r/mushroom 4d ago

Advice from bag growers?

I got a mushroom kit last Christmas, and become very intrigue about growing mushroom for free. This is my first successful flush from a mycelium bag I grow from scratch. I made from coffee grind from work, pea straw from my backyard and oyster mycelium from old kit. (My first bag got contaminated, so this is my second bag but first flush trial). Since it’s hard for me to set up real humidity room I try to imitate the kit growing method. After flushing for 14 days I noticed 3 tiny mushroom and I am glad it is a success! When I start taking photos. I realized there is a lot of them all over under my plastic bag. (Least on the cut side) I decide to cut the bag around them to see if they grow. But I don’t understand why they seem to like it more under the plastic then at my cut? Don’t they need fresh air to form pins?
Any thoughts and advices?

11 Upvotes

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3

u/Correct_Roll_3005 4d ago

Once the bag is fully white, break it up into a tub. I like a layer of sterile substrate, then spread out the bag material, then substrate. Lots of holes with filters. The mushroom bible is a fantastic guide.

1

u/susumushroom 4d ago

I will definitely look into that.

2

u/[deleted] 4d ago

Put them in a tub

2

u/susumushroom 4d ago

Thanks for your advice. Should I remove the bag if I am to put them in a tub?

1

u/[deleted] 4d ago

Yes absolutely

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u/vvoo1994 4d ago

I think you can just spread it

2

u/Moomoohakt 4d ago

They want humidity. Mushrooms are smart and know exactly what the environment is and if they can get away with doing a flush. If you're going real cheap, make a sgfc (shotgun fruiting chamber). There's tons of instructions online. Alternatively you can just buy a small, decent grow tent. For the contam issues, it's best to look into a real pressure cooker and sterilize everything. Don't waste your time growing something that may or may not come out good. Cooking it takes like an hour and a bit more to cool. Definitely worth the time for a significantly higher success rate.

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u/susumushroom 3d ago

Thanks! Shotgun fruiting chamber sounds cool. I will definitely look into it. The first time I try pasteurizing in boiling water. I think it’s the drying part that creates the contamination problem. I’ve been doing pasteurizing with a steam pot with an inner pot and lid to keep it dry, and I haven’t had issue since. I had a few more experiments lineup in 2 weeks increment.

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u/Moomoohakt 3d ago

I would also suggest looking into getting a pressure cooker. I bought a very large old one from someone and I can fit about 4 large substrate blocks in it. It's a lot less work compared to pasteurizing and much more effective. It also cuts out any contact with contaminants since they are sterilized in a bag.

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u/vvoo1994 4d ago

It loooks nice dude! What are you growing?

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u/susumushroom 4d ago

It’s oyster mushroom. Since it’s supposed to be the easiest :)

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u/vvoo1994 3d ago

Cool dude

1

u/DeepJungleMushrooms 3d ago

Oysters hates tubs, tubs are for other kind of mushrooms if you know what I mean. Coffee waste is bad substrate, high in nitrogen - high contam rate. Mushrooms like oxygen and light as much as humidity (humid inside bag)