First grow Golden Teacher– used LC, testing different methods + some questions (shoebox tek)
Hey everyone,
I just started my first grow and wanted to share what I’ve done so far and ask a few questions.
I expanded my liquid culture (LC) and used it to inoculate my grain bags. Don’t worry about the appearance – it looks a bit cloudy in pictures, but in real life the mycelium looks clean.
To reduce risk, I used multiple jars and drew several syringes from them instead of relying on just one source.
What I’ve done so far:
10 bags (500 g each)
~10 ml LC per bag
Some bags were shaken after inoculation, others were left untouched
Some are sitting out in the open, others are stored in a cardboard box
I’m basically trying to compare different conditions and see what works best.
Questions about colonization:
What’s the best approach in your experience?
Shake or leave them alone?
Does it make a difference if they’re in a box vs out in the open?
How long does colonization usually take with LC?
I’ve read that LC is faster, but I’d like to hear real experiences.
Next step (shoebox tek):
I’m planning to run a shoebox setup and got some IKEA boxes:
28 x 37 cm
about 15 cm height
I want to mix the spawn with coco coir (maybe with vermiculite).
Substrate question:
Is it enough to just pour boiling water over the coco coir (bucket tek) and let it sit in a closed container, or should I do more for proper pasteurization?
Shoebox / fruiting questions:
Once I mix the fully colonized grain spawn with the coco coir and put it into the box:
How long should I keep the lid fully closed at the beginning?
Do I wait until the surface is fully colonized before introducing fresh air?
And when I start the fruiting phase, is it correct to just place the lid slightly tilted/open for airflow?
Also, I have another box of the same size that I can flip upside down and place on top as a “lid” / dub-tub setup if needed.
Would really appreciate any advice – it’s my first grow and I’m trying to avoid beginner mistakes.
Thanks 🍄