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how to use substrate in mushroom cultivation

Spawning is the process of mixing fully colonized grain (like the red milo grain bag you inoculated) with a bulk substrate to produce a large quantity of mushrooms. The substrate provides the nutrients and environment necessary for the mycelium to produce fruit bodies (mushrooms). Here are the detailed instructions on how to spawn:

Materials Needed:

- Fully colonized grain bag
- Bulk substrate (such as a mix of coco coir, vermiculite, and gypsum)
- Sterile spawn bags or a fruiting container (like a monotub)
- Sterile gloves
- Face mask
- 70% Isopropyl alcohol (for sterilization)
- Clean workspace

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Workspace: Clean your workspace thoroughly, including any surfaces and tools you'll use. As with inoculation, mushroom cultivation requires a clean environment to prevent contamination.

2. Personal Hygiene: Wash your hands and wear a face mask. Put on your sterile gloves.

3. Prepare Substrate: Depending on the type of substrate you're using, preparation might involve hydration and pasteurization to kill potential contaminants. For example, a common substrate like coco coir/vermiculite/gypsum can be prepared by mixing it with boiling water and letting it cool to room temperature in a sealed container.

4. Break Up Colonized Grains: Break up the fully colonized grains in the bag by gently massaging it. This will allow you to mix the grains more evenly with the substrate.

5. Layering: In your fruiting container or sterile spawn bag, start with a thin layer of substrate at the bottom, then a layer of your colonized grains, then more substrate, and so on. The top layer should be substrate. This layering method helps distribute the mycelium throughout the substrate.

6. Incubation: After the grains and substrate are mixed, the container is usually covered and left in a warm, dark place (75-80°F or 24-27°C) for a week or two. This allows the mycelium to colonize the new substrate.

7. Fruiting: Once the substrate is fully colonized, conditions are changed to initiate fruiting. This usually involves introducing fresh air, reducing temperatures slightly, and providing light.

8. Monitor: Over the next week or two, you should start to see the first signs of mushrooms forming. They'll start as tiny white bumps, then gradually grow into mature mushrooms. Once the caps of the mushrooms start to flatten and open, they're usually ready to harvest.

Remember, the key to successful mushroom cultivation is maintaining a clean and controlled environment. Any deviation from this can result in contamination and failure of your mushroom culture. It's also important to note that different species of mushrooms may require slightly different conditions for optimal growth. Always refer to species-specific instructions when cultivating a new type of mushroom.

 

Myco Junkies collection of Manure Mushroom Substrates
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