Coir substrate problem

LEGION · 07-17-09, 00:41

A friend of mine (literally, not a euphemism) recently tried bulk growing using popcorn and a 50/50 coir/verm mix. He did everything right, from what I could tell, but the myc never colonized the substrate.

Everything was sterilized properly, no contams visible in either spawn or substrate. He mixed them up together in a Tupperwear plastic container (which had duct tape around the outside to keep light out). No holes for FAE. When he eventually tried to take this mass out of the container to put in his terrerium, the myc was strong but wouldn't colonize the substrate. He got some decent flushes but nothing compared to what he should have gotten. It was equal to a flush on a 1 pint BRF cake.

He asked me what he did wrong.

My guess is lack of FAE during colonization.

mydarling · 07-17-09, 00:48

FAE is actually more important during fruiting than during colonization, so i'm not sure that was the problem.

what temps did you incubate at? if it was too cold, it would be slow to colonize, and the light exposure could induce pinning before complete colonization. that's my best bet.

any chance the popcorn was not mixed evenly throughout the bulk substrate? this could cause the myc to grow in "patches" and it would take the sparse areas a lot longer to colonize.

coir and verm IME are readily colonizable, so i can't think what else would have caused this. next time, maybe throw in a bit of poo or worm castings with that verm and coir - myc loves the shit!

btw, i'm curious why you flipped the substrate block of the container and into a FC to fruit cake-style, instead of leaving it in the container to fruit as a monotub???

calicyco · 07-17-09, 04:24

How long did he let it colonize? What was the moisture content of the sub? Was it pasteurized? What do you mean by "sterilized properly?"

A dry sub wouldn't colonize. A sub left for 2 days wouldn't be colonized.

A proper moisture content, properly pasteurized sub of coir/verm would colonize if colonized at the proper temps (anywhere from 60's-80's F). I would bet it was too dry or it didn't sit long enough.

More details will help to pinpoint the problem.

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07-17-09, 00:41	#1 (permalink)
LEGION Mycophiliac Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 7	Coir substrate problem A friend of mine (literally, not a euphemism) recently tried bulk growing using popcorn and a 50/50 coir/verm mix. He did everything right, from what I could tell, but the myc never colonized the substrate. Everything was sterilized properly, no contams visible in either spawn or substrate. He mixed them up together in a Tupperwear plastic container (which had duct tape around the outside to keep light out). No holes for FAE. When he eventually tried to take this mass out of the container to put in his terrerium, the myc was strong but wouldn't colonize the substrate. He got some decent flushes but nothing compared to what he should have gotten. It was equal to a flush on a 1 pint BRF cake. He asked me what he did wrong. My guess is lack of FAE during colonization.

07-17-09, 00:48	#2 (permalink)
mydarling Modtastic Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,034	FAE is actually more important during fruiting than during colonization, so i'm not sure that was the problem. what temps did you incubate at? if it was too cold, it would be slow to colonize, and the light exposure could induce pinning before complete colonization. that's my best bet. any chance the popcorn was not mixed evenly throughout the bulk substrate? this could cause the myc to grow in "patches" and it would take the sparse areas a lot longer to colonize. coir and verm IME are readily colonizable, so i can't think what else would have caused this. next time, maybe throw in a bit of poo or worm castings with that verm and coir - myc loves the shit! btw, i'm curious why you flipped the substrate block of the container and into a FC to fruit cake-style, instead of leaving it in the container to fruit as a monotub??? __________________ tonight your ghost will ask my ghost, who put these bodies between us?

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07-17-09, 04:24	#3 (permalink)
calicyco Mycophage Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 100	How long did he let it colonize? What was the moisture content of the sub? Was it pasteurized? What do you mean by "sterilized properly?" A dry sub wouldn't colonize. A sub left for 2 days wouldn't be colonized. A proper moisture content, properly pasteurized sub of coir/verm would colonize if colonized at the proper temps (anywhere from 60's-80's F). I would bet it was too dry or it didn't sit long enough. More details will help to pinpoint the problem.