John Miller
Colonizing mushrooms is an exciting and rewarding process. It involves creating an optimal environment for mushrooms to grow, which includes factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and fresh air exchange. Sterilization is an important step in the process, as it helps prevent contamination. There are different methods for colonizing mushrooms, such as using a mono-tub/dub-tub, ShroomTek bags, or creating your own monotub. The type of mushroom and environmental conditions will impact the colonization timeline, which can range from a couple of weeks to a month or more.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Growing methods | All-in-One-Bag, Monotub/Dub-tub, ShroomTek |
| Supplies | Gloves, masks, 70% isopropyl alcohol, spray bottle, lighter, syringes, still air box, injection port bag, clear plastic bin, monotub filters, hand drill, knife, measuring tape, marker, rubbing alcohol, bulk substrate |
| Sterilization | Extremely important to prevent contamination |
| Inoculation | Injection of spores or liquid culture into the grain bag |
| Colonization | The period when mushroom spores grow and expand to form a mycelial network, which later produces mushroom fruits; typically occurs within 1-3 weeks after inoculation |
| Fruiting | Initiated when about 75% of the visible substrate is colonized; requires fresh air, humidity, light, and temperature control |
| Harvesting | Mushrooms are ready to harvest about 2 weeks after pins form |
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What You'll Learn
Sterilization and contamination prevention
Sterilization Techniques:
- Isopropyl Alcohol: Use 70% isopropyl alcohol to sanitize your work area, hands, and equipment, including gloves, masks, syringes, and bags. Spray or wipe down all surfaces and tools before starting the colonization process.
- Heat Sterilization: For metal tools like needles, heat the tip with a lighter until it turns red hot. Allow it to cool for 30 seconds before injecting it into the injection port. Re-sterilize the needle before using it on another bag.
- Autoclave: If you have access to an autoclave, you can achieve sterilization by operating it at higher pressures above 15 PSI, reaching temperatures above 250°F.
Contamination Prevention:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Always wear a mask and gloves when handling mushrooms, spores, or growing equipment. This prevents the transfer of contaminants from your hands or respiratory system to the growing environment.
- Sterile Growing Environment: Ensure that your growing area is clean and free from potential contaminants. This includes sanitizing surfaces, equipment, and your hands before handling anything related to the colonization process.
- Air Exchange and Humidity: Mushrooms require fresh air exchange and humidity for optimal growth. Control the environment by providing sufficient ventilation and maintaining high humidity levels, especially during the fruiting stage.
- Temperature Control: Maintain the ideal temperature for your specific mushroom species. Most mushrooms thrive in temperatures between 68-77°F (20-25°C) during colonization, but refer to the requirements of your chosen species. Higher temperatures may promote faster growth but increase the risk of contamination.
- Substrate Selection: Choose the right substrate for your mushroom species. Some species prefer dung-loving substrates, while others may grow well on wood-based substrates like straw or hardwood. Contaminants are more likely to develop in high-temperature environments, so consider species that tolerate lower temperatures.
- Spawn Distribution: The distribution of spawn in your substrate also affects colonization speed and contamination risk. "Top spawning" involves placing spawn on top of the substrate, while "through spawning" distributes it throughout. Top spawning is good for containers that can't be shaken but may increase contamination risk over time.
- Timing and Inspection: Time your colonization process carefully. Mycelium growth typically occurs within 1-3 weeks of inoculation. Regularly inspect your substrate for signs of healthy mycelium, which appears white and stringy (Hyphae). Look out for potential contaminants and address them promptly.
- Liquid Culture: Consider using liquid culture techniques, which offer a proven and ready-to-grow mycelium. This method reduces the time required for spore germination and mycelium cloning, decreasing the overall colonization time and the risk of contamination.
Remember, sterilization and contamination prevention are critical to successful mushroom colonization. By following these steps and maintaining a sterile environment, you can significantly increase your chances of healthy mushroom growth.
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Inoculation and incubation
Inoculation is the process of inserting the mushroom spawn into a suitable growth substrate. The spawn then colonizes the substrate, eventually leading to the growth of mushrooms. The substrate likely will not produce a larger amount of mushrooms, so a high inoculation rate means more money spent on spawn per pound of mushrooms. For a new cultivator, using a high inoculation rate can really boost the success rate. As the grower refines the process, they can start to lower the inoculation rate and observe if there is a difference in colonization time.
The substrates which you can inoculate are diverse: logs, stumps, woodchips, straw, sawdust, coco coir, coffee grounds, etc. Anything that is grainy or porous enough and carbon-rich can be used. Before inoculation, it is essential to understand and prepare the substrate—the material where your mushrooms will grow. Mushrooms aren't the only organisms that feed on organic matter; bacteria and competing fungi will try to colonize your substrate too, and could kill off your mushrooms if you don't prepare it well.
Different types of mushrooms prefer different substrates. For example, lower-tech methods often use low-nitrogen, high-carbon materials like oyster mushrooms on straw, or shiitake on logs. Higher-tech methods generally use higher-nutrient materials to increase the speed of colonization and yield. These methods utilize sterilization techniques and employ a mix of sawdust or hardwood fuel pellets, along with a high-nitrogen supplement.
Not all substrates require the same sterilization process. Substrates that are poor in nitrogen don't require almost any sterilization, as they are hard enough to colonize by themselves. You can inoculate logs, straw, and woodchips outdoors with little concern. On the other hand, nitrogen-rich substrates are more prone to contamination and require a careful, sterile process. If you're using grain or sawdust, you must inoculate indoors. Ideally, you'd have a sterile space with an air filter. If inoculating at home, you should wipe all surfaces with alcohol, use gloves, and sterilize all tools.
The timing of inoculation is also important. For log inoculation, the optimal time is usually in early spring when the logs are still fresh. However, it is possible to inoculate mushroom logs in winter, provided the right conditions are maintained. For wood-based substrates, it is best to inoculate within a month of cutting. If temperatures are below freezing, fungi are not active, so these materials can be stored until temperatures are consistently above freezing. Fall offers some advantages for log inoculation, especially in warmer regions, as the nutrients in deciduous trees are being transferred from the foliage down into stems and trunks for storage.
Incubation is an important factor in space utilization for indoor cultivation. By decreasing the incubation time, more mushrooms can be produced in the same amount of space. Variables like temperature, inoculation rate, strain, and substrate can impact incubation time. During incubation, the temperature should ideally be around 70°F (not exceeding 80°F), and the substrate should have received all the necessary water for the spawn run. When using 5- or 10-pound bags of supplemented sawdust, the internal temperature of the bag can be 10-15°F warmer than the outside.
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Colonization
To begin the colonization process, you must first inoculate the substrate with spores. This can be done through various methods, such as injecting spores into a grain bag or using an all-in-one grow bag system like ShroomTek. The inoculation rate, or the amount of spawn added to the substrate, also affects the speed of colonization. A higher inoculation rate leads to faster mycelium growth, but it also means more money spent on spawn per pound of mushrooms. Once the substrate is inoculated, the spawn needs time to grow through it, a process known as incubation or leap off. During this time, the mycelium expands in a three-dimensional sphere, fusing together until it fully colonizes the substrate.
It's important to note that the colonization process is sensitive to contamination, so sterilization and preparation of the work area and equipment are crucial. Gloves, masks, isopropyl alcohol, and syringes are essential supplies to prevent contamination. Additionally, the ambient temperature during colonization is critical; the ideal temperature range for most species is between 68-80°F (20-25°C).
Once the substrate is fully colonized, you can initiate the fruiting process by exposing the mycelium to specific environmental triggers, including fresh air exchange, humidity, light, and temperature. This stage involves creating optimal conditions for mushroom growth, such as maintaining high humidity and providing indirect light for 12 hours a day. The time it takes for mushrooms to form after initiating fruiting conditions can vary across species but typically ranges from one to three weeks.
Overall, successful mushroom colonization requires careful preparation, attention to environmental factors, and patience as the mycelial network develops and expands.
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Fruiting
Before fruiting, you should identify primordial and pin formations. These will look like small white pin-like structures. Once you've identified these, you can begin the fruiting process.
For the All-In-One-Bag method, you can either fruit directly in the bags or cut the top of the bag off. If you cut the bag, roll it down, leaving 1–2 inches exposed. You can also use a plastic storage container as your fruiting vessel. Wash it out with hot water and detergent, or use a mix of 70% iso-alcohol and 30% water in a spray bottle to sterilize it, then wipe it down with a clean paper towel. Place your block in the tub and open it once per day to give it some air and a few quick squirts with a hand mister.
Another method is to skewer the blocks on spikes in the container, keeping them off the bottom and preventing them from sliding around or toppling over. You can place the container inside or outside, as long as it's not in direct sunlight.
To induce fruiting, you can also try physically shocking the mushrooms by moving the blocks or rearranging them. This method is particularly effective for shiitake mushrooms. Lowering temperatures and increasing oxygen levels also generally encourages mushroom formation.
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Harvesting
The harvesting process begins 15 to 21 days after casing, which is 7 to 8 weeks after composting starts. Mushrooms are picked over a period of 2 to 4 days in a 7- to 10-day cropping cycle (also known as a flush or break). Each flush lasts 3 to 5 days, and with ideal conditions, harvesting can continue for weeks or even months.
Once the mature mushrooms are picked, the next flush moves towards maturity. Flush timing is managed through water, CO2, and temperature control. When a crop becomes unproductive, it often needs to be terminated.
After harvesting, the spent mushroom substrate is "pasteurised" with steam. Post-crop pasteurisation (or steam-off) helps ensure that there are no pests or disease-causing pathogens that can contaminate neighbouring or subsequent crops.
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Frequently asked questions
The best way to colonize mushrooms depends on your needs and preferences. The All-in-One-Bag method is user-friendly and contamination-resistant. However, if you want to grow mushrooms indoors, the monotub method is also a popular option.
Supplies you will need include gloves, masks, alcohol, a spray bottle, a lighter, and syringes. It is also highly recommended to use a still air box.
The colonization process can take anywhere from one to eight weeks, depending on the species of mushroom, environmental conditions, and the method used.
