Pasteurise: submerge in water at 70–80 °C for about 1 h, or soak 18–20 h in cold water with about 3 g of hydrated lime per litre.
Drain to about 65% moisture: a hard squeeze gives a drop or two at most.
Cool below 30 °C. Fill 4 bags with alternating layers of straw and spawn: about 3 kg of substrate and 300 g of spawn per bag.
Close the bags and punch holes every 10–15 cm.
Conditions
Phase
Temp.
RH
Light
Duration
Colonisation
25 °C
80%
—
12–16 d
Pinning
22 °C
92%
12 h · 500–1000 lx
4–6 d
Fruiting
22 °C
88%
12 h
5–7 d
Between flushes
22 °C
85%
12 h
7–10 d
Temperature: safe at 12–30 °C; critical below 5 °C and above 34 °CFlushes: 3–4First harvest: 3–4 weeks
Mid-range values that suit most strains. Your supplier’s strain sheet takes precedence.
Notes
The most forgiving oyster: fruits at 20–25 °C with no cold shock.
'Florida' strains fruit up to about 25 °C; sajor-caju likes it warmer.
Oysters shed heavy spore loads: pick before the caps flatten and keep them out of the bedroom.
MEA
Malt Extract Agar
Agar10 g20 g per litre
Nutrients10 gdry malt extract
90 mm plates20–2520–25 ml each
Sterilisation40 min15 psi (121 °C)
Materials
Item
Amount
Water
500 ml
Agar powder (E406)20 g per litre
10 g
Light dry malt extractor about 13 g of liquid extract (syrup)
10 g
90 mm Petri dishes20–25 ml each
20–25 pcs
Preparation
Measure 500 ml of water, add the dry ingredients and stir. The agar dissolves during sterilisation.
Pour into a bottle or jar with room to spare. Cover loosely with foil or loosen the lid.
Sterilise 40 min at 15 psi (121 °C), timed from when the cooker reaches pressure; in an electric pressure cooker (0.7–0.8 bar), 65 min. The time is for 500 ml in one vessel.
After switching off, wait until the pressure is back to zero. Do not shake the bottle, or you get bubbles.
Cool to about 50 °C (46–52 °C). Hotter agar warps plastic dishes.
Pour in clean conditions (still-air box or flow hood), 20–25 ml per dish.
When the agar has set (about 30 min), close the dishes and wrap the edges with Parafilm.
Notes
Another common variant: 30 g malt and 20 g agar per litre; some recipes add about 5 g peptone or 20 g dextrose.
Dry malt extract is sold in home-brewing shops.
Yeast (2 g/L) and peptone (1 g/L) add nitrogen and vitamins. MEA with both is MYPA.
The time depends on the liquid in one vessel: up to 100 ml 25 min, 250 ml 30, 500 ml 40, 1 L 45, 2 L 55. In an electric pressure cooker: 50, 55, 65 and 75 min; split more than 1 L into several vessels. Add 10–20 min when the vessels stand close together.
Secale cereale
Rye
6 × 1,000 ml · Soak and simmer
Dry grain1.73 kg288 g per jar
Drained weight2.92 kgcheck weight; 487 g per jar
Gypsum17 g1% of the dry grain
Sterilisation90 min15 psi; electric 225 min
Materials
Item
Amount
Dry grain (rye)288 g per jar, about 40% of its volume
1.73 kg
Gypsum1% of the dry grain
17 g
Jars with filter lids1,000 ml each
6 pcs
Batch
Hydrated grainthis is your spawn weight
2.92 kg
Moisturedry grain taken at 12%
48%
Dry grain in the jarof the jar volume; about 2/3 after hydration
Weigh out 1.73 kg of dry grain and rinse it until the water runs clear.
Soak for 12–24 h in cold water.
Simmer 10–20 min, until the grain is soft but not split. Drain and spread it out until the surface turns matt.
Weigh it: the grain should come to about 2.92 kg. If it weighs less, simmer longer; if more, let it dry a little.
Mix in 17 g of gypsum and fill the jars, about 487 g per jar: they end up about 2/3 full, with room to shake. Close them with filter lids.
Sterilise 90 min at 15 psi (121 °C), timed from when the cooker reaches pressure; in an electric pressure cooker (0.7–0.8 bar), 225 min.
Let them cool to room temperature and inoculate in clean conditions (still-air box or flow hood).
Notes
Grain density varies: weigh 1 litre of yours and enter it under the settings.
When the containers fill the cooker floor tightly, add 15 min.
At about 300 m above sea level add about 10% to the time, at 650 m 25–30%.
A pot without pressure (100 °C) does not sterilise grain, however long it boils.
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