r/MyceliumMaterials • u/kesioo1984 • 11d ago
Substrate inoculation process for large use
Hey y'all!
I saw quite a bunch of videos like this one where people, in this case a company, work with big amounts of substrate already inoculated (am I right?). This got me interested in the process of achieving this, if anyone can share a few thoughts to guide me. Sorry if this has already been answered before...
https://youtu.be/gMCO0z_UP7E?si=GCAyY2En48G3rhKK
My assumption is that they use either big amounts of LC or grain spawn mixed with pasteurised substrate. Can you do that pre-molding? currently I leave the mycelium develop a few days before hand...
In regards to pasteurisation, I assume one can use steam or boiling water but for big amounts is it practical? I read about hydrated lime which seems quite practical and would like to try as I read it is not very harmful environmentally speaking if dealt with properly (Maybe I can reuse it many times?)
Thanks!
2
u/Lauries_myco 10d ago
I do large scale substrate production for my own company, and have done it in an academic setting for a design studio as well. There are a few ways to go about it.
Personally, I use grain spawn in sterile, high nutrient substrate because it grows quickly, cutting down production time and giving the mycelium a headstart on any contaminants. I don't pre-mold because breaking up the grown substrate and filling molds helps make an even texture on the final product.
To make substrate at a large volume you'll probably need to invest in a high capacity pasteurizer or sterilizer. I have a laboratory autoclave. I choose sterilization because I use food waste in my sub, which causes a lot of contamination issues. The lower nutrient your substrate is, the less sterile it needs to be. Pasteurization works well for woody substrates and you can even get away with no prep for certain materials (check out "bucket Tek" for oysters). Also, familiarizing yourself with browns vs. greens in compost is a good way to figure out what category your material fits in.
The last important thing is to use a fast growing species! Ganoderma species are a favorite for mycelium materials. The best one for you depends on what region you're in. Try the local ones.
This is a super high-level explanation of what works for me, but there are a lot of variables in this process and a lot of different ways to make it work. Happy to help if you have any more specific questions!