I myself do not use casings anymore as I don't believe it is necessary when growing large quantities of mushrooms. Just another step to introduce contams and increase the amount of time needed to grow our little mushroom friends.

I have also never used casing layers. I agree with you, they are totally unnecessary for cubensis, and are just one more source of contamination. Especially when you use bulk substrates. The bulk substrate holds so much moisture that casing layers become obsolete.

...just poking through like with using a casing...

Kevin The Khem - the "non-nutritious" layer you reference is a casing layer and precisely what is being avoided in this scenario. (I know you get that, just trying to keep everything nice and clear and comprehensible)

ime, you don't want the top fully colonized as that can lead to overlay and failure to fruit, rather you want a nice even distribution of mycellium poking up through the top layer of your substrate. At the point when you have a nice even layer of myc poking through the top of the substrate, your substrate is essentially fully colonized. At that point you initiate pinning by introducing blue-spectrum light and fae and...voila.

Okay based on the replies so far, I think this is what I will hypothetically do:
1. allow the mycelieum to poke up evenly through the top of the Substrate, and try to get as much colonization as possible, while staying a safe distance from the point where overlay comes into the picture.

I've honestly never had a problem with overlay. I've always let full colonize (and used to even let go for longer)

2. not dunk after each flush, but try to keep the RH very high to retain the moisture. If it dries out and hasn't become possesed by contams, I will dunk to possibly get another flush or 2.
It totally depends on the substrate your using (as I didn't read the tek your using I dunno what it calls for, but it sounds [just from what I'm reading here] that it has some useless info IMHO) and how well that substrate can retain its nutrients. Once the myc is fully colonized, dunking it in water (I just use tap water from my sink even) shouldn't harm it. I say shouldn't because I've only had a few bad things happen whilst dunking (block breaking/not being as "sterile" as I should have been) If your RH is to high, it can actualy be a detriment to the myc (if you start to see water droplets you have to much, im assuming your using cubes?) Dunking after every flush, isn't necessary; however, if you don't your gonna be very T/Oed when your myc doesn't produce much and you have to wait that much longer until you get fruits again)


I haven't found any solid facts to support this, but it just seems to me that dunking would introduce unnecessary cantams and encourage their takeover of the substrate. I have had a few failed attempts at mycology in the past (they weren't planned very well if at all), but this time I want to do it right and not lose to contams which have proven to be the sworn enemy of mushroom growers. this is all hypothetical of course.

As someone who's been growing shrooms for 4 yrs.... (Hope no one gets the idea I'm trying to bash)

I've honestly never had a problem with overlay. I've always let full colonize (and used to even let go for longer)


It totally depends on the substrate your using (as I didn't read the tek your using I dunno what it calls for, but it sounds [just from what I'm reading here] that it has some useless info IMHO) and how well that substrate can retain its nutrients. Once the myc is fully colonized, dunking it in water (I just use tap water from my sink even) shouldn't harm it. I say shouldn't because I've only had a few bad things happen whilst dunking (block breaking/not being as "sterile" as I should have been) If your RH is to high, it can actualy be a detriment to the myc (if you start to see water droplets you have to much, im assuming your using cubes?) Dunking after every flush, isn't necessary; however, if you don't your gonna be very T/Oed when your myc doesn't produce much and you have to wait that much longer until you get fruits again)



Like I said before, dunking will not hurt a fully colonized mycelium spawn. Unless you dunk for longer than 24hrs or in dirty water (I dunno about the 24hr thing as I dunk usually 14hrs or so). An easy way to dunk with bulk is to just fill the container your substrate is in to the top with water, and then tilt the excess out after said time.

Honestly if I were you I'd do the rez effect tech.... Its simple:

1:1 spawn WBS/Verm. Mix in tub, cover top with foil, poke holes for FAE and put in inc chamber for about a week (or until myc is fully colonized) and then move right into your FC.

I've tried many ways, and this is by far the simplest bulk method I've ever come across.

The only thing I can say about fruiting before full colonization is a crap pinset and crap fruits (compared to a full colonized spawn) and thats my personal experience, so I dunno where all these people are getting good fruits from "partially colonized" substrate, but if it works for you, then by all means

The rye will be fully colonized when introduced to the poo. I don't think that under-colonization will be a problem. It will be fully colonized, I just wasn't sure if the very top layer of substrate needed to be fully colonized.

well I will be using rye berries as spawn, horse poo as the substrate. based on the research I have done, poo has an abundance of nutrients and produces the biggest, most potent fruits.

Yea Hpoo/Cpoo is def. a big nutri-holder xD I use Hpoo myself (as its abundant where I live) The example above was just an outline.


Also, please check out the tek so we can be on the same page. It's a sticky in the mushrooms section here. Thanks for your input on this matter.
Well I am reading it it looks pretty decent so far, but you have to learn how to innovate your own ideas (as I see you already are)

edit: as far as dunking goes, I will just use discretion which I know may not work out for the best but I'm just trying to learn what works for me and since I'm using rye/poo, I think it will retain more water than WBS/verm, which may or may not render dunking unnecessary. I will just have to wait andd see.

I can't comment on this, as I see no logical point to not dunk. As the more water your substrate has the bigger/thicker your shrooms will be. But to each his own You'll learn.

Snozzle, you've never seen a grower let a bulk substrate colonize completely?