Oyster mushrooms...

[Katra]

Built a humidity chamber out of an ice chest instead of using plastic bags, and started an oyster mushroom culture Saturday afternoon.

Just checked the paper and I've got mycelia already starting, yay!!! :-)

Many thanks to the person that suggested the toilet paper roll method!

I bought 3/4 of a pound of oyster mushrooms last weekend, and Saturday, I removed and cooked all of the caps, (yum!) and pureed the bases and stems in my small food processor after soaking it for a bit in bleach water, then went from there.

I am SO looking forward to this if it works out!!!!

K.

[belly]

On Mon, 17 May 2004 09:21:18 -0500 in , Katra graced the world with this thought:

keep us posted, please!

[Not the Karl Orff]

I did this too. how can you tell if there are mycelia?

[Katra]

I promise! :-)

So far, no contamination. The mycelia is pure white and growing off of the minced mushrooms. The "pureed" mushrooms came out more like course cornmeal so were easy to put into the toilet roll holes.

It also smells good, I understand that contamination will change the smell from mushroomy to yeasty, and most contaminants are not going to be white.

If this works, I should have mushrooms sprouting within 6 weeks. The paper has to colonize completely first.

K.

[Katra]

Pure white fuzzy growth off of the mushrooms, creeping into the paper. :-) Smell is also a good indicator...

When did you start yours?

Are they in bags?

I decided it'd be easier to manage the cultures if I made a humidity chamber out of an ice chest, that way I could give them some air once per day. Not the exact instructions, but closer to "nature".

Got them out in the greenhouse so they are around 80 degrees during the day right now, and in the 70's at night.

[BOB]

???

Any more updates...

Thanks,

BOB

[Katra]

Still too soon. :-) Been only 3 weeks I guess and it's supposed to take a couple of months...

The chopped mushrooms have decomposed a bit and settled out, but there is no rot. The Mycelia is slowly spreading. I may have had it a bit TOO wet, so I propped the lid and let it dry out for about 8 hours then closed it back up again. I'm trying to leave it alone and only check it about every 2 or 3 days.

No contamination at this point, still smells good and the mycelia is spreading. :-)

K.