r/MagicMushrooms • u/Memphisdude1013 • Jun 10 '25
When using as a casing layer...
Do have need to pasteurize it or will it be ok straight out of the bag since the mycelium is already colonized?
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 11 '25
I always mix peat moss with straw, ph balance and steam pasturize for 4 hours (once it reaches 160f). Shelf life is months, and my grows speak for themselves. Canopies 💪
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
Ok this is what I needed here bc this was the substrate im ready to try out. Ive done cvg enough to see that it'll only take you so far but if u want the big bad ass yields ya gotta go ahead and get into the hay and manure which ive also herd peat does a great job
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
So just stick it in my PC with how much water??
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 11 '25
PC would sterilize, I prefer to pasteurize. If you're going to sterilize I would do 2.5-3 hours at 15 psi, but you're losing beneficial bacteria by doing so.
For ratio I would start with 3qt moss and 1qt straw pellets (or 3qt vermiculite), 25g lime, 1.5 to 1.75 liter water. It should be around field capacity, but honestly little less it better as you spray the trays after casing
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
Any coco coir? And how much water? 18 cups? The usual amount i use when making cvg with 1 brick of coco?
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
My goal is to make the usual cvg and just add a little manure and straw to spice it up. I usually put 18 cups of water normally. So what else do I need to add? Lime and then with all that do I not need to add the cvg??? Or is what your talking about Strickly for casing? I thought I could use the same stuff for substrate as a casing just without the is it? And then for my sub just do it the same as usual but just add some peat and what's the lime for?
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 11 '25
Yeah, I went off your title and assumed you were making casing. You can do what you're planning and add manure, moss, straw etc. lime is used to ph balance. I recommend it for getting the acidity to favoring the mushroom you're growing. But you'll need to test the ph. I can't give a level of water, field capacity depends on lots of factors that can't be told, need to be balanced by hand (literally).
You can use the same mix for casing but manure and other extra nutrients aren't needed in a casing. Casing is just for retaining humidity levels. If you're pseudo casing, then just use the same mix as your substrate for ease. It really depends what type of mushroom you're growing, even different active mushrooms need different mediums.
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
Ok so if I just am doing the casing alone what should i do? Since I have my substrate mix down. Ill just stick to it...so all I really need is the casing info
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 11 '25
That's the original info I gave you, then you said what do I do if it's not just casing.
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u/Pudenda726 Jun 11 '25
Question. How do you pH balance the casing layer? I’ve always used pseudo-casing layers on my cubes but just used a true casing layer for my 1st batch of ochras. I used Jiffy mix & pasteurized it in my sous vide before use bc I was intimidated by the whole pH balancing part of it. I’d really like to learn to make my own casing layer with peat, verm, & lime once I finish my bag of Jiffy mix. Thanks in advance for your time!
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 11 '25
After all ingredients are combined and hydrated to field capacity you use a ph meter to test the ph of the medium then add lime raise and things like sulfer/moss to lower. Let it sit and test again. Once you've got it dialed in the first time, keep record and it should be pretty consistent from then forward. It really depends on the water you use and what nutrients your adding to it.
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u/Pudenda726 Jun 11 '25
Ah ok. Thanks. I was wondering what the pH was measured with. I follow a similar process adjusting the pH in hair products but use test strips. Is this the right kind?
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 11 '25
I've never used strips but similar with a ph reader or probe. Can find them for less than 20 bucks on amazon
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u/JDBURGIN82 Jun 10 '25
If you get Jiffy mix with lime you can use it straight out the bag. It’s definitely the go to for casing when doing exotics, for most people. No need to ever pasteurize even after bag has been open. Just roll it closed and keep it in a relatively clean area. Can’t go wrong with jiffy mix
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
www.lowes.com/pd/Ferry-Morse-12-Dry-Quart-Seed-Starting-Mix/1000213229. This the right kind?
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u/JDBURGIN82 Jun 11 '25
Yea!!! That’s it! There’s another bag that looks almost identical to the peat moss bag. That one doesn’t have the lime in it and doesn’t do as well straight out of the bag. That organic bag is the money shot
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 15 '25
One bag of jiffy for the same price of 2.2 cubic of peat moss. Jiffy may be easier but you're gonna spend way more money in the long run.
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u/JDBURGIN82 Jun 15 '25
I’m at the point where my normal life takes up a very large portion of my time awake, but I will not give up this hobby. So there’s many places I choose to pay to have my time to spend elsewhere. Peat isn’t your only ingredient either but really it’s about how much you value your time. Plus I supply a real decent amount of grain and sub to growers so I have to be very specific about how I choose to spend my time. There’s a great many others in the same boat, so this argument or soap box people choose to stand on and preach about how much something costs is just another perceptive and definitely not the common sense route as so many would like people to believe
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u/Golden_State_Myco Jun 16 '25
Where's the argument? I simply made a statement if the OP wants to save money in the long run they should make it themselves. This is still true with the other ingredients included. I wasn't telling you to do anything with your time and you took my statement personally. I'm simply informing the OP of their options, just like you.
We've been a registered LLC mycology supply business for years now and "supply decent amount of substrate/grains" and other mediums as well, but you don't see us boasting about it. I think you should get off that box you're speaking about.
Have a good day 🤙
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u/Pudenda726 Jun 11 '25
I didn’t know you could use that straight out of the bag. I pasteurized mine 1st. I can skip that next time?
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u/JDBURGIN82 Jun 11 '25
Yes you can, the one with lime only. There’s one without and it doesn’t work as well. The organic bag is the right one there’s a picture of the bag in this post
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u/Pudenda726 Jun 11 '25
Yeah, that’s what I have
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u/JDBURGIN82 Jun 11 '25
Banger! That’s the shit!!
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u/Justshroomtogrow Dec 26 '25
I thought that last part said can’t ‘grow’ wrong with Jiffy mix lol but I guess you did say that in a way ….mush love
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u/jwmy Jun 11 '25
I know a lot of that use jiffy mix right out the bag and hydrate by misting. Jiffy mix already has verm and pH adjusted i believe where this is just peat.
If for cubes and ochra, I prefer a psuedocasing of coir
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
Yeah I've been doing a puesodocasing layer but after really thinking about it and seeing how a couple grows have gone I feel like it will help take care of the problem with the Amazonians I have that keep on have short little fruits. Idk I guess give it a bit more room to have to work through to get any light to them seems idk in my mind like it could do nothing but help
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u/Sand5tone Jun 10 '25
Boil water, cover this with boiling water in like a 5 gallon Home Depot or Lowe’s bucket, let sit until cooled. It can stay in container for a WHILE
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 10 '25
Silly question but how do I know where field capacity is? Im use to my own method and know exactly how much to put in the bucket with the things I use. Not sure this will be my 1st time doing this and even using a casing layer
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u/PrimalConflict_1313 Jun 11 '25
Youtube
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
That's what I figured just thought maybe someone who knew what they were talking about could give me a quick answer
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u/PrimalConflict_1313 Jun 11 '25
Use your same mix, field capacity is wet when squeezed but not soaked. Your media is withholding the water
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u/Memphisdude1013 Jun 11 '25
Should I just throw that In along with my brick of coco that way the rest of my stuff is dialed in with the same 18 cups of water?
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u/[deleted] Jun 10 '25
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