# MUSHROOM GROWING 2020



## trahn008

My first grow of the year will be a oyster kit that the boy's got somewhere along the way last year!LOL.. I will follow the directions as written, and we'll see how it works out! LOL.... Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

100 percent guaranteed to grow! Right from the box!


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## trahn008

Having some trouble right from the start. Looks like the magic happen before the box was opened! Lol


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## trahn008

Step-1 Soak bag overnight in water.


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## trahn008

OK so I followed the direction on the box and knew it was going to fail! You have to cut the bag open so that fresh air will start the pinning procedure. I thought this might have been a magic bag that I've never seen before. I also didn't get the spray bottle with the kit, but I think I could come up with something. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

What I did, was take the substrate block out of the bag and dropped back into box, also cut a slot in box for fresh air. The cardboard should help with nutrients, and should see MYC jumping over in a day or so. Happy Growing!


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## wade

@trahn008 .. Howdy 
Wade here... growing something is very interesting.. i want to see how that and others turns out for ya...
Come Join us on our New !2020 Thread when you can..


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## theknowlesy

Do you guys use fertilizers?


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## wade

@theknowlesy @trahn008 trahn008 is the Man on that growing..
direct your corispondance directly to him.
i no Nothing about growing any Fungi..
sorry to have interrupt..the conversation.
I'll opt out now..
Happy Season good luck


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## trahn008

theknowlesy said:


> Do you guys use fertilizers?


 I don't use fertilizers with my mushroom grows. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

Update on the big pink oyster grow! We have some pinning happen!


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## sb

*Follow Up on Morel mycelium
*
I said I got morel mycelium growing numerous times but my follow up was poor and so it always ended up in the flower beds, usually past its' prime.

I had a Morel pop again in my back yard last spring in the same spot where 7 Morels grew 4 years prior.









I collected a spore print in a jelly jar. Later (Aug-thinking I'd innoculate a trench in Oct) I used it with a damp Q-tip, wiped it through the spores, then dabbed into cooked grass seed (no pressure cooker sterilization) numerous times.










It took and I either added more cooked grass seed on top after grow-out or took some out with a spoon and inoculated new mason jars of cooked grass seed. This has carried forward to the below pic yesterday.









Benign neglect in my dark 65 degree basement has done well. This is probably a 3-4 generation of grow-out now and still very vibrant. These are the best jars of morel mycelium I've experienced.

So . . . it looks like I need to get some into new grow jars and decide what to do with these before they start to lose their vibrancy.

Thinking of trying to cover some jars with a few inches of nutrient poor medium, let the mycelium grow into it for several weeks, hopefully getting some sclerotia there, wetting it, freezing it for a week and then thawing and seeing if they want to surprise "daddy" pretending it's springtime in Jan/Feb. Ha!

Trahn, how did you get that fully developed Morel from you mycelium. Did you sing to it?
Best to you this year and thanks for keeping this grow thread going.


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## trahn008

SB, I'm not a very good singer.. From my experience you don't have enough substrate for sclerotium formation (you would already have some forming on the edge of the glass, in that time frame). Yellows take a ton of nutrients. If it where me I would get all them jars filled to the top with grass seed. Once myc run is done I would get one of those throw away baking pans and pack spawn on bottom with at least 3 inches of moist verm. on top. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

SB, Excellent job by the way, getting a great looking spawn culture, using that method! Happy Growing!


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## sb

*Trahn - *Thanks for the reply. I think I'll try that. It sounds like an excellent plan.

What I did with the cook of the grass seed was to add a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar with the 4 dry cups of grass seed and 8-10 drops of a liquid trace mineral concentrate. It seemed that the mycelium flashed forth quickly (perhaps from eating the sugar, ha!) and then settled into a slower grow-out while working on the grass seed.


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## sb

Trahn - In your experience and opinion are Blacks easier to work with?


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## trahn008

sb said:


> Trahn - In your experience and opinion are Blacks easier to work with?


 Good question SB. From my experience the blacks are easier to get sclerotium formation than the yellows, but yellows are easier (NOT REALLY EASY) to fruit from sclerotia. One 8lb bag of grass seed substrate would yield 1 sometimes 2 yellow sclerotia. The blacks with those numbers would yield a dozen sometimes more. Happy Growing!


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## sb

*Tan Back-Yard 2019 Morel: Mycelium Grow-Out Continued.
*
Last night, cooked more grass seed, gently for 30 minutes, spread it on a cookie sheet for a few minutes to cool down and stop steaming.

Then I topped off 3 of the 4 jars from above.









The 4th jar, I decided to leave as is and monitor. I took a picture of the inside with side lighting from a flashlight and heightened the contrast of the image below.









There are at least 4 sclerota and 7-8 of the pre-sclerota gauzy mycelium balls on the top.

I forgot to list in my previous post that in the cook of the grass seed earlier, I also added some Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids. So, to the cook I used brown sugar, liquid trace mineral concentrate and liquid amino acids (soy protein predigested into its' component amino acids).

Interestingly, Trad Cotter in his book "Organic Mushroom Farming"said the the older gentleman who had on his own, perfected an outdoor trench Morel growing method said he added a "protein source" which he wouldn't divulge.

Last night, I went back into the Chinese patents of recent and found that the latest work is often in composing excellent nutritional base for the growth of the mycelium. . . . and Peptones were listed. Peptones are: "water-soluble compounds that form by hydrolysis in the digestion of proteins to amino acids". Well -- that would be Bragg's liquid aminos. Perhaps this is even more effective than adding soy meal which many use.

Below is the unaltered pic.


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## trahn008

SB, after your done watching that 4th jar add 3 inches of packed moist verm. then another layer of simmered grass seed until jar is full. Let sit for 14 days then take lid off and let it off. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

Update on pink oyster grow. Looks like mold is starting to win the battle! Happy Growing!


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## Barnacle

Hi everyone. I was listening to a podcast “Cal’s week in review” (episode 39 @ the 7 minute mark). It happens to be sponsored by STIHL chainsaws. It’s typically about conservation issues & hunting stuff, but a listener wrote in about something unusual he uses his chainsaw for. Apparently he uses a canola oil for his bar oil and mix’s oyster and shiitake spores into it. He then use’s it to cut down trees and states you have a good shot at growing some mushrooms. I have no idea if this is feasible but I love the idea of it!


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## trahn008

Got a small flush from the pink oyster grow. As always with these little kits that people sell, controlling RH is always a problem. Happy Growing!


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## morelsxs

trahn008 said:


> Having some trouble right from the start. Looks like the magic happen before the box was opened! Lol
> View attachment 23986


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## Tammy1713

I have also planted 2 morrel beds we shall see.... good luck to you


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## trahn008

King Oyster.


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## redfred

trahn008 said:


> View attachment 24706
> King Oyster.


Ok what is the story here??.. looks more like king bolete.... what the hell did you do Dr. Frankenshroom .....


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## trahn008

redfred said:


> Ok what is the story here??.. looks more like king bolete.... what the hell did you do Dr. Frankenshroom .....


 I didn't grow this one redfred. My uncle picked it up at an Asian market. I grew King Oysters before and never had them like this one. As you I am very interested on how they cultivated this one. Happy Growing!


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## Tool fan

Check out wtf on utube for king oysters you probably have already but I’m really into it rn


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## sb

*Relation of grain size to surface area* *that is available for mycellium to grow on.*

At first this will seem like an arcane topic, but it has to do with the success of growing mycellium.


If you take 1 cup of rice, wheat or grass seed, the surface area for the mycellium to grow on will be only fraction of what it would be if you use a smaller grain size.










If one considers a grain of rice to be a sphere 5 times bigger than a grain of Teff, the surface area within a cup would be 25 times greater!

This is a principle pf physics. Ten years ago, while researching a European patent on optimized growing mediums, they exhibeted 30 or so results which followed that principle. The smaller the particle size, the greater the surface area AND the greater the mass of mycelium upon grow out.

So . . . I think I'm going to substitute some Amaranth or Teff for grass seed and let some more Morel mycelium have a grow.

Maybe the greater mycelium mass would be more productive of sclerotia formation.

Wish me luck. . . . and I found that the cost of Amaranth or Teff is not going to be any more expensive that what I paid at Lowe's for a 7lb bag of uncoated grass seed! ($4/lb)


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## redfred

sb said:


> *Relation of grain size to surface area* *that is available for mycellium to grow on.*
> 
> At first this will seem like an arcane topic, but it has to do with the success of growing mycellium.
> 
> 
> If you take 1 cup of rice, wheat or grass seed, the surface area for the mycellium to grow on will be only fraction of what it would be if you use a smaller grain size.
> 
> View attachment 24716
> 
> 
> If one considers a grain of rice to be a sphere 5 times bigger than a grain of Teff, the surface area within a cup would be 25 times greater!
> 
> This is a principle pf physics. Ten years ago, while researching a European patent on optimized growing mediums, they exhibeted 30 or so results which followed that principle. The smaller the particle size, the greater the surface area AND the greater the mass of mycelium upon grow out.
> 
> So . . . I think I'm going to substitute some Amaranth or Teff for grass seed and let some more Morel mycelium have a grow.
> 
> Maybe the greater mycelium mass would be more productive of sclerotia formation.
> 
> Wish me luck. . . . and I found that the cost of Amaranth or Teff is not going to be any more expensive that what I paid at Lowe's for a 7lb bag of uncoated grass seed! ($4/lb)


You have me thinking about two things. 1 why is grass seed so expensive? 2 The importants of “whole grain “ for mycelium growth. Does this mean whole as in unrefined or whole as intact ? Back in my beer brewing days for the best mashing results you would mill the malted barley to a point where each grain was roughly in 3 or 4 pieces . So if there is no need to be intact would this help with your particle size? The real reason I’m thinking about this is they just opened yesterday a new brew pub near me and I’m wondering how soon I can get there.. I’m also thinking that the spent mash grain ( probably with no nutritional value left) would have any value to a mushroom grower the brewer would probably give it to you... good luck SB and how are those morel mycelium doing???


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## sb

redfred - update firstly, on the Morel mycelium follows.

This pic below was on 1-22-2020 just after I topped off the left 3 jars with cooked grass seed.









This pic below is from today, 2-23-2020, of the same jars. with the 3 on the left being the same ones newly filled above, also on the left.









The Morel mycelium has grown through the freshly added grass seed in the interviening 24 days. The jar on the right is the one I held off on and just topped it off with 3" of wet vermiculite. I'll add some cooked grass seed today or tomorrow as per trahn's suggestion, from above.

I have been keeping these in the basement where the temps are a dark and consistent 62 degrees F. Because none of this is/was a sterilized staging, I'm amazed that none of these jars have gotten compromised. I guess this shows that when conditions are right, the Morel mycelium can hold its' own against contaminents.

So, the grass seed was boiled for 30 minutes then spread out on a baking sheet - covered with parchment paper - until cool and then put into the jars right in the open air of my kitchen. Again: the cook of grass seed included for 4 cups of seed: 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 3 teaspoons of Bragg's Liquid Amino Acid and 2 teaspoons of liquid trace mineral concentrate. This was added to the cooking water.


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## wade

redfred said:


> You have me thinking about two things. 1 why is grass seed so expensive? 2 The importants of “whole grain “ for mycelium growth. Does this mean whole as in unrefined or whole as intact ? Back in my beer brewing days for the best mashing results you would mill the malted barley to a point where each grain was roughly in 3 or 4 pieces . So if there is no need to be intact would this help with your particle size? The real reason I’m thinking about this is they just opened yesterday a new brew pub near me and I’m wondering how soon I can get there.. I’m also thinking that the spent mash grain ( probably with no nutritional value left) would have any value to a mushroom grower the brewer would probably give it to you... good luck SB and how are those morel mycelium doing???


Hey i want to Visit that Brewery..let us know if it is Good.. @redfred


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## sb

Since for 3 years now, despite my best intentions, I've *not* gotten an outside trench, layering of Morel mycelium I thought I'd experiment and do a functional equivalent on a small scale.

I took a throw away aluminum baking pan and layered the cooked and nutritionally spiked grass seed on the bottom. Next, I added a layer of wet vermiculite. This is the nutritionally empty layer. Next I sprinkled the Morel mycelium/grass seed crumbles over the layer, Next I covered this with Peat for a protective layering.




















Morel Mycelium spread over the nutritionally poor layer. It is said that the dynamic is: the mycelium will go through the vermiculite into the high nutrition layer on the bottom and transport back into the nutritionally poor layer as sclerotia.



















I put this pan into a humidity control box below and on a shelf in an upstairs closet where the temperature is 7 degrees warmer than in the basement. The pan is of sufficient size that if it develops ok, I can later drench it with water, put it into the freezer for a freeze cycle and bring it out and see if it wants to grow some "Shroom's for Papa". Ha!


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## wade

Yall should Eventually get Stelthshroomer in your conversation he loves and has made lots of progress growing..
@Stelthshroomer @trahn008 @sb @redfred and Everyone


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## sb

redfred said:


> You have me thinking about the importants of “whole grain “ for mycelium growth. Does this mean whole as in unrefined or whole as intact ? Back in my beer brewing days for the best mashing results you would mill the malted barley to a point where each grain was roughly in 3 or 4 pieces . So if there is no need to be intact would this help with your particle size?


Rredfred: In my understanding there are two things going on here. Smaller particle size gives greater suface area for mycelium growth. Milling a whold grain would have the effect of making the nutrition more readily available.

Many techniques use, for instance, soy meal for nutritional addition -- and these would be of small particle size also.

As I was using whole grass seed, I added nutrition as itemized in the post above.


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## steelernation

Trahn, do you still have dried shiitakes? I tried calling, but the number was too old...

Either email me, or if you still have my #, it hasn't changed. I'd like to get a pound from you, if you have any.

Cheers!


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## Oliver Carlin

Has anyone tried growing the mushrooms by chopping off the bottom of the stem?


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## Oliver Carlin

trahn008 said:


> View attachment 24706
> King Oyster.


Wow! That huge.


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## trahn008

Oliver Carlin said:


> Has anyone tried growing the mushrooms by chopping off the bottom of the stem?


 Yes sir... it works.. butt stem spawn is what it's called.


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## steelernation

Trahn, do you still have dried shiitakes? I tried calling, but the number was too old...

Either email me, or if you still have my #, it hasn't changed. I'd like to get a pound from you, if you have any.

Cheers!


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## trahn008

Ryan, I don’t think I have a pound, but should when the spring flush comes.


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## steelernation

Okay, keep in touch. Hope you all are doing well!


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## redfred

Sb, have not heard from you in awhile.. I hope it’s because your basement is so full of morels you can’t get downstairs.....How is it going??.


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## DanCB

I started my first shiitake logs today and will be doing reishi tomorrow. Soon I'll be starting a wine cap bed. Does anyone think it would help or hurt to toss spent barley grain on the wine cap bed? I've used it for vegetable garden mulch successfully. I usually have about 25 pounds dry weight per month.


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## trahn008

Dan, any and all nutrients will be good to add to your beds at anytime. Happy Growing!


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## DanCB

trahn008 said:


> Dan, any and all nutrients will be good to add to your beds at anytime. Happy Growing!


Thanks for that. I have a friend who produces a great deal of saw dust in his normal activities. He suggested I pack the logs in sawdust because he says once it's wet it doesn't get dry enough to burn. Your thoughts....?


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## wade

I Will Hunt..!

We Will Hunt..!

I Will Hunt..!

We Will Hunt..!

We Will Hunt..!

We Will Hunt..!

I Will Hunt..!

and to Anyone and Everyone ..

You Should Alteady Know Better ..

** So Don't Even Try to Stop Me **

Get Your Stealth On Yall !!


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## Gibz

My shiitake logs did not fruit in the fall which was not totally unexpected. I did not water them over winter as there was plenty of rain and snow. I checked them today and sure enough there were a few growing out from the bottom of the logs that had settled into the ground and the most damp. The tops of the logs were drier because of the wind. But I could not see any pins on top. When I look at pictures of others the logs are stacked so air reaches all sides, yet the mushrooms appear to densely cover the tops of the logs. I rolled my logs over to get the damp sides up. Should I stack them or prop them up so all sides get air?


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## sb

redfred said:


> Sb, have not heard from you in awhile.. I hope it’s because your basement is so full of morels you can’t get downstairs.....How is it going??.


Hi redfred,

I'll do a "time 0" pic and a "today" pic.

"Time 0" Pic below: From the bottom up there is the cooked, nutritionally spiked grass seed, single layer of wet newspaper, wet vermiculite-or nutritionally poor layer, the spawn layer-you can see a few grains on top of the verm, and then a covering of peat moss.











"Today" pic (3-20) is below: The mycellium grew through the vermiculite, across the newspaper barrier and into the YUM spot - cooked nutritionally spiked grass seed.










Looking at the next two pics below, shows that the mycellium is happily expanding throughout the medium.



















This pan is 1 of 3. Another is in an aluminum baking pan and therefore a blind trial. the 3rd is in a deep, transparent plastic cake lid in the basement where the temps run 62-63 where the above deep, glass baking pan is on the upper shelf in an upstairs closet where the temp runs 69-70. All are in the dark right now.

SOOOO, now the thought is what to do with them after they have grown through the nutritive medium - and hopefully deposited sclerota in or atop the non nutrivite medium.

I was thinking about wetting, chilling/freezing, thawing and a warmer spot with increasing light.

Trahn - what ideas do you have?

Unfortunately -- this is going to ideally need attention just about the middle of the Morel Season here in Central OH.

Oh well, I'm still learning from it, regardless.


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## trahn008

DanCB said:


> Thanks for that. I have a friend who produces a great deal of saw dust in his normal activities. He suggested I pack the logs in sawdust because he says once it's wet it doesn't get dry enough to burn. Your thoughts....?


 Dan, let me back up my last post. I would not pack any thing around your shiitake logs, just stack them and let them go. I misread your post and thought you where making stropharia beds in which I would add any and all nutrients. I think if you pack to much stuff around your logs you will have mold issues. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

Gibz said:


> My shiitake logs did not fruit in the fall which was not totally unexpected. I did not water them over winter as there was plenty of rain and snow. I checked them today and sure enough there were a few growing out from the bottom of the logs that had settled into the ground and the most damp. The tops of the logs were drier because of the wind. But I could not see any pins on top. When I look at pictures of others the logs are stacked so air reaches all sides, yet the mushrooms appear to densely cover the tops of the logs. I rolled my logs over to get the damp sides up. Should I stack them or prop them up so all sides get air?


 Gibz, I'm a stacker and not very high maybe 3ft max. I've Been in CJ's shiitake forest and he stackes them higher (He has many hundreds more logs). Never noticed a difference in fruiting because of stacking height. I think the keys are fully colonized logs and shade. When I stack them I don't let them touch on the long sides and space about 4 inches apart just for harvesting purpose. Happy Growing!


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## DanCB

trahn008 said:


> Dan, let me back up my last post. I would not pack any thing around your shiitake logs, just stack them and let them go. I misread your post and thought you where making stropharia beds in which I would add any and all nutrients. I think if you pack to much stuff around your logs you will have mold issues. Happy Growing!


Thanks for the advice. I'm doing stropharia beds and shiitake logs.


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## trahn008

SB , It looks great! I would let it go until the white MYC starts dying off. MYC will start to get a rust color after it ages and that will tell you nutrients are being stored into sclerotia. Happy Growing!


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## Gibz

Gibz said:


> My shiitake logs did not fruit in the fall which was not totally unexpected. I did not water them over winter as there was plenty of rain and snow. I checked them today and sure enough there were a few growing out from the bottom of the logs that had settled into the ground and the most damp. The tops of the logs were drier because of the wind. But I could not see any pins on top. When I look at pictures of others the logs are stacked so air reaches all sides, yet the mushrooms appear to densely cover the tops of the logs. I rolled my logs over to get the damp sides up. Should I stack them or prop them up so all sides get air?





trahn008 said:


> Gibz, I'm a stacker and not very high maybe 3ft max. I've Been in CJ's shiitake forest and he stackes them higher (He has many hundreds more logs). Never noticed a difference in fruiting because of stacking height. I think the keys are fully colonized logs and shade. When I stack them I don't let them touch on the long sides and space about 4 inches apart just for harvesting purpose. Happy Growing!


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## Gibz

Trahn. Thanks. So you just keep the ground underneath damp and spray the logs?


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## trahn008

You could Gibz. I just let nature take it's course. If you only have accouple logs you can time the weather and do an overnight soak in a container and time your fruiting. Happy Growing!


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## beagleboy

I just removed a 6" tulip poplar tree from the edge of my yard and cut it into about 4' lengths. I am planning to inoculate it with oyster mushrooms. Should I wait until the log is dried out or do it right away?


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## trahn008

Beagle, wouldn’t hurt to let them sit for a month. We are right at the point where fluids are moving back up from the root system. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

Thanks Gibz checked my logs on Friday and found some shiitake fruiting.


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## beagleboy

trahn008 said:


> Beagle, wouldn’t hurt to let them sit for a month. We are right at the point where fluids are moving back up from the root system. Happy Growing!


Thanks trahn, should I keep them off the ground until then ( because of contamination) or wouldn't it matter?


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## trahn008

Yes stack them off the ground. Even better would be in a covered place if possible. Happy Growing!


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## beagleboy

trahn008 said:


> Yes stack them off the ground. Even better would be in a covered place if possible. Happy Growing!


Thanks trahn, will do.


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## trahn008

From last week. Only a handful. Happy Growing!


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## MiLilWinmil

I have grown mushrooms from kits many years in a row now. Oysters are the easiest but they can still be finicky. Some demand more light than others, while while want some fresh moving air. Pinks are happy very warm and humid and in a closed container. Blues and grays want cooler and fresh moving air. If you let the blocks dry out, put them in the dark for a week to let them rest. Then rehydrate and they will regrow. I have regrowth from the same kit for years. Oysters are pretty opportunistic and will grow in anything. I've used boiled card board and wheat germ and made additional grow habitats for them. This year I was going to try putting them in fresh birch logs.  happy growing!!


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## sb

Yesterday I got my first Black Morels here in Central OH in a spot that has produced every year since 2013 when I first found them there.
It is on the same brook that runs along my back property fence, but 1/2 mile away.

I want to grow mycelium from these and inoculate along my fence which is about 30 ft from the brook -- just like where I find the Blacks every year.








So, I placed 3 of the best specimens on aluminum foil over night with a bowl placed over them.










This morning -- no spore prints from any of the 4 Morels left overnight. (I moved each morel 2 inches toward the center below.)










Here are the 3 of them. *I guess they were not large enough?
*









The one in the glass jar, I'm going to try to get tissue from the inside of the cap today and use it to innoculate some cooked grass seed to see if I can get some mycelium running.

*Any comments anyone . . . observations?
*
Well . . . of course besides the obvious one* -- "Eat Them, Silly!!" . . .ha!*


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## sb

I rethought everything and decided to put the Morels back on the foil till tonight and see if they sporulate today. It was late afternoon when I harvested them yesterday and early evening when I put them on the covered aluminum foil. While no spores overnight -- I don't know if they sporulate on a daily cycle. Maybe they sporulate during the day?

Does anyone else know?


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## MiLilWinmil

sb said:


> I rethought everything and decided to put the Morels back on the foil till tonight and see if they sporulate today. It was late afternoon when I harvested them yesterday and early evening when I put them the covered aluminum foil. While no spores overnight -- I don't know if they sporulate on a daily cycle. Maybe they sporulate during the day?
> 
> Does anyone else know?


Most of what I have read-and I am by no means an expert- that they will spore any time. However, they like to be perpendicular to the earth. Cut mushrooms in baskets will bend so that their spore surfaces are pointed to the ground (not bending into the light like plants do). So maybe try to have them stand upright. I know the whole fold areas in the cap produce the spores, but they like to be perpendicular for better dispersion. Try that maybe? Let me know if it works!


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## steelernation

The easiest way I had yellows sporring, and completely by accident, was when I went to wash them under a little warm water. Poofed like crazy then. Maybe try that with one or two of your blacks.


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## trahn008

Sb, they will spore drop give them some time. Cover them with a clear glass bowel and put them out in the sun for an hr. they will drop. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

SB, also put dull side of foil pointing up when you put them out in the sun. Happy Growing!


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## sb

trahn008 said:


> Sb, they will spore drop give them some time. Cover them with a clear glass bowel and put them out in the sun for an hr. they will drop. Happy Growing!


trahn008 - Thanks for your insight. 

However I ate them all . . . yum . . . in a dinner and a breakfast. Ha!

I only gave them till that evening - My ultimatum was ignored -- Sporulate or get eaten!!

Knowing this and also having filled my belly twice with Morels, I can be more patient with my next picking--I left in the ground at least 6 that I found and in recollecting past years, I wouldn't be surprised for as many as I picked (23) to grow new.

I am going to let them get bigger though.


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## sb

*Not all Morels Sporulate??* I'm doing this as a separate post and idea and question.

I had read in one of my periodic reviews of Chinese patents on Morel cultivation techniques that - if I recall correctly - only 25% of Morels sporulate.

Coming from world-class Morel researchers this stopped me immediately because I don't recall anyone observing the same or opining on this subject.


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## trahn008

sb, that is interesting. All the morels that I’ve spored out worked, but they were a very small percentage that I’ve picked. Happy Growing!


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## trahn008

Now only if the sun would come back out. Happy Growing!


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## redfred

sb said:


> trahn008 - Thanks for your insight.
> 
> However I ate them all . . . yum . . . in a dinner and a breakfast. Ha!
> 
> I only gave them till that evening - My ultimatum was ignored -- Sporulate or get eaten!!
> 
> Knowing this and also having filled my belly twice with Morels, I can be more patient with my next picking--I left in the ground at least 6 that I found and in recollecting past years, I wouldn't be surprised for as many as I picked (23) to grow new.
> 
> I am going to let them get bigger though.


 Please don't tell me that the next study will be on morel spores ability to survive the human digestive system ....


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## morelsxs

Just saw this on another mushroom board and thought I'd share. I have no experience in growing my own but thought you might find it interesting. Just need to copy and paste.

api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/news/2010/4/100409-lightning-mushrooms-japan-harvest?fbclid=IwAR1ULO2AD3trMBmyvLsT6IW1BKi2IDNQDtDR2o5Y4nyjgxxhKgqYKrPGIkg

Had some great storms last night. Lookin' forward to tomorrows hunt.


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## sb

redfred said:


> Please don't tell me that the next study will be on morel spores ability to survive the human digestive system ....


Hey redfred! No Sh_t! . . . you figured that out on your own!! Ha!


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## trahn008

Well sb my spore drop failed also. I think the moisture was to high in the morel and didn't drop spores, next time foil and just morel out into the sun. Happy Growing!


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## redfred

sb said:


> Hey redfred! No Sh_t! . . . you figured that out on your own!! Ha!


I never think of anything on my own butt as one who yet to ingest a morel this season I would be more then willing to send a control sample .....Just need an address...............love the banter.......


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## MiLilWinmil

Despite the covid, my mushroom kits for this year have arrived. I have not bought from this place before, but everything looks good so far. Brown oyster, lions main, shiitake, and 3 white morel kits. Luck is not a dependable bedfellow, but a little extra help never hurts right? Lol... I plan on putting one in a second out door bed at home, one under an apple tree at my mom's farm, and one I'll tuck away in the woods somewhere. 2 years to see growth, so time shall tell. I'll post picks tomorrow after work. Unfortunately for me I'm "essential" and its been killing my hike time recently


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## sb

MiLilWinmil said:


> Despite the covid, my mushroom kits for this year have arrived. I have not bought from this place before, but everything looks good so far. Brown oyster, lions main, shiitake, and 3 white morel kits. Luck is not a dependable bedfellow, but a little extra help never hurts right? Lol... I plan on putting one in a second out door bed at home, one under an apple tree at my mom's farm, and one I'll tuck away in the woods somewhere. 2 years to see growth, so time shall tell. I'll post picks tomorrow after work. Unfortunately for me I'm "essential" and its been killing my hike time recently


. . .Love your ambition or inspiration or both. I'm more driven by inspiration nowadays. I regularly invest time and how that expresses varies.
Continue to share with us/others. The right attitude (in my opinion) is that every failure is one step closer to success. Many will not share their failures, but those steps are essential to success too and also helpful to others. Thanks for sharing.


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## MiLilWinmil

The shiitake is the nameless one on the left. These ones come with perforated bags to put over the grow medium to keep moisture in but slow air flow. I always grew mine in big plastic bins with fine cloth over top, like synthetic cheesecloth (fine fibers but not in a tight weave like a silk scarf would be). The pink oysters did perfect like this. It was to stuffy for my blue and gray oysters. So we will try these and I'll try to remember to post updates.


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## trahn008

Mi, is your morels on mulch or grain? My buddy hooked me up last week with two tubs of King Stropharia spawn which got planted in my chicken coop cleaning's from the winter. Also hooked me up with about 30 logs and 300 plugs of shitake. I have to get moving with wackin logs before the morels come on. Happy Growing!


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## MiLilWinmil

trahn008 said:


> Mi, is your morels on mulch or grain? My buddy hooked me up last week with two tubs of King Stropharia spawn which got planted in my chicken coop cleaning's from the winter. Also hooked me up with about 30 logs and 300 plugs of shitake. I have to get moving with wackin logs before the morels come on. Happy Growing!


Looks to be in a hardwood mulch medium. Tho when I do plant them I will probably put wheat germ in the ground with them. The kit instructions say to turn fresh kitchen scraps (comparables) directly in with the medium- 25%, actually. I guess they are hungry little critters. Good luck with your logs! They are very sustainable but I know they take time to get growing and set up. They will be well worth the wait.


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## trahn008

Yes, if only mulch they will be hungry. Used coffee grounds, cheap contractor mix grass seed , wheat germ etc. If your going to use anything that will germinate you should simmer it in some water first. Happy Growing!


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## sb

sb said:


> trahn008 - Thanks for your insight.
> 
> However I ate them all . . . yum . . . in a dinner and a breakfast. Ha!
> 
> I can be more patient with my next picking--I left in the ground at least 6 that I found and in recollecting past years, I wouldn't be surprised for as many as I picked (23) to grow new.
> 
> I am going to let them get bigger though.


Here I am-- a week later and 35 morels today (Uh, and 1 Easter egg!), I did get more than last week.










So, here we go again for spore prints. Three good specimins (below) laid out on alumininum foil.









Covererd-below. We'll see what time brings . . . in terms of spore prints . . .


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## sb

Having eaten my filll of Morels a couple of times . . . perhaps I can be more patient this time . . . in trying to get some spore prints.


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## sb

Well, I found enough to stuff my belly and be patient -- leaving 3 on the foil for 30 hrs. I was rewarded with 3 spore prints of Black Morels. 

Not much to look at -- but holding promising potential for getting some of these transplanted into my own back yard, a mere 1/2 mile from where I find them along the same creek.


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## trahn008

Wack-a-mole time!


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## trahn008

Black morel bed. Wood ash in a drainage no host tree in site. Butt spawn from morels.


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## MiLilWinmil

Went to bed last night to a few primordia that I cut a bigger hole for. Woke up to these monsters.


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## MiLilWinmil

After taking some spore prints, I thought I'd try the "slurry" method I'd read about and saw a few times last year. I soaked the mushrooms in slightly salty distilled water. I then cleaned the mushrooms as I would for cooking: I cut off the stems and cut the wind/chill burnt pieces off. I put the stems and burnt pieces in my blender with just a little of the distilled water mixture and some light brown sugar (I don't have sulpher free molasses). I blended this together. Just enough to chop the mushrooms and froth the liquid, not enough to lyse the cells or spores. I will let this sit on my counter for a few hours, shaking occasionally to keep the liquid aerated to prevent bacterial growth. I'll spread this on my first mushroom bed I built last year. I tried to seed the bed last year from mushrooms I found in the same spot I found them this year. A little extra of their younger siblings can't hurt


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## PickinFungi

Few shiitakes. I only tried with 3 small logs - oak. I'm hooked now and definitely have to increase in scale. Being close to the city it's hard to get fresh wood. What other tree varieties will work best please?


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## trahn008

Oak is the best they last the longest. This site will not let me post a link to the site! But if you google Field and Forest Products on the web site go to the learn link then click on logs. They have a cart that will guide you in what logs will work. Happy Growing!


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## PickinFungi

First wine caps this year.


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## Jeffrey1findum

Hi everyone, i absolutely love this site so much good information going on. I was wondering what you would recommend for a newbie to try and grow mushrooms for the first time. I'm cheap and don't want to spend a lot of money but i do love all kinds of shroomies.


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## trahn008

Jeffrey1findum said:


> Hi everyone, i absolutely love this site so much good information going on. I was wondering what you would recommend for a newbie to try and grow mushrooms for the first time. I'm cheap and don't want to spend a lot of money but i do love all kinds of shroomies.


 Oysters


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## Jeffrey1findum

Any good ideas on how to start growing oysters like where to buy starter or help full websites to get me going. i seen they have the little bag kits but i was thinking maybe a 5 gal bucket or two i really love mushrooms and wouldn't mind growing some extra to give my parents.


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## trahn008

Easy way would buy the bags and use them to expand onto straw. Use the 5gal buckets with holes drilled. What I do is boil water and pack coolers with straw, once water starts boiling pour into coolers. Let sit for 1hr drain and pack into buckets with spawn bags. I cover my buckets until I start seeing pinning. Then buckets go outside in a shaded area with the right weather conditions. Happy Growing!


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## Jeffrey1findum

thanks for the tips now i just need to get some bags


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## PickinFungi

Shiitakes took off this week. Not too bad for 2 small logs.


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## trahn008

That's a nice yield for two small logs. Happy Growing!


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## PickinFungi

Second flush of wine caps - almost a month after the first. I hope it goes like this every month! My friend has never had fresh mushrooms like this so will give him some along with a couple of my dried cayennes to make them more yummier gooder!


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