Question about birthing

[MoxieGirl]

Hi,

My current batch of mushrooms have been in the jars 2 weeks now. They are about 85-90% fully white (sure there is a technical term for this).

I know I should wait till they are 100%, then give them another week before birthing them. BUT, I am home all next week, so if I  birth them this weekend, I will be around to keep them watered and attend to their growth and harvesting.

If I let them stay in the jars another week, they may be in a better position to birth, but then I won't be around to tend to their growing needs.

Thoughts?

[spiny]

Hey,

I think the term is colonized.

My understanding is that they take 3 weeks to colonize and then you leave them for another week before birthing. So actually they should need another 2 weeks before birthing, not one. Perhaps your grow is ahead of schedule? My reading has been pretty specific about 4 weeks total. But, Tuckerman48 said to keep the chamber at 85deg and the birthing chamber at 75deg? At 85 they are supposed to colonize faster. Perhaps yours have done that!

You can eliminate the last week, but your yields will not be as prolific. That is the only 'issue' that I am aware of.

Since they are only 2 weeks old, I would wait at least another week and preferably two if possible. Perhaps this time frame will change your plans?

Some use a fish pump to insert air into the chamber via aquarium tubing. The pump can be set on a timer to add air at specified times so the need to open and fan is minimized or eliminated. You just drill holes on all sides of the chamber to give the excess air an escape route. Of course, the wet perlite supplies the moisture and doesn't appear to need additional wetting during growing.

The sprouts appear about a week into birthing and rapidly mature for picking. I would think it would be important to be around for harvesting as they can rot if left too long. Many caveats about not using if the stem is slimy or inky or something. Guess I need to re-read that info!

Good luck! I bet our mycologists will chime in with better info for us both to learn from.

[Dallas Denny]

Correct on colonization Spiny....the other term in this equation is "consolidation". 

After the jar reaches 100% colonization  ( the portion of the cake we observe thru the jar), it takes another week for the mycelium to consume the inner part of the cake.... Consolidation....

IMHO, you'll be better off leavin em in the jar an xtra week vs the contam risks of birthing early.....the worst that can happen is they will start pinning in the jars....just pick em off after birthing and then dunk and roll as usual. Dry what you pick off as usual and put em in yer medicine pouch!!

DD

[CH-HELL]

  There is no set time limit on them some will grow slower than others this is normal. 

  It is always better let them stay in the jar longer.  Chances are if you birth them early they still won't start pinning for another week+ so they will loose a great deal of moister.  Mushrooms are 90% water so that is a major issue.  I always tell first time growers to leave them in the jar until they see there first pin forming.  Also(sorry Denny) leave the pins on this is part of your first flush and most of the time they will survive the dunk and roll and continue to grow.

  I know where Tuckerman is getting the 85* from(Paul Statmet)  but that information is out dated and room temp is fine and 75f is optimal.  As the mycelium grows it produces heat as much as 10f so 75F is 85f to the cake.   Leave them room temperature the entire time for best results.

  What type of fruiting chamber are you using Moxie?

CH

[MoxieGirl]

Thank you everyone for the excellent advice, and technical terms.

OK, OK, will leave them in the jars another 2 weeks. I'm eager to get the best crop I can this time. Will just have to hope I'm around enough to manage the harvest in 2-3 weeks.

My last harvest, one or two had done the black ink thingy, and seemed to be fine once harvested and dried.

For fruiting, I have two shallow, rectangle window-sill planters. They are about 3 inches deep, and 8 inches wide by about 14 inches long (guessing). I put perlite in the bottom of one, and turn the other upside down and use as a lid. It worked pretty well last time.

My plan was to offset them a little, so that the top one was over a small humidifier. The humidifier would be a on a timer, and release mist into the chamber. But, the humidifier I had had a short, so I couldn't use it. But I'm guessing the perlit releases enough moisture, so should be fine.

[CH-HELL]

For fruiting, I have two shallow, rectangle window-sill planters. They are about 3 inches deep, and 8 inches wide by about 14 inches long (guessing). I put perlite in the bottom of one, and turn the other upside down and use as a lid. It worked pretty well last time.

My plan was to offset them a little, so that the top one was over a small humidifier. The humidifier would be a on a timer, and release mist into the chamber. But, the humidifier I had had a short, so I couldn't use it. But I'm guessing the perlit releases enough moisture, so should be fine. 

If it has worked for you great leave it be but there are many ways to get things done.  I try to make things as easy and painless as possible.

If you have time to get things set up prior to birthing you can get your humidity up and have a low maintence fruiting chamber.   It would be wise to make a Shot gun fruiting chamber now so you know it is working properly and you won't have to tend to it constantly.

These videos are great>>>>>

http://www.mushroomvideos.com/Terrarium-Tek

Part 3 is the shot gun fruiting chamber,  the main thing with the shotgun chamber is to use lots of perlite.  5" of perlite seems to be a minimum to keep the humidity at 95% or above with out misting every few hours.

CH