SAWDUST BAG COLONIZATION, To Shake or Not to Shake??? Mushroom Growing Tips

Whether or not to shake your sawdust bags to speed up colonization is a commonly debated topic on the mushroom growing forums. Shaking can speed up colonization, but it also can lead to contamination and lost blocks. In my experience, it depends on the species and the situation. In this video, I give you the run-down of when to shake, and when to let it ride.

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[TwistedTornsTirade]

Is there any check lists of items you need to get growing mushrooms? Or maybe a mushroom perfect for newbies like myself that are interested in attempting to grow mushrooms?

[vazap]

Thanks for the great advice. It's a huge relief to hear sterilisation isn't necessary. I'm new to wood lovers and have struggled so far with Lion's mane and Turkey Tail. But I have the feeling your videos are going to help me greatly!

[DevoutJourney]

Exactly what I needed. I’ve got like 2 LM bags that aren’t growing like the others. Did all sterilized so I think I just didn’t mix the grain spawn and substrate good enough.

[bradgrimm]

Love your videos. I'm new to growing mushrooms and I am going to start my journey by simply ordering sawdust spawn and expanding it via the HWFP method you demonstrate here and in other videos, and then use it for some outdoor plantings. Expanding the spawn with this method seems like the only practical way given that it would not be economical to otherwise just buy and plant - the cost approaches nearly $50 with shipping for one bag and I am sure I won't get $50 of mushrooms from just that one bag. I started by buying 1 winecap spawn bag and expanding it into 3 bags and I will do the same with those 3 bags once they are ready and then I'll have 9 bags to plant out in my yard this spring. So far after about 10 days the colonization in the bags seems really uneven -- the tops are all white, but the sides other than a few splotches here and there don't really seem to be doing much and seem stalled. But then again on the bags of almond agaricus that you demonstrate on video, I don't see a lot of white on the sides either. It's just really hard to know if things are progressing as they should as a newbie and one not experienced on how the colonization process plays out. Should I shake the bag if the entire top is covered in white mycelium, but there appears to be little colonization along the sides and bottom of the bag? Should I just wait a little longer? How do you determine when a bag is fully colonized?

[hysyanzrecords]

A few of my blocks were looking like that and I couldn't figure out what was going on. I thought maybe I didn't have enough nutrition in the mix. I used sawdust and wheat brand. I have recently bought some soy hull and hopefully, if it stalls out again, the shake will work for me.

[staceyestabrook]

This is super helpful! I've been trying to find info on this. Are there any you would avoid shaking?

[candusb]

Have you ever done a video on contamination. I'm looking at some bags my second go-round and they have these big white balls but they're a little bit grayish. They popped up really quickly it's like balls some of them as big as a quarter. clumpy balls but more round then clumpy one bag has probably eight of them. Searching the internet has not helped me identify whether this is cobweb or some type of contamination are just balls of mycilium. Any advice. Or Do you have a video

[bopan]

Hi, thank you for your videos! I learned more about mushroom grow. I have one question, can I use the same way to make the substrate, and when it is fully colonized I cut a hole on the plastic bag to let the mushroom grow ? Thank you so much :)

[judyausmus]

Can you use agar to colonize sawdust substrate?

[dconner]

I've got bags of turkey tail, lion's mane, and ganoderma lucidum colonizing right now and they all have stalled. I think I mixed the substrate too wet. They are completely colonized and look great from the top down to about the bottom quarter of the bag where pretty much nothing is happening. So far there's no signs of contamination, no mold or weird smells. Any chance a shake may save them and get them going again? Also I'm using sterilized master's mix

[pepper_guy]

I’ve decided to use bucket Tek for my Turkey Tail grow. I’m getting blobbing coming out of the holes now, I guess this is popcorning as stated in the videos. How big will they get before the actual mushroom will show?

[blenderbenderguy]

Thank again for the insight. Is almond agaricus more tolerant of sunlight like Stropharia supposedly is? Or do you figure by the time they fruit there should be plenty of shade providing growth from garden plants?

[ryanstibal]

I am having issues with contamination on pasteurized saw dust and melted bags when I try to sterilize.. any ideas? Better brand of bags?

[darkwraithknyack]

If I break up the mycelium can that bruise or even kill it?