Comment on A really nice Lions Mane is fruiting!

Juno@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

• remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Sure! Let’s start with the obvious. What you are seeing are blocks of sawdust and wheat bran (substrate) in a humidity and temperature controlled grow tent. In this case, you are also seeing the fruit of a Lion’s Mane mushroom. (Hericium erinaceus is an interesting species. Instead of forming a standard stem and cap, it forms dense balls that grow spines that resemble an actual lions mane. (Mature fruit picture in the link)

  To start the grow, I take a few sterilized jars of partially cooked grain (rye berries, rice, millet or whatever) and inject a culture of mycelium. The mycelium will develop and spread at a fast rate and eventually fill the jar and cover all the grains.

  When I start the grow, I load up a grow bag with a few pounds of substrate, and sterilize the bag in a pressure cooker for a few hours. After they cool down, I mix in a fully colonized jar of grain, seal the bag and put it in a warm area for 2-3 weeks. The mycelium spreads through the substrate and eventually it is ready to fruit.

  By dropping the temperature a few degrees and cutting a hole in the bag, I can trigger the mycelium into fruiting. Fresh air, lower temperatures and higher humidity make the mycelium “think” it has gotten closer to the soil surface and that winter is coming soon. As a form of self-preservation, it forms it’s fruit in preparation to spread its spores. In this case, I will harvest the fruit in a day or so before it sporulates and becomes bitter. After this fruit is removed from the bag, it may produce 2-3 more fruit bodies before the substrate is fully consumed by the mycelium.

  Basically, I am simulating a rotting tree and seasonal changes with the block of sawdust substrate and controlled environment.

  Different mushrooms have different environments and substrates they prefer. If you look into my profile from the last day or so, I have posted some pictures of baby psilocybe cubensis mushrooms that are forming on a substrate of coco coir.

  Would you like to know more?

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  • AlternateHuman02@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Excellent write up!

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    • remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Thank you.

      I may have unintentionally violated the original terms and conditions as that is more at a 10th grade level, not 10 year old level.

      (If anyone wants additional clarification, don’t be afraid to ask!)

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  • Juno@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Interesting! Well what do you do with the mushrooms ? I’ve just no idea except mushrooms from the supermarket and the occasional truffle oil

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    • remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      I eat them, mostly. Lions Mane is actually really tasty and it’s quite healthy. For now, I have been growing Lions Mane, Oyster mushrooms and shiitake. These are all ones that are really good to eat and are much better than your typical grocery store button mushrooms.

      I am also going to experiment with extracts as well. This particular mushroom has been used in Chinese traditional medicines for a long time to help boost mental cognition. While I am a person to generally disregard superstition and magic, there have been some recent studies that show that some of the compounds in Lions Mane can help with neurogenesis. Since I have a good supply of mushrooms, it can’t hurt to test for myself.

      Aside from food and some personal curiosities, I am looking to eventually start a gourmet mushroom side business.

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      • Juno@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        You know what? Coincidentally I am very aware of those cognition studies because my daughter suffers from a rare illness that affects her brain development. Last I saw, you’re correct, it’s more than just health food store mumbo jumbo and has some actual efficacy.

        If I may bother you again, could you describe the taste ? Mostly because I’m a foodie and now I’m AGAIN curious 🤔

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