Month: November 2021

With the help of Sporeo Supply, mushroom cultivation has officially become easier. Sporeo provides two products to help mushroom growers with the challenging task of cultivation: sterilized grain and substrate. Their sterilized grain is used in the early stages of inoculation. Once the cultures have consolidated into a uniform brick of mycelium, growers can mix the sterilized grain with Sporeo’s field-ready substrate. Whether you’re a new or seasoned mushroom cultivator, Sporeo products can drastically improve the output of your garden. To learn more about using Sporeo supply’s line of mushroom cultivation products, read the passages below for tips and step-by-step instructions. 

Mushroom Cultivation 101

Below are the steps needed to complete your mushroom growing endeavours

1. Sterilize Equipment and Workspace
2. Inoculate Grain Bag with Mushroom Cultures
3. Mix Inoculated Grain with Sterilized Substrate
4. The Fruiting Stage
5. Harvest Your Mushroom

5 Steps to Mushroom Cultivation

Step #1: Sterilize Equipment and Workspace

Start by sterilizing your cultivation equipment and workspace. This may include, but is not limited to any tools you might use and any working surface your mushroom cultivation gear will touch. Isopropyl alcohol is one of the most common disinfectants used during this process. Also, wear disposable gloves whenever possible to avoid contamination.

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Step #2: Inoculate Grain Bag with Mushroom Cultures

First, flame sterilize your culture-filled needle. Then, inject the cultures through the filter patch in Sporeo’s Grain bag. This will begin the first step in mushroom cultivation called the incubation period. During this 2 week period, your grain bag will consolidate with white cultures called mycelium. For the best results, keep your inoculated grain spawn bag in a dark environment with a temperature range between 21-24C (70-75F). 

Step #3: Mix Inoculated Grain with Sterilized Substrate 

Obtain a mushroom mono tub, clean it, and fill it with Sporeo’s field-ready substrate. Then, mix your fully consolidated grain spawn with the substrate. Sporeo’s substrate is pre-pasteurized, clean, and field-ready. This means the mushroom substrate requires no additional work – it’s completely sterile and contains the ideal amount of moisture. After mixing the grain spawn with the substrate, place the lid on the mono tub and allow consolidation and condensation to continue. Full consolidation of mycelium through the medium will likely take up to two weeks. 

Step #4: The Fruiting Stage

Air exchange, filtered light, and humidity change are paramount in this stage. Once your medium is completely consolidated with white mycelium, increase the fresh air exchange (FAE) of your growing chamber. Pins will start to form around 1-4 weeks after your medium has been consolidated. This varying time frame mostly depends on the cultivar and the environmental conditions of the substrate. Pins will very quickly turn into noticeable mushroom fruit bodies after appearing. In ideal conditions, fruit bodies can double in size every 24 hours. Be careful not to disturb fruiting mushroom bodies during this 1-4 week period. 

Step #5: Harvest Your Mushrooms

Harvest time can vary slightly from strain to strain. However, it’s a general rule to harvest your crop as soon as the mushroom veil breaks. The veil is a thin membrane covering the underside of the cap and the stalk of the mushroom. Once broken, mature mushrooms will release spores that propagate new mushrooms in the surrounding area. In a sense, mushrooms spread spores like most other plants spread seed. However, it’s ideal to harvest mushrooms before they drop their spores. So, harvest your mushrooms as soon as you see a break in the veil membrane. Finally, pick your mushrooms, dry them, or enjoy them fresh!

Sporeo Grain Spawn 

Made with 100% Canadian Rye Berry Grain 

Sporeo’s Grain Spawn bags are fully sterilized, sealed, and lab-tested mushroom grain made from 100% organic rye berries. The sterilized grain comes sealed in a filter patch bag designed solely for the incubation process. Here are some of the other unique features of Sporeo’s Grain Spawn bags: 

• Free from additives & chemicals
• Free of contaminants
• Ready to inoculate
• Robust mycelium
• Massive yields + quick colonization

Sporeo Substrate 

Cow Manure Base, Blended with Coco Coir, Perlite, and Vermiculite 

This sterilized, field-ready substrate is designed to be mixed with a fully consolidated grain bag after the incubation period. Blended with cow manure, coco coir, perlite, and vermiculite, Sporeo’s substrate is shelf-stable, ready-to-use, and fully sterilized. Also, Sporeo’s unique manufacturing process leaves its substrate with the perfect amount of field-ready moisture. Here are some other features of Sporeo’s Substrate bag: 

• Free from additives & chemicals
• Pre-saturated
• Fully sterile 
• Unique blend of ingredients
• Time and labor-saving 

The Sporeo product line is now available at GreenPlanet Wholesale! Sporeo’s rigorous standards and quality assurance measures make their line of products revolutionary in the mushroom cultivation industry. For questions, purchasing inquiries, or for more information about Sporeo’s line of mushroom cultivation equipment, contact Sporeo directly, or reach out to one of our GreenPlanet sales representatives. 

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The process of properly drying and curing cannabis presents growers with a variety of new challenges. Similar to ageing fine wine or spirits, the drying and curing process has the potential to express some of the best flavours and aromas cannabis has to offer. However, if procedures are rushed, even the most potent flowers can end up overdried, stale and tasteless. To combat this tragedy, factors like environmental controls, procedures, tips and tools all play an essential role in producing flowers that stimulate and excite the senses. For the best outcome during this important stage, follow the article below for tips every grower should know when drying and curing cannabis: 

What’s the Difference Between Drying and Curing? 

Drying is simply the process of removing excess moisture from cannabis flowers so they can be ignited, vaporized or otherwise consumed easily. Curing, on the other hand, is a procedure of long-term storage that helps flavours and terpenes reach their full potential. Curing time varies from grower to grower, and can last anywhere from weeks to months depending on the desired outcome. In ideal circumstances, properly drying and curing cannabis can elevate the outcome of a harvest, leading to tighter flowers and more intense flavours and aromas. In short, it’s in the grower’s best interest to use available tools and procedures to get the most out of the drying and curing stages of cultivation.

5 Tips on Drying and Curing Cannabis 

1. Temperature and Humidity Requirements 

Whether you’re drying your crop on or off the stalk, cannabis has the best opportunity to develop intense and interesting flavours and aromas at temperatures between 65-70 Fahrenheit (18-21C) and constant humidity percentages of 45-55 percent. If you’re “hang-drying” your crop, test the flexibility of the stalk and branches after 10-14 days. At these levels, the thinnest branches will break instead of bend; flowers can then be stripped off branches and transferred to long-term storage or curing containers. Follow the same process for cannabis drying off the stalk on trays, screens or racks.

Flowers drying above or below these requirements can either dry too fast and fail to develop a unique aroma or dry too slow and be at risk for mould and mildew contamination. So, for the best chance at maintaining a consistent environment, attempt to stabilize your drying room with temperature controls like air movement, ventilation and air conditioning. At scale, and depending on your geographical location, (de)humidification may also be essential. For a complete catalogue of dehumidifies available at GreenPlanet Wholesale click here. 

2. Odour Control

Cannabis is at its most pungent when drying. If you’re concerned about the odour produced by drying and curing cannabis, consider setting up odour-controlling equipment both inside and outside of your drying room. Charcoal filtration systems, for instance, have quickly become a favourite piece of equipment chosen to manage odour. Just mount your chosen charcoal filter onto your exhaust fan, or set up a small “scrubbing” charcoal/fan system in the corner of your room. Filteration systems are designed to pull air from your room into your charcoal filter. However, before this odour-filled air has a chance to leave your drying space, it will first become trapped in the porous, odour-absorbing crevices of the carbon filter. 

Ona blocks, liquids, or gels can also be set up outside of the drying room to catch any odour that may escape. Ona neutralizes odours naturally; so, instead of smelling drying cannabis, guests walking past the drying space will smell fresh laundry, or apple crumble.

 3. Dry and Cure in Complete Darkness 

Drying and curing in complete darkness is an industry-standard. Not only will a light source release heat, something that can be detrimental to a drying harvest, but it can also emit small/large amounts of photosynthetic radiation (PAR). At high levels over long periods of time, PAR produced by a light source has the potential to damage the delicate trichomes of drying flowers. And so, while it is a good idea to continually monitor your crop, keeping your room in complete darkness over the drying period will ensure that the outcome of your garden remains desirable. 

4. Cure Your Crop Low and Slow 

Don’t rush the curing process! Instead, treat your crop like an ageing barrel of fine wine; you’ll be amazed at the subtle aromas and flavours that develop over a two-week period. To make sure you’re getting the most out of this stage, invest in an air-tight container and closely monitor your flowers. An oxygenation process called “burping” may also be useful during this stage. To fight the build-up of excess humidity, open your container and add fresh air to your curing jars by fluffing or “burping” the flowers inside. However, if you do notice condensation forming on the bottom or sides of your container, curing jars can be cleaned and emptied on a daily basis to avoid the build-up of excess humidity.

5. Long-Term Storage and Humidity Control

If desired, the curing process can continue for several months. So, to maintain flowers with an ideal smoking humidity, attempt to keep your cannabis in dark, air-tight storage containers. Just as high-quality cigars should be kept in a humidor, cannabis kept in a slightly humid environment will elicit its most desirable tastes, aromas, and sensations. So, before consuming your successfully dried and cured flower, attempt to stabilize your cannabis at a humidity level between 50-60%. 

Happy harvesting! Whatever your future plans are in the garden, the team at GreenPlanet Wholesale is here to help! For more information about the products mentioned above, please contact GreenPlanet Wholesale directly. For all other inquiries about products and services offered by GreenPlanet Wholesale, contact our team or your local garden supply store for more information. 

Work Cited

• Fuego, H. (2020) Ask a stoner: How to safely humidify dry weed. Retrieved May 12th, 2021 from Westword.com

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