tray.

What I ended up doing was mixing 50:50 with verm(in the glovebox) then I closed that up and let it incubate for a few days to patch its self up.
Then last night I did a casing of 2 parts coir, 1 part verm, and 1 part casing soil.
The casing was pasteurized for an hour and a half.

don't let it overlay, orchestate your pin and you will be rewarded.

donniemcm · Jun 22, 2012

GOOD NEWS~ so far anyway!!
took a peek tonight and both bags seem to be recovering like champs!!!
when they went back into incubation yesterday all you could see was brown compost

canndo · Jun 23, 2012

Get that puppy into darkness pretty soon now, and you are going to case with what?

stonestare · Jun 23, 2012

The grain to grain that was mentioned if you had another bag of rye berries you could of took a couple tablespoons of your colinized berries put them in the sterile bag and then done your mix as you did quite well. That way its a perpetiual harvest you will not need to buy that spore again IF you keep the rotation going.You are on your way to enjoying some goodness and sit back and relax because now your research is starting to enable you to have a good harvest.Good vibes and enjoy the fruits of your labor!!! There is a sickness to this because before you know if you have 5 mono tubs going and your dehydrator is going non stop LOL

Proper handling of Mycellium query....

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