Bulk Grow Instructions | MyShrooms (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for bulk substrate to colonize? ›

Depending on how much spawn is used, colonization may take 5 days to 2 weeks. The more spawn used the faster the bulk substrate will colonize. Recommended spawn ratios are usually no less than 20% (1 part spawn to 4 parts substrate).

It is difficult to advise on exactly how much water to add as this may change with different types of coco coir but we use around 3l of water. Water needs to be add until it reaches “Field Capacity”. Slowly add water until when you grab a handful of substrate and squeezer it hard only a few drops come out.

7-10 days later your monotub should be well colonized with a layer of white mycelium and barely any soil visible. It is ready to fruit.

Store your 50/50 substrate in a cool and dry location. 50/50 substrate can keep for up to 4 months in these conditions. There will be no need to rehydrated or sterilize the products a second time. If you need to store the product longer it can be refrigerated for up to 6 months and frozen for up to 1 year.

You can tell when mycelium is fully colonized when the entire substrate (such as a jar or a bag) is covered with a dense, white, and fuzzy network of mycelial threads. There should be no visible uncolonized areas or contaminants, and the mycelium should appear healthy and vigorous.

This resistance to contamination is the reason bulk substrate can be inoculated with spawn in open spaces without taking special sterile precautions. Even with these micro organisms, mycelium will still able to grow on this substrate though.

However, if you have too much moisture, your mycelium will also be stunted, as it will suffocate. With too much moisture, your substrate will also have a higher risk of contamination from other organisms.

Once your substrate is fully colonized you will need to decide how you want to fruit it. This can be achieved by leaving the substrate in the bag to fruit or moving it to an external location like a plastic tote, terrarium or mono tub.

The Psilocybe Cubensis family is known to grow well on a standard bulk substrate recipe – a mixture of coco-coir / vermiculite / gypsum (CVG).

What size monotub is best? ›

Too small of a tub and your harvest won't be as successful as it could be—your fungi will be essentially competiting with itself for resources, and you'll ultimately get less pinning and fruiting. A monotub should be 54 quarts, more or less.

As discussed, fruiting bodies and mycelium contain common and unique compounds that may benefit health. Many experts favor using the fruiting bodies instead of mycelium due to research showing higher concentrations of bioactive compounds, such as beta-glucans and triterpenes, in the fruiting bodies.

It will take approximately 5-10 days for the substrate to completely colonize with mycelium (you will be able to tell if it has completed colonization when the substrate has turned completely white).

Your tub should take around 2 to 3 weeks to fully colonize. Check on your bin daily. You'll see white spots start to expand from each point of grain spawn. Over time they will completely cover the surface of the bulk substrate.

To sterilize a substrate, you need temperatures higher than 250°F (121°C) for at least 2 hours. Boiling water or steam on its own is not hot enough to sterilize a substrate as the boiling temperature of water at sea level is 212°F (100°C), and at higher altitudes, it's even lower.

Alternating between the spawn and substrate allows for faster colonization than putting all the spawn on top. In supplemented sawdust this typically means shaking the substrate after inoculation to distribute the spawn evenly.

Signs of healthy mycelial growth include a robust, white, web-like structure covering the substrate. It's essential to regularly check for full colonization; the substrate should appear fully white and consolidated, indicating that it's ready for the next stage of the cultivation process.