Lady Cannafan Shrooming Midwest Grow Kits & Spore Genetics - APE, Blue Meanie & More

I will be preparing the incubation chamber today from the Mega Mushroom Kit. I think next week it's going to be time to get some of the substrate into them. I'm going to experiment, doing half of them coated with the vermiculite and half without for the first round. I want to see if there is a real difference there.
Suggestions were to soak the perlite using an old pillow case. I did it right in the bag, let it soak and then cut a hole in the corner to drain any excess water out.
Here's the kit:

Midwest Grow Mega Mushroom Kit.jpg

Midwest Grow Mega Mushroom Kit.jpg

 
UPDATE 11-12-23

Well, I thought that I was going to do some birthing and dunking with jars today. I've decided to wait a few days. The jars I pulled out could use a little more time for complete colonization, the bottoms aren't done yet. Anyone disagree?

The all-in-one bag is colonizing pretty good. The newer two have yet to show signs, but it takes a while.
And....I just realized....when I first injected the initial two bags, I did not label the bags with which spore I used. So, it will be a guessing game on the bag that is active right now. :rofl:

I have the tub all set up, fits perfectly in an old shower stall on a table. I tested the heating pad and everything is working great.
So, my day will be getting my lighting debacle solved in the weed room.

Mushrooms update 11-12-23.jpg

Mushrooms update 11-12-23.jpg


Mushrooms update 11-12-23-2.jpg

Mushrooms update 11-12-23-2.jpg


Mushrooms update 11-12-23-3.jpg

Mushrooms update 11-12-23-3.jpg

 
UPDATE 11-13-23
A nice end to a yukky Monday....I just went in to close the shroom room door for the night and peeked at the two new all-in-one bags. They both have nice white growth starting! :cheer:
 
Lady Cannafan said:
UPDATE 11-13-23
A nice end to a yukky Monday....I just went in to close the shroom room door for the night and peeked at the two new all-in-one bags. They both have nice white growth starting! :cheer:
Click to expand...
Hooooray!
 
I just peeked in on the jars and looks like another couple days for several of them, then I'll buy some donuts and go dunkin'.
I also looked at the all-in-one bag and saw some green in there. Feeling a bit panicky, I removed the tray with the bag into the room light. Saw no green. All of the growth looked healthy. WTH?
Hmmmm.....analytical mind kicks in. It causes a riddle: "What is green and reflects on my grow bag?"
Well...the seams and zippers on the grow house, of course! :rofl:

Sceert me for a minute there.
 
Lady Cannafan said:
I just peeked in on the jars and looks like another couple days for several of them, then I'll buy some donuts and go dunkin'.
I also looked at the all-in-one bag and saw some green in there. Feeling a bit panicky, I removed the tray with the bag into the room light. Saw no green. All of the growth looked healthy. WTH?
Hmmmm.....analytical mind kicks in. It causes a riddle: "What is green and reflects on my grow bag?"
Well...the seams and zippers on the grow house, of course! :rofl:

Sceert me for a minute there.
Click to expand...
Who the hell makes green zippers??? Glad it was a false alarm.
 
Lady Cannafan said:
UPDATE 11-13-23
A nice end to a yukky Monday....I just went in to close the shroom room door for the night and peeked at the two new all-in-one bags. They both have nice white growth starting! :cheer:
Click to expand...
Yaaaaay! CL🍀. :thumb: :woohoo:
 
I'm all for anything helping our Veterans! They deserve it.

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@Midwest Grow Kits , can you check your PM please?
I need your help with something.
Thanks so much! :green_heart:
 
UPDATE: 11-16-23

Continuing on with the first Midwest Grow Kits All-In-One bag using Spore Genetics syringe spores.
It was pretty well colonized, so I followed the instructions by breaking up the colonized areas and mixing well into the top area. I used sterile gloves, breaking apart the clumps and shaking the bag a few times to get it all mixed in.
Now it goes back into the grow house and I wait for it to re-colonize (they say a day or two). Then the top of the bag will be cut off for the mushrooms to grow out of.
I'll post pics of that when it happens.

I have a photo of the two later bags, they are doing well.
Also, a few of the substrate jars are ready, that will be a separate post for the birth and dunk.
I have also included a photo of a syringe showing how much spore solution I used for each of the all in one bags. Between the red marks. It wasn't much, but it certainly worked.

All in one bag update 11-16-23.jpg

All in one bag update 11-16-23.jpg


All in one bag update 11-16-23-2.jpg

All in one bag update 11-16-23-2.jpg


All in one bag update 11-16-23-3.jpg

All in one bag update 11-16-23-3.jpg


All in one bag update 11-16-23-4.jpg

All in one bag update 11-16-23-4.jpg


Spores amount into all in one bag.jpg

Spores amount into all in one bag.jpg


@Midwest Grow Kits, can you clarify how much of the syringe spore solution is supposed to be used for each all-in-one bag? On the instruction sheet that comes with them, it only says to start by injecting your spores or liquid culture into the grain part of the bag. :thanks:
 
I've been going back and forth with myself on the dunking, and rolling the cakes in vermiculite.
In the instructions they state:

"Some people like to dunk right after they birth them, but others like to wait until after the first flush of mushrooms. This is up to you! If you want a batch of mushrooms right away, then dunk after the first flush."

So, I've decided not to dunk until I've harvested the first batch (flush) of shrooms.

Now, on coating them with vermiculite before placing in the fruiting tub, they state this on the purpose of the vermiculite:

"In our experience there isn't one particular method that is better than the next, but adding vermiculite does help the cake last longer between dunks without drying out."

So, I'm not going to coat them with the vermiculite because I believe there is going to be plenty of moisture in that fruiting tub to prevent any drying out of the cakes. I accidentally left the heating pad on a few days ago, and never even had the little humidity unit working or attached. When I looked at it, there was condensation aplenty in that tub.
If I see that the cakes might be drying out, which I don't think will happen, then I will roll them in the vermiculite after the dunk.
On a side reasoning......I really don't want that vermiculite all over my shrooms when they are growing out, it looks messy and doesn't make for good photos. :laugh:
 
Lady Cannafan said:
I've been going back and forth with myself on the dunking, and rolling the cakes in vermiculite.
In the instructions they state:

"Some people like to dunk right after they birth them, but others like to wait until after the first flush of mushrooms. This is up to you! If you want a batch of mushrooms right away, then dunk after the first flush."

So, I've decided not to dunk until I've harvested the first batch (flush) of shrooms.

Now, on coating them with vermiculite before placing in the fruiting tub, they state this on the purpose of the vermiculite:

"In our experience there isn't one particular method that is better than the next, but adding vermiculite does help the cake last longer between dunks without drying out."

So, I'm not going to coat them with the vermiculite because I believe there is going to be plenty of moisture in that fruiting tub to prevent any drying out of the cakes. I accidentally left the heating pad on a few days ago, and never even had the little humidity unit working or attached. When I looked at it, there was condensation aplenty in that tub.
If I see that the cakes might be drying out, which I don't think will happen, then I will roll them in the vermiculite after the dunk.
On a side reasoning......I really don't want that vermiculite all over my shrooms when they are growing out, it looks messy and doesn't make for good photos. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Vermiculite will become your best friend 🙏

It comes off easily once shrooms are picked, I use a piece of kitchen towel and it comes off without bruising the shroom (think I’ve probably ate a great many flakes of it too. I’m ok…I swear lol)

I believe you can never have such thing as too much moisture when dealing with shrooms. I’ve always aimed for at least 90% humidity. Vermiculite will really help pack in that extra moisture needed if problems arise.

Admittedly I’ve never not dunked after a flush and always rolled in verm: but I always try and take the blacksmith adage of “better to have extra than not enough to work with”

It’s also used like a cement/wattle after shrooms have been picked to fill gaps/holes in the mycelium.

I think dunking right away as opposed to waiting for the first flush is linked to yield. Again, I haven’t tried the 2 methods but I would think extra moisture retention would give a bigger first flush and then residually after (shrooms are just over 80% water)

I’m really enjoying this thread @Lady Cannafan all the best to you and your Funghi 🫶🙏
 
JoetheChro said:
Vermiculite will become your best friend 🙏

It comes off easily once shrooms are picked, I use a piece of kitchen towel and it comes off without bruising the shroom (think I’ve probably ate a great many flakes of it too. I’m ok…I swear lol)

I believe you can never have such thing as too much moisture when dealing with shrooms. I’ve always aimed for at least 90% humidity. Vermiculite will really help pack in that extra moisture needed if problems arise.

Admittedly I’ve never not dunked after a flush and always rolled in verm: but I always try and take the blacksmith adage of “better to have extra than not enough to work with”

It’s also used like a cement/wattle after shrooms have been picked to fill gaps/holes in the mycelium.

I think dunking right away as opposed to waiting for the first flush is linked to yield. Again, I haven’t tried the 2 methods but I would think extra moisture retention would give a bigger first flush and then residually after (shrooms are just over 80% water)

I’m really enjoying this thread @Lady Cannafan all the best to you and your Funghi 🫶🙏
Click to expand...
Well that view on the benefit of the vermiculite right away is the best I've seen and makes perfect sense. I never thought about the gap sealing properties either.
I mix it in soil, but I don't use a lot of it.

I've been wondering about whether you can have too much moisture. I am going to leave the little humidifier off the tub and just spritz the insides of it with water, and see if I can maintain that 90%

I will coat them with vermiculite. I might dunk half of the cakes, and the other half not when I process the final 6 jars I have in the fridge waiting for inoculation.
Thanks a bunch @JoetheChro ! You are an asset to shroomers, I appreciate you. 🍄 :green_heart:
 
Lady Cannafan said:
Well that view on the benefit of the vermiculite right away is the best I've seen and makes perfect sense. I never thought about the gap sealing properties either.

I've been wondering about whether you can have too much moisture. I am going to leave the little humidifier off the tub and just spritz the insides of it with water, and see if I can maintain that 90%

I will coat them with vermiculite. I might dunk half of the cakes, and the other half not when I process the final 6 jars I have in the fridge waiting for inoculation.
Thanks a bunch @JoetheChro ! You are an asset to shroomers, I appreciate you. 🍄 :green_heart:
Click to expand...
Aw shucks you made me blush

Experiment and prosper 🖖 you’re the pioneer getting things moving. I’m an armchair shroom grower shouting advice from the sidelines 😂🫶
 
UPDATE: 11-17-23
Well, I guess I could call this a milestone day for me. I have my first intentionally grown mushrooms. 😆 I think I am busier these days than I was when I was working outside the home!

I am birthing and dunking this morning. Several of the jars had small pinning on them, but one of them has some pretty big ones. I need to remove these, right? I want to be sure before I remove them from the dunk in about 23 hours and roll them in the vermiculite. One of them broke up a bit at the top, but I think it will be fine. I'll put some vermiculite glue on it when I take it out of the water. 😆
I believe another one of the jars has some bad mold in it. I will analyze that one later. The rest of the jars still need time for complete colonization.

Pinning cakes.jpg

Pinning cakes.jpg


Birthing Cakes.jpg

Birthing Cakes.jpg

 
The ones with the most pinning were the blue meanie's. They definitely have some streaks of blue on them. Kinda cool
🍄
 
Lady Cannafan said:
I just peeked in on the jars and looks like another couple days for several of them, then I'll buy some donuts and go dunkin'.
I also looked at the all-in-one bag and saw some green in there. Feeling a bit panicky, I removed the tray with the bag into the room light. Saw no green. All of the growth looked healthy. WTH?
Hmmmm.....analytical mind kicks in. It causes a riddle: "What is green and reflects on my grow bag?"
Well...the seams and zippers on the grow house, of course! :rofl:

Sceert me for a minute there.
Click to expand...
Funny thing how our minds work, trying to analyze and interpret things. I’m glad everything is going good 👍. CL🍀. :thumb: :cheer:
 
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