Stalled BRF jars

[TrippinBawlz]

Newbie grower here.

I'm following the MMGG (Magic Mushroom Growers Guide) which is based on the PFtek.

Mycelium growth in two of my jars appears to have stopped and I can't seem to find any information as to why this may have happened.

Both jars were doing fine. Mycelium growth started and went well until each patch got to be about 1.5" in diameter and then stopped. They've been like that for a week now. I don't see any contamination nor any discoloration of the mycelium itself.

Any ideas?


On the bright side I have three jars that are nearly 100% colonized now. Yay!

[BuckarooBanzai]

Are the jars that stalled covered? That is, is the aluminum foil and/or tape still on top of them?

What are your incubation temperatures?

[GadgetGuy]

It's either a moisture/mixing issue or you aren't getting any gas exchange through the lid. Usually if that happens to me it's due to not mixing well enough or because I make it way too dry. If it get's too wet it will stall growth and contaminate IME.

[TrippinBawlz]

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

Are the jars that stalled covered? That is, is the aluminum foil and/or tape still on top of them?

What are your incubation temperatures?

The holes are uncovered with lids down. Temperature is a constant 79 degrees.

The other three jars in the same environment are doing great. I'm stumped.

[TrippinBawlz]

Originally Posted by GadgetGuy

It's either a moisture/mixing issue or you aren't getting any gas exchange through the lid. Usually if that happens to me it's due to not mixing well enough or because I make it way too dry. If it get's too wet it will stall growth and contaminate IME.

That is possible since my mixing is somewhat inconsistent from jar to jar. Blah!

[GadgetGuy]

When I mix it I take my time. I pour 2 cups of verm in the bowl. Then pour 1 cup or just a hair under 1 cup of water in the bowl and get all the verm as evenly wet as I can. There will still be a little pool of water in the bottom of the bowl. Then I use a 1/2cup measuring cup and pour in 1/2c of BRF. Stir very very well, this will absorb the pooling water. Then I add the second 1/2c of BRF and mix it really well chopping up clumps and stirring for about 5 minutes. Then I load it into the jar as fluffy as humanly possible. Load top 1/2" of the jar with medium/fine grade dry verm, cover with foil and PC for 30-40 minutes at 15 psi. Works everytime unless I have a dirty syringe or something of that nature.

And when that mixture runs out but I'm doing more jars I just do the same thing. Trying to mix up enough to do 12 jars all at once has caused me problems so I just do 2 cups verm/1 cup water/1 cup BRF at a time and make more when needed.

[MLBjammer]

You flipped the jars? That's what I do at about 70% colonization--to force gas exchange and speed colonization.

You really should mix the BRF/vermic/water for about 2 minutes or more and make sure you can only squeeze a few water drops from a fistful of mix. Then just don't pack it at all when you spoon the mix in your jars. Use very fine vermiculite for your contam. barrier (lets the least amount of air pass without filtration).

I am sure your other jars will finish. Give them time. You will have 3 jars to play with. I started with the MMGG--read some cake teks here.

Good luck.