Inoculating your sterile BRF cakes with mycelium is a critical step in mushroom cultivation. This process, known as inoculation, requires precision and attention to detail to ensure the success of your mushroom growing endeavor. Let’s walk through the steps:
Materials Needed
- Sterile BRF cakes
- A syringe of mushroom liquid culture
- A lighter or alcohol lamp
- A clean cloth or paper towel soaked in isopropyl alcohol
- A sterile environment (like a still air box or a clean, disinfected work surface)
Procedure
5.1. Prepare Your Environment
Start by making your workspace as sterile as possible. This reduces the risk of contamination. If you’re not using a still air box, thoroughly wipe down your work surface and tools with a cloth or paper towel soaked in isopropyl alcohol.
5.2. Sterilize Your Syringe
Shake the syringe containing the liquid culture to evenly distribute the mycelium. Next, use a flame to sterilize the needle of the syringe until it glows red-hot. Let it cool for a few seconds afterwards.
5.3. Inoculation
Find the self-healing injection port on your jar lid. Using the sterilized syringe, carefully inject 1-2ml of liquid culture into the jar through the port. Ensure the needle doesn’t touch any non-sterile surfaces to prevent contamination.
5.4. Repeat the Process
Continue inoculating each of your BRF cakes, flame-sterilizing the needle between each jar. Maintaining cleanliness throughout this process is crucial.
5.5. Store the Jars
After inoculating all your cakes, store them at a temperature appropriate for your mushroom species, usually between 70-75°F. You should expect to see mycelium growth within a week or so.
Congratulations on completing the inoculation process! Patience is now key as you wait for the mycelium to colonize the BRF cakes. Remember, mushroom cultivation is a test of patience, but the results are immensely rewarding. Soon, you’ll be able to witness the fruits of your labor!
As your BRF cakes are fully colonized and ready after their dunking and rolling in vermiculite, it’s time to move them into their new habitat for fruiting – the Shotgun Fruiting Chamber (SGFC). The SGFC gets its name from the multitude of holes punctured throughout the chamber, resembling the scatter pattern of a shotgun blast. These holes play a vital role in maintaining proper conditions for mushroom fruiting.
7.1. Setting Up the Cakes
Place the cakes on sterilized lids or small squares of aluminum foil. This step is important to prevent the cakes from sitting directly on the damp perlite layer at the bottom of the chamber. Make sure to space the cakes adequately to ensure good air circulation around each one.
7.2. Misting
Gently spray a mist of water onto the sides of the chamber and lightly over the cakes. The goal is to create a fine, dew-like mist without soaking the cakes. Overwatering can lead to adverse conditions for the mushrooms, so aim for a light and even mist.
7.3. Fanning
Fanning is essential for introducing fresh air into the chamber and should be done at least twice daily, especially after misting. Use the lid of the chamber or a piece of cardboard to gently fan fresh air inside. This process helps to replace the carbon dioxide-heavy air inside the chamber with fresh oxygen, which is vital for inducing the mushrooms to pin (start the initial stage of fruiting).
The design of the SGFC, with its array of holes, naturally facilitates air exchange, which is crucial in simulating the mushrooms’ natural growing conditions. This air exchange is key to removing carbon dioxide and supplying fresh oxygen to your growing mushrooms.
Additionally, the SGFC aids in maintaining high humidity levels, another critical factor for mushroom growth. The damp perlite at the bottom of the chamber slowly releases moisture, helping to keep the humidity within the chamber at an ideal level.
In summary, the SGFC is an efficient and effective way to provide your mushrooms with the balanced environment they need to thrive. It simplifies the process of maintaining the optimal conditions of fresh air exchange and humidity, vital for a successful mushroom yield. With your SGFC set up correctly, you’re well on your way to a bountiful mushroom harvest. Enjoy the fruits of your labor in your very own mushroom zen garden!
