B+ on Castings/coir/vermiculite

FatoftheMan · 01-27-06, 18:59

This is an experiment in bulk growing for me. My first successful cake only fruited about 2 weeks ago, but my success in the time since with some casings made me want to give this a try. My operation is really space cramped, so I didn't want a sub that would stink up the place. I bought a 15lbs bag of worm castings which I am storing in a closet.

The substrate I made (getting the gist from the limited info on casting subs I found) was 2:2:1:1... Castings:coir:vermiculite:spawn. The spawn was B+ PF style. I also put some dolomite lime in, which I later found was a bad call, but the pebbles are so big I'm hoping it won't release much by the time it has flushed out.

The spawn ratio is low, but i just want to see if it will colonize, and wanted to use as few of my jars as possible.

I'll post pics as soon as possible.

FatoftheMan · 01-28-06, 20:45

Ok, heres a pic of the colonization progress.... the myc seems to be taking to the sub pretty well... Would it be ok to case with a thin layer of straight coir? my vermiculite supply is about to be expended for the time being.

~Hippie3 · 01-28-06, 20:57

you could but it likely would just colonize to overlay.
i'd just fruit it 'as is'.
castings don't really need a casing anyway.

FatoftheMan · 01-28-06, 21:02

Is it a problem that one corner is colonizing more rapidly than the other?

01-28-06, 21:20

I'm in agreement with Hippie. Straight Coir for a casing isn't ideal.

Cubensis will fruit without a casing layer, so leaving it to fruit as is is always an option.

Also, I've been finding nice small bags of peat at my garden stores lately.

And if you are not going to case, let it all colonize before you set to fruit.
That corner should catch up with the rest. You won't want to case until its all white on top so you've got a couple days to figure out the casing

Looks nice and healthy

FatoftheMan · 01-28-06, 21:32

Alright, cool... thanks.

xxanxx · 01-28-06, 23:51

Yeah, looks very healthy! I'd say just let it colonize and fruit as-is, like Hippie and Freak said....

FatoftheMan · 01-29-06, 17:05

A days worth of growth...

FatoftheMan · 01-30-06, 16:54

One more day... it isn't keeping up the pace I thought it would... I'm not sure if it is slowed down because of the substrate or if this is just how it always works. I guess time will tell.

01-30-06, 20:29

I find it usually takes my spawn 5-7 days to run through the substrate. I've even waited 10-14 days for full colonization.

What are your temps at for incubating it right now? How many days has it been since spawning?

It looks good and healthy

Have you thought about whether you are going to case it or not?

xcentrix · 01-30-06, 22:05

no need t rush.

FatoftheMan · 01-30-06, 22:32

I think it's only been 3 full days since spawning, so I guess I'm just getting a little impatient, as well as not knowing what looks good and what looks poor.

At this rate I think my vermiculite will be here by the time it has fully colonized, so I'm thinking about trying a thin layer of 50/50 (the substrate is no more than 2 inches thick). I've seen a lot of nice looking casting crops without a casing layer as well though. To me it just seems logical to case, as 50/50 is going to be a rougher surface than the surface of the substrate, and if I have the opportunity to give them more moisture, why not?

All of my cakes have been put away in the fridge awaiting the outcome of this experiment. If it is successful, I will spawn a bunch of little loaf pans of this substrate.

~Hippie3 · 01-31-06, 09:32

more moisture is only good if it needs it.

FatoftheMan · 01-31-06, 17:31

So why is it that so many people don't case their WC subs?

FatoftheMan · 02-07-06, 00:04

Probably like around 8 or 9 days after spawning. The reason it took off so slowly was just because I had such a poor spawn to sub ratio... it was around 1/5. The one in the tin was spawned only 2 days ago, but the ratio was around 1/3 so it has taken off much more quickly.

We'll see how these turn out in the fruiting chamber...

FatoftheMan · 02-07-06, 01:42

Whoops... and the pictures....

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01-27-06, 18:59	#1 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	B+ on Castings/coir/vermiculite This is an experiment in bulk growing for me. My first successful cake only fruited about 2 weeks ago, but my success in the time since with some casings made me want to give this a try. My operation is really space cramped, so I didn't want a sub that would stink up the place. I bought a 15lbs bag of worm castings which I am storing in a closet. The substrate I made (getting the gist from the limited info on casting subs I found) was 2:2:1:1... Castings:coir:vermiculite:spawn. The spawn was B+ PF style. I also put some dolomite lime in, which I later found was a bad call, but the pebbles are so big I'm hoping it won't release much by the time it has flushed out. The spawn ratio is low, but i just want to see if it will colonize, and wanted to use as few of my jars as possible. I'll post pics as soon as possible.

01-28-06, 20:45	#2 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	Ok, heres a pic of the colonization progress.... the myc seems to be taking to the sub pretty well... Would it be ok to case with a thin layer of straight coir? my vermiculite supply is about to be expended for the time being. Attached Thumbnails

01-29-06, 17:05	#8 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	A days worth of growth... Attached Thumbnails

01-30-06, 16:54	#9 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	One more day... it isn't keeping up the pace I thought it would... I'm not sure if it is slowed down because of the substrate or if this is just how it always works. I guess time will tell. Attached Thumbnails

01-28-06, 20:57	#3 (permalink)
~Hippie3 DUNG DEALER Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 42,765	you could but it likely would just colonize to overlay. i'd just fruit it 'as is'. castings don't really need a casing anyway.

01-28-06, 21:02	#4 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	Is it a problem that one corner is colonizing more rapidly than the other?

01-28-06, 21:20	#5 (permalink)
~freakachino Guest Posts: n/a	I'm in agreement with Hippie. Straight Coir for a casing isn't ideal. Cubensis will fruit without a casing layer, so leaving it to fruit as is is always an option. Also, I've been finding nice small bags of peat at my garden stores lately. And if you are not going to case, let it all colonize before you set to fruit. That corner should catch up with the rest. You won't want to case until its all white on top so you've got a couple days to figure out the casing Looks nice and healthy

01-28-06, 21:32	#6 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	Alright, cool... thanks.

01-28-06, 23:51	#7 (permalink)
xxanxx Mycophage Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 176	Yeah, looks very healthy! I'd say just let it colonize and fruit as-is, like Hippie and Freak said....

01-30-06, 20:29	#10 (permalink)
~freakachino Guest Posts: n/a	I find it usually takes my spawn 5-7 days to run through the substrate. I've even waited 10-14 days for full colonization. What are your temps at for incubating it right now? How many days has it been since spawning? It looks good and healthy Have you thought about whether you are going to case it or not?

01-30-06, 22:05	#11 (permalink)
xcentrix Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 34	no need t rush. __________________ xcentrix

01-30-06, 22:32	#12 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	I think it's only been 3 full days since spawning, so I guess I'm just getting a little impatient, as well as not knowing what looks good and what looks poor. At this rate I think my vermiculite will be here by the time it has fully colonized, so I'm thinking about trying a thin layer of 50/50 (the substrate is no more than 2 inches thick). I've seen a lot of nice looking casting crops without a casing layer as well though. To me it just seems logical to case, as 50/50 is going to be a rougher surface than the surface of the substrate, and if I have the opportunity to give them more moisture, why not? All of my cakes have been put away in the fridge awaiting the outcome of this experiment. If it is successful, I will spawn a bunch of little loaf pans of this substrate.

01-31-06, 09:32	#13 (permalink)
~Hippie3 DUNG DEALER Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 42,765	more moisture is only good if it needs it.

01-31-06, 17:31	#14 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	So why is it that so many people don't case their WC subs?

02-07-06, 00:04	#15 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	Probably like around 8 or 9 days after spawning. The reason it took off so slowly was just because I had such a poor spawn to sub ratio... it was around 1/5. The one in the tin was spawned only 2 days ago, but the ratio was around 1/3 so it has taken off much more quickly. We'll see how these turn out in the fruiting chamber...

02-07-06, 01:42	#16 (permalink)
FatoftheMan Mycophiliac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 84	Whoops... and the pictures.... Attached Thumbnails

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