My mycological experiment (Pleurotus ostreatus) = LEGAL :)

[krash]

A bit off topic but as some of you know I am the resident mycologist (professional study of mushrooms, molds and fungus in general) OK, BEFORE YOU EVEN ASK~ These are "Pleurotus ostreatus" (blue oyster mushrooms) AND 100% LEGAL!

So here is a little experiment I been conducting using a relatively contaminate free system usually used for psychedelic mushrooms but that's, of course, NOT what I'm growing but rather I decided on some gourmet mushrooms. (shiitake mushrooms & Pleurotus ostreatus). Anyway this has whats been keeping me busy lately

A little primer on mushrooms. The actual mushroom you see sprouting up in your yard (or garden) are only the "fruits" or more accurately the reproductive organ that holds and releases it's spores to re-propagate it's species. The whit stuff in the media jars are healthy actual mushroom body called mycelium and it's a tricky business to get them to grow in laboratory conditions. So now that you know a little bit about how the mushroom operates here are my home cultivated mushrooms.

I'm using a very "simple" technique to propagate these and was originally developed in the 1970's to grow the "magic mushroom" but works quite well for other species as well. OK now onto the pics!

My makeshift autoclave (PRESTO pressure cooker)




all the jars ready to be sterilized:
(Also, in case you was wondering those red dots on the caps are self healing/sealing injection ports to allow me to inoculate the substrate without contaminating the jars.)





The jars with the nutrients and soil on which the mycelium will grow and feed from:

[krash]

OK now fast forward a month- These have cooled and innoculated with a spore syringe (that I made from a mushroom from the grocery store {They work quite well actually!})

The mycelium is taking off! Those RED and PURPLE circles was where the wife and I first noticed the initial mycelial  growth and so we circled them to check on their progress...obviously the progressed quite aggressivly!


This is how they initially start out. Just a little white fuzzy spot hence the marker:




A beautifully partially colonized jar:

[krash]

a few more taking off quite aggressively!






look at the rhizomes on these babies!!




These are in my fruiting chamber from the last grow I done about 15 years ago:




These is what I harvested from that single atrium, the cakes and terrarium must be kept at 100% humidly:
{This picture below is over 15+ years old.}

[Craig]

Goodness, now this is pretty interesting!

[krash]

Sept 21, 2014 3:08:42 GMT -5 Craig said:

Goodness, now this is pretty interesting!

Fascinating is more like it but believe it or not most of these "do it at home techniques" were developed to grow the psychedelic kind which I DO NOT condone! But the methods can be used for almost any dung-loving mushroom (like pizza mushrooms)  but of course we do not use manure and use a mixture of Brown Rice flour (Organic) and Vermiculite. It has the same nutrients as the manure but of course much more kitchen/lab friendly. I went to Penn State university to be a mycologist and although it's not my main field anymore I still enjoy growing them. I love a fresh portabella, oyster or shiitake mushroom and they're so much better tasting then the store bought! I thought you might like to see what I do for fun when my stamp budget is low~  Respectfully and sincerely -Jeff


I use a more sterile method because I own a laminar flow hood and lab equipment; These images are from a text book I have to show the sterility involved.

[kacyds]

You always amaze me Jay. Great information here!!!!

[krash]

Thanks...I was bored one evening so I figured why not? My daughter was bored out if her ever lovin mind but I thought it was exciting! I actually thought a 7 year old would be fascinated by it but I guess I was wrong...

[darkormex]

We have had a really wet summer this year here in Michigan and I have been admiring all the different fungi growing in our yard. This is really interesting stuff, Jeff. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

[kacyds]

I always said that Jay was a Fun Guy!!!!

[krash]

& 1774739874

[krash]

I might do the giant oyster mushrooms using used coffee grounds as media next! Mycology and botany in general has always fascinated me. I once done an experiment to see if I was correct about something I had always thought/suspected...plants talk to each other!! It's an absolute fact if your in the woods trees up to 200 miles away know you're there! They send out a type of chemical or hormone (basically a smell) that alerts them to everything from danger to beneficial things too! Now tell me that's not amazing!! Have you ever noticed that just before a rain shower that some, if not all, of your trees' leaves turn over? If not then watch next time and you'll know it's gonna storm out before the weatherman even does! Maples and Oak trees are good ones to watch for this-Thanks again! -Jay.

[krash]

Sept 21, 2014 3:08:42 GMT -5 Craig said:

Goodness, now this is pretty interesting!

A HUGE Thank You Craig!! I didn't think this thread would even garner a look except maybe out of sheer bordem anyway...

[Admin Bear]

this is soo. cool man!!

i wonder how much of a PITA it would be to do some that have those giant buttons.. the ones you can use like sandwich bread...

hmmmmmmmmm

[Bee]

WOW!!!! krash this is soooooo interesting all this experiments WOW!!!

[kacyds]

Jay, where do you acquire your substrates from?

[JanetC]

This is really interesting and I really love mushrooms. I love to cook with them and that looks like so much fun to grow your own.

Side note: Growing up around Maple Trees most of my life I knew that little weather trick with their leaves. Who needed a weather man to tell you it was going to rain. Maple trees don't lie.

[krash]

Sept 25, 2014 17:22:19 GMT -5 kacyds said:

Jay, where do you acquire your substrates from?

Walmart. Organic Brown Rice Flour and Vermiculite. That's it. sterilize it and innoculate with your spores (getting those are a whole other topic ) and wait. Good question!

[krash]

Sept 25, 2014 17:43:55 GMT -5 JanetC said:

This is really interesting and I really love mushrooms. I love to cook with them and that looks like so much fun to grow your own.

Side note: Growing up around Maple Trees most of my life I knew that little weather trick with their leaves. Who needed a weather man to tell you it was going to rain. Maple trees don't lie.

It is extremely fun but exhaustive and you must almost have to have an OCD about sterilization because everything is competing to get to your substrate so you have to take all kinds of precautions...Lysol, rubbing alcohol and Clorox are pretty much your best friends growing mushrooms (in your grow area that is)

[krash]

Bear and Bee THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

[kacyds]

Sept 25, 2014 19:28:01 GMT -5 krash said:

Sept 25, 2014 17:22:19 GMT -5 kacyds said:

Jay, where do you acquire your substrates from?

Walmart. Organic Brown Rice Flour and Vermiculite. That's it. sterilize it and innoculate with your spores (getting those are a whole other topic ) and wait. Good question!

Thanks for the information.  Next question,  Where do you get the spores?