Flush Management - When to Dunk...

[Shady Ways]

I've had several successes thus far, but need some guidance regarding the subject matter. Generally, when several fruits appear I'll harvest just before or as the veil breaks. Sometimes there is still what appears to be white fluffy mycelium growth occurring on the cake and I simply rinse, dunk and replace it in the FC.

A couple weeks ago I decided to let the cakes continue "developing" after picking a couple of mature fruits and I started to pick up an odor of mildew or perhaps mold. Now the FC had some spores drop in it weeks before coz I couldn't get to the fruits in time on one or two occassions, so it may have been related to that issue. (I've since cleaned it out and refreshed it).

I guess my question is: How long after the first fruits are harvested is too long to wait for additional fruits?

I don't want to reduce my total potential harvest!

What's your experience??

[johnnydigital]

For cakes, I'll totally pick the first early risers. If there are pins still developing on the cake, I'll let it sit until those mature, then dunk it... but if I don't see more pins maturing, then I'll dunk it right away. Apparently, one can dunk even with pins, but I've never done it.

[mydarling]

with bulk subs, i might not dunk for a new flush if it seems to have enough moisture. but if i don't see pins within 2 weeks of picking the previous flush, i figure it's stalled out and give it a scrape and dunk, which jumpstarts the next flush. i'm not sure if it's the same deal for cakes.

[Hippie3]

before i invented dunking
folks would let cakes go on
to 2nd and even 3rd flushes
but yields were much lower back then,
getting 4 dry gm off a cake was considered good
while today with a dunk
we generally get twice that.

[hyphaenation]

Some of the best advice I ever got on dunking was from Hip when he told me that its okay to dunk at any stage so long as you are careful and clean.

This was a revelation to me because I always waited till between flushes to dunk. Now I soak them whenever they need moisture and especially as the fruits are mid sized.

I would'nt recommend this type of dunking for everyone but it has worked wonders for me.

The way I do it is to soak the cake from under in a bowl with just enough water to touch the bottom of the cake. I do this at any stage from pin to large fruit. Seems to me the more water I give them the bigger they get.





Point is ... you can dunk at any time. It can really help.

[Shady Ways]

Thanks for bringing clarity guys...

Hyph... that's the most beautiful, dare I say textbook, example of a cake I think I've ever seen! So well formed and developed. Wow!

[hyphaenation]

There's many ways to dunk in a cleaner environment than I show there in that picture. For longevity of flushes care should be taken to stave off contams.

Shady I like the symetry of how that puck worked out with one out to each side for added effect. Strain is Dixieland from a sponsor. Highly recommended. Found in the wild by Dial8. Flush size is because of dunking.

[Shady Ways]

Alright, hyph... Now you're making feel like the true noob I am! Hmmm... Dixieland, eh? I'm salivating!!

[hyphaenation]

Your seeing the benefits of a Hippie3 dunk right there. That and mycotopia learned teknology.

This place makes Newbs into Grewbs.

[Shady Ways]

Hyph... those look like they may be the product of mycobags?? What are you using for your substrate?

I've got a ton of filter patch bags and I need to reduce my "profile" in the house somewhat (I've got about twenty brf cakes in three FCs currently that require alot of oversight).

Currently flushing: Tex, Yangoon Burma, B+, SA and noc'd up a dozen Hillbilly yesterday.

[hyphaenation]

What are you using for your substrate?

I'm a bit of an odd duck that way.

Anything and everything at the moment. Put it this way , plant cellulose and horse manure. I call them pucks , pressed substrate. That specific one is Burdock (the velcro ball plant) mixed with Birch leaves , horse manure , cardboard pulp and newsprint pulp. Pressed into the shape you see in yogurt tubs. Colonized in yogurt containers with breather holes.

Any sub can be done like cakes by placing them in a container to colonize then birthing them. The amount of pressing is up to you. I press hard and squeeze out extra water and so these "sub-cakes" , or pucks can absorb a lot of water as they grow flushes.

[Shady Ways]

That's right... I remember reading your elaborate (IMO) burdock separation process. Necessity and invention's mothers, eh?

Very ingenious!