How to fill and store bags for incubation

This topic has 8 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 6 months ago by Cornelia Kyrer.

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September 22, 2017 at 11:06 am #2269

Cornelia Kyrer
Participant

Hi everybody,
I am just about to start growing and ordering materials.
I was wondering about some small issues like:
– Should the bags stand or lie during incubation (or does it matter at all)?
– May the bags touch (stand close to each other)? I suppose not since they need some air exchange but it is never explicitly mentioned in the videos (or I did not hear it…)
– How much of the mix do you add to a bag? I can buy bags of 37x57cm.

Thanks for you answer!
Cornelia

September 24, 2017 at 2:13 pm #2270

Cornelia Kyrer
Participant

Getting closer to actually ordering my materials and starting to grow…. so I’ve been doing more reading and was wondering:

– How do you keep a stable temperature during incubation with a heat mat? From what I read in other forums that does not seem to be easy (or did you just happen to be lucky and find the exactly right format for you box)?
– Is there a method to determine the heating mat format for the incubation space volume? Our house is quite cool (approximately 18°C) so I think some kind of heating is necessary.
– Is it useful to add more straw if you have easy access to it (in terms of yield and substrate structure)?

Thanks again!

September 25, 2017 at 11:59 am #2271
Adam
Keymaster
Hi Cornelia,

Great to hear you’re getting ready to start your growing 🙂 To answer your questions:
1. It’s best for the bags to stand up a sit reduces contact with any surface. Contact with a surface against the bag can increase chance of contamination in that area.
2. Related to this, it’s best to have at least 2-3cm between bags to prevent contact and overheating
3. With filter patch bags, it’s best to fill them no more than 50% full to allow for air exchange in the top of the bag
4. The temperature can fluctuate a little, but should ideally stay in the range of 20-24C. We found that a heat mat on a low setting did this fine for us.
5. If you are placing the bags in a small insulate d space, you generally only need a little bit of additional heat because the bags create heat themselves whilst incubating (especially during the 1st week or so). It can take a little bit of trial and error to get the temperaure in the 20-24C range, but if you’r ehouse is 18C, and you place the bags in a insulated space, I don;t think you will nee dmuch additional heating at all. It may be worth trying it without to begin with even.
6. You can add more straw if you wish yes – straw is a good substrate to grow Oyster mushrooms on, so no problem with adding a higher % to the mix
Hope this helps, and best of luck with your first grow. Let us know how it goes!

best wishes, Adam
September 25, 2017 at 11:59 am #2272
Adam
Keymaster
Hi Cornelia,

Great to hear you’re getting ready to start your growing 🙂 To answer your questions:
1. It’s best for the bags to stand up a sit reduces contact with any surface. Contact with a surface against the bag can increase chance of contamination in that area.
2. Related to this, it’s best to have at least 2-3cm between bags to prevent contact and overheating
3. With filter patch bags, it’s best to fill them no more than 50% full to allow for air exchange in the top of the bag
4. The temperature can fluctuate a little, but should ideally stay in the range of 20-24C. We found that a heat mat on a low setting did this fine for us.
5. If you are placing the bags in a small insulate d space, you generally only need a little bit of additional heat because the bags create heat themselves whilst incubating (especially during the 1st week or so). It can take a little bit of trial and error to get the temperaure in the 20-24C range, but if you’r ehouse is 18C, and you place the bags in a insulated space, I don;t think you will nee dmuch additional heating at all. It may be worth trying it without to begin with even.
6. You can add more straw if you wish yes – straw is a good substrate to grow Oyster mushrooms on, so no problem with adding a higher % to the mix
Hope this helps, and best of luck with your first grow. Let us know how it goes!

best wishes, Adam
September 25, 2017 at 12:58 pm #2273

Cornelia Kyrer
Participant

Thanks a lot for your detailed answers Adam! I am excited to get started.
I will keep you posted!

October 24, 2017 at 3:51 pm #2291

Cornelia Kyrer
Participant

My spawn and filter bags have arrived!!
Does the spawn look healthy to you? I expected it to be brighter white.
The filter bags are a different type from the ones used in the video, do the same rules apply (filling them halfway, storing them standing up)?

Spawn and bags

October 25, 2017 at 1:58 pm #2292

Eric Jong
Keymaster

Hi,

I had a look at the pics and can see how you thought it might be a bit brighter white but I suspect they have been grown for you and are just super fresh. So if you’d leave them (and you don’t need to at all) they’ll go increasingly more white.

Happy growing- exciting times!

Eric

October 25, 2017 at 6:32 pm #2293

Cornelia Kyrer
Participant

Thanks Eric!
Can I use those filter bags in the same way as the ones you use in the video? Fill them half way and store them standing up for incubation?
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to get the best start I can for my oysters!

November 2, 2017 at 1:29 pm #2295

Cornelia Kyrer
Participant

I am by now one week into incubation! Mixing and inoculation worked fine and I still have more than half of my grain spawn left. I might start another batch this week still. The bags are looking great so far, the mycelium is growing at an amazing rate and there is no sign of contamination.

In the meanwhile I shared my supply list on the forum: https://growmushroomsoncoffee.com/topic/detailed-supply-list/ hoping others might find it useful.
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