GRAIN SPAWN 101, Start to Finish Tutorial on How to Make Mushroom Grain Spawn from Liquid Culture

[@serenity6988]

I would like to complain about your videos being off the charts!! Your awesome sir! And it took me less than 10 min to leave this. lol!

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Thank you very much, that means a lot to me. Thank you for watching 👍

[@pds002]

This is great information and not too complicated on the ingredients. After watching, I'm very enthusiastic and confident to give this a try. You are a motivating teacher. I need to watch the next stage and will look through your videos to find it. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Thank you for watching and for the kind words. I'm always here if you have questions.

[@bluehoney210]

Your technique is absolutely perfect. Beautiful demonstration, thank you.

[@mikeschatz9153]

I had no idea. First time seeing anything like this. Can’t wait to see all the videos. This looks amazing. Thank you for introducing me to my new obsession.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

The rabbit hole is deep 😁

[@johnsongibbs6567]

I appreciate the delicate care with which he handled that rocker.. I was worried.. but when it came time, he handled it like a pro.

[@GnarGreen]

Brotha mush love for the channel. Your content is great. Helping so much on my journey. These creatures are for real. Never felt more amazing

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

You're hooked, I can tell 😁 Thanks for watching and the kind words.

[@teardowninc4661]

Waiting that 10min helped me stop breaking the bottom of my LC jars. Maybe a coincidence,I don’t know.

[@tcon6504]

I’m brand new to mushroom growing. Inoculated my first grow bags July 31. Thank you for the information. I’m trying to learn as much as I can.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Good luck on your first grow!

[@AnunaBIO]

Clearly a pro. Excellent technique here, kids. Thanks for sharing with the world.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Thank you, I appreciate your kind words.

[@LordGeoff56]

I'm digging how thorough you are. I'm just starting out and currently at my parents so I don't have room to set up a flow hood. I'll definitely check out more of you vids

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

You can do a lot without a flow hood. Focus on using liquid culture to make grain spawn and growing on pasteurized fuel pellets.

[@Enochulate88]

I got a 3d printed one off Etsy for 110$

[@spewter]

Instead of laminar flow, use a HEPA air purifier with a dry cleaning bag on the output. Cut two arm holes and it’ll create a clean environment for basic tasks, like inoculating spawn jars

[@MrJackson66]

A cheap homemade still air box will get you growing quick, easy, and inexpensive... I have both, but usually just use my sab...

[@wheremylifego3790]

​@RenegadeMushrooms eze bro about to try my first grow just trying to learn as much as possible first....do I need to use LC for spawning grain? Will spores still work the same? ❤

[@ep5293]

You have awesome content. Thanks so much for putting this all together. I'm slowly gathering all of my supplies, and your videos really help build confidence going into this hobby. Thanks again.

[@jeffreyalbright3018]

I hope you' caught some good fish when you went you took a break for the grain to chill! Thank you for the education my friend, mush love from the FLA.,🌴🏖️🍄🔥🌅

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@jeffreyalbright3018 I did catch quite a few yellow perch that day 😁

[@DDawg1144]

Awesome video one of the best I’ve watched, appreciate your experience.

[@heatherericksonauthor]

Great video! I have to add just a bit of vinegar to my PC water. Otherwise my jars get clowdy on the outside from minerals in the water.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Mine get that cloudiness sometimes too. Great tip, thank you 👍

[@faerie_willow]

Alright my first attempt went bad, attempting number two after watching your vid 😂🤞🏻

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Moisture balance and a good lid setup are the two keys. I'm sure this attempt will ho much better.

[@faerie_willow]

Update: we have mycelium! 😁🎉 Your lid video was super helpful too! Thanks!

[@brandonpetrisky2058]

Yea same here 1st attempt ended in a moldy mess. I used a pre made spawn bag I got from online not sure what went wrong. Round 2 is to follow your instructions step by step! Wish me luck and happy growing.

[@Snowy84557]

When steam cooking food it's important to get the air out. When canning all that matters is the pressure as that's what causes the waters steam point to reach 125°c and maintain the desired temperature for sterilisation.

[@bounceurabdelaziz4973]

Thanks you very much for your sharing greetings to you from Algeria 🇩🇿.

[@citylotgardening6171]

Your videos are very informative and easy to understand thanks for sharing 👍

[@markmac9515]

Nice video, very clear thanks.

[@marlamays2131]

I've got to get some of those grains. I never thought about Chicken Chow. TY

[@nic9779]

Love your videos. tape 3 quarters to the rocker to make it a little less annoying and still maintains correct psi

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Cool trick, thx for watching. I've actually come to love the rocker swizzle of the presto, but I might be the only one 🤔

[@nic9779]

Definitely might be the only one 😆 I have been contemplating buying one of the induction plates for awhile to get it out of my kitchen

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@nic9779 Those 1300 watt waring pros I run get the job done. But not alot of juice to spare.

[@nic9779]

Might have to pull the trigger. I tried a cheap electric single burner I had awhile back and found out real quick that it was not powerful enough kept kicking off

[@kingsopa4910]

thanks a lot for the knowledge. you shared here. im starting to replicate my own spore prints from 2 years ago. so far i have been having 50/50 (only made 2 grain spawns) i hope to get better and better. will check all your channel searching for more info. have a good trip

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Cool, I recently started working with the spore to agar process myself and I'm enjoying it. Thanks for watching 👍

[@WhiteBeardHashtag1205]

Those Microppose hydrophobic adhesive filtration disks are awesome! Ive been using them for about 2yrs now on my PP5 grain jar lids. Being hydrophobic you dont have to ever worry about the filter disks being a vector for contamination. I ordered several sets, because I thought I would be replacing them, but theyve been through dozens of PC runs and are still perfect! I havent had to replace a single one, and not a single one has come off my lids either. I HIGHLY recommend them, I recommend them so much that I promote them in my videos for free. I was unaware that the purge sequence on the PC run is unnecessary, I will definitely try skipping it and see if my tam rate increases. Btw, the foil is completely unnecessary as well. I quit using foil to cover my lids last year, and my tam rate did not increase in the least. Same with gypsum in my sub/grains/LC, quit using it and absolutely nothing changed, I cant for the life of me what its purpose is in this hobby. My tam rate is still virtually zero, and there has been no loss in weight on harvest. I dont see the benefit, so its no longer an additive in my materials. I believe the point you made about light is s fallacy, an old wives tale. I run 2 6500k LEDs in my grow space that the jars are exposed to 12hrs a day, and I never have issues with colonization. I break n shake at 30% (approx 10 days), and achieve full colonization in approx 2.5 weeks. Not saying that it helps, but it definitely doesnt hurt, in my experience. Unrelated to your video, I also learned from a lab tech that agar can be poured at much lower then previously recommended temp. If you are decent at pours, you can actually pour at 100f as opposed to the recommended 130f. Ive adopted this method and have been using it for about 2yrs. I normally pour around 130 plates per run, and the agar doesnt set up on me until after I finish the pour. Pouring at the lower temp reduces both bubbles and condensation on the plate lids.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I love the microppose lid gear as well, made my life so much easier. I still use the foil lid covers for my LC. I personally saw an up-tick in contamination without them which I determined was probably a result of a few of my well-used RTV injection ports being so swiss cheesed that they allowed contams in after awhile. For that reason I stuck with them. I use the silicone lid shields from Microppose.com on my grain jars now just to give my lid gear a bit of protection from direct steam, but I remove them after the PC. I also run 6500K LEDs. My limited testing has shown a bit faster growth (mostly at jump off) between dark and direct fruiting light. I have a video on that on my channel. The difference may be so insignificant that it doesn't matter much in the long run, but as I said, my testing has been very limited. Certainly total darkness is not necessary, that notion died long ago, but I still give them a bit of protection from direct fruiting light. I haven't graduated to pouring my own agar yet, but I get what you're saying. I just buy my plates pre-poured. For me it's really just a time issue at this point. I've also noted the same with the gypsum. Sometimes I add it, sometimes I don't, and haven't noticed a difference. I mostly just add it now because I'm trying to use up the giant bag I have.

[@WhiteBeardHashtag1205]

@@RenegadeMushrooms haha! I did that as well, I had a huge bag of gypsum because it was cheaper to buy in bulk. I used it simply because Im such a cheapo I couldnt throw it away and not use it 🤣 You got those silicone lid covers? How do you like them? I have 5 dozen grain jars in rotation, and I saw what it would cost to buy enough for all those lids, and again, Im a cheapo so I didnt pull the trigger. They look really nice though. As far as agar goes, if I had more expendable cash I would definitely sub out my pours. Kids are hella expensive though, and I can only afford to DIY

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@WhiteBeardHashtag1205 I here ya, I have my first one about to go to college. As far as time and money go, I don't have much of either 😂 but with agar plates I'm buying my lunch for now. I do like the silicone lid shields. After about 20 or so PC runs they seem like they will last forever. They pop on and off easy like a swim cap.

[@dylski4294]

Man I love your videos. When I flip the tv on the first thing I check is to see if you have a new video lol. Anyway, would you ever consider doing a video on grain spawn to substrate? Using maybe a 6-20qt tub? I am a beginner. The PF Tek seems to be a little weak sauce in my opinion as far as growing potential. Learning how to grow in a tub would be ideal. Anyway, thanks again for the great content brother. You are a good dude

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I don't do much sub tub stuff anymore other than with the mycelium flood method I use for Cordyceps. Maybe I could try to do some agaricus blazei on compost/manure at some point. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for watching 😁

[@psychologydeep-r2m]

Hey there, beginner here, I really want to know if I can follow all the steps except the liquid culture, I only have some spore prints and I'm wondering if I can use the spore syringe instead of the liquid culture or do I have to make a liquid culture first, and if yes I would be very grateful if you make a video about how to make a spore syringe, there is a lot of videos on KZbin about that but I have to say you are the best that's why I wanna take it from you

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

That's nice of you to say, thank you. Well to start, the difficult thing with spore prints is it's hard to get them sterile in order to make a truly sterile spore syringe to inject on grain. One trich spore in there and you're toast. Not saying it can't be done, but in my opinion there are better ways. I wouldn't try it personally unless you are certain the syringe is sterile. Even if you are sure the syringe is sterile you would still be better off using it to start liquid culture, then using the LC to start grain. Liquid culture begins to grow almost immediately on grain whereas there is a germination lag with spores. Also a single sterile spore syringe can make a lifetime supply of liquid culture if you know how to multiply it with most species (exceptions being those that senesce quickly like Cordyceps and Morels). If you have a nice spore print I would take it to agar, clean it up a few generations of plates, then use agar wedges to start grain/liquid culture/etc. You can buy pre-poured sterilized plates online. I buy them from midwestgrowkits.com or midnight mushrooms. I do have a video of taking spores to agar with morels if it helps you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npiZfZx3fdqcn7csi=-plr4n9gKGDcN_22

[@Schmutz-Gaming]

Super educational Thanks for making this video!

[@chandracox6814]

I've never heard anyone say LC is prone to contam. MSS are way more prone to contam if not put to agar first. This video is great. Very easy tutorial to make some grain jars. Mush love!

[@metarox69]

is prone to contam bacause is a nutritious medium for bacteria, so everytime you use a liquid culture you run a risk, still is the best method to inoculate

[@narannavan]

Yeah it is more prone. I test my jars on agar before use

[@MikeKincaid79]

"Liquid culture is only prone to contamination if you suck at it." LOL Well said.

[@jasoncasey5ify]

This is hardest part thanks again

[@blenderbenderguy]

Thanks for another! Although I've always inoculated down the sides using the same circular motion that you use, I often wonder why not just straight down the center. Then when it's obviously colonized to the outside you're certain it's fully colonized as opposed to guessing or waiting several additional days to further be certain that it's colonized to the inside where you can't really see. Never seen that explained elsewhere, but that's the way everyone seems to do it.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Yeah I here ya. It's just habit for me with the LC swirlie. I guess my thought is to hit as many individual kernels with the LC as possible. But, I always give them a shake after injecting anyway, so I'm not sure it really matters.

[@michaelgrouse7850]

I think the assumption is that if you squirt it down the side of the jar the liquid will fall further down between the glass and the grain and cover more area. Also you get to see if and when the mycelium take off and when its time to shake.

[@dantosinferne]

I put an agar wedge right in the center. They colonized fine, but I realized the main reason people say to do it near the glass is so that you can keep an eye on their progress. I think lol When it's smack dab in the center, you basically can't tell how well it's colonizing until it's almost done. so if growth slowed for some reason, you don't realize it, and can't potentially remedy (maybe you need better incubation temps, maybe you need more holes in your lids, etc). it probably matters more to newbies, able to see results faster and able to detect potential problems with their process. come to think of it, i wonder if doing a line straight through the center, as if cutting the jar in half with the lc, might be the best of both worlds. at least when it comes to jars you aren't going to shake like brf.

[@mushlii]

This was super helpful!! I’m currently planning on doing experiments that involve mushrooms and I needed to learn how to grow them quick. This was super easy to follow and it uses resources that almost anybody can get. Two questions I have though, when you refer to a “clean room” what exactly do you man? Like a room with not much dust or a space that’s simply organized? Second after the mycelium is solid or fully formed (if that’s the correct terminology) what’s next? Do you have a video following that that shows how to let the mushrooms fully grow? Sorry if those are dumb question I just want to ensure success on my mushrooms growth! Thank you for the wonderful video! 😊

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Hi there. By "clean room" I just mean a room where your work surface has been wiped down with bleach cleaner or 70% isopropyl with low air flow and no house plants or other items that may spread mold spores (molds like trichoderma live naturally in soil). Wearing gloves and a face mask also help. I try to show techniques that have high success rates just in a clean room, but ideally you'll want to look into building or buying a still air box or flowhood if you're going to get seriously into this craft. What you do next depends on the species of mushrooms, but I will link some more videos that will help you on your way. Thanks for watching 👊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnXCnGCadt54a7ssi=SDD65X4RiHLFoCBM kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6K1fHebhb6oaNEsi=8Xdq2zLzHoQ1WzJS kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6qoi396f5Zoi6csi=vYdD6YPZvzLPEI0T

[@mushlii]

@@RenegadeMushrooms thank you so ,icy!

[@seanwelch1844]

Just inoculated my first 2 bags im in Massachusetts i see the hat lol. Hoping it goes well thabks for the vid.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Hope your first grain spawn project goes well, thx for watching 👍

[@xS.B.FEINx269]

You had me at ice fishing and michigan, go blue!!

[@chepindichepindi3328]

Thank you very muck.

[@rad7142]

thank you for this, you just showed why my grain inocculation did not go well at all. got yeast contam . grain was too wet and some split ....

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Split grains greatly increase risk of contams, as do grains that are too wet. That's why I settled on this method, perfect moisture balance and no burst kernels. Hope it works out for you. Thanks for watching 👍

[@Unclemushlovin]

Cheers just started my channel out. getting some good info mush lovin

[@daveeatmon4718]

Awesome video, you are one of my favorite KZbinrs to watch for sure! Now to the question. When you add this grain spawn to your pasteurized fuel pellets, what ratio do you use?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I add about one pound of grain to every bag. Finished bags weigh about six pounds. Nice smallie 👍

[@daveeatmon4718]

@@RenegadeMushroomsthanks! I happen to live next to an awesome lake for smallies. It’s Lake St. Clair in Michigan, great for Walleye and Muskie too!

[@zumbapatty4988]

Finally received my 23 quart Presto pressure canner today and noticed the instruction booklet advises that you check the weight limit for your stove if you have a glass top (and don't have the portable burner unit yet). I found out that GE tests all their glass tops at 50 lbs. (check with your manufacturer if not GE). So I weighed 3 quarts of water (recommended by Presto), 7 quart jars with a pound of grain each, and the canner and it came out to a little over 30 lbs. Thought this might be helpful to anyone else who has a glass top stove.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Good tips 👍, thank you.

[@Rawabina22]

What is the substance that you injected into the boxes containing wheat grains? youtube.com/@SalihNawman

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Liquid culture. It is living mycelium tissue suspended in a sterile nutrient broth. It is what I use to start most of my grain spawn.

[@Rawabina22]

@@RenegadeMushrooms it's an effective liquid .. you did a great job, thank you .

[@bmartin2304]

A few questions for you sir. How much LC ml do you put in each jar roughly? was the total spawn time 2-3 weeks? How long can your colonized jars last if you want to put it off for a bit, can you fridge them into dormancy? or is it best to colonize the bulk substrate blocks and store those a bit like store bought mushroom kits. Im trying to get a feel for the timeline for the various steps and shelf life on those steps. Thanks! appreciate the content.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

3 - 5 ccs for a quart jar of grain typically. You are better off fridging your grain jars than substrate bags because most species are less likely to fruit on straight grain, and jars take up less space. It's still better to use them as soon as possible, but you can hold them off for a bit in the refrigerator. Just don't do that with a tropical species like pink oyster or almond agaricus because fridge temps will kill them. Colonization times for grain and sawdust are typically 2 to 3 weeks with most species.

[@Theholisticsouldier]

Thank you for making this video! I appreciate the time you took to explain everything the way you did. Did you simmer or boil the water separately?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

No, for this method I simply use hot tap water. No simmer or boil needed.

[@Theholisticsouldier]

@@RenegadeMushrooms Thank you so much for answering me!

[@curtismurphy7792]

Once your grain jars are sterilized and the top is screwed tight snd foil lid comes off, how long can they sit. Like until you HAVE TO USE OR THEY GO BAD. How long do they last?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I've let them sit for a week or so before inoculating and they've still turned out fine. Sooner the better is the rule though.

[@curtismurphy7792]

@@RenegadeMushrooms ok so when you make 8 it’s cause your about to inoculate all 8 right then. So don’t like make them and have them sit for a month not inoculated?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@curtismurphy7792 That's correct.

[@lilywoodfarm]

Thanks for the great video! I am very motivated and love your method. What was the growth time to full colonization? You gently shook the jars after 7 days, but did not mention the period until colonization was complete. I appreciate this varies, bt a rough guide will suffice. TIA

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Generally two to four weeks for full colonization with most species.

[@lilywoodfarm]

Thanks @@RenegadeMushrooms

[@okiedokiecookie]

Thank you for sharing. Got my first attempt too wet. Slows down growth and very susceptible to rot. I'll do your process next attempt.

[@martink9785]

Great guide, thank you 👍 some day soon I'll gather the kit I need to start growing 🙂

[@frasercoasthomemaintenance7701]

Hi, I love your videos but I cannot find any information on the internet how to introduce the grain spawn to the growing bags and how much grain spawn you need per kg to start the mushroom growing. It would be nice if you can let me know or show a video how to do this. Thanks very much and keep up the good work.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Check out my oyster mushroom growing video, it shows the entire process in detail. Here's a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6qoi396f5Zoi6c I only use pasteurization, I don't sterilize, so I use 1 quart or about 1 lb. of grain spawn per 5 lb. bag of sawdust. My finished fruiting blocks are a little over 6 lbs.

[@frankostrowski3416]

😊Love your videos brother😊

[@get1moore]

I'm a newbie to growing mushrooms. I'm almost ready to do my first batch. I'm loving your videos. I'm learning a lot. I have a question. What's the reason for moving the cultured spawn from the jars to the hardwood pellets? After a few weeks, can't you just harvest the mushrooms right from the jars? BTW, I'm in western NY as well.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Hey there and welcome 👍 Some mushrooms will fruit straight from grain, but your yields will be very low. Grain spawn is really just intended to be a nutrient rich carrier for mycelium, not a fruiting substrate. By moving it to a sawdust or other larger substrate block, your yields will GREATLY increase. Also, most raw substrate material is way cheaper than grain per pound.

[@get1moore]

@@RenegadeMushrooms That makes sense! Thanks! BTW, I have accumulated a ton of questions as I've gotten into this. I'll try to ask them one at a time and over the course of time, just so I don't overwhelm you (not that you can't handle the questions). Keep up the great job teaching all of us.

[@get1moore]

@Philip Augustine Thanks Philip, I'll check it out.

[@sanukthaiyoga6185]

Thank you

[@МихаилПавловски-у4г]

Awesome video. I didn't catch you say how much LC you are putting inside of the jar or that doesn't matter?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

For quart jars I usually to 4 ccs or so. You usually get around 12 ccs in a store-bought LC syringe so I like to get three jars done with them. It depends on species though. You would want to go heavier with slow growing species, especially if you're making your own LC.

[@metlwrker4285]

On one of your vids I observed you wrapping your plates but not with parafilm. I'm very interested in how you got the plastic wrap into the 1" size. I'd love to see a vid on the process you take making the small rolls for wrapping plates and jars. Keep on teaching I'm loving the learning process!

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I just cut up a roll of saran wrap with a hacksaw. I must say though, I just bought some parafilm and it works much better.

[@ethankaufman8577]

Look for tree grafting parafilm it is much cheaper than the lab grade stuff and is usually an inch wide and much cheaper

[@serrated0311]

Great video while I’m researching proper technique. I’m all for the soaking and pressure cooking, but curious why you don’t boil. Is that dependent on grain type or you do you just skip boiling altogether?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I prefer to skip boiling all together because no matter how careful you are, boiling always leads to increased numbers of burst grain kernels. Burst kernels increase contamination risk so I go with methods that minimize them as much as possible. Starting with hot water, and just soaking and monitoring has always worked much better for me. You can adjust your starting water temp and doak time to suit your needs and grain type. Here's a couple more of my videos that might help you out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYHblax5jpWMqZIsi=-gn5DItm5lvSkRxB kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3zaoZ1qfMhqZpIsi=S0h4EpzFzPOUBgus

[@lovelyspacevideos]

super video, just one question , why plastic lids over Metal?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

They both have their advantages but I like that plastic lids never rust out on me. I also find the plastic lids easier to remove smoothly when I'm dropping agar wedges to grain. That being said, I still mostly use metal lids for my liquid culture because they seal very well and I still have a lot in reserve. If you go plastic for liquid culture, I highly recommend buying lids with a built-in silicone sealing ring like the Masontops Tough Tops lids.

[@tomrodriguez4768]

Just wondering on your over night soak. Can I use oats? I just bought a 50lb bag. Your methods definitely have a smaller carbon footprint! IE this method and your pasteurization of HWFP/bran. Only time I had contamination was when I used 50/50 HWFP/soy hulls. To nutritional correct?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Correct, too nutritious. Soy hulls themselves are more prone to contamination than wheat bran and other supplements I have used, so if you're going to use them, best to go with sterilization. That's why I prefer bran as you also noted in your experiments. Oats will work with the overnight soak, but just keep an eye on them until you fine tune the process, you may have to adjust the soak time a bit, but for starters I would just start with very hot tap water, cover, and let them go for 8 hours or so.

[@davidmitchell3671]

Thanks for this. I have done some grain spawn by putting it in an Instant Pot with excess water for 5 minutes, and immediately releasing the pressure, then air drying it like you show. It seems to give the right amount of moisture without bursting any grain. I hope I didn't miss this in the video, but I was wondering if you see any benefit from adding gypsum or a small amount of sawdust to the grain spawn. Some folks seem to say that a small amount of a future substrate will help the speed of growth in the end. And gypsum for the sulfur. I guess I've done it without gypsum before, too, but I don't think I have done it enough to notice a difference. Others say add 1/2 teaspoon of lime per jar to keep the pH from dropping too low. Any thoughts on that stuff? Thanks again. Very straightforward videos with subtleties on the art explained well.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

The only benefit I've seen from adding sawdust to grain is that the sawdust absorbs excess moisture if your grain is too wet. If you're going to add anything, I prefer wheat bran rather than sawdust because the wheat bran will add more nitrogen and increase the yield of your finished blocks while still helping to absorb excess moisture. I show that in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWSbp2Brd85pa9k Other than wheat bran, I generally don't add anything to my grain. Thank you for watching, and for the kind words 👍

[@ScottWConvid19]

13:04 I love the passive roast 😂

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Could you sense the sarcasm 😁

[@eithnebullick1266]

I prepared my first batch of LC from spores and ready for the next step - testing for contamination on agar and then on to inoculating grain. Can you please advise on the types of syringes and needles you recommend including needle gauge size? Disposable or reusable? Luer locks? Thanks so much!

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I personally prefer 20cc syringes and 14 or 16 gauge needles, both Luer Loc. You generally get what you pay for, B-D brand stuff is nice. I use disposable.

[@bigmclargehuge7170]

I'm curious on the needle, if it comes sterilized, why is a flame needed? If it's reused then it makes sense to sterilize of course. What about tipping it/wiping it with 70% IA instead? Seems to be a safer route if it works and requires less equipment? Or am I off base (I'm probably off base)?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I always flame the needle then wipe with 70% isopropyl. That's just what I prefer.

[@CarolynsLoveRickshaw]

I love your content!! Thank you 🙏🏽

[@CarolynsLoveRickshaw]

How long can fully colonized jars be stored?

[@oscardziki4543]

Thanks man. Just thanks. Awesome.

[@troybrigham1434]

Hi, great tutorial, thank you. What temperature do you keep your jars at while running the mycelium.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

65 to 70F for me works good for most varieties. If you're growing tropical strains that like it a bit warmer I use one of these: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYeZapWYfdmGfMksi=I0aw2O2nrvcvmHtn

[@whodidit99]

If you used spores instead of LC would you squirt it in the jar differently?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

No, maybe just add a little more because of the germination lag. Honestly it's a waste to squirter spores on to grain though. Make your spores into LC, expand it, then LC to grain. Pennies on the dollar.

[@elizabethr2908]

Can I use this same method with oats? Great video!❤

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Yes, this will work with oats 👍

[@elizabethr2908]

@@RenegadeMushrooms , awesome! Thank you, I’m learning so much from your epic channel! I’m starting my oat soak now. Thanks so much for your speedy reply ❤️

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@elizabethr2908 Glad you are enjoying the channel. Remember to soak your grain until you can push your fingernail into a kernel and easily compress/crease it with your nail. It may take up to 15 hours, but you can add more hot tap water half way through to speed things up if you want. Also remember to let it air dry for a few hours before packing it into your jars. Good luck!

[@zumbapatty4988]

what do you think about using a butane torch (for the kitchen) to sterilize needle?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Any flame works as long as you can make that needle glow red.

[@zumbapatty4988]

@@RenegadeMushrooms Thank you 🍄

[@mattnsim]

I find I get far less contamination in jars than bags. I work in front of a flow hood too..

[@ABRAXAS37]

Kinda noticed this also, maybe it’s because you eliminate any issues that can come with the lid/self healing injection port

[@connormurphy3085]

that’s mainly due to the fact that bags are full of seams and areas where contam can get in vs jars where there are only one or two possible areas where contam can be introduced

[@TeteKodjo]

Merci je le vidéos en Français svp

[@UrBrother_711]

Maybe you should try sterilizing for longer times with bags, I have heard many recommend it and it makes since that they would require it

[@oldschoolman1444]

It takes longer to get to the proper temperature due to the bulk, takes longer for the middle to get hot enough.

[@kartalbaba981]

Thanks for that great video!

[@freedomring128]

Nice video! What if I don't have a flow hood? Will this be an issue? Are there alternatives or safe practice I can use without one? Thank you

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Most people start with a still air box until they can afford to buy or build a flowhood. Check out the "nocbox" from North Spore.

[@RogerJackson-rz1ly]

Hi , thanks for great video, can you use wheat grains and cut maize , known as mixed corn for chickens, many thanks

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

If the corn kernels are cracked, I definitely wouldn't use it. You want whole grain kernels. Whole grain wheat and corn mixed would probably work, but it wouldn't be ideal. If you could find just wheat, that would be much better.

[@RogerJackson-rz1ly]

@@RenegadeMushrooms thank you .

[@theresasteinbacher]

where can i see your video of the different canning jar lid setups for putting in PC. Thanks.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

This video shows my favorites, these are the one's I use: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZ6Xq6GqqJ6ZZ8k

[@AndyUrban-d5c]

I have a question I seen in the background on the left side at 12.20 you have glass jugs and I recognized the plastic thing on top that looks like a bubbler and was just wondering what you used those for? I had a few of those that I found and couldn't figure it out so I put a little water in the chambers and used it as a bubbler for a gravity bong worked well but heat and plastic don't get along lol

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

They are "air locks" used for making homemade wine. I make 6 gallon batches of wine now and then 😁 They prevent air from entering the jugs, but allow CO2 from the yeast to escape.

[@ForsakenCrimmy]

What were the carboys and airlocks for? Just noticed it in the background and was curious.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I make homemade wine and hard cider. That's a six gallon batch of blood orange sangria.

[@ForsakenCrimmy]

@@RenegadeMushrooms I like you. Lol. I'm growing pink lemonade blueberries and hoping to have enough this year to make a melomel with it. Appreciate the reply.

[@dylski4294]

Yet again another flawless video. Thanks brother. If I wanted to make only one quart jar of grain spawn, how much water would I add to the mixture grain? I know you said they expand about 40%

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I've never done the TEK where you just add a pre-measured amount of water to the grain and PC. I always just soak in hot water overnight. You could just fill the jar a little over half full with grain, then fill the jar with hot water and soak overnight. The key is to make sure you allow the grain to air dry before packing it into the jar for the PC run. Wet grain is no bueno.

[@donjohnson7189]

I'm thinking on getting into growing mushrooms now having said that I'm into making wine,beer and "other" form of alcohol this also needs to be sanitized and I use "Star sand" do you think I can use this as a sanitizer for this new endeavor?🤔

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I actually was just reading a discussion on this very topic on FB and I also did some research on Shroomery. From what I've read, Starsan is far less effective than 70% isopropyl and not recommended for mycology. Some people have tried it on not been happy with the results.

[@donjohnson7189]

@@RenegadeMushrooms cool thanks for the quick response.😉

[@aeroberries]

Do you soak and dry with a towel with all grain? I plan to use brown rice for my first grow

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Rice will work, but honestly it's my least favorite of all the grains I've tried. Wheat, rye, oats, sorghum, millet, even corn works better. If rice is all you have though, yeah I would soak then dry briefly on a towel. It's just so sticky and starchy it's a total PITA.

[@aeroberries]

@ alright thanks I’ll try a different grain. Appreciate it

[@RogerJackson-rz1ly]

Thanks for the video, can you use mixed corn for chickens ? It’s wheat and cut maize . Thanks

[@tipofthecapmushrooms5523]

Same, I never vent for any sterilization and works fine.

[@ChreeSong]

will the hot soak work with millet as well?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Yes it will, you just need to play with it a bit and hone in your starting water temp and soak time.

[@lisaamirant5595]

I just got jars exactly the size in this video and they are almost ready, but I’m not sure what to do next. My first ones were in small jars that I “birthed” and kept cakes. Do you do the same with larger grain spawn jars? I can’t find any info on what to do next. Thank you🙏

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

You can fruit some species straight from grain, but usually it's best to mix large volumes of grain into a prepared fruiting substrate like sawdust, compost, etc. Research what substrate your particular species prefers to fruit on and go from there. As I said, some will fruit from grain, but grain is typically best used as a "carrier" for your mycelium to inoculate a larger volume of substrate.

[@lisaamirant5595]

@@RenegadeMushrooms so from the jar into maybe a plastic shoe box? Then does it need heat and light and to be covered for moisture? I really appreciate your advice 🙏

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@lisaamirant5595 I typically use plastic containers or model 3T filter patch bags from Unicorn Bags for my fruiting substrate. The substrate you use depends on the species you are trying to grow, but yes you will need to seal the bag or cover the container to maintain humidity.

[@lisaamirant5595]

@@RenegadeMushrooms thank you

[@mr.picklepants1246]

I love your channel

[@mikewaldrop4977]

After transferring grain spawn to my sterile strata do I have to have an air filter on meh poly bag?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

The bag needs to breathe so yes you either need an air filter or breather holes in the bag. As a general rule, for sterilization with supplemented substrates, you need a filter patch bag. For pasteurized grows with unsupplemented substrate, you can just poke holes in any old bag or container, or use a filter patch bag if you wish.

[@mimlutfur7808]

How about Gypsum/ chalk ? When should I add those!

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Not necessary for grain spawn, but if you want you can mix it in the soaked grain before you pack your jars.

[@serrated0311]

@@RenegadeMushrooms So many people preach Gyspum for pH balancing and added nutrients. Curious on your thoughts to why it’s not necessary?

[@theomarimira1]

If I have a jar of liquid culture, can I use it to keep making more lc or will senescence occur and hamper my production?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@theomarimira1 Depends on the species. Species that senesce rapidly shouldn't be over-expanded like cordyceps and morels. Common gourmet/medicinal species like reishi/oyster/shiitake/etc. can be expanded almost in perpetuity for home cultivators. I've had the same Reishi strain going for 13 years that I started from a single syringe and it still rocks.

[@DDawg1144]

Quick question for you - would you say this tek works equally well for rye berries (no simmer)? I just did my first batch of rye berries, first batch started sprouting in less than 24 hours during soak, but it may have been because water level dipped below the top of the grain. Second batch almost looked like it had started to sprout after less than 12 hours even though I used hot tap water 😮 (I could see just tiny little white tips at the ends of a lot of the grains but they didn’t ’come out’ of the grain if that makes sense). I said f it and went ahead with a simmer and proceeded. Through this I was thinking that 1) they seemed plenty hydrated without the simmer, and 2) that next time I would try soaking with almost boiling water to see if I could prevent sprouting.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Two things I would try if you're going to stick with rye, you can experiment with small batches and see which method works best for you. 1. Start with the hottest tap water you can get, soak your rye for 12 - 15 hours in a covered pot, let surface air dry, PC. OR 2. Try the quick hot soak method I show in this video (similar to what you wanted to try) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYHblax5jpWMqZIsi=z5CFlEVOGDAWYjLB Try both and see what you like best. My tap water gets pretty hot (130 F), if yours doesn't get that hot you might have to heat up your starting water a bit. Both methods should prevent sprouting.

[@DDawg1144]

Thanks for taking the time to reply brotha I appreciate it!. I subscribed and look forward to watching your other videos. Yeah my tap water doesn’t get that hot here hence I was thinking I would heat it on the stove. I did see your other video on the quick hot soak method, seems like a good option too. It seems like the rye berries just love to sprout and it’s super annoying. I’m assuming that you’re not supposed to see any white at all at the tip of the grain yeah? Since I am at the beginning learning stage I agree that experimenting is a good idea. I’m planning to do that with the tubs once these jars (fingers crossed) colonize.. depending on how many are successful I’m going to try a traditional mono tub, unmodified tub w/flipped lid, and unmodified shoebox, and see what happens.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@DDawg1144 Yeah it's better if you can keep them from sprouting. Hopefully it works out for you.

[@DDawg1144]

So far so good, 5 quarts are rapidly colonizing and 5 are just barely colonizing, but the issue was not using enough LC, 1CC or less per jar, next time I think I’ll go 2 cc. Think the grain is fine though.

[@DDawg1144]

@@RenegadeMushrooms How long do you typically let it dry in the towel? This last batch of Rye I let air dry a little longer (5 hours or so) because I was wondering if my previous batch had slow colonization due to it being too wet / too many burst grains, you know how there are seemingly two ‘stages’ of the grain drying, where in the first stage it still looks kind of wet/dark but isn’t actually leaving water on a napkin, and then the second stage the outside of the shell starts to look dry and lighten in color? A lot of the grains got to that second stage, and now I’m wondering if I left it out in the air for too long? I notice you leave yours covered in the towel which seems to prevent it from drying out too much. Still trying to get it dialed.

[@MathieuGoldstein]

That’s very interesting, thank you. I used to soak then put my grain in boiling hot water and just let it sit heat turned off for about 30min. This way the grain gets extra plump (the light cooking makes it suck more water than just the initial soaking. It used to work just fine, yet since a few weeks I’m running into sour rot contamination problem which had me ditch so many grain jars. I am then switching to your technique to put a dryer grain into my grain spawn jars. Let’s hope I get rid of this awful bacteria 🤞

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Hopefully it helps, losing jars is a real bummer.

[@ScottWConvid19]

I read on a forum...... The guy said he just adds a little verm to the bottom of the jar before droppin the grain in and he just rinses the grain in the strainer and shakes the loose water off, let's it sit just until it's no longer dripping and the verm will absorb any water that might pool up. I put two tbls of verm in the bottom of each jar and their cooling off right now. This will be my first attempt to inoculate grain. Do you have any mushroom forums you recommend that are not Facebook groups?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Yeah I see the theory behind the verm if you don't want to wait for the grain to air dry. But you can also mix some dry wheat bran into your grain to absorb the excess water and add some extra nutrients for your mycelium in the process. Verm is just filler, no nutrients. I demo the wheat bran thing in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWSbp2Brd85pa9k 90% of the good mushroom chat is on Facebook now. I'm guessing you're not a Facebook guy. I'm not really either, I don't do anything personally on it. I only use it for groups which I find very useful.

[@ScottWConvid19]

@@RenegadeMushrooms part of the learning curve is sifting through other people's processes and when I inoculated my grain yesterday and watched all those beautiful babies running past most of the wheat berries, I realized that drying them out for a few hours would've made the wheat just absorbent enough to cause the LC to cling to them. Looks like maybe 20-30% went down to the bottom, even though I evenly injected it, the wheat just wasn't parched enough to take it. I'm definitely taking your advice on the next run. But I'm glad that you (and others) have made the time to share what works. I may join crackbook... I've been a long time hold out against the machine

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@ScottWConvid19 Yeah I totally understand, I hate all the "look at me" bullshit. I literally post nothing of my personal life on there. But the groups are a real positive thing I think.

[@jamesvandergriff5204]

So maybe I miss d it but do you leave the lids loose?? I have yet to find a video where these plastic lids are used and it said to tighten them or leave loose? Please

[@AnorexicPandas]

Leave them loose when pressure cooking, and tighten them after they are removed before cooling. The idea is that the pressure equalizes easily and the grain is exposed to the full heat/ steam in the PC without relying/ wearing out the filter hole and having the foil to keep excess moisture from accumulating on the cap and filter. Once removed, tighten the caps before they start cooling to engage the seal and have the air filter activated as the gas exchange mechanism. When the jar cools air will enter and you’ll want that to be filtered to prevent contam.

[@AnorexicPandas]

You can see him tighten them @16:42

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I fully tighten them when I put them in, but they usually loosen themselves are bit during the PC run so I always re-tighten as soon as I pull them out.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I do actually fully tighten the lids when I put them in, but they tend to loosen themselves during the PC run so I always re-tighten as soon as I pull them out.

[@kacydavis3767]

Do we loosen the jars while in the pressure cooker and c9ver with foil?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Don't loosen the lids, but cover them with foil lids or I also like the silicone lid shields from Microppose.com.

[@michealrose7556]

Oysters are my favorite ❤️

[@FrankEmmanuel799]

I’d appreciate your comment

[@FrankEmmanuel799]

I got some oysters from an online store

[@FrankEmmanuel799]

FROM CRUISE_MYCOLOGIST

[@FrankEmmanuel799]

in instagram

[@dylandepuy3715]

Your lids have self healing injection ports but is there nothing to allow for gas exchange?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

9:45 Microppose injection port and filter disc in every lid.

[@zumbapatty4988]

I have started lions mane and pink oysters in pint jars (2.5 cc LC ea.). It has been a week for the lions mane and I don't see anything, not even little white dots. I supplemented the rye with wheat bran. Could it be too dry? I forgot to use the towel when I spread out the grain after soaking, but it seemed ok (field capacity) when I put it in the jars. Am I just being too impatient? It's only been 5 days for the oysters - nothing yet.

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Give them a couple weeks and see how they look. By that time you should see some oyster mycelium. I get tons of questions with new growers worried about their Lions Mane spawn. Keep in mind that every species has different growth habits. Most Hericium (Lions Mane) species colonize very whispily and really only begin to thicken at full colonization. Many new growers don't notice the initial whispy mycelium strands and think nothing is happening. Let them run for a bit and see what happens.

[@zumbapatty4988]

@@RenegadeMushrooms. Thank you. I was aware from watching your videos about the wispiness of the lions mane but thought I’d see at least a tiny hint of mycelium. Patience is a virtue 😂

[@mitchellflannery7013]

Great video, learning a lot from u, starting to inoculate my second rye grain, first 1 was a fail. I feel more confident now thanks for sharing 👍

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I'm here if you have questions 👍

[@Enochulate88]

I thought you wanted the lids loose in the PC so they don't explode or shatter . I've had the shatter when I first started. Are you saying to make them tight for the PC?

[@Enochulate88]

17:11

[@Enochulate88]

I always loosen for PC and tighten after Everytime...

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I personally always snug them down, never had one shatter in thousands of runs.

[@Enochulate88]

@@RenegadeMushrooms it was a smaller pc probably a water issue I was in high school.

[@Enochulate88]

@@RenegadeMushrooms the first time I threw a brick at 8q Nd never looked back

[@dand7056]

Did you say how much you add to each jar?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Just fill jars up to the shoulder, about where it starts to neck in. You need to leave some room in there so you can shake them.

[@dand7056]

How much liquid culture?

[@elizabethgeoghegan5167]

Would spent grains from home brewing be suitable for inoculation?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

I haven't tried them myself, but from what I've heard, they work better as a substrate additive than they do as spawn. For spawn you really want intact grains to prevent contamination and facilitate shaking and transfer.

[@elizabethgeoghegan5167]

@@RenegadeMushrooms substrate would be great, I can only bake so many loaves of bread with spent grain, the rest into the compost bin and it feels like a waste

[@FurkatBadyrow]

Thanks good

[@vic4316]

Was the towel you used clean?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Yes, just a regular clean bath towel.

[@vic4316]

@@RenegadeMushrooms question I ordered mega mushroom kit grower and incubator kit it comes with a bunch of jars with grain but idk if it's mixed with soil do I have to buy my own soil and which kind would you recommend

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

@@vic4316 I'm not familiar with that product. I would contact Midwest Grow Kits the manufacturer and ask them how to proceed.

[@kingsopa4910]

Can i use an open oven to dry the grain? To speed up

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Just use a fan, you can air dry the surface in an hour or so by having a fan blowing over it and mixing it up a few times.

[@Enochulate88]

Do you soak In warm water or simmering water ?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

130 F to start

[@blaxxun75]

So is your oven on for 12 hours or do you just pour hot water once and thats it?

[@RenegadeMushrooms]

Just pour hot water once and that's it.

[@allenrogers6557]

Good video. Thanks

[@jacklegminercanada3866]

I settled on wheat also, millet is too expensive and it's tricky for me