Grow Mushrooms

• Bucket tek mushroom substrate pasteurization - **Bucket Tek** is a simple, low-tech method for **pasteurizing bulk mushroom substrate** (most commonly coco coir, vermiculite, and sometimes gypsum) using hot water in a sealed bucket. It’s popular because it requires no pressure cooker, no stove sterilization, and minimal equipment. 🪣 What “Pasteurization” Means (vs. Sterilization)* **Pasteurization:** Kills most harmful microbes while leaving some […]
• When to use a casing layer when growing mushrooms in a tub - In the world of mushroom cultivation, a casing layer is essentially a “micro-climate” blanket. It is a layer of moist, non-nutritive material (usually a mix of peat moss and vermiculite) applied over the top of a fully colonized substrate. Whether you need one depends entirely on the species you are growing and your specific environment. […]
• Tissue cloning on to Agar - Taking a piece of a mushroom and “cloning” it onto agar is one of the most rewarding skills in mycology. It’s essentially bypassing the genetic lottery of spores to get a carbon copy of a mushroom you already know is a winner. The sterile technique here is going to be your make-or-break factor. 🧫 The […]
• If mushroom spawn smells bad, is it bad? - The short answer is: Yes, it is almost certainly bad.In the world of mushroom cultivation, the “nose test” is one of your most reliable diagnostic tools. Healthy mushroom mycelium should have a very specific, pleasant aroma. If it smells “off,” it’s usually a sign that a microscopic war is happening inside your jar or bag—and […]
• Why use distilled water to make liquid culture? - Using distilled water for liquid culture (LC) is all about control and clarity. When you are growing mycelium in a broth, you are essentially creating a tiny, high-speed engine; you want the fuel to be as pure as possible to avoid “clogging” the system. Here is why distilled water is the gold standard for LC: 1. Removing Mineral […]