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The cultivation process is divided into two Parts. Each Part consists of six Units, and each Unit is broken down into steps.
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Part 2 : Unit 4 : Preparing and Inoculating Bulk Substrate
Now that your grain spawn jars are fully colonized, it’s time to cook up the last substantial meal for your fungal friends – the bulk mushroom substrate. The Psilocybe Cubensis family is known to grow well on a standard bulk substrate recipe – a mixture of coco-coir / vermiculite / gypsum (CVG). Once this mixture is prepared and pasteurized – it’s mixed (inoculated) with fully colonized grain spawn inside a clear plastic tote, called a “monotub”. With many evenly spread inoculation points inside the bulk substrate, the tub is covered and left to incubate in a dark, undisturbed area at 22°C – 27°C or 70°F – 80°F for about 10 days. During this time, the mycelium spreads from the grain to the substrate and colonizes it. When all the substrate is fully colonized, your “mycelium cake” will finally be ready to fruit.
The video markers above 👆🏼correspond to the the various Steps in this Unit. Click on them to skip to a Step.
Pour 4 liters of non chlorinatedWater with no chlorine in it. This can be mineral water, distilled water, or boiled water which has cooled off. water into the pressure cooker pot and bring it to a roaring boil. While the water is heating up, wash, clean, wipe and then sanitize your bucket and lid, and allow to dry. Place the coco-coir in the bucket, and then mix the gypsum with the vermiculite in a separate bowl and add to the bucket.
The video markers above 👆🏼correspond to the the various Steps in this Unit. Click on them to skip to a Step.
Start by preparing the probiotic liquid nutrient. Lightly disinfect the funnel, spoon and jug with alcohol and let it fully dry out. Measure out 1 gram of TrichEVICT powder (per 1 liter of water) and put it in the jug. Pour 1 liter of non-chlorinated water into the jug and mix. Don’t use tap water. Use distilled, mineral or water that has been boiled for 20 minutes and cooled to room temperature. Pour the Probiotic TrichEVICT liquid into a spray bottle using the funnel.
Next, take 3 large handfuls of substrate and put them in the metal bowl / cooking pot. Disinfect a ladle which you will later use to split the substrate between the buckets. Open the second bucket and use the ladle to divide the substrate evenly between the buckets. If you have a weight scale, you can check to see if the buckets weight the same when you’re done. If you don’t have a scale, you can estimate the 50% split visually. You can also lift the buckets to feel their weight. Cover both buckets and put one of them aside. You will use it later.
Grab the Dr Myc spray bottle you made earlier, and 3 grain spawn jars. Open the first grain spawn jar, and carefully sniff it. It should have a clean smell. Do not use a jar if it smells rancid or sour. Pour the grain into the bucket. Repeat this process with the remaining 2 jars. Don’t forget to sniff them too. Now you want to mix the grain spawn with the bulk substrate until the grain is evenly mixed throughout. Now we can add some more Dr MYC spray. Shake the bottle around and spray the bulk substrate several times, as you mix it around. Occasionally, spray a bit more. Once everything is mixed well, close the bucket. You’re going to transfer this to the monotub now.
Get a scalpel or sharp blade. You’re going to cut the excess bag from about 2 inches above the substrate. Press the blade against the tub and cut across the plastic bag on all four sides of the tub. Give your tub a last pat down, just in case anything moved around as you were cutting the plastic bag. Add one last final spray with Dr MYC. Spray only the casing layer, don’t get the sides of the tub wet. Cover the tub with its lid.
Your Monotub is officially going into incubation for about 10 days now, and should not be opened until then. Mark and date and the sub species on your tub. Take your tub into a quiet dark room with ambient temperatures of about 24°C – 28°C, or 70°F – 80°F. Cover with a blanket or turn off the light. Incubation should be done in the dark. Repeat the process with the second tub and use a fresh pair of gloves for each tub. During the 10 day incubation period, you can peek into the tub through the lid, using a flashlight, but do not open the lid!