Mushplanet
The use of psilocybin mushrooms can be traced back thousands of
years. These 'Magic mushrooms' were used by ancient tribes and
civilizations as a means for entering the spiritual world.
Mushplanet.com aims to provide accurate and balanced information on the
use and cultivation of magic mushrooms
Basic Cultivation
A few things should be very clear before you start. Proper knowledge of the basics may save you some frustration later on.
The life cycle of the mushroom
When you start with the cultivation of mushrooms at home, it is
important to know about the lifecycle of the mushroom.To successfully
cultivate your own mushrooms at home, it is necessary to have an insight
into the lifecycle of the mushroom.
To most people the mushroom exists of a stem and a cap. What these people do not realize, is that there's an entire network of so-called mycelium beneath the mushroom. Mycelium is a tight network of cells under the ground. This mycelium underground is actually the plant of which the mushrooms are the fruits.
During its life course the mycelium has only one goal: The existing of the species. The mycelium does so by growing mushrooms. These mushrooms produce spores and drop these when they reach adulthood.
The lifecycle:
To most people the mushroom exists of a stem and a cap. What these people do not realize, is that there's an entire network of so-called mycelium beneath the mushroom. Mycelium is a tight network of cells under the ground. This mycelium underground is actually the plant of which the mushrooms are the fruits.
During its life course the mycelium has only one goal: The existing of the species. The mycelium does so by growing mushrooms. These mushrooms produce spores and drop these when they reach adulthood.
The lifecycle:
- a mature mushroom drops spores
- spores fall on the ground - spores germinate
- they meet compatible spores
- mycelium originates - pinheads originate
- primordia formation - growth mushroom - mature, drops spores
- circle completed
- obtain spores
- make substrate
- inoculation
- incubation
- place them into fruiting conditions
- pinhead formation
- growth mushroom
- make a spore print
The needed materials
For the cultivation of mushrooms at home you will need some
specific materials and supplies. In general these materials and supplies
are cheap and easy to come by. The cultivation of mushrooms isn't very
difficult. It doesn't require a lot of knowledge or materials to grow
your own mushrooms. The supplies you will need are not expensive and are
generally fairly easy to come by. The following list of items serves to
give you an impression of the standard supplies needed for growing
mushrooms. Sometimes certain procedures might require other tools and/or
supplies.
Online stores such as Azarius (EU) and Spores 101 (US) offer a wide range of growing supplies, spores and even ready-to-grow mushroom kits.
- spores or mycelium from a mushroom
- pressure cooker jars (with lids) (Could be empty jam jars)
- substrate ingredients (rye, straw etc.)
- knife/scalpel
- spray bottle
- filtermaterial
- syringes
- ziplockbags
- alcohol/gas burner
- desinfectants
- thermometer
- sterile (latex) gloves
- mouthmask
- petri dishes
- scale
Online stores such as Azarius (EU) and Spores 101 (US) offer a wide range of growing supplies, spores and even ready-to-grow mushroom kits.
Basics of sterile working
The first thing you have to learn when cultivating mushrooms at
home is that you have to work sterile. You just have to work extremely
clean. The spores, the mycelium and the mushrooms themselves are very
vulnerable to contamination. Contamination will generally have dramatic
consequences for the development of the mycelium and eventually for the
mushroom itself. During the cultivation process it's important to pay
close attention to sterility to avoid these contaminations, and always
work as clean as possible. The 5 most common sources for contaminations are:
2. The surroundings It is of utmost importance to have clean surroundings. There is an incredible amount of bacteria in the air and they are all capable of ruining your work. Clean your working space thoroughly with a disinfectant. It is best to choose the smallest space possible. For example a closet is very good. Also a bathroom or a kitchen. Be sure not to have a draft in your working space, so close all the doors and windows. If necessary close cracks with tape. After cleaning the room, be sure to leave for about 5 minutes, so the disinfectant can do its job. Warning: The space should be thoroughly cleaned with a disinfectant. But be careful. Large quantities of disinfectants in the air can be bad for your health! So pay attention to the amount you use. If you can't find a good, clean spot in your house or you just want better results, you might consider constructing or purchasing a glovebox. Or even better, a laminar flowhood:
- glove box A semi-sterile closed space. Relatively cheap.
- Laminar flowhood A sterile space using a HEPA-filter. For the cultivator who does not want to compromise.
3. The instruments Obviously all instruments should be sterilized before being used. Especially the instrument which will come in contact with the substrate or agar media should be impeccably clean. Heat these with a lighter or a gas-burner till they start to glow red and let them completely cool off. Always keep in mind that if you touch something it is no longer sterile. You will have to re-sterilize it. Some instruments can also be sterilized in a pressure cooker. Warning: disinfectants are inflammable! Be extremely careful when you use fire to sterilize in a disinfected space.
4. Spores or the mushroom mycelium You can take all the precautions in the world to work sterile, but if the thing that will serve as inoculant isn't sterile, all your work will have been in vain. The spores or the mycelium are the basis. Especially at this stage then, sterility is of utmost importance.
5. The substrate The last source of contamination is also the biggest source. The substrate. The substrate which will serve as feeding ground for the mycelium and the mushrooms, such as rye, vermiculite, rice flour and straw contain millions of bacteria. Therefore the substrate should always be sterilized in a pressure cooker. Sometimes the pasteurization of the substrate is also enough.
- The cultivator
- The surroundings
- The instruments
- Spores or the mushroom's mycelium
- The substrate
2. The surroundings It is of utmost importance to have clean surroundings. There is an incredible amount of bacteria in the air and they are all capable of ruining your work. Clean your working space thoroughly with a disinfectant. It is best to choose the smallest space possible. For example a closet is very good. Also a bathroom or a kitchen. Be sure not to have a draft in your working space, so close all the doors and windows. If necessary close cracks with tape. After cleaning the room, be sure to leave for about 5 minutes, so the disinfectant can do its job. Warning: The space should be thoroughly cleaned with a disinfectant. But be careful. Large quantities of disinfectants in the air can be bad for your health! So pay attention to the amount you use. If you can't find a good, clean spot in your house or you just want better results, you might consider constructing or purchasing a glovebox. Or even better, a laminar flowhood:
- glove box A semi-sterile closed space. Relatively cheap.
- Laminar flowhood A sterile space using a HEPA-filter. For the cultivator who does not want to compromise.
3. The instruments Obviously all instruments should be sterilized before being used. Especially the instrument which will come in contact with the substrate or agar media should be impeccably clean. Heat these with a lighter or a gas-burner till they start to glow red and let them completely cool off. Always keep in mind that if you touch something it is no longer sterile. You will have to re-sterilize it. Some instruments can also be sterilized in a pressure cooker. Warning: disinfectants are inflammable! Be extremely careful when you use fire to sterilize in a disinfected space.
4. Spores or the mushroom mycelium You can take all the precautions in the world to work sterile, but if the thing that will serve as inoculant isn't sterile, all your work will have been in vain. The spores or the mycelium are the basis. Especially at this stage then, sterility is of utmost importance.
5. The substrate The last source of contamination is also the biggest source. The substrate. The substrate which will serve as feeding ground for the mycelium and the mushrooms, such as rye, vermiculite, rice flour and straw contain millions of bacteria. Therefore the substrate should always be sterilized in a pressure cooker. Sometimes the pasteurization of the substrate is also enough.
Identifying contaminations
A contamination is an impurity in the air, the soil, and/or the
water which can cause (serious) harm to the germinating spores, the
growing mycelium and eventually the mushrooms themselves. A
contamination can occur naturally or by the hands of humans. Actually
anything unwanted in your substrate and mycelium can be considered as a
contamination.
When a contamination takes the lead this can have enormous consequences for the growing mycelium and the forming of mushrooms. Therefore when discovered, the contaminated jars, agar cultures etc. should immediately be removed from the other non-contaminated ones. Contaminations can spread very quickly and are sometimes hard to get rid of. A contamination is something no cultivator wants and always desperately tries to avoid. However, even the best cultivator can encounter a contaminated batch or a contaminated mushroom culture.
Most contaminations are pretty easy to identify. The mycelium of mushrooms has a completely white color. If you see any other color in the mycelium, you can consider this, in most cases, as a contamination. A lot of contaminations can also be discovered by their strange penetrating smell. There are 2 exceptions. The colors blue and yellow do not always indicate contamination:
1. Blue. When the mycelium has been bruised, it turns bluish. This is no contamination and has no consequences for the quality of the mycelium.
2. Yellow. When mycelium gets older it can start to form small yellow dots, sometimes this even becomes a yellowish slimy substance. This mostly happens with fully colonized jars/bags which have been in the incubation room for too long. This yellow transforming is a natural resistance of the mycelium and acts as an extra shield against bacteria and other contaminations. It is important that this mycelium is immediately placed into the fruiting conditions.
Warning: Before you use your pressure cooker always read and follow the provided safety instructions. Improper usage of a pressure cooker may result in dangerous situations!
A sterile technique is of utmost importance in mushroom home cultivation. A pressure cooker is a necessity within this process. A pressure cooker is needed to sterilize your substrates and casing material. Also some supplies like scalpels can be sterilized in a pressure cooker.
When it comes to sterility there is only one rule:
Or it is sterile or it is non-sterile, there is no in-between. If you have any doubts about the sterility consider it to be non-sterile.
For a correct sterilization the pressure within the cooker must be at 15 psi for a certain period. This means it will be about 121 °C within the cooker. No organism will stay alive during such a temperature. The duration of sterilization time depends a lot on the ingredients of the substrate and the volume of it. The specific sterilization time of specific substrates are mentioned in the techniques section.
In a lot of books and other publications there is referred to an autoclave when it comes to sterilization. An autoclave is actually nothing more then just a very expensive pressure cooker. Autoclaves are mostly used in hospitals and professional laboratories and cost thousands of euros. A pressure cooker does the same trick and is already available from 30-40 euro.
It's best to use special filterbags, filterboxes and/or glass jars to sterilize your substrate in. If you decide to use something else always check that it can stand the high pressure and temperatures of a pressure cooker.
The filterbags and filterboxes are specially made for mushroom cultivation and widely sold on the internet. They can be pressure cooked and contain a special filter which supplies the needed fresh air.
Filterbags need to be closed with a good-quality impulse sealer.
When you use filterboxes close the lid, before sterilizing, only for 75% and cover it with a double layer of tinfoil. The lids of these filterboxes close so hermetically that the boxes will deform when they are closed for 100% during sterilization. When the filterboxes come out of the cooker close the filterboxes immediately.
You can also use standard glass jars. When using glass jars it's wise to build in a filter yourself. Tyvek material is very well suited for this purpose. Punch a whole in the lid, place the filter disk under the lid and screw it tight. Also the filter wool used for aquaria can be used very well. Make sure the wool is very tight within the whole of the lid. Finally cover the jars with a double layer of tinfoil.
Before you put the pressure cooker on the gas:
- Inspect the articles, supplies, jars and bags which you are going to sterilize. Check that they are clean and in a good, working condition.
- Wrap all the articles and supplies in a double layer of tinfoil.
- Cover the jars and boxes with a double layer of tinfoil.
- Jars with no holes in the lids and/or no filter whatsoever may never be closed for 100% airtight. The up building pressure during sterilization is in that case not able to escape, which might lead to dangerous situations.
- Keep an eye on the pressure cooker during sterilization. - And again: read and follow the safety instructions that come with the pressure cooker.
When the cooker is closed and put on the stove it will start to build up steam. When the cooker has reached 15 psi, the right temperature has been reached and you can turn down the gas. Be aware that when you have to sterilize something for a certain period count down starts from this moment, not from the moment you have put the pressure cooker on the gas.
Some pressure cookers have a pressure meter and sometimes even a temperature meter. This will make it easy to reach the right pressure.
Not all pressure cookers are this highly equipped. With most cookers the correct pressure has been build up when there is continuously flowing out steam from the vent pipe.
Always take care that the articles, supplies, jars, boxes and/or filter bags are not directly on the bottom of the cooker, so place a rack on the bottom. Remember to fill the cooker with plentiful water so it will not dry out.
Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a little bit a different technique and is mostly used by the more experienced cultivators.
Pasteurization can be used for straw and straw/manure based substrates and for the preparation of casing material.
Within any untreated material there are a lot of (micro-)organisms. A part of these organisms is able and will try to destroy your hard work. But on the other hand there are also a lot of organisms which stimulate the growth of mycelium and eventually the mushrooms very well. To make it easy we can just divide them into the good and the bad ones.
When you pasteurize material it means that you heat this material at a temperature of 60-70 °C for a certain period. This temperature will kill all the bad organisms, while most of the good ones stay alive.
Pasteurization is for a lot of people a difficult method to do correctly. When it's not done properly the amount of potential contaminations is very high and there is a big possibility all your hard work will be for nothing.
When a contamination takes the lead this can have enormous consequences for the growing mycelium and the forming of mushrooms. Therefore when discovered, the contaminated jars, agar cultures etc. should immediately be removed from the other non-contaminated ones. Contaminations can spread very quickly and are sometimes hard to get rid of. A contamination is something no cultivator wants and always desperately tries to avoid. However, even the best cultivator can encounter a contaminated batch or a contaminated mushroom culture.
Most contaminations are pretty easy to identify. The mycelium of mushrooms has a completely white color. If you see any other color in the mycelium, you can consider this, in most cases, as a contamination. A lot of contaminations can also be discovered by their strange penetrating smell. There are 2 exceptions. The colors blue and yellow do not always indicate contamination:
1. Blue. When the mycelium has been bruised, it turns bluish. This is no contamination and has no consequences for the quality of the mycelium.
2. Yellow. When mycelium gets older it can start to form small yellow dots, sometimes this even becomes a yellowish slimy substance. This mostly happens with fully colonized jars/bags which have been in the incubation room for too long. This yellow transforming is a natural resistance of the mycelium and acts as an extra shield against bacteria and other contaminations. It is important that this mycelium is immediately placed into the fruiting conditions.
Pressure Cooker Sterilizing
Warning: Before you use your pressure cooker always read and follow the provided safety instructions. Improper usage of a pressure cooker may result in dangerous situations!
A sterile technique is of utmost importance in mushroom home cultivation. A pressure cooker is a necessity within this process. A pressure cooker is needed to sterilize your substrates and casing material. Also some supplies like scalpels can be sterilized in a pressure cooker.
When it comes to sterility there is only one rule:
Or it is sterile or it is non-sterile, there is no in-between. If you have any doubts about the sterility consider it to be non-sterile.
For a correct sterilization the pressure within the cooker must be at 15 psi for a certain period. This means it will be about 121 °C within the cooker. No organism will stay alive during such a temperature. The duration of sterilization time depends a lot on the ingredients of the substrate and the volume of it. The specific sterilization time of specific substrates are mentioned in the techniques section.
In a lot of books and other publications there is referred to an autoclave when it comes to sterilization. An autoclave is actually nothing more then just a very expensive pressure cooker. Autoclaves are mostly used in hospitals and professional laboratories and cost thousands of euros. A pressure cooker does the same trick and is already available from 30-40 euro.
It's best to use special filterbags, filterboxes and/or glass jars to sterilize your substrate in. If you decide to use something else always check that it can stand the high pressure and temperatures of a pressure cooker.
The filterbags and filterboxes are specially made for mushroom cultivation and widely sold on the internet. They can be pressure cooked and contain a special filter which supplies the needed fresh air.
Filterbags need to be closed with a good-quality impulse sealer.
When you use filterboxes close the lid, before sterilizing, only for 75% and cover it with a double layer of tinfoil. The lids of these filterboxes close so hermetically that the boxes will deform when they are closed for 100% during sterilization. When the filterboxes come out of the cooker close the filterboxes immediately.
You can also use standard glass jars. When using glass jars it's wise to build in a filter yourself. Tyvek material is very well suited for this purpose. Punch a whole in the lid, place the filter disk under the lid and screw it tight. Also the filter wool used for aquaria can be used very well. Make sure the wool is very tight within the whole of the lid. Finally cover the jars with a double layer of tinfoil.
Before you put the pressure cooker on the gas:
- Inspect the articles, supplies, jars and bags which you are going to sterilize. Check that they are clean and in a good, working condition.
- Wrap all the articles and supplies in a double layer of tinfoil.
- Cover the jars and boxes with a double layer of tinfoil.
- Jars with no holes in the lids and/or no filter whatsoever may never be closed for 100% airtight. The up building pressure during sterilization is in that case not able to escape, which might lead to dangerous situations.
- Keep an eye on the pressure cooker during sterilization. - And again: read and follow the safety instructions that come with the pressure cooker.
When the cooker is closed and put on the stove it will start to build up steam. When the cooker has reached 15 psi, the right temperature has been reached and you can turn down the gas. Be aware that when you have to sterilize something for a certain period count down starts from this moment, not from the moment you have put the pressure cooker on the gas.
Some pressure cookers have a pressure meter and sometimes even a temperature meter. This will make it easy to reach the right pressure.
Not all pressure cookers are this highly equipped. With most cookers the correct pressure has been build up when there is continuously flowing out steam from the vent pipe.
Always take care that the articles, supplies, jars, boxes and/or filter bags are not directly on the bottom of the cooker, so place a rack on the bottom. Remember to fill the cooker with plentiful water so it will not dry out.
Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a little bit a different technique and is mostly used by the more experienced cultivators.
Pasteurization can be used for straw and straw/manure based substrates and for the preparation of casing material.
Within any untreated material there are a lot of (micro-)organisms. A part of these organisms is able and will try to destroy your hard work. But on the other hand there are also a lot of organisms which stimulate the growth of mycelium and eventually the mushrooms very well. To make it easy we can just divide them into the good and the bad ones.
When you pasteurize material it means that you heat this material at a temperature of 60-70 °C for a certain period. This temperature will kill all the bad organisms, while most of the good ones stay alive.
Pasteurization is for a lot of people a difficult method to do correctly. When it's not done properly the amount of potential contaminations is very high and there is a big possibility all your hard work will be for nothing.
Harvest and storage
The veil underneath the cap of the mushroom indicates when the
mushrooms can be harvested. When this veil breaks open, it is time to
harvest. If you wait too long, the cap will open and release its spores.
The substrate and the mushroom itself will become covered in
black/purple spores. Although this does not affect the potency of the
mushrooms, it is best avoided. Harvesting in stages is an option, but
beware of contamination. Always wash your hands thoroughly before
harvesting mushrooms. Or even better, wear sterile rubber gloves.
Mature mushrooms can be harvested by grabbing the mushroom by the base, and performing a twisting, counterclockwise motion. Pulling the mushroom straight out of the mycelium with too much force can damage the mycelium.
After harvesting, you can use a small brush to gently brush off any vermiculite or substrate left on the mushroom. However, do not wash the mushrooms.
Drying and storing
Fresh mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator, but only for 3-10
days (depending on the specie and moisture content). For long term
storage, drying them is a better option.
Mushrooms contain about 90% water, so drying them is not only an excellent method for storage, it also decreases their size, thus making transport easier. To dry mushrooms, all you need is air circulation and a warm spot. An effective method for drying mushrooms is by placing them on kitchen paper and directing a fan at the mushrooms to provide a constant airflow. At a temperature of 25-30c the mushrooms should be cracker dry in a few days.
Storing dried mushrooms
There are several ways to store dried mushrooms. Most important in
order for the shrooms to maintain potency, is to store them airtight and
in a dark spot.
Mature mushrooms can be harvested by grabbing the mushroom by the base, and performing a twisting, counterclockwise motion. Pulling the mushroom straight out of the mycelium with too much force can damage the mycelium.
After harvesting, you can use a small brush to gently brush off any vermiculite or substrate left on the mushroom. However, do not wash the mushrooms.
Drying and storing
Fresh mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator, but only for 3-10
days (depending on the specie and moisture content). For long term
storage, drying them is a better option.Mushrooms contain about 90% water, so drying them is not only an excellent method for storage, it also decreases their size, thus making transport easier. To dry mushrooms, all you need is air circulation and a warm spot. An effective method for drying mushrooms is by placing them on kitchen paper and directing a fan at the mushrooms to provide a constant airflow. At a temperature of 25-30c the mushrooms should be cracker dry in a few days.
Storing dried mushrooms
There are several ways to store dried mushrooms. Most important in
order for the shrooms to maintain potency, is to store them airtight and
in a dark spot.- Honey. Chop the mushroom up in smaller pieces, or use a jar large enough for the mushrooms to sit in. Make sure you write down the contents (weight) of mushrooms added per unit of honey to avoid dosage mishaps!
- Freezer. Freezing dried mushrooms is said to be the best method for long term storage. Make sure the mushrooms are completely dry before freezing them, or they will become mushy and prone to rot. Store them in an airtight container or plastic bags.
- Airtight bags/container. Pack the dried shrooms in a (ziplock)bag. Squeeze out all the oxygen and close the bag. Put the first bag in another bag and pack it airtight. Store in a cool, dark spot.
Cultivation techniques
Where to start? There are a lot of mushrooms and there are many different growing techniques.
We provide you with detailed step-by-step information on various cultivation techniques.
We provide you with detailed step-by-step information on various cultivation techniques.
Grow boxes
'Grow boxes', also known as 'mycelium boxes' are ready-to-grow
boxes with pre-inoculated substrate. In most cases, the mycelium has
already formed, and therefore all the user needs to do is introduce it
to fruiting conditions. Here's a short step-by-step guide:
Mycelium Box
This is probably the most populair and easiest to grow kit available. The box is filled with a substrate of rye and perlite, and is cased with vermiculite. It contains pregrown mycelium of a Cubensis species.
The set contains:
2. After 12 hours carefully open the corner of the lid of the box and let the excess water run off.
3. Remove the lid from the box (do NOT throw the lid away!) and put the box in the filter bag. Fold the top of the bag and close it with 2 paper clips. Place the box in warm spot (20-25c) where it receives some light. It does not require direct sunlight. Also, do not place it on top of a radiator.
4. Leave the bag closed. The mushrooms will appear in 10-14 days. These will be ready for harvest in about 7 days after appearing.
Harvesting
The mushrooms are ready for harvest when the veil underneath the cap has just teared. Harvesting too early will cost the grower yield. Harvesting too late will result in purple/black, spore covered mushrooms. This does not affect the mushrooms and is just a cosmetic issue. Harvest the mushrooms by grabbing the mushroom by the stem at the base and perform a twisting motion while lifting it upwards, out of the mycelium. Small mushrooms between the substrate and the side of the box are best left undisturbed. Harvested mushrooms can be dried or stored in the refrigerator (in a brown paper bag or tupperware box) for 3-5 days.
After harvesting, the box can be used again for the next flush. Up to five flushes are possible before the mycelium is depleted.
Immediately after harvesting the box needs to be watered again for the next flush. Remove all mushrooms that failed to mature, put the lid on the box and water it for 12 hours. Continue as before by putting it in the filter bag.
Ready to grow mycelium kits can be ordered online here
Making a spore print
Mycelium Box
This is probably the most populair and easiest to grow kit available. The box is filled with a substrate of rye and perlite, and is cased with vermiculite. It contains pregrown mycelium of a Cubensis species.
The set contains:
- Box with mycelium colonized substrate
- Filter bag
- 2 paperclips
2. After 12 hours carefully open the corner of the lid of the box and let the excess water run off.
3. Remove the lid from the box (do NOT throw the lid away!) and put the box in the filter bag. Fold the top of the bag and close it with 2 paper clips. Place the box in warm spot (20-25c) where it receives some light. It does not require direct sunlight. Also, do not place it on top of a radiator.
4. Leave the bag closed. The mushrooms will appear in 10-14 days. These will be ready for harvest in about 7 days after appearing.
Harvesting
The mushrooms are ready for harvest when the veil underneath the cap has just teared. Harvesting too early will cost the grower yield. Harvesting too late will result in purple/black, spore covered mushrooms. This does not affect the mushrooms and is just a cosmetic issue. Harvest the mushrooms by grabbing the mushroom by the stem at the base and perform a twisting motion while lifting it upwards, out of the mycelium. Small mushrooms between the substrate and the side of the box are best left undisturbed. Harvested mushrooms can be dried or stored in the refrigerator (in a brown paper bag or tupperware box) for 3-5 days.
After harvesting, the box can be used again for the next flush. Up to five flushes are possible before the mycelium is depleted.
Immediately after harvesting the box needs to be watered again for the next flush. Remove all mushrooms that failed to mature, put the lid on the box and water it for 12 hours. Continue as before by putting it in the filter bag.
Ready to grow mycelium kits can be ordered online here
Making a spore print
The best way to start the cultivating process is to get a good
spore print. The spores are to the mushroom what seeds are to a plant.
Hidden under the cap of a m
ushroom reside from hundreds of thousands to millions of spores that can all lead to the growth of new mushrooms.
The making of a spore print has to be done in a sterile manner, so be sure to take all necessary precautions. To make a spore print you will need the following:
Cut the cap from the stem at the highest possible point. Be sure not to touch the spores with the knife. Place the cap on the piece of paper with the spores facing down and cover it with a clean glass. In any case, the spores shouldn't be exposed to the outside air.
After approximately 24 hours most of the spores will have fallen down. When the cap is still on the paper and you can see the spores have fallen around it that should be enough to continue. Remove the cap from the paper. Pick up the spore printed paper with a pair of tweezers and put it in a sealed bag. Small grip bags are excellent to use here. It is very important that the bags are 100% airproof. When placed in a cool and dark place, spore prints can be kept well for several years.
ushroom reside from hundreds of thousands to millions of spores that can all lead to the growth of new mushrooms.
The making of a spore print has to be done in a sterile manner, so be sure to take all necessary precautions. To make a spore print you will need the following:
- a nice mature mushroom with opened cap
- a sharp knife (scalpel)
- lighter, gas-burner
- a clean piece of paper (a piece of alum foil or glass are also possible)
- a glass
- pair of tweezers
- small zip bag
Cut the cap from the stem at the highest possible point. Be sure not to touch the spores with the knife. Place the cap on the piece of paper with the spores facing down and cover it with a clean glass. In any case, the spores shouldn't be exposed to the outside air.
After approximately 24 hours most of the spores will have fallen down. When the cap is still on the paper and you can see the spores have fallen around it that should be enough to continue. Remove the cap from the paper. Pick up the spore printed paper with a pair of tweezers and put it in a sealed bag. Small grip bags are excellent to use here. It is very important that the bags are 100% airproof. When placed in a cool and dark place, spore prints can be kept well for several years.
Making a spore syringe
A spore syringe contains sterile water with hydrated spores in
it. This spore water can be inoculated in the substrate of your choice.
This way the chance that the spores will germinate is much higher.
The reason that you have to hydrate the spores in water first is that they most likely will be too dry to germinate otherwise. To make a spore syringe you have to work under very sterile conditions, so take all necessary precautions. Try to work quickly, efficiently and with a steady hand when making a spore syringe. You can make several syringes from 1 print. It completely depends on the size and darkness of the spore print how much syringes you can make from it. From some prints only a few syringes can be made, while from other prints there can be made even 30 syringes from.
To make a spore syringe you will need the following:
Place the bottle in the pressure cooker. When your pressure cooker has reached 15 psi, you can lower the gas. Let it all stay for about 30 minutes at 15 psi. After these 30 minutes you can turn the heat down and let it all cool off completely. This is very important. Don't be impatient, when the water is too hot the spores will not survive. Cooling off will take at least several hours.
When the water has completely cooled off, you can do the next step. Sterilize the scalpel and your pair of tweezers by heating them with the gas-burner. Keep them in the fire till they start to glow red. Take them out of the fire and have them 20 or 30 seconds to let them completely cool off.
Remove the tinfoil from the flask with water and use the tweezers to take the sporeprint (partially) out of the bag. Scrape with the scalpel some spores from the print so they fall into the water.
The spore syringes can be made immediately. When doing the first syringe it's a good idea to fill it once or twice and then empty it again into the jar. The spores are then well divided over the water. When making larger amounts of spore syringes, it's wise to repeat this every few syringes.
When the syringe is filled, it can not be used immediately. The spores need time to hydrate in the water. This will take at least 24 hours, but 2-3 days is even better (just roomtemperature or incubator).
You can also save them for a later moment. Spore syringes can be kept in the fridge at 2-4 °C for about 2-6 months. Save them in an airtight zip baggie.
Cultivating the Psilocybe cubensis on a substrate of rye, covered
with a casing layer is one of the easiest and thus one of the most
frequently used methods. All strains of the cubensis grow very well on a
substrate of only rye covered with a casing layer.
To cultivate cubensis on rye you need the following:
1 part rye
0.7 - 0.9 part water
The rye, which will serve as substrate, has to be sterilized first. To sterilize rye you need to mix it with water. A often-used ratio is 1 part rye, 0.8 part water. When you use larger amounts of rye for in a filter bag less water is added otherwise it will become a sloppy substance. With only half filled standard jars you can use some more water. The general rule is: more rye is less water.
A full jar has to be sterilized at 15 psi for one hour. A full filter bag has to be sterilized at 15 psi for two full hours.
Keep in mind that the rye absorbs the water. So the rye grows during the process of sterilization. Especially when using jars to sterilize rye, it is important not to fill them up too much. The rye needs space. Also, it's good to have some space left in the jar so you can shake it well. When the rye has been sterilized and when it's still warm, it needs to be shaken well.
This way the rye and the wet crumbs get the chance to mix about. After a good shake leave the rye to cool off, to about room temperature.
When the sterilized rye has cooled off and has reached room temperature, it's ready to be inoculated. Open the jar and inject some spore water. Close the jar steady and quickly. After inoculation shake the jar or filterbag well, so all the spores are spread through the entire substrate. Basically your job is done for now. The spores need time to grow into mycelium. Put it away in a dark and warm spot of approximately 28-30 degrees C.
Usually you will see small white dots appear after a few days. This is the start of the growth. After 2-4 weeks the entire substrate will be coloured white. The speed of growth of the mycelium is highly dependable on the warmth and the quantity of spores in the substrate. It can considerably improve the growing-speed to shake the jars well every 4-5 days. This keeps the rye and mycelium loose and crumbly.
Once the substrate is completely colonized, it's time to cover the mycelium with a casing layer. First shake the mycelium till it is completely loosened up. This can be a difficult task because of the rye that forms tough lumps of mycelium. Watch out not to break the jar.
Thoroughly clean the box you want to choose for growing the mushrooms. Open the jar and scatter the rye over the box. The next thing to do is to add the casing layer. The depth of the casing layer has to be around 1 - 1.5 centimeter. Take care that the casing layer is completely flat. Finally cover it with a lid.
Put the box back in the incubation room for a couple of days. You have to give the mycelium some time to grow through the casing layer. Make sure to close the box properly so the humidity remains as high as possible, close to 100 %.
When you notice the white mycelium covering about 20-30% of the surface, it's time to expose it to the fruiting conditions. Do this by exposing it to light, fresh air and a lower temperature. After about a week the first pins will emerge from the casing. From this point the whole process will go considerably faster.
Growing the Psilocybe cubensis on a substrate of straw is the
best choice if you aim for growing at a somewhat larger scale, for it is
easier to produce than a rye substrate. The straw delivers a better
feeding ground for the Psilocybe cubensis than rye does; the mushrooms
seem to grow larger and more numerous on straw.
First, you have to prepare the spawn. You begin with inoculating a jar with rye, just the same as you would make the jars for the cultivation of mushrooms on only rye. When this jar with rye is fully colonized we are not going to use it as substrate. However, we are going to use this jar with mycelium on rye to inoculate a bag with straw. When you distribute colonized rye throughout straw, the mycelium will develop further throughout the straw. When you use mycelium this way to inoculate another substrate it's called spawning. In this method the colonized rye will serve as spawn for straw. For a standard filterbag with straw you need about 2 jars of spawn.
First the straw needs to be chopped to a maximum of 5 cm. If the straw is too long the mycelium will have difficulties with colonizing the straw. When the straw has been chopped to the right length, it is time to soak it in water. This can be done by putting the straw in a large plastic bag and fill this with water. Watch out with this, it can be become easily a mess. Let this stand for at least a few hours, although some cultivators prefer to let it soak for even 2-3 days. After the soaking the straw has to be drained very thoroughly. Finally fill a filterbag with the soaked/drained straw. Then the filterbag with straw has to be sterilized (15 psi, 3 hours) or pasteurized (60-70 °C, 2 hours). Either way, don't close the filterbag with an impulse sealer yet, the spawn has still to be distributed throughout the bag at a later moment.
When the sterilized or pasteurized straw is completely cooled off, it's time to divide the spawn over the bag of straw. Before you inoculate the straw with the spawn, carefully shake the spawn in the jar so the chunks of mycelium break apart. The straw can now be inoculated with the spawn. Open the filter bag with the straw and pour the mycelium in the bag. Close the bag immediately with a good sealing. It's important to evenly divide the spawn over the straw, to avoid the substrate from not colonizing completely. Especially with a mass of moist straw in a filterbag this can prove to be be a troublesome job.
Finally place the full filterbag in the incubationroom. Again, let time do its work and after 2 to 4 weeks, the straw will be fully colonized with mycelium. Now it's time to prepare the final phase. Take a large clean box, spread out the colonized straw with a height of 7-10 cm and put a casing layer on it. Thoroughly cover the box with plastic foil. Place the box in the incubationroom again, and give the mycelium time to form a strong network through the casing-layer. After a couple of days, when the mycelium is clearly visible through the casing-layer, it can be exposed to fruiting conditions. Under normal conditions the first pinheads will show up after 7 -10 days.
Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis are grown
almost exactly in the same way. And this is not that different from
growing the Psilocybe cubensis either.
However the Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis are in many ways much more vulnerable than the Psilocybe cubensis. Vulnerable in a sense that these 2 types need more attention during the preparation and maintenance of their ideal growing circumstances than the Psilocybe cubensis does. You can also see on the mycelium that these types are more vulnerable. Their mycelium is normally less rhizomorph than the mycelium of the Psilocybe cubensis.
When growing the Psilocybe cubensis it's sometimes possible to deviate from the ideal conditions and still get a fine harvest. When growing the Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis, the delivery of ideal conditions may be the difference between a good harvest of no harvest at all.
Required items:
When the spawn is totally colonized, it's time to prepare the substrate.
The substrate consists of (in volume):
10 parts of straw
4 parts of cow manure
3 parts of vermiculite
3 parts of water
Mix the dry components in a pot and add the water afterwards. Mix everything very well.
Next sterilise the substrate in a filter bag. Don't seal the bag yet, because you still need to add the spawn to it later on. After it's cooled down you can spread the spawn in the filter bag with straw. For a normal filter bag a pot with spawn is enough. The spawn must first be well shaken to get loose. After this you can scatter the spawn in the filter bag and seal the bag immediately after this.
It's important to spread the spawn equally on the whole substrate to prevent it from colonizing unevenly or not colonizing at all. Try to do this by shaking the bag. Especially with a humid mass substrate in a filter bag this can sometimes be difficult.
Now let time do its work. Put the filter bag in the incubator with a temperature of 28 - 30 °C and after two to four weeks the substrate will be totally colonized with the mycelium.
Now the last phase has began. Get a big, clean bag, spread the colonized substrate in it and put the casing layer on top. Close the pot well again with plastic foil. Place the pot again in the incubation space and give the mycelium time to create a strong network through the casing layer. After a couple of days, when the mycelium is undoubtedly visible through the casing layer, it can be placed in fruiting conditions.
The fruiting conditions are:
- (indirect) sun light
- 24 - 25 °C
- air humidity 95 - 100%
After a week the first pinheads will appear. From now on it's really important that the mushrooms get enough fresh air (min. 4 - 5x a day). The air humidity can go slightly down to 90 - 95%.
The Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis are two
mushrooms which are known for their sclerotia-forming. Sclerotia (plural
of sclerotium) are hard pieces of mycelium which the mushroom grows
throughout the substrate. These hard pieces mycelium have a much better
resistance against bad influences that could cause delays in growing
than normal (soft) mycelium. They serve thus as protection against a too
high or too low temperature, dehydration and a too high air humidity.
The sclerotia are looking a bit like walnuts.
The sclerotia of the Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis contain a much higher concentration psilocybine then the mushrooms themselves. This makes that most people only grow the sclerotia instead of the mushrooms. 'Truffles' they call this kind of mushroom-less mycelium, or 'Philosopher Stones'. The 'A'-strain of the Psilocybe mexicana is commonly known as the mushroom which forms most of the sclerotia. Growing sclerotia is not that different from growing mushrooms. While growing mushrooms you only go a few phases further in the life circle of the mycelium. The Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis are growing bests on grass seed. A lot of different types of grass seed of several brands have conducted to a good result. Rye or white rise can also be used.
Required substrate (in volume):
Growing the sclerotia
When choosing this option, you are basically done 'gardening'… The only thing that counts now is that you need to be patient. You can just leave the substrate where it is (still at a temperature between 21 - 25 °C). Also important from now on is not to shake the substrate anymore.
The substrate will quite rapidly start its forming of sclerotia. Slowly the sclerotia will grow into large, hard pieces with a yellow-brownish color. This sclerotia-growing last about 3 up to 4 months. After this period they will not grow any bigger
Growing the mushrooms
If you choose to grow mushrooms instead of the sclerotia, for instance because you wish to make spore prints, you will have to take it some steps further. If the substrate has been entirely colonized and has not yet started its sclerotia-growing, you need to add a 'casing-layer' to the substrate. These mushrooms perform best on a casing-layer of peat, vermiculite and calcium carbonate.
Shake the bag or jar to loosen up the mycelium. Scatter the mycelium in a clean barge and cover it with a casing-layer of 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Put the lid on the barge or cover the whole thing with foil. After all this, the barge must be placed back in the incubator for some days.
When the mycelium is clearly visible through the casing-layer, you can place the whole cluster in the fruit forming conditions. For the Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis these conditions do not differ that much from those of other types of mushrooms. For the Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis these conditions mean that they must be exposed to fresh air, (indirect) sunlight, air humidity of 95% and a temperature of 20 °C or a even a little bit higher.
After 1 up to 2 weeks the first pinheads will appear. These pinheads will develop into adult mushrooms in 4 to 7 days.
Truffle Growkits
A quick and easy method of growing sclerotia is by making use of a pre-inoculated and colonized truffle grow box. These are glass jars filled with a substrate of grass seed that is already colonized with a truffle forming psilocybe strain. All you need to do with such growkits is wait for the truffles to grow. When they are large enough to be harvested, the jar can be opened and the truffles can be harvested and cleaned.
The most important reason for this is that most home growers inoculate their substrate with a spore syringe. Inoculation with a syringe is called "multi-spore inoculation."
Every spore-syringe contains thousands, maybe even millions of spores, from the same spore print. All these spores, in theory they can all germinate into a unique genotype with their own characteristics. So, when inoculating a substrate with a spore syringe, a large number of different genotypes end up in the substrate. Every unique genotype that grows to be a mushroom has its own characteristics when it comes to speed of growth, size and looks. This explains the unregular flushes and why one mushroom can look much nicer and healthier than the other.
The more experienced grower therefore looks for the stronger genotypes and inoculates his substrate with a so-called "single strain" or "pure strain". To understand this, first you need to know more about how you can separate the strong genotypes in the mycelium from the weak genotypes.
When you've inoculated the substrate with a spore-syringe and large parts of the substrate are colonised, often you can distinguish two different kinds of mycelium. One kind looks somewhat fluffy/down-like; This is called Tomentose Mycelium. The other has a wiry-type structure; this is called Rhizomorph Mycelium. This is the kind we are looking for. Rhizomorph Mycelium has a larger potenty to grow into nice, healthy mushrooms than Tomentose Mycelium.
To make sure that only rhizomorph mycelium will develop, it's possible to take a part of rhizomorph mycelium from a colonised substrate. This part of mycelium can serve as the inoculant for another container of sterilised substrate. If you took a good part with a strong genotype of the mycelium, within the new substrate will mostly grow healthy and strong mycelium.
But when a container is largely colonised, it can be very difficult to select the best mycelium from it. The risk of contamination is very large; so it's not advisable to try.
Growing the mycelium on agar in petri dishes first offers a solution for that problem. The agar media is not a fertile soil for growing mushrooms, but the mycelium develops very nicely on it. Therefore mycelium that grows in Petri dishes can only be used to inoculate a substrate where it can develop further.
Before we'll continue with why and how agar can be used, we'll show how you can make this cultivation media from agar agar.
Throughout time it has appeared that there are many different recipes that can all lead to a good result. These agar media recipes can be bought, ready to use, in local stores or through the internet. It is also not that difficult to make these recipes yourself.
Mix the dry components well together and add the water to it. It is best to do this in special 'laboratory-bottles', the ones with the long narrow necks. These bottles are easy to use and have a narrow neck which reduce drastically the risk of contamination. Of course you can also use a different kind of jar or glass.
Cover the bottle well with a piece of tinfoil and mix it again thoroughly. Place the bottle in the pressure-cooker and sterilize the agar media for approximately 40 minutes.
When the pressure has completely left the pot, you can remove the bottle from it. The agar media is close to boiling, so be careful. Boiling agar can cause nasty burns.
It is now important to pour the agar into the dishes at the right moment. If you wait too long, the agar starts to clot. This means it's not easy pourible anymore. This situation is not very handy.
If the agar is too hot when you pour it into the dishes, this causes another unpleasant situation. It will start to condense within the Petri dish. Condense is harmful to the growth of mycelium and it also prevents you from seeing what is going on inside the dish.
The right temperature for the agar to be poured is about 40-50 degrees Celsius. When you're able to hold the bottle for about 10-12 seconds without it being painfully hot, then you know the temperature is right
Place the dishes next to each other in piles of about 10 or 20 pieces and remove the tinfoil from the bottle of agar. Take the whole pile and pour the agar in the lowest dish, then continue to work upwards. Let the dishes sit for a while so the agar can clot. When it is completely clotted, the dishes are ready to use.
Agar is very susceptible to contaminations. Especially at this stage it is very important to work very clean and with a steady and efficient hand.
Now you know how you can make agar media, we can continue with explaining the advantages of the usage of this agar media in Petri dishes.
When your Petri dishes with agar media are ready, you can inoculate them with some spores. Take the print out of the zip bag with a sterilized tweezers, open de Petri dish and scrape some spores with the sterile scalpel so they fall on the agar media on several places. Close them quickly again and place them in the incubation room at 28 - 30 C.
After a few days the spores will germinate and the growth of white mycelium will be visible. Because the mycelium on agar media grows in a flat, 2-dimensional way, it's possible to extract a part of mycelium with a scalpel and place it in a new dish with agar. So cut out one or more of the germinated spores and place each of them in the middle of a new dish. Close the dish quickly.
After a few days you can already distinguish the stronger and the weaker parts in the structure of the growing mycelium. Look if there are any sectors of mycelium which are rhizomorphic.
If you've made the right selection of mycelium, new mycelium will grow stronger and larger, compared to the first dish you used.
This process can be repeated a number of times. After a while you will notice that the mycelium doesn't grow in "sectors" anymore. Now you have your own "pure" or "single" strain. From this single strain, you can inoculate numerous containers substrate or spawn by cutting a small part of mycelium from the the petri dish, and putting this in the new substrate/spawn. In these jars there will be a development of rhizomorph mycelium of 1 specific genotype. All the mushrooms that develop from this strain will all have the same properties in terms of growth and looks.
The procedure of moving parts of mycelium cannot be repeated too often. If you select sectors too often, after some time degeneration will set in. The mycelium in the agar dishes will then produce more down-like/fluffy sectors again. Degeneration has to be prevented.
In general, it's advised to make no more than 3 parts of rhizomorph mycelium from the same mother culture to petri dishes. 5 times is the absolute maximum for most kinds.
Cloning a mushroom is a very good way to preserve the genetic
blueprint of that same mushroom. You can clone a mushroom by making a
so-called "tissue culture". Tissue cultures are made with the help of
agar media. A little bit of flesh from the inside of the mushroom has to
be placed on agar media in a Petri dish. Around this tissue from the
mushroom will develop mycelium. This mycelium will have the same genetic
pattern as the mother mushroom.
A tissue culture has to be made within 48 (but preferably 24) hours after the mushroom has been harvested.
Basically, you can take tissue from any part of the mushroom. But the tissue must be taken from the inside of the mushroom, for this part is practically sterile.
You can extract a part of tissue by breaking the stem or the hat in 2. Use a sterile knife or scalpel to remove a part of the mushroom's inside. A part of 2 by 2 mm is enough. Never touch the outside of the mushroom with the knife, the outside is not sterile and contact with it will most certainly lead to contamination.
Place this piece of tissue in a petri dish with agar as quickly as possible. The risk of contaminating is very large with this method. The chance of succeeding will be larger if you inoculate a number of dishes with a part of tissue.
It could be possible that there is a necessity for selecting a stronger sector of mycelium and taking it to a new dish for further growth.
The reason that you have to hydrate the spores in water first is that they most likely will be too dry to germinate otherwise. To make a spore syringe you have to work under very sterile conditions, so take all necessary precautions. Try to work quickly, efficiently and with a steady hand when making a spore syringe. You can make several syringes from 1 print. It completely depends on the size and darkness of the spore print how much syringes you can make from it. From some prints only a few syringes can be made, while from other prints there can be made even 30 syringes from.
To make a spore syringe you will need the following:
- an empty syringe
- water
- spore print
- lighter/gas-burner
- scalpel
- a pair of tweezers
- tinfoil
- pressure cooker
Place the bottle in the pressure cooker. When your pressure cooker has reached 15 psi, you can lower the gas. Let it all stay for about 30 minutes at 15 psi. After these 30 minutes you can turn the heat down and let it all cool off completely. This is very important. Don't be impatient, when the water is too hot the spores will not survive. Cooling off will take at least several hours.
When the water has completely cooled off, you can do the next step. Sterilize the scalpel and your pair of tweezers by heating them with the gas-burner. Keep them in the fire till they start to glow red. Take them out of the fire and have them 20 or 30 seconds to let them completely cool off.
Remove the tinfoil from the flask with water and use the tweezers to take the sporeprint (partially) out of the bag. Scrape with the scalpel some spores from the print so they fall into the water.
The spore syringes can be made immediately. When doing the first syringe it's a good idea to fill it once or twice and then empty it again into the jar. The spores are then well divided over the water. When making larger amounts of spore syringes, it's wise to repeat this every few syringes.
When the syringe is filled, it can not be used immediately. The spores need time to hydrate in the water. This will take at least 24 hours, but 2-3 days is even better (just roomtemperature or incubator).
You can also save them for a later moment. Spore syringes can be kept in the fridge at 2-4 °C for about 2-6 months. Save them in an airtight zip baggie.
Cultivation of Psilocybe cubensis on riceflour cakes
According to many the easiest method to cultivate the Psilocybe
cubensis is the riceflourcake method. This method is also called the PF
TEK, named after the person who invented it (Psilocybe Fanaticus). The
substrate to use is a mixture of brown rice flour, vermiculite and
water. In stead of brown riceflour you can also use ryeflower. For this
method you will need the following:
3.75 parts brown rice flour
10 parts vermiculite
5 parts water
Mix the dry components vermiculite and the brown rice flour very well. Add the water to it and mix it again. Fill the jars one by one with the substrate. Do this very loose; the mycelium needs space to develop itself. Make sure there is still 1 cm. remaining to the brim.
Wipe the top clean with a tissue and fill the last centimeter with only vermiculite. This reduces the chance of contamination.
Close the jars with the lids and cover them with a large double layer of tin foil.
Now it is time to sterilize the substrate. Sterilize the jars at 15 psi for 30 minutes. Take the jars out of the pan after they have completely cooled down. Cooling the sterilized jars takes at least a couple of hours. Don't be too impatient. A substrate that is too warm can kill the mushroom spores and all preparations will be for nothing.
Before you inoculate your riceflourcakes, you have to sterilize the needle of your syringe first. Sterilize it by heating it with a gas burner until it starts to glow red. Let the needle completely cool down during 20-30 seconds.
After cooling down shake the syringe very well, so the spores will get divided in the syringe again. Remove the tinfoil and inoculate the culture medium with the spore syringe through the 4 holes in the lid against the glass of the jar. You should see the spore water running down. A total of 1-2 ml of spore water for every jar should be more then enough. After inoculation close the 4 holes again with some tape.
Place the inoculated jars in a warm and dark place. The ideal temperature is 28-30°C. A cupboard above the fridge for example is a nice place. The fridge creates warmth at the back and heat always goes up. You can also use some heat elements. Now the work is done for a while, as the spores need time to germinate and develop themselves.
About 3 to 5 days after inoculating the jars, small white dots will appear. These are the mushroom spores that have germinated and grown into mycelium. After 2 to 4 weeks the riceflourcake will be totally white.
The next important action can begin. It's time to remove the substrate from the jar and place it into the fruiting conditions. The fruiting conditions mean that you expose the mycelium to fresh air, light and a lower temperature. The changing of these three elements will trigger the mycelium to form mushrooms. Place the riceflourcake upside down in your grow room and remove the jar. This can be done by (gently) tapping on the bottom. Finally place the box in a sunlit room. Make sure they are not in direct sunlight.
After 1 to 2 weeks the first pinheads will emerge. From this moment on growth can be very rapid. Within a few days the first mushrooms may already have reached their mature hood.
- brown rice flour
- vermiculite
- water
- jars with lids with 4 holes in it at the sides
- spore syringe
- tinfoil
- tape
- lighter/gas burner
- pressure cooker
3.75 parts brown rice flour
10 parts vermiculite
5 parts water
Mix the dry components vermiculite and the brown rice flour very well. Add the water to it and mix it again. Fill the jars one by one with the substrate. Do this very loose; the mycelium needs space to develop itself. Make sure there is still 1 cm. remaining to the brim.
Wipe the top clean with a tissue and fill the last centimeter with only vermiculite. This reduces the chance of contamination.
Close the jars with the lids and cover them with a large double layer of tin foil.
Now it is time to sterilize the substrate. Sterilize the jars at 15 psi for 30 minutes. Take the jars out of the pan after they have completely cooled down. Cooling the sterilized jars takes at least a couple of hours. Don't be too impatient. A substrate that is too warm can kill the mushroom spores and all preparations will be for nothing.
Before you inoculate your riceflourcakes, you have to sterilize the needle of your syringe first. Sterilize it by heating it with a gas burner until it starts to glow red. Let the needle completely cool down during 20-30 seconds.
After cooling down shake the syringe very well, so the spores will get divided in the syringe again. Remove the tinfoil and inoculate the culture medium with the spore syringe through the 4 holes in the lid against the glass of the jar. You should see the spore water running down. A total of 1-2 ml of spore water for every jar should be more then enough. After inoculation close the 4 holes again with some tape.
Place the inoculated jars in a warm and dark place. The ideal temperature is 28-30°C. A cupboard above the fridge for example is a nice place. The fridge creates warmth at the back and heat always goes up. You can also use some heat elements. Now the work is done for a while, as the spores need time to germinate and develop themselves.
About 3 to 5 days after inoculating the jars, small white dots will appear. These are the mushroom spores that have germinated and grown into mycelium. After 2 to 4 weeks the riceflourcake will be totally white.
The next important action can begin. It's time to remove the substrate from the jar and place it into the fruiting conditions. The fruiting conditions mean that you expose the mycelium to fresh air, light and a lower temperature. The changing of these three elements will trigger the mycelium to form mushrooms. Place the riceflourcake upside down in your grow room and remove the jar. This can be done by (gently) tapping on the bottom. Finally place the box in a sunlit room. Make sure they are not in direct sunlight.
After 1 to 2 weeks the first pinheads will emerge. From this moment on growth can be very rapid. Within a few days the first mushrooms may already have reached their mature hood.
Casing layer
The casing layer is a layer of moist material that is put on top
of the substrate with mycelium, before exposing this substrate to the
fruiting conditions. The usage of a casing layer is highly recommended.
The riceflourcake method, is the only method where a casing layer is not been used. In other methods other ingredients will be used as substrates and these substrates will in a later moment be covered with a casing layer. This means that the substrate with mycelium itself will not be exposed directly to the outside air, which is the case with the riceflourcake method.
The casing layer makes sure the substrate doesn't dry out; it stimulates the formation of mushrooms and also serves as a water container for mature mushrooms.
There are many different recipes for casing layers. During time and experience a lot of different casing layers have proved to be very effective.
Some recipes are:
We have had also very good results with the following casings:
It is very important the casing layer will have the right degree of humidity. You have to go about this a little by instinct. A good way to check is to put a small amount of casing layer in your hand and squeeze. When the humidity will be right, a few drops of water will ooze through your fingers. If your entire hand gets wet, you should add some extra dry components. When there aren't any drops, you should add some water.
Now the casing needs to be sterilized. Put the casing in a jar and sterilize it for about 50-60 minutes in the pressure-cooker at 15 psi. Then leave it to cool off until it has cooled down to room temperature. Casing material can also be pasteurized, 60-70 °C, for 1 hour. Some cultivators even choose to not sterilize it or pasteurize it at all.
When the casing in the jar has completely cooled off, your casing layer is ready to be used.
The riceflourcake method, is the only method where a casing layer is not been used. In other methods other ingredients will be used as substrates and these substrates will in a later moment be covered with a casing layer. This means that the substrate with mycelium itself will not be exposed directly to the outside air, which is the case with the riceflourcake method.
The casing layer makes sure the substrate doesn't dry out; it stimulates the formation of mushrooms and also serves as a water container for mature mushrooms.
There are many different recipes for casing layers. During time and experience a lot of different casing layers have proved to be very effective.
Some recipes are:
- 4 parts coarse peat
- 1 part limestone flour
- ½ part limestone grit
- 2 parts water
- 2 parts coarse peat
- 1 part chalk
- 1 part water
We have had also very good results with the following casings:
- 3 parts vermiculite
- 1 part cactussoil
- 1 part water
- 3 parts vermiculite
- 1 part water
It is very important the casing layer will have the right degree of humidity. You have to go about this a little by instinct. A good way to check is to put a small amount of casing layer in your hand and squeeze. When the humidity will be right, a few drops of water will ooze through your fingers. If your entire hand gets wet, you should add some extra dry components. When there aren't any drops, you should add some water.
Now the casing needs to be sterilized. Put the casing in a jar and sterilize it for about 50-60 minutes in the pressure-cooker at 15 psi. Then leave it to cool off until it has cooled down to room temperature. Casing material can also be pasteurized, 60-70 °C, for 1 hour. Some cultivators even choose to not sterilize it or pasteurize it at all.
When the casing in the jar has completely cooled off, your casing layer is ready to be used.
Psilocybe Cubensis on rye
To cultivate cubensis on rye you need the following:
- rye
- water
- jar/filterbag
- spore syringe
- tray or box
- casing
- pressure cooker
1 part rye
0.7 - 0.9 part water
The rye, which will serve as substrate, has to be sterilized first. To sterilize rye you need to mix it with water. A often-used ratio is 1 part rye, 0.8 part water. When you use larger amounts of rye for in a filter bag less water is added otherwise it will become a sloppy substance. With only half filled standard jars you can use some more water. The general rule is: more rye is less water.
A full jar has to be sterilized at 15 psi for one hour. A full filter bag has to be sterilized at 15 psi for two full hours.
Keep in mind that the rye absorbs the water. So the rye grows during the process of sterilization. Especially when using jars to sterilize rye, it is important not to fill them up too much. The rye needs space. Also, it's good to have some space left in the jar so you can shake it well. When the rye has been sterilized and when it's still warm, it needs to be shaken well.
This way the rye and the wet crumbs get the chance to mix about. After a good shake leave the rye to cool off, to about room temperature.
When the sterilized rye has cooled off and has reached room temperature, it's ready to be inoculated. Open the jar and inject some spore water. Close the jar steady and quickly. After inoculation shake the jar or filterbag well, so all the spores are spread through the entire substrate. Basically your job is done for now. The spores need time to grow into mycelium. Put it away in a dark and warm spot of approximately 28-30 degrees C.
Usually you will see small white dots appear after a few days. This is the start of the growth. After 2-4 weeks the entire substrate will be coloured white. The speed of growth of the mycelium is highly dependable on the warmth and the quantity of spores in the substrate. It can considerably improve the growing-speed to shake the jars well every 4-5 days. This keeps the rye and mycelium loose and crumbly.
Once the substrate is completely colonized, it's time to cover the mycelium with a casing layer. First shake the mycelium till it is completely loosened up. This can be a difficult task because of the rye that forms tough lumps of mycelium. Watch out not to break the jar.
Thoroughly clean the box you want to choose for growing the mushrooms. Open the jar and scatter the rye over the box. The next thing to do is to add the casing layer. The depth of the casing layer has to be around 1 - 1.5 centimeter. Take care that the casing layer is completely flat. Finally cover it with a lid.
Put the box back in the incubation room for a couple of days. You have to give the mycelium some time to grow through the casing layer. Make sure to close the box properly so the humidity remains as high as possible, close to 100 %.
When you notice the white mycelium covering about 20-30% of the surface, it's time to expose it to the fruiting conditions. Do this by exposing it to light, fresh air and a lower temperature. After about a week the first pins will emerge from the casing. From this point the whole process will go considerably faster.
Psilocybe Cubensis on straw
First, you have to prepare the spawn. You begin with inoculating a jar with rye, just the same as you would make the jars for the cultivation of mushrooms on only rye. When this jar with rye is fully colonized we are not going to use it as substrate. However, we are going to use this jar with mycelium on rye to inoculate a bag with straw. When you distribute colonized rye throughout straw, the mycelium will develop further throughout the straw. When you use mycelium this way to inoculate another substrate it's called spawning. In this method the colonized rye will serve as spawn for straw. For a standard filterbag with straw you need about 2 jars of spawn.
First the straw needs to be chopped to a maximum of 5 cm. If the straw is too long the mycelium will have difficulties with colonizing the straw. When the straw has been chopped to the right length, it is time to soak it in water. This can be done by putting the straw in a large plastic bag and fill this with water. Watch out with this, it can be become easily a mess. Let this stand for at least a few hours, although some cultivators prefer to let it soak for even 2-3 days. After the soaking the straw has to be drained very thoroughly. Finally fill a filterbag with the soaked/drained straw. Then the filterbag with straw has to be sterilized (15 psi, 3 hours) or pasteurized (60-70 °C, 2 hours). Either way, don't close the filterbag with an impulse sealer yet, the spawn has still to be distributed throughout the bag at a later moment.
When the sterilized or pasteurized straw is completely cooled off, it's time to divide the spawn over the bag of straw. Before you inoculate the straw with the spawn, carefully shake the spawn in the jar so the chunks of mycelium break apart. The straw can now be inoculated with the spawn. Open the filter bag with the straw and pour the mycelium in the bag. Close the bag immediately with a good sealing. It's important to evenly divide the spawn over the straw, to avoid the substrate from not colonizing completely. Especially with a mass of moist straw in a filterbag this can prove to be be a troublesome job.
Finally place the full filterbag in the incubationroom. Again, let time do its work and after 2 to 4 weeks, the straw will be fully colonized with mycelium. Now it's time to prepare the final phase. Take a large clean box, spread out the colonized straw with a height of 7-10 cm and put a casing layer on it. Thoroughly cover the box with plastic foil. Place the box in the incubationroom again, and give the mycelium time to form a strong network through the casing-layer. After a couple of days, when the mycelium is clearly visible through the casing-layer, it can be exposed to fruiting conditions. Under normal conditions the first pinheads will show up after 7 -10 days.
Growing Panaeolus cyanescens
However the Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis are in many ways much more vulnerable than the Psilocybe cubensis. Vulnerable in a sense that these 2 types need more attention during the preparation and maintenance of their ideal growing circumstances than the Psilocybe cubensis does. You can also see on the mycelium that these types are more vulnerable. Their mycelium is normally less rhizomorph than the mycelium of the Psilocybe cubensis.
When growing the Psilocybe cubensis it's sometimes possible to deviate from the ideal conditions and still get a fine harvest. When growing the Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis, the delivery of ideal conditions may be the difference between a good harvest of no harvest at all.
Required items:
- Spawn
- Straw
- Manure
- Vermiculite
- Casing
- Filter bags
- Impulse sealer
When the spawn is totally colonized, it's time to prepare the substrate.
The substrate consists of (in volume):
10 parts of straw
4 parts of cow manure
3 parts of vermiculite
3 parts of water
Mix the dry components in a pot and add the water afterwards. Mix everything very well.
Next sterilise the substrate in a filter bag. Don't seal the bag yet, because you still need to add the spawn to it later on. After it's cooled down you can spread the spawn in the filter bag with straw. For a normal filter bag a pot with spawn is enough. The spawn must first be well shaken to get loose. After this you can scatter the spawn in the filter bag and seal the bag immediately after this.
It's important to spread the spawn equally on the whole substrate to prevent it from colonizing unevenly or not colonizing at all. Try to do this by shaking the bag. Especially with a humid mass substrate in a filter bag this can sometimes be difficult.
Now let time do its work. Put the filter bag in the incubator with a temperature of 28 - 30 °C and after two to four weeks the substrate will be totally colonized with the mycelium.
Now the last phase has began. Get a big, clean bag, spread the colonized substrate in it and put the casing layer on top. Close the pot well again with plastic foil. Place the pot again in the incubation space and give the mycelium time to create a strong network through the casing layer. After a couple of days, when the mycelium is undoubtedly visible through the casing layer, it can be placed in fruiting conditions.
The fruiting conditions are:
- (indirect) sun light
- 24 - 25 °C
- air humidity 95 - 100%
After a week the first pinheads will appear. From now on it's really important that the mushrooms get enough fresh air (min. 4 - 5x a day). The air humidity can go slightly down to 90 - 95%.
Growing psilocybe Azurescens (outdoor)
These 3 mushrooms grow in the colder and wetter places on Earth.
Therefore they are no good to grow indoors. This means that growing
these mushrooms is not for everybody. You must live in a place where
autumn is cold and wet and besides you need to find a location where you
can lay the bed and where it is safe throughout the year.
We are thinking of a bed in the garden (or woods) of 80 * 80 * 10 cm.
These mushrooms come up in the autumn and in the beginning of the winter. The whole process from preparing the spawn until the mushrooms come out is a process that will take very long. If you want to harvest these mushrooms in the autumn, you actually must start at the beginning of the year (Jan/Feb).
The growing process normally has 3 phases: - preparing the spawn - growing the mycelium outdoors - growing the mushrooms
First you must prepare the spawn. You do not need that much: 300 to 400 ml. is enough. Rye is the best basis for spawn and the mycelium of these mushrooms grows best in the incubator with a temperature of 20 °C.
When the rye is totally colonized, it is time for the next step in preparing the spawn. The Psilocybe azurescens, cyanescens and baeocystis love woodchips. The colonized rye will also be helpful in colonizing a part of the woodchips with mycelium.
It does not really matter what kind of woodchips you use. In general the mushrooms grow very well on almost all kinds of woodchips. We use the ones that you can buy in the pet shops to use as underground for your pet house.
Before you inoculate the woodchips with the colonized rye, you must first soften them by soaking them. Fill up 2 pots of 1000 ml for 60% with small woodchips and totally cover the woodchips with water. Let them soak for 48 hours. After 48 hours let the 2 pots with the woodchips leak out in a strainer. Do this very thoroughly. Fill the 2 pots again with the prepared woodchips and close the pots with a lid with a filter. The pots must be now sterilized for 1 hour on 15 psi. Let the pots quietly cool down afterwards.
If the pots have cooled down entirely, you can start to inoculate with rye. Divide de rye over the 2 pots. After inoculation you must give the 2 pots a good shake to spread the rye. After that, place the pots in the incubator (18 - 20 °C.).
After 2 up to 4 weeks the pots have been entirely colonized. From time to time shake the pots well to speed up the process. Once this has happened, it is time to prepare for the open air.
For an outside 'bed' of 80 * 80*10 cm. you need approximately 10 liters of woodchips. It is all right if these woodchips are a bit larger than the ones you used for making the brood. Put these 10 liters in a garbage bag and add plenty water. Let this now soak for 24 hours. After these 24 hours the bag must leak out entirely. Make some small holes in the bag tot make that happen. And cut off, after a while, the corners on the bottom of the garbage bag. Wait till there is no more water left.
Put your boots on! Go outside and dig a hole in the ground of your desired size. It is smart to choose a spot with much shade. Scatter a layer of 4 - 5 centimeters woodchips on the floor. Take the 2 pots with brood (loosened up by shaking) and scatter these over the complete bed. Cover this again with a few centimeters of wet woodchip. The bed is almost ready now. Irrigate the bed and cover it with a garbage bag. This makes the bed the ideal environment for the mushrooms, nice wet and dark. You can keep the bag in its place by laying some stones on the edge.
The best time of the year to make such an outside bed is around March/April. Your work is down for now. During spring and summer the mycelium needs enough time to build a firm network thorough the whole bed of woodchips. Verify, however, on a regular basis if the bed still has a nice humid condition. Spray the bed with water if nescessary.
At the beginning of September the weather becomes colder and wetter: the ideal circumstances for the growing mushrooms. Remove the garbage bag and give the bed, if needed, a good irrigation to keep it humid. You will probably see a number of insects and other small beasts walking around in and on your bed. Do not worry; these small creatures will not damage your work. They do not have an influence on the quality of the bed or the growing of your mushrooms, except in extreme cases (plagues etc.) I would almost say: give them the space and let them enjoy the mycelium...
It is difficult to indicate when the mushrooms will rise. This is entirely dependent on the specific weather of that particularly autumn. You can expect them from mid- September up to beginning December. Care at all times that the bed will not dry out.
It can be that in one autumn several flushes will rise. After the last flush you can simple leave the bed. The mycelium should not have too much trouble surviving the winter and giving flushes the next year. It is nevertheless wise to spread out, at the beginning of a new spring, a fresh layer of woodchips on the bed.
We are thinking of a bed in the garden (or woods) of 80 * 80 * 10 cm.
These mushrooms come up in the autumn and in the beginning of the winter. The whole process from preparing the spawn until the mushrooms come out is a process that will take very long. If you want to harvest these mushrooms in the autumn, you actually must start at the beginning of the year (Jan/Feb).
The growing process normally has 3 phases: - preparing the spawn - growing the mycelium outdoors - growing the mushrooms
First you must prepare the spawn. You do not need that much: 300 to 400 ml. is enough. Rye is the best basis for spawn and the mycelium of these mushrooms grows best in the incubator with a temperature of 20 °C.
When the rye is totally colonized, it is time for the next step in preparing the spawn. The Psilocybe azurescens, cyanescens and baeocystis love woodchips. The colonized rye will also be helpful in colonizing a part of the woodchips with mycelium.
It does not really matter what kind of woodchips you use. In general the mushrooms grow very well on almost all kinds of woodchips. We use the ones that you can buy in the pet shops to use as underground for your pet house.
Before you inoculate the woodchips with the colonized rye, you must first soften them by soaking them. Fill up 2 pots of 1000 ml for 60% with small woodchips and totally cover the woodchips with water. Let them soak for 48 hours. After 48 hours let the 2 pots with the woodchips leak out in a strainer. Do this very thoroughly. Fill the 2 pots again with the prepared woodchips and close the pots with a lid with a filter. The pots must be now sterilized for 1 hour on 15 psi. Let the pots quietly cool down afterwards.
If the pots have cooled down entirely, you can start to inoculate with rye. Divide de rye over the 2 pots. After inoculation you must give the 2 pots a good shake to spread the rye. After that, place the pots in the incubator (18 - 20 °C.).
After 2 up to 4 weeks the pots have been entirely colonized. From time to time shake the pots well to speed up the process. Once this has happened, it is time to prepare for the open air.
For an outside 'bed' of 80 * 80*10 cm. you need approximately 10 liters of woodchips. It is all right if these woodchips are a bit larger than the ones you used for making the brood. Put these 10 liters in a garbage bag and add plenty water. Let this now soak for 24 hours. After these 24 hours the bag must leak out entirely. Make some small holes in the bag tot make that happen. And cut off, after a while, the corners on the bottom of the garbage bag. Wait till there is no more water left.
Put your boots on! Go outside and dig a hole in the ground of your desired size. It is smart to choose a spot with much shade. Scatter a layer of 4 - 5 centimeters woodchips on the floor. Take the 2 pots with brood (loosened up by shaking) and scatter these over the complete bed. Cover this again with a few centimeters of wet woodchip. The bed is almost ready now. Irrigate the bed and cover it with a garbage bag. This makes the bed the ideal environment for the mushrooms, nice wet and dark. You can keep the bag in its place by laying some stones on the edge.
The best time of the year to make such an outside bed is around March/April. Your work is down for now. During spring and summer the mycelium needs enough time to build a firm network thorough the whole bed of woodchips. Verify, however, on a regular basis if the bed still has a nice humid condition. Spray the bed with water if nescessary.
At the beginning of September the weather becomes colder and wetter: the ideal circumstances for the growing mushrooms. Remove the garbage bag and give the bed, if needed, a good irrigation to keep it humid. You will probably see a number of insects and other small beasts walking around in and on your bed. Do not worry; these small creatures will not damage your work. They do not have an influence on the quality of the bed or the growing of your mushrooms, except in extreme cases (plagues etc.) I would almost say: give them the space and let them enjoy the mycelium...
It is difficult to indicate when the mushrooms will rise. This is entirely dependent on the specific weather of that particularly autumn. You can expect them from mid- September up to beginning December. Care at all times that the bed will not dry out.
It can be that in one autumn several flushes will rise. After the last flush you can simple leave the bed. The mycelium should not have too much trouble surviving the winter and giving flushes the next year. It is nevertheless wise to spread out, at the beginning of a new spring, a fresh layer of woodchips on the bed.
Growing truffles (Philosopher Stones)
The sclerotia of the Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis contain a much higher concentration psilocybine then the mushrooms themselves. This makes that most people only grow the sclerotia instead of the mushrooms. 'Truffles' they call this kind of mushroom-less mycelium, or 'Philosopher Stones'. The 'A'-strain of the Psilocybe mexicana is commonly known as the mushroom which forms most of the sclerotia. Growing sclerotia is not that different from growing mushrooms. While growing mushrooms you only go a few phases further in the life circle of the mycelium. The Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis are growing bests on grass seed. A lot of different types of grass seed of several brands have conducted to a good result. Rye or white rise can also be used.
Required substrate (in volume):
- 10 parts grass seed
- 5 parts water
Growing the sclerotia
When choosing this option, you are basically done 'gardening'… The only thing that counts now is that you need to be patient. You can just leave the substrate where it is (still at a temperature between 21 - 25 °C). Also important from now on is not to shake the substrate anymore.
The substrate will quite rapidly start its forming of sclerotia. Slowly the sclerotia will grow into large, hard pieces with a yellow-brownish color. This sclerotia-growing last about 3 up to 4 months. After this period they will not grow any bigger
Growing the mushrooms
If you choose to grow mushrooms instead of the sclerotia, for instance because you wish to make spore prints, you will have to take it some steps further. If the substrate has been entirely colonized and has not yet started its sclerotia-growing, you need to add a 'casing-layer' to the substrate. These mushrooms perform best on a casing-layer of peat, vermiculite and calcium carbonate.
Shake the bag or jar to loosen up the mycelium. Scatter the mycelium in a clean barge and cover it with a casing-layer of 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Put the lid on the barge or cover the whole thing with foil. After all this, the barge must be placed back in the incubator for some days.
When the mycelium is clearly visible through the casing-layer, you can place the whole cluster in the fruit forming conditions. For the Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis these conditions do not differ that much from those of other types of mushrooms. For the Psilocybe mexicana and the Psilocybe tampanensis these conditions mean that they must be exposed to fresh air, (indirect) sunlight, air humidity of 95% and a temperature of 20 °C or a even a little bit higher.
After 1 up to 2 weeks the first pinheads will appear. These pinheads will develop into adult mushrooms in 4 to 7 days.
Truffle Growkits
A quick and easy method of growing sclerotia is by making use of a pre-inoculated and colonized truffle grow box. These are glass jars filled with a substrate of grass seed that is already colonized with a truffle forming psilocybe strain. All you need to do with such growkits is wait for the truffles to grow. When they are large enough to be harvested, the jar can be opened and the truffles can be harvested and cleaned.
Multispore and single strains
Multispore and single strains
A lot of people that start growing mushrooms start running into the same questions and problems. After a number of successes growing, a lot of people wonder why mushrooms of the same 'flush' don't grow equally. They all seem to have their own natural rhythm. Also, there are large differences in the way the mushrooms look. Some are big and healthy, but not all mushrooms grow up to adulthood.The most important reason for this is that most home growers inoculate their substrate with a spore syringe. Inoculation with a syringe is called "multi-spore inoculation."
Every spore-syringe contains thousands, maybe even millions of spores, from the same spore print. All these spores, in theory they can all germinate into a unique genotype with their own characteristics. So, when inoculating a substrate with a spore syringe, a large number of different genotypes end up in the substrate. Every unique genotype that grows to be a mushroom has its own characteristics when it comes to speed of growth, size and looks. This explains the unregular flushes and why one mushroom can look much nicer and healthier than the other.
The more experienced grower therefore looks for the stronger genotypes and inoculates his substrate with a so-called "single strain" or "pure strain". To understand this, first you need to know more about how you can separate the strong genotypes in the mycelium from the weak genotypes.
When you've inoculated the substrate with a spore-syringe and large parts of the substrate are colonised, often you can distinguish two different kinds of mycelium. One kind looks somewhat fluffy/down-like; This is called Tomentose Mycelium. The other has a wiry-type structure; this is called Rhizomorph Mycelium. This is the kind we are looking for. Rhizomorph Mycelium has a larger potenty to grow into nice, healthy mushrooms than Tomentose Mycelium.
To make sure that only rhizomorph mycelium will develop, it's possible to take a part of rhizomorph mycelium from a colonised substrate. This part of mycelium can serve as the inoculant for another container of sterilised substrate. If you took a good part with a strong genotype of the mycelium, within the new substrate will mostly grow healthy and strong mycelium.
But when a container is largely colonised, it can be very difficult to select the best mycelium from it. The risk of contamination is very large; so it's not advisable to try.
Growing the mycelium on agar in petri dishes first offers a solution for that problem. The agar media is not a fertile soil for growing mushrooms, but the mycelium develops very nicely on it. Therefore mycelium that grows in Petri dishes can only be used to inoculate a substrate where it can develop further.
Before we'll continue with why and how agar can be used, we'll show how you can make this cultivation media from agar agar.
Throughout time it has appeared that there are many different recipes that can all lead to a good result. These agar media recipes can be bought, ready to use, in local stores or through the internet. It is also not that difficult to make these recipes yourself.
Mix the dry components well together and add the water to it. It is best to do this in special 'laboratory-bottles', the ones with the long narrow necks. These bottles are easy to use and have a narrow neck which reduce drastically the risk of contamination. Of course you can also use a different kind of jar or glass.
Cover the bottle well with a piece of tinfoil and mix it again thoroughly. Place the bottle in the pressure-cooker and sterilize the agar media for approximately 40 minutes.
When the pressure has completely left the pot, you can remove the bottle from it. The agar media is close to boiling, so be careful. Boiling agar can cause nasty burns.
It is now important to pour the agar into the dishes at the right moment. If you wait too long, the agar starts to clot. This means it's not easy pourible anymore. This situation is not very handy.
If the agar is too hot when you pour it into the dishes, this causes another unpleasant situation. It will start to condense within the Petri dish. Condense is harmful to the growth of mycelium and it also prevents you from seeing what is going on inside the dish.
The right temperature for the agar to be poured is about 40-50 degrees Celsius. When you're able to hold the bottle for about 10-12 seconds without it being painfully hot, then you know the temperature is right
Place the dishes next to each other in piles of about 10 or 20 pieces and remove the tinfoil from the bottle of agar. Take the whole pile and pour the agar in the lowest dish, then continue to work upwards. Let the dishes sit for a while so the agar can clot. When it is completely clotted, the dishes are ready to use.
Agar is very susceptible to contaminations. Especially at this stage it is very important to work very clean and with a steady and efficient hand.
Now you know how you can make agar media, we can continue with explaining the advantages of the usage of this agar media in Petri dishes.
When your Petri dishes with agar media are ready, you can inoculate them with some spores. Take the print out of the zip bag with a sterilized tweezers, open de Petri dish and scrape some spores with the sterile scalpel so they fall on the agar media on several places. Close them quickly again and place them in the incubation room at 28 - 30 C.
After a few days the spores will germinate and the growth of white mycelium will be visible. Because the mycelium on agar media grows in a flat, 2-dimensional way, it's possible to extract a part of mycelium with a scalpel and place it in a new dish with agar. So cut out one or more of the germinated spores and place each of them in the middle of a new dish. Close the dish quickly.
After a few days you can already distinguish the stronger and the weaker parts in the structure of the growing mycelium. Look if there are any sectors of mycelium which are rhizomorphic.
If you've made the right selection of mycelium, new mycelium will grow stronger and larger, compared to the first dish you used.
This process can be repeated a number of times. After a while you will notice that the mycelium doesn't grow in "sectors" anymore. Now you have your own "pure" or "single" strain. From this single strain, you can inoculate numerous containers substrate or spawn by cutting a small part of mycelium from the the petri dish, and putting this in the new substrate/spawn. In these jars there will be a development of rhizomorph mycelium of 1 specific genotype. All the mushrooms that develop from this strain will all have the same properties in terms of growth and looks.
The procedure of moving parts of mycelium cannot be repeated too often. If you select sectors too often, after some time degeneration will set in. The mycelium in the agar dishes will then produce more down-like/fluffy sectors again. Degeneration has to be prevented.
In general, it's advised to make no more than 3 parts of rhizomorph mycelium from the same mother culture to petri dishes. 5 times is the absolute maximum for most kinds.
Mushroom cloning
A tissue culture has to be made within 48 (but preferably 24) hours after the mushroom has been harvested.
Basically, you can take tissue from any part of the mushroom. But the tissue must be taken from the inside of the mushroom, for this part is practically sterile.
You can extract a part of tissue by breaking the stem or the hat in 2. Use a sterile knife or scalpel to remove a part of the mushroom's inside. A part of 2 by 2 mm is enough. Never touch the outside of the mushroom with the knife, the outside is not sterile and contact with it will most certainly lead to contamination.
Place this piece of tissue in a petri dish with agar as quickly as possible. The risk of contaminating is very large with this method. The chance of succeeding will be larger if you inoculate a number of dishes with a part of tissue.
It could be possible that there is a necessity for selecting a stronger sector of mycelium and taking it to a new dish for further growth.
Medicinal use
Although psilocybin/psilocin is currently not being prescribed
for any medical condition, research and case reports have shown that the
compound has medicinal and therapeutic potential.
In 2001, Dr. Francisco Moreno at the University of Arizona started the first FDA-approved clinical trial involving a psychedelic in 30 years. In this study, psilocybin was administered to nine obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. The study found that psilocybin could be safely given to patients with OCD, and it was associated with substantial reductions in OCD symptoms in several of the patients.
In July 2006 the John Hopkins University published the results of a clinical study in which a dose of pure psilocybin was administered to a group volunteers. The group consisted of 36 people who hadn’t previously taken the drug. Six were given a ritalin placebo, while the rest received 30 milligrams of pure psilocybin — a dose roughly equivalent to five grams of dried psilocybe cubensis mushrooms.
After each session, volunteers will be asked to evaluate their experience. Some of it may be unpleasant. "Hallucinogens uncover the truth," Dr. Charles Grob, researcher in the project, says. "Sometimes the only way to get to the other side is to work through some of the darkness.”
Volunteers took the dose under the guidance of two trained mentors, with the traditional laboratory setting scrapped in favor of a living room appointed with a comfortable couch, headphones and other spiritual journey aids.
At the time, the volunteers reported mystical experiences — typically described as a "sense of unity" — in which the confusion of the world and of competing value systems came together in a coherent whole. These were not described in recreational terms, but as profoundly meaningful spiritual events. Fourteen months later, over half reported substantial increases in life satisfaction and positive behavior, while no long-term negative effects were reported.
Currently there is a study underway a the John Hopkins University, where cancer diagnosed volunteers and the states of consciousness brought about by psilocybin, and their impact on psychological distress and spirituality are studied.
In 2001, Dr. Francisco Moreno at the University of Arizona started the first FDA-approved clinical trial involving a psychedelic in 30 years. In this study, psilocybin was administered to nine obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. The study found that psilocybin could be safely given to patients with OCD, and it was associated with substantial reductions in OCD symptoms in several of the patients.
In July 2006 the John Hopkins University published the results of a clinical study in which a dose of pure psilocybin was administered to a group volunteers. The group consisted of 36 people who hadn’t previously taken the drug. Six were given a ritalin placebo, while the rest received 30 milligrams of pure psilocybin — a dose roughly equivalent to five grams of dried psilocybe cubensis mushrooms.
After each session, volunteers will be asked to evaluate their experience. Some of it may be unpleasant. "Hallucinogens uncover the truth," Dr. Charles Grob, researcher in the project, says. "Sometimes the only way to get to the other side is to work through some of the darkness.”
Volunteers took the dose under the guidance of two trained mentors, with the traditional laboratory setting scrapped in favor of a living room appointed with a comfortable couch, headphones and other spiritual journey aids.
At the time, the volunteers reported mystical experiences — typically described as a "sense of unity" — in which the confusion of the world and of competing value systems came together in a coherent whole. These were not described in recreational terms, but as profoundly meaningful spiritual events. Fourteen months later, over half reported substantial increases in life satisfaction and positive behavior, while no long-term negative effects were reported.
Currently there is a study underway a the John Hopkins University, where cancer diagnosed volunteers and the states of consciousness brought about by psilocybin, and their impact on psychological distress and spirituality are studied.
Cluster headaches psilocybin treatment
Cluster headaches are a rare, severely painful form of headache that is related to but different from the more common migraine. It is the most painful condition known to man. Through experimenting and anecdotal reports, a group of sufferers who now work together under the name 'clusterbusters', found out about the effectiveness of psilocybin and other indole-ring entheogens (LSD,LSA) in cluster headaches. A single small dose of mushrooms has proven to abort attacks, and prevent new cycles.Links / further reading
- www.clusterbusters.com
- www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press_releases/2006/07_11_06.html
- www.maps.org/research/cluster/psilo-lsd/
- www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_medical1.shtml
The 2 most important alkaloids in psychedelic mushrooms are psilocybin and psilocine.
Psilocybin (psi·lo·cy·bin) : a hallucinogenic indole C12H17N2O4P obtained from a basidiomycetous fungus.
Psilocin (psi·lo·cin) : a hallucinogenic indole C12H16N2O obtained from a basidiomycetous fungus.
The first effects are noticeable 15-45 minutes after the ingestion of the mushrooms. Dependent on the circumstances, personal situation and dosage the effects could last for 2 up to 8 hours…
(possible) mental effects:
Psilocybin (psi·lo·cy·bin) : a hallucinogenic indole C12H17N2O4P obtained from a basidiomycetous fungus.
Psilocin (psi·lo·cin) : a hallucinogenic indole C12H16N2O obtained from a basidiomycetous fungus.
The first effects are noticeable 15-45 minutes after the ingestion of the mushrooms. Dependent on the circumstances, personal situation and dosage the effects could last for 2 up to 8 hours…
(possible) mental effects:
- invigorating of your emotional feelings (positive, but also negative!)
- hallucinations
- colors become more intense
- music becomes more intense
- (slight) changes in your sense of reality
- feelings of 'understanding'
- ecstasy
- aroused feelings
- loss of sense of time
- feelings of bewonderment
- uncontrollable laughter
- frightened
- anxiety
- increase of body temperature
- slight increase of heartbeat
- slight increase of blood pressure
- nausea
- weak limbs
- sweating
- diarrhea
- dizziness
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