Taken without permission from Paul Stamets' book, The Mushroom Cultivator.
(comments in parentheses are not by Stamets)
PARAMETERS FOR OPTIMAL GROWTH
(adhere to these as much as you feel comfortable with. Satisfactory results can be had by keeping the jars on a closet shelf from
start to finish. But trying to follow these guide-lines will certainly lead to better crop yields.
(comments in parentheses are not by Stamets)
| STAGE | DURATION | HUMIDITY | TEMP | CO2 | LIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPAWN RUN: (1st stage of growth) | 10-14 days | 90% | Substrate 84-86 ° F (Thermal death at 106 ° F) | 5000-10000 ppm Fresh Air Exchanges: 0 per hour. | Incubation in total darkness. |
| PRIMORDIA FORMATION: ( pinhead formation ) | 6-10 days | 90+% | Air 74-78 ° F. | less than 5000 ppm Fresh Air Exchanges: 1-3 per hour. (but remember this air MUST be free of contaminants such as dust.) | Diffuse natural or exposure for 12-16 hours/day of grow-lux type fluorescent high in blue spectra at the 480 nanometer wavelength. (Regular fluorescents can work fine, but try to let jars get some natural sunlight whenever possible) |
| CROPPING: | Flushing Pattern: Every 5-8 days. | 85-92% | Air 74-78 ° F. | less than 5000 ppm. Fresh Air Exchanges: 1-3 per hour. | Indirect natural or same as above. (hint: use same as above.) |
| HARVEST STAGE: | When the cap becomes convex and soon after the partial veil ruptures. | ||||