Growing your own mushrooms at home is a wonderful way to become more self-sufficient and learn about the natural world in a hands-on way. Sterilized spawn bags, such as those offered by Midwest Grow Kits, add an extra layer of ease to the process! However, in order to inoculate these sterilized spawn bags correctly, you’ll need to understand the various elements of the process and how to execute them.
Inoculation is the step that catalyzes mushroom growth and colonization by combining spore solution with grain spawn. Let’s take a closer look at the inoculation process step by step, with guidance on how to use your materials properly. Spawn bags can make your mushroom cultivation simpler and more convenient, but only if you know how to use them.
Gathering the Necessary Materials
What do you need to get started with the inoculation of your sterilized spawn bags?
Sterilized Spawn Bags
Spawn bags are sterile plastic bags that allow you to grow mushrooms compactly. Bags like the mycology spawn bags from Midwest Grow Kits feature an injection port near the bottom, making it easier for you to inject liquid mushroom cultures.
However, if you inject that liquid at the bottom, it may pool there, leading to a longer and less effective cultivation time. To jump-start the inoculation process, flip the spawn bag upside down so the injection port is near the top.
Liquid Spores
To inoculate the grain spawn in your bag, you’ll use a syringe full of liquid mushroom spores. The inoculation process begins when you introduce the spores to your spawn bag and thoroughly incorporate them.
Sterilization Equipment
Keeping your work area as sterile as possible will help you avoid cross-contamination from spores that float through the air. Whenever you work with mushroom cultivation supplies, wear a surgical mask and a fresh pair of sterile gloves. Keep alcohol wipes and air sanitizer spray on hand, as well as a butane torch or lighter to sterilize your syringe needle.
Preparing the Work Area
Before you touch your spawn bag or liquid cultures, wipe down your work area with rubbing alcohol and turn off any fans or AC units to reduce airflow. This step helps reduce the chances of cross-contamination from stray spores that float through the air.
Gather all your materials and keep them within arm’s reach. Snap on a pair of sterile disposable gloves, put on your mask, and get ready to inoculate.
Preparing Your Sterilized Spawn Bags
When you receive your spawn bags in the mail, they’ll be highly compacted. Use your hands to gently break up the spawn and loosen it to prepare for the introduction of liquid spores. Gently pull apart the gusseted sides of the bag to introduce some air via the bag’s filter sleeve.
Next, wipe down the entire bag with rubbing alcohol to ensure that it’s as sterile as possible. Flip the bag upside down as described earlier so the injection port is near the top. This way, the liquid spores from your syringe will make their way down through the spawn instead of pooling at the bottom.
Preparing Your Spore Syringe
Now, you’ll need to prepare those liquid spores for introduction to your spawn bag. Shake the syringe to encourage an even distribution of spores within the liquid.
You’ll need to sterilize the needle before you pierce the injection port. A butane torch is the cleanest way to do so, but you can also use a regular lighter. Hold the tip of the needle to the flame until the metal turns bright orange. Then, remove it from the flame and wait a few seconds for it to cool down.
Top Tip:
If you do choose to sterilize your syringe with a standard lighter, use an alcohol wipe to clean the soot off the needle before injecting.
Completing the Inoculation Process
The moment has come—it’s time to inoculate!
Once you’ve gathered and sterilized all the necessary supplies, insert the syringe into the injection port. The ideal ratio for mushroom cultivation is 1–3ccs of liquid culture per pound of spawn. As you introduce the liquid to the spawn, move the needle around or shift the bag to ensure even distribution of the spore solution.
If you remove the needle from the injection port at any point during the process, sterilize it again before reinserting it into the port. Once you’ve injected all of the spore solution into the spawn bag, turn the bag over again so the injection port is near the bottom. This step allows the liquid spores to move back down through the spawn for thorough incorporation.
Gently massage the spawn bag to combine the spawn with the spore solution more fully. Keep the bag upright, with a little air at the top to encourage proper gas exchange during colonization.
Performing Post-Inoculation Care
Ideally, your mushroom growing setup should be in a small room with limited airflow and limited activity. You don’t want any household members or pets disturbing your spawn bags as the mushrooms inside colonize.
Keep the temperature in your mushroom growing room between 75 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you’ve inoculated your spawn bag, keep it in an upright position and try not to move or disturb it during the colonization process.
Following a Colonization Timeline
Within 3 to 10 days of inoculation, you’ll start to see mycelial growth in the bag; this looks like a fluffy white substance growing between the grains of the spawn. While you may be curious and excited about your burgeoning mycelia, be sure not to disturb the bag during this stage.
After about a month, the spores will have colonized about 75 percent of the bag. Once you reach this point, carefully pick up the bag and massage it to distribute the mycelia further. This step helps to expedite the final phase of mycelial colonization.
That final phase generally takes between 3 and 7 days. Don’t touch the spawn bag during this time, but perform a visual inspection every so often to track mycelial growth. Once the mycelia have fully colonized the bag, you can introduce that colonized spawn to a bulk substrate to grow your mushrooms in earnest.
If you’re passionate about growing mushrooms in the comfort of your own home, you’d do well to learn how to inoculate sterilized spawn bags. Doing so correctly can speed up the growth process and minimize potential cross-contamination from spores in the air.
Ready to start your mushroom growing journey? Pick up all the supplies you need, from spore syringes to spawn bags, here at Midwest Grow Kits.
