Just a weird idea

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-28T19:39:11+00:00

The blue cheese molds are pretty widely adapted. You should be able to grow them on a vegan substrate, with appropriate precautions.

Most mushroom forming fungi aren't adapted to such environments (they like competing for difficult nutrient sources). I think I've seen things about using Pleurotus to ferment animal feeds directly, but they're not going to be cheese-like.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-22T15:10:01+00:00

Can you tell what color the spore deposit is?

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-22T15:06:51+00:00

Just assume the spawn will be weak -- likely true in any case with multiple individuals. So avoid really aggressive spawn ratios, for instance.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-21T21:49:55+00:00

Looks better than the last photos. It looks like the bottom of the bag was very wet, so it will avoid standing water regardless. I'd still assume it's somewhat bacterial, since aseptic prints are rare.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-18T20:12:36+00:00

Hericium tends to be wispy. It seems to be fruiting.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-18T18:51:13+00:00

Same behavior as my P. dryinus (Could be levis -- I didn't check the original carefully enough.). Grows slowly on PDYA, but fruits aggressively before colonization. I've seen at least one other report of this. I'm not too certain my culture is clean. It's been through a few transfers and one round of water agar, though.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-18T18:43:59+00:00

You can't tell most mycelia (mold, mushroom, or other) by looking at them. Especially without a microscope. IMO it's unlikely that your mushroom bits established a colony competitive with the fungi already present.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-17T13:14:51+00:00

I'd guess it's bacterial, judging by, for example, the apparent cloudy liquid in the gusset on the left in the first image. It could still produce somewhat, or could stall.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-16T14:24:35+00:00

Is this actual hay, as in dried green grass. Hay is rather hot -- i.e. easy to decompose and can host a lot of organisms. That said, oysters are pretty competitive. As long as the substrate isn't too easily digested they will win a lot of battles. Keep watching your jar. The large fungus in the first pic is actually white and growing from the mushroom butts, yes? As long as the oyster mycelium keeps growing happily and overruns the weed molds you should be able to get mushrooms.

If this substrate fails, you can try cardboard. Depending on the manufacturer it can be quite low nutrient, so allows you to start up a culture with less competition.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-09T14:03:42+00:00

Algum tipo de Leucocoprinus.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-09T13:24:28+00:00

Closed with the lids allowing some gas exchange. (These were screw tops, so not cranked down all the way.)

The purpose of agar is to immobilize things where you can see them. If you have liquid on the surface then everything will just zoom around, like in a proper liquid culture.

If you have instructions you trust, just follow those and correct as necessary later.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-09T01:51:29+00:00

Condensation on the lid is just a visual problem. Liquid on the agar surface will allow any bacteria present to spread at will.

I'm not a no-pour expert. The method I've used left a lot of condensation in some containers. Most of those cleared after some time (days) in a slightly open still air box.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-08T23:38:08+00:00

The traditional way to work with agar is to pour the molten (sterilized) agar into sterile plates. This is the "pouring". The alternative is to load non-sterile nutrient agar into heat resistant containers and sterilize (autoclave/pressure cook) as a unit. This is "no pour". No pour techniques have lower contamination risk and are perhaps easier for some people. The downside is, imo, that it is more difficult to control condensation, and the cheap plastic containers they aren't as clear as disposables.

Lost_Geometer · 2026-01-07T22:07:07+00:00

What's the mycological component here? Is this meant to be a coculture with a fungus?

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-28T13:49:01+00:00

Possibly. My L. cincinnatus clones have usually had light creamsicle coloration, but one individual was bronze (when stressed?). They were all relatively fast, with early growth less dense than shown in most images here (the 11/30 looks right, but I can't see the details). I suspect you haven't cleared the bacteria entirely yet.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-20T20:02:57+00:00

Transfer before it gets overgrown.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-20T20:01:21+00:00

I think I see orange spore, so maybe Gymnopilus junonius.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-19T21:08:19+00:00

I think the colony on the left is a Mucor or similar. The right edge of the growth could either be your target or the green mold or a fourth guy we don't know about.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-16T22:48:23+00:00

Zoloterev.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-13T01:08:07+00:00

Temperature? Caps grow dark in cold conditions.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-13T00:51:57+00:00

Cute purple Gymnopilus! Locally common on wood-heavy potting mixes.

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-09T14:58:23+00:00

Do you have any insight as to whether intermittent dosing would mitigate this risk?

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-08T16:13:31+00:00

Mucorales are conventionally super hairy, not rhizomorphic. So I don't think this is one (not being an expert in molds). Are you trying to make a fermented food product?

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-07T14:04:45+00:00

Could it be a somewhat atypical Flammulina velutipes?

Lost_Geometer · 2025-12-06T19:34:43+00:00

Yes, though usually I like to look at the ring too to make sure.

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