What is Mushroom Liquid Culture?
Mushroom Liquid Culture is a sterile mixture of water and one of a few specific sugars. (we will tell you how to make liquid culture below). The purpose of this nutritious mixture is to develop mycelium growth, once it has been inoculated with mushroom spores.
You could think of liquid culture asmycelium floating in a nutrient broth. Liquid culture makes inoculating substrates easier. Once the mycelium has established itself in the nutritious, sugary broth, the mycelium-rich mixture can be inoculated onto a substrate of your choice or stored as a living mushroom culture.
Advantages of using Mushroom Liquid Culture
- The risk of contamination is lower
- According toLiquid Culture Shroomery, using liquid culture reduces incubation time
- Limitless mycelium growth – once mycelium starts developing, it doesn’t stop
What are the disadvantages of using Mushroom Liquid Culture?
- A sterile working environment is essential
- Better suited for advanced mushroom cultivation
- You can’t see contamination in liquid culture. You will only know your mixture is contaminated when you use it.
What you will need:
- Grain spawn jar, also known as an airport jar
- Pressure cooker
- 10ml syringes
- Needles (Note: the bigger the number, the smaller the needle. We recommend 18 gauge)
- One of the following sugars, to mix with water: organic honey, corn syrup, corn sugar, light malt extract, dextrose (glucose).
Sucrose (household sugar) shouldnotbe used. For this guide, we chose honey.
What is the best sugar to water ratio?
A ratio of 4% is best.
This equates to 4cc, 4ml, or 1 teaspoon of honey per 100ml of water.
A 3% to 5% ratio is fine, but be aware, too much sugar (10% and more) is harmful to mycelium.
A step-by-step guide to making your own mushroom liquid culture:
- Carefully measure and mix the sugar you choose with water in the jar. Warm water will help the sugar dissolve quickly, but it is optional.
- Put the lid on the jar.
- Cover the top of the jar with aluminum foil and put it in a pressure cooker.
- Cook at 15 psi for no longer than 15-20 minutes. Over-cooking the sugar will lead to caramelization, which will result in poor to no mycelium growth.
- Allow the pressure cooker to cool off naturally before removing the jar. Be careful. The jar will be very hot.
- Allow the jar and contents to reach room temperature.
- Add some mother culture to your liquid culture. (more on where you can buy your mother culture below).
Important Note:
If you are not using an airport jar, don’t remove the lid until you are ready to inoculate your substrate and replace the lid as soon as you are done. This will prevent airborne contaminants from entering the jar and ruining your mycelium.
How to add mother culture to your liquid culture
Once your jars have cooled after being in the pressure cooker, you can add a few ccs of mother culture. Shake the mother culture briskly to break up the mycelium.
If you are using a syringe needle for the first time, it should be sterile. If not, use a lighter or candle to sterilize the needle by holding it in the flame until it is red hot.Careful now!Use an alcohol wipe to cool the needle down.
Insert the needle through the self-healing injection hole in your airport jar lid and inject 1 to 2ml of liquid culture into the jar. Repeat if you have more than one jar.
What to do with a jar of mushroom liquid culture
Simply leave it on the shelf and wait for it to grow. Most mushroom cultures grow best at around 77°F (25 °C). Any variation in this temperature will cause them to grow more slowly.
Do not disturb the jars for 4 to 5 days. During this time, the mycelium enters its growth stage, and you will see it grow as it consumes the sugar. After the initial resting period, you should swirl the culture every couple of days to break up the mycelium and introduce oxygen into the culture.
When the mycelium has grown and almost fills the jar, vigorously agitate the liquid culture to break the mycelium up as much as possible. When you are ready to inoculate your substrate, transfer the culture to agar, or share some with your friends, tilt the jar so that the liquid reaches the injection port and, with a sterile syringe and needle, suck the culture into the syringe until it’s full.
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FAQs
To make liquid culture, mix a sugar source (like light malt extract or honey) with water, sterilize the solution, and then introduce mushroom mycelium. Use a canning jar with an airport lid for the culture and a pressure cooker for sterilization.
Can you inject too much liquid culture? ›
You should inject 5cc (or mL) of your MYYCO syringe into your research substrate. Too much can cause too damp of an environment and create mold or rot and too little will not allow for proper microscopic research.
Should I buy liquid culture or spores? ›
Liquid Culture vs.
spores revolves around speed and diversity. Liquid culture accelerates mycelium growth, boasts higher success rates, and lowers contamination risks—ideal for beginners and seasoned growers. Spores, however, embrace genetic diversity, paving the way for a more organic cultivation process.
How to tell if a liquid culture is contaminated? ›
Bacterial Contamination, the Liquid Culture is cloudy and after few days nothing grows. If your liquid culture gets taken over by bacteria you'll notice that the Mason Jar will be slightly pressurized. If you have a filter patch, you'll be able to smell that it's gone bad.
What is the best temperature for liquid culture? ›
For optimal longevity and health of your liquid culture, it's best to store it in a refrigerator, ideally at temperatures between 2-8°C (35-46°F). Never freeze a liquid culture (or spores), as this will kill the living culture inside.
How many ml of liquid culture per bag? ›
If you are using our sterilised grain bags we recommend that you use 10 ml of liquid culture per bag. You can use less but it will slow down the process while increasing the risk of failure. It is possible to reuse the same syringe on multiple occations.
How often should I stir liquid culture? ›
There are several opinions on this, but generally growers recommend swirling, stirring or shaking your jar once a day. If you have a very slow-growing strain, you may only need to shake it every second day when you see a clump or cloud of mycelium forming instead of small strands.
How fast does mycelium grow in liquid culture? ›
Initial mycelium growth is visible within 1-3 weeks of inoculating your pod with spores or liquid culture. Full colonization usually occurs within 4-5 weeks, though it can sometimes take longer.
How long does mycelium take to grow in liquid culture? ›
Within 7 – 14 days you'll see the mycelium has 'clouded' the culture and expanded throughout; this is aided with semi-regular mixing/shaking. This can be achieved by use of a magnetic stirrer, a bolt in the bottom or just swirling by hand. Things you'll need: AirPort Jar – Here is my guide on how to make them.
Does mycelium grow in liquid culture? ›
Mycelium transferred from agar plates into liquid culture will grow until the container is fully colonised and ready to incoulate your spawn. You can also inoculate freshly made jars of liquid culture with a sample of your now colonised culture to generate even more…
Cloudiness: A clear liquid culture should remain transparent. Cloudiness or turbidity can indicate the presence of bacteria or fungal contamination. 2. Color Changes: Healthy liquid cultures typically maintain their original color or exhibit subtle changes expected during growth.
How to tell if mushroom culture is bad? ›
Off-odors: A strong, foul odor emanating from the growing containers or growing medium. Abnormal growth: Mushrooms that grow abnormally, such as those that are misshapen or stunted. Presence of molds: The appearance of molds, such as white or blue-green growths on the surface of the mushrooms or growing medium.
What is a healthy mycelium liquid culture? ›
Liquid culture is the cornerstone of successful mushroom cultivation. It involves nurturing a mixture of nutrients and water, inoculated with mushroom spores or mycelium, to create a rich, living broth.
How long does mycelium liquid culture take? ›
Liquid or agar cultures generally colonize the solution quicker than spores as they contain living mycelium. You could see the first noticeable growth in 2 to 7 days and have complete colonization within 3 weeks.
How do you start a mushroom culture? ›
- STEP 1: Growing out a chosen mushroom culture on an agar filled petri dish. ...
- STEP 2: Transferring the mushroom culture (known as mycelium) onto sterilized grain. ...
- STEP 3: Expanding the grain jar exponentially to create grain spawn. ...
- STEP 4: Spawning the grain into a suitable substrate and fruiting container.
