LAB 101
Rod Stafford
August 2014
shiitake (albinos)
reishi (antlers and conks)
black poplar (exotic?)
turkey tail (rosette forms)
Panellus stipticus (bioluminescent)
hen of the woods, chicken of the woods,
lions mane, bears head take a little more
time
GOALS
1. General Cultivation Overview
2. Making a Glove Box (Old-Tech)
3. Working with Agar
4. Producing Grain Spawn
NOT COVERED
Spawn Techniques (other than grain)
Commercial, Large-Scale or Bulk Growing
H2O2 Techniques
Laminar Flow Technique
Strain Isolation
Anything Illegal
CHEATING
MOTHER NATURE
Even though a
mushroom may
produce millions of
spores, complex
interactions among
hundreds of other
fungi, bacteria, etc.
in nature maintain
an ecological
equilibrium.
For
mushrooms to
grow free from
competition,
provide an
environment as
sterile as a
semi-conductor
manufacturing
factory.
SOURCE MATERIAL
1. Spores
2. Mycelium
A. Buy
i.
ii.
Syringe
Agar Plate
B. Library
i.
ii.
Agar Slant/Plate
Cardboard Pellets
3. Living Tissue
SAFETY ISSUES
Never expose bare skin under a germicidal lamp
Do not look at a germicidal lamp without protection
Do not use an open flame inside a glove box
ANOTHER OPTION
makezine.com/projects/home-mycology-lab/
PARTS LIST
GLOVE BOX WORK ACCESSORIES
Disposable Gloves
Isopropyl alcohol
Disinfectant spray/wipes
Parafilm*
Petri Dishes
Disposable plastic
100 x 15 mm
Gamma sterilized
Solid vs segmented
Cons
Purchase pre-made
Pros
Cons
Convenience
Uniform, sterile plates
More expensive
Usually in batches of 10-20
mycosupply.com
Amazon
EBay
fungiperfecti.com
sciencebobstore.com/products/Nutrient-Agar-Powder.html
I use a 500ml glass liquor bottle with a plastic cap, drill a hole in the cap
and use a square of Tyvek
GRAIN SPAWN
Rye Berries, aka winter wheat grain
larger kernel size helps prevent clumping
commonly available
low in bacterial endospores
Loosen the cap from each jar but dont remove them
Flame sterilize your scalpel and place it in the glove
box to cool
SUCCESS
RESOURCES
WEBSITES
makezine.com/projects/home-mycology-lab/
www.mykoweb.com/articles/cultivation.html
shroomery.org
SPORES/MYCELIUM/SPAWN
ebay (Caveat emptor)
sporeworks.com
fungiperfecti.com
plantpath.psu.edu/facilities/mushroom/cultures-spawn
(very pricey, but they have EVERYTHING)
SUPPLIES
www.mycosupply.com
www.cynmar.com
www.mycopath.com/