How to Cultivate Cordyceps Militaris Mushrooms | With William Padilla-Brown | Grow in Jars or Bins

Summary

In this informative video, William Padilla Brown, founder of Microsymbiotics, shares his journey in cultivating Cordyceps militaris mushrooms, a species known for its aphrodisiac and energy-boosting properties. He emphasizes the importance of citizen science and demonstrates a simple, accessible method for growing these mushrooms at home using rice as a substrate and coconut water as a nutrient-rich base. Brown outlines the process from preparing the substrate to sterilization and inoculation, providing practical tips for beginners. He also touches on the potential medicinal benefits of Cordyceps, including its ability to inhibit HIV replication, and encourages viewers to explore holistic medicine and mycology.

Takeaways

• 🌱 William Padilla Brown is the founder of Microsymbiotics, an environmental research business based in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
• 🔍 The business focuses on achieving balance with local ecology and the community, with an emphasis on citizen science and public acts of scientific engagement.
• 🍄 Brown discusses cultivating Cordyceps mushrooms, which have health benefits as an aphrodisiac and an energy booster without the crash associated with caffeine.
• 📈 Cordyceps mushrooms can be found at high altitudes and are believed to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood, suggesting potential uses in a new molecular industry.
• 🌾 The cultivation process involves creating a substrate matrix for the mushroom fungus to grow on, which is typically rice enriched with supplements to mimic the mushrooms' natural diet.
• 🥥 Ingredients for the nutrient broth include coconut water, which provides potassium beneficial for Cordyceps, and tapioca starch as a carbon source for the mushrooms.
• 🧪 Additional supplements such as magnesium sulfate, rock dusts or crushed vitamins, brown rice, soy peptone, kelp powder, and gypsum are used to enrich the growing medium.
• 🛠️ Brown demonstrates the use of simple tools like a pressure cooker, spoons, a scale, and a whisk to prepare the substrate, emphasizing the accessibility of mushroom cultivation.
• 🛡️ Sterilization of the substrate is crucial, and Brown uses a pressure cooker to achieve this, recommending at least 10 psi for 45 minutes to an hour and a half.
• 🧬 Recent research suggests that two active compounds in Cordyceps militaris, cortisepine and cortimon, have the potential to inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, highlighting the mushroom's medicinal value.
• 🌱 The script also covers the process of inoculating the sterilized substrate with liquid culture and the importance of maintaining proper moisture levels and cleanliness to avoid contamination.

Q & A

What is the name of the business founded by William Padilla Brown?

The business founded by William Padilla Brown is called Microsymbiotics.

What is the primary focus of Microsymbiotics?

Microsymbiotics is an environmental research business that focuses on cultivating cordyceps mushrooms and achieving balance with local ecology and community.

What are the two main benefits of cordyceps mentioned in the script?

The two main benefits of cordyceps mentioned are its use as an aphrodisiac and its ability to provide cellular energy without the crash associated with caffeine.

What role does coconut water play in the cultivation process of cordyceps?

Coconut water is used as the base of the nutrient broth for cultivating cordyceps because it contains potassium, which is beneficial for the growth of cordyceps.

What is the purpose of using tapioca starch in the cultivation of cordyceps?

Tapioca starch is used because it breaks down into sugars, which the mushrooms use as a carbon source to create their bodies.

What is the significance of magnesium sulfate in the cultivation process?

Magnesium sulfate acts as a mineral supplement in the nutrient broth, supporting the growth of cordyceps.

Why is kelp powder used in the cultivation of cordyceps?

Kelp powder is used for its macro and micronutrients and minerals, which help ensure healthy growth and the production of desired compounds in cordyceps.

What is the purpose of using gypsum in the cultivation process?

Gypsum is used to add calcium and magnesium, and to provide rigidity and structure to the mushroom, similar to its use in other mushroom cultivation.

What is the recommended sterilization method for the jars used in cultivating cordyceps?

The jars are sterilized using a pressure cooker, with settings to achieve at least 10 psi for 45 minutes to an hour and a half, or 15 psi for 45 minutes with an All-American pressure cooker.

What are the two active compounds in cordyceps militaris mentioned in the script, and what are they capable of?

The two active compounds mentioned are cordycepin and cordimon, which are capable of inhibiting HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, preventing the HIV virus from replicating.

What is the recommended method for beginners to start cultivating cordyceps?

The Instant Pot technique is recommended for beginners as it is easier to get into and focuses solely on cordyceps cultivation.

What is the importance of maintaining the right moisture level in the substrate?

Maintaining the right moisture level is crucial as too little moisture prevents mycelium growth, while too much saturation can lead to bacterial growth instead of mycelium.

What is the role of the flow hood area in the cultivation process?

The flow hood area is prepared for introducing the liquid culture to the substrate in a sterile environment, which is essential for successful mycelium growth.

What is the recommended incubation period and temperature for cordyceps?

The recommended incubation period is about three to six days for the mycelium to grow through the substrate, and the environment should be kept at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit from incubation until harvest.

How can harvested cordyceps be stored or preserved?

Harvested cordyceps can be stored in ethanol or vinegar for extracts or preservation, or they can be dehydrated and stored in a container with silica packets for later use in teas, foods, or extracts.

What is the most common contaminant encountered in cordyceps cultivation, and what conditions does it favor?

The most common contaminant is calculosporium corticola, a fungus that lives inside cordyceps and exposes itself when conditions are not ideal, such as when it's too warm, above 68-69 degrees Fahrenheit.

How can one follow William Padilla Brown and Microsymbiotics for more information?

One can follow William Padilla Brown on Instagram under the handle @michael_senbaio, check out the Microsymbiotics website at michaelsonbiotics.net, and watch educational content on YouTube from Apex Grower.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Introduction to Microsymbiotics and Cordyceps Cultivation

William Padilla Brown, founder of Microsymbiotics, introduces his environmental research business based in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. He discusses his mission to balance local ecology and community, highlighting the cultivation of Cordyceps mushrooms. Brown emphasizes the benefits of Cordyceps as an aphrodisiac and energy booster without the crash associated with caffeine. He also mentions the potential of Cordyceps to increase oxygen levels in the blood and its growing importance in the molecular industry. Brown encourages citizen science and public acts of scientific exploration, sharing his experience as a high school dropout to show that science is approachable. He details the process of preparing a substrate for Cordyceps cultivation, using rice as a matrix and various supplements to mimic the mushroom's natural diet of nutritious bugs. The video provides a simple method to grow Cordyceps at home using an instant pot and basic household items.

05:03

🍚 Preparing the Nutrient Broth and Substrate for Cordyceps

The video script outlines the process of creating a nutrient broth using coconut water, which is rich in potassium beneficial for Cordyceps. Various ingredients such as tapioca starch, magnesium sulfate, and soy peptone are mixed into the broth to provide a carbon source and necessary minerals for the mushrooms' growth. Additional supplements like kelp powder and gypsum are added for macro and micronutrients and to provide structure to the mushroom. The script also describes the preparation of lids for jars with filtration to ensure proper air exchange for the growing mycelium. The detailed steps include measuring specific amounts of broth and rice for sterilization in a pressure cooker, which is essential for preventing contamination and promoting healthy mycelium growth.

10:04

🔬 Sterilization and Inoculation Techniques for Cordyceps Cultivation

The script explains the sterilization process using an All-American pressure cooker, highlighting the importance of reaching at least 10 psi for 45 minutes to an hour and a half. It mentions ongoing research into Cordyceps' potential health benefits, such as inhibiting HIV replication. The Instant Pot technique is introduced as an accessible method for beginners, with detailed steps for mixing rice and broth, ensuring accurate measurements, and sterilizing the mixture. After sterilization, the script describes the inoculation process, including the careful introduction of liquid culture into the cooked substrate. It emphasizes the importance of sterility during inoculation to prevent contamination and ensure successful mycelium growth.

15:06

🌼 Cordyceps Harvesting, Storage, and Contamination Prevention

The final paragraph discusses the nuances of harvesting Cordyceps, noting the importance of recognizing the mature stage of the fruiting bodies characterized by the ripening of the perithecium on the stroma. It provides guidance on storing the harvested mushrooms in ethanol, vinegar, or through dehydration for later use in various applications. The script also warns about common contaminants such as Calculosporium corticola and general bacteria and molds, advising on ideal temperature ranges to prevent their growth. Additionally, it touches on the rare issue of mites in culturing and suggests resources for further information, including Instagram, a festival called MicroFest, and Patreon for those interested in supporting the work.

Keywords

💡Microsymbiotics

Microsymbiotics is the name of the environmental research business founded by William Padilla Brown in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. The company focuses on cultivating cordyceps mushrooms and is central to the video's theme of sustainable and community-oriented science. The script mentions Microsymbiotics as the business that started in 2015 with a priority to achieve balance with local ecology and community.

💡Cordyceps

Cordyceps is a type of medicinal mushroom that is highlighted in the video for its aphrodisiac properties and energy-boosting capabilities without the crash associated with caffeine. The video discusses the cultivation process of cordyceps, emphasizing their value in both traditional uses and modern molecular industry applications.

💡Citizen Science

Citizen science is the concept of non-professionals participating in scientific research, which the founder of Microsymbiotics encourages. The video showcases how William Padilla Brown, a high school dropout, is a good representation of citizen science, demonstrating that scientific research is approachable and can be conducted by anyone with interest and initiative.

💡Mycelium

Mycelium refers to the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a network of fine white filaments (hyphae). In the context of the video, mycelium is the part of the cordyceps mushroom that grows on the rice substrate, forming the basis for the mushroom's development. The script describes creating a matrix for the mycelium to live on and enriching it with supplements.

💡Substrate

A substrate in mycology is the material on which a fungus grows. In the video, rice is used as a solid-state matrix for the cordyceps mycelium to grow. The substrate is enriched with various supplements to mimic the nutrition found in the wild, which is essential for the cordyceps to produce the desired compounds.

💡Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is a versatile kitchen appliance that can be used for high-pressure cooking, which is demonstrated in the video for sterilizing the rice and broth mixture. The script mentions using an Instant Pot as a simple and cost-effective tool for beginners to start cultivating mushrooms at home.

💡Nutrient Broth

Nutrient broth is a liquid solution containing various nutrients that support the growth of microorganisms. In the video, coconut water is used as the base for the nutrient broth for cordyceps cultivation. The broth is enriched with supplements like tapioca starch, magnesium sulfate, and other minerals to provide the necessary nutrition for the mushrooms.

💡Mineral Supplementation

Mineral supplementation in the context of the video refers to the addition of minerals to the growing medium to ensure the healthy growth of the cordyceps mushrooms. Examples given in the script include kelp powder for macro and micronutrients and gypsum for calcium and magnesium, which also adds rigidity to the mushroom structure.

💡Filtration

Filtration is a process used to create a barrier that allows air to pass through while preventing contaminants from entering. In the video, polyester fiber is used to create filters for the lids of jars used in the cultivation process. The script explains that the hole size in the lid should be large enough for the needle used in inoculation.

💡Inoculation

Inoculation is the process of introducing a living organism, such as a fungus, into a substrate. The video describes inoculating the sterilized rice substrate with liquid culture containing the cordyceps mycelium. The script details the steps of sterilizing the needle, introducing the culture, and ensuring even distribution for optimal growth.

💡Harvesting

Harvesting in the context of the video refers to the process of collecting mature cordyceps mushrooms. The script explains that harvesting should occur when the perithecia (fruiting bodies) on the stroma (the fungal structure) are ripe. The video mentions that harvesting can be nuanced and requires knowledge of the strain's characteristics.

💡Contamination

Contamination in mycology refers to the unwanted growth of other organisms, such as bacteria, molds, or other fungi, that can hinder the growth of the desired species. The video mentions calculosporium corticola as a common contaminant in cordyceps cultivation, which appears as white fuzz on the mycelium, often due to warm temperatures.

Highlights

Microsymbiotics is an environmental research business focused on achieving balance with local ecology and community.

William Padilla Brown discusses the dual benefits of cordyceps as an aphrodisiac and energy booster without the caffeine crash.

Cordyceps can be found at high altitudes and are known to increase oxygen levels in the blood.

The potential of cordyceps in the emerging molecular industry is highlighted.

Citizen science is encouraged as an approachable field with significant potential for discovery.

A simple method for cultivating cordyceps using rice as a solid-state matrix is introduced.

The use of coconut water in nutrient broth is explained for its potassium benefits.

Tapioca starch is essential as it breaks down into sugars used by mushrooms for growth.

Magnesium sulfate and various supplements are used to enrich the growth matrix for cordyceps.

Gypsum is used to add calcium, magnesium, and structure to the mushroom growth.

Polyester fiber is used as a filter for jars to allow for cordyceps growth and culture introduction.

The importance of sterilization and maintaining a clean environment for mycelium growth is emphasized.

Cordyceps militarists' cortisepine and cortimon are identified as compounds with potential HIV inhibitory properties.

The instant pot technique is presented as an accessible method for beginners to cultivate cordyceps.

Accurate measurement of rice and broth is crucial for substrate preparation.

Proper distribution of liquid culture in the substrate ensures even mycelium growth.

Incubation should be in the dark to prevent photosensitivity in cordyceps mycelium.

Harvesting cordyceps requires knowledge of the strain and recognizing maturity in the fruiting bodies.

Common contaminants and pests in cordyceps cultivation are identified and methods to avoid them are suggested.

Resources for further information on mycology and cordyceps cultivation are provided.

Transcripts

[Music]

i'm the founder of microsymbiotics

microsymbiotics is an environmental

research business based in new

cumberland pennsylvania that i started

in 2015 i made it one of my priorities

to

achieve some sort of balance with my

local ecology and

the community around me hey everybody

it's william padilla brown from

microsymbiotics coming at you with the

second harvest from our commercial

quarter steps militarist grow here

um cordyceps lends itself in two

desirable ways to humanity as an

aphrodisiac and then for the energy on a

cellular level that doesn't have that

same crash like caffeine does and also

they can be found in high altitudes i

found

cordyceps at some of the highest

altitudes in north america

and they can increase the amount of

oxygen that's in our blood but i think

as more people start to understand it's

its role i think that uh

it'll have all sorts of use in a new

world of a molecular industry

i just think that it's important to

encourage citizen science and you know

public acts of citizen science i don't

know i think i'm just a good

representation as like a high school

dropout like brown skinned person doing

science shows that it's really

approachable and the more people that

are doing it the more that we're going

to uncover the more research that we're

going to find and the more practical

applications of science that we're going

to find

today we're going to be preparing

substrate for cultivating cordyceps

mushrooms basically what we're doing is

we're creating a matrix something for

the mushroom fungus to grow on which is

the rice the rice is a solid state

matrix it's something for the mycelium

to live on and then we're enriching that

matrix with supplements you know because

cordyceps grow in the wild on nutritious

bugs so we kind of want to recreate that

nutrition for them so they can produce

all those beautiful compounds that we

like

and it doesn't really take a big fancy

lab or anything like that whenever i

first learned how to grow it i was just

doing it in like a box in my house

there's information into tutorials

online on how to set everything up with

just a uh instant pot so i mean really

with the small investment of an instant

pot and a clean space in your house you

can start doing everything that we're

doing right now

we're going to start with a nutrient

broth and the base of our nutrient broth

is going to be coconut water today

a lot of times we'll use water

but coconut water has potassium in it

that is also very beneficial for

cordyceps so we're just going to rock

out with some of this coconut water

today one of the other very important

ingredients we're going to need is some

tapioca starch the starch is really

important

it breaks down into sugars which the

mushrooms then use as a carbon source to

actually create

their bodies we have some magnesium

sulfate which just acts as a mineral

supplement

and for the rest of our mineral

supplementation

sometimes i'll use rock dusts

but you can totally use crushed one a

day vitamins

we have our brown rice to act as a

matrix for our mycelium to grow on

and we have soy peptone so soy peptone

and nutritional yeast can be used in

replacement for one another um

more labs may have access to soy peptone

this isn't something that you can just

go find at a grocery store where you

could find nutritional use at a grocery

store we have some kelp powder here

this is great for macro micronutrients

and minerals

so this is great for mineral supplement

macronutrients micronutrients and this

just helps to make sure that our

cordyceps grow healthy and produce all

the compounds that we want from them

last but not least we have some gypsum

we use this for the same reason we use

gypsum for all other mushrooms to add a

little bit of calcium magnesium and add

a little bit of rigidity and structure

to the mushroom

[Music]

here we have some of the tools of the

trade

we've got some polyfill we're going to

utilize this for making some filters on

our lids for our jars which we will be

utilizing for fruiting some of the

mushrooms

we have a nice little spoon here for

aiding and mixing things a smaller spoon

for measurement

uh we have some culture here we're going

to use that later

um and

got a nice little scale little skis here

for measuring out our

dry materials that we're going to be

adding into our broth

and then we have a nice little scale

scoop for measuring out our materials

for our broth like a nice little vessel

for mixing

and a tool for mixing as well like this

whisk here um you could also you could

also uh use a blender put all of your

dry materials after you weigh them into

a blender with your liquid blend it up

and then use it like that um but you

know this

gives you a nice feel for it i mean if

you want to hit him with some of that

biodynamic a little mix a little to the

left mix a little to the right

underneath the moonlight you know that's

the way to do it

all right let's get into it

[Music]

i'm going to start

introducing the dry ingredients and

mixing them up into solution with the

coconut water

so i'm going to put the dry ingredients

in here first

[Music]

all right guys so we got all of our dry

ingredients here and we're going to go

ahead and start adding in this coconut

water

[Music]

get everything unstuck from the bottom

there

there we go

upon the weird powders

all right guys if you have any um pesky

clumps in there you might want to grab

an immersion blender or instead of using

a whisk you can just invest in an

immersion blender for your setup

[Music]

that's fun

i'm not even in front i was doing that

longer because i was having fun with it

[Music]

[Music]

all right guys we are going to prepare

some lids here for uh filtration um so

one of the things that i would like to

note is that whatever your hole size

that you're going to drill into your lid

should be big enough for your needle to

go in that you're going to be utilizing

when you inoculate your substrate so i

like to use an 18 gauge one and a half

inch needle so you're going to want to

make sure that whatever you're drilling

into your lid is at least bigger than 18

gauges

[Music]

simple as that

[Music]

and we're going to take a little bit of

this polyester fiber um one of the

tricks that i've learned over the years

is that if you get acrylic fiber yarn

you can take a crochet hook

and you can pull it through more than

one of these lids at once with a crochet

hook you might even be able to take the

polyester fiber but the yarn

you're able to get a nice solid piece

through

more than one at once so if you're going

to be making a lot of these

you might want to try the acrylic yarn

it works just as well as the polyester

fiber

there you go and all you need is just a

little bit of that to get nice and tight

through there

and we have a nice little filter

for our cordyceps to breathe and we can

also introduce our culture through there

[Music]

all right guys we're uh measuring out 46

mils

of uh broth here

and we're going to measure out 28 grams

of rice per pint jar

[Music]

and that's ready to go right into the

pressure cooker

all right we're going to load up our

jars

into the

insert for the all-american

we're going to be using an all-american

today but you can use whatever pressure

cooker you have at home whenever i

started out i started with a presto

you're going to want to make sure that

you can at least get 10 psi that means

pounds per square inch

you can look that up online what your

pressure cooker's capabilities are but

you're going to want at least 10 psi for

45 minutes to an hour and a half

if you're getting contaminations you're

going to want the longer times with the

all-american because we can go to 15 psi

i'm gonna run this for 45 minutes and

we're gonna get this thing loaded up

[Music]

there's research right now that is you

know what i believe to be pretty cutting

edge that shows um two active compounds

and quadriceps militarists cortisepine

and cortimon

are capable of inhibiting hiv one

reverse transcriptase

for a natural product to be able to

inhibit the hiv virus from replicating

its empower is incredibly powerful and i

think that there's going to be a lot

more eyes looking at it and i think that

as we have more eyes looking at it and

as we start to develop the analytical

protocol for it we're going to start to

discover a host of other compounds in it

you know i'm really excited to see where

holistic medicine goes where we start to

when we start to realize that every

single body is different and treat

everybody different instead of giving

everybody the same pills in every body

the same dose for the same medicines

when everybody is different

[Music]

so one of the methods we're going to run

is the instant pot technique

which is way easier for beginners to get

into if you haven't practiced any other

kind of mycology or if you just want to

focus on cordyceps only instapod is a

great technique to lock into so we're

going to separate a liter

or a thousand mils by separating two

500s out and

putting it into our insta pot all right

guys uh we have here the insert for our

insta pot so we're going to mix the

things that we're gonna are gonna go in

there into here um and all that's gonna

go in there is our rice and our broth

[Music]

all right and it's important to weigh

the rice out and make sure the

measurements are accurate um when you're

preparing your quarter step substrate

because

too much rice or too much liquid can end

up with your substrate not having enough

moisture or being too saturated not

having enough moisture your mycelium

won't grow too saturated bacteria will

grow

[Music]

all right guys we're just gonna set this

in the instant pot

and uh

run it for the right setting

[Music]

so um we have our instant pot all done

and the

all-american is all done sterilizing so

we're gonna go prep the flow hood area

in preparations for

introducing our liquid culture to our

substrate

[Music]

all right guys so

we have our jars uh sterilized and

cooled down

and we're gonna take them out

of the

pressure cooker insert here

and you see the rice is nice and cooked

there is a little bit of moisture in

there but that's okay you don't want too

much standing water but you want a

little bit of excess moisture

which is going to provide the mushrooms

with their humidity inside of the jar as

they grow

when you receive your culture you're

going to want to remove the cap

and quickly attach your sterile needle

and when you first open your needle it's

sterile so you can go directly

into a jar

and you're going to want to introduce

about one to two mils in a circular

rotation through your jar

then remove the needle

and set that aside

um you can sterilize your needle in a

back incinerator or with a flame i'm

going to go ahead and stick it in the

back generator and now that it's sterile

i can go ahead and insert it in through

one of these injection ports here

and the same introduce two mils

and circular rotation and this allows

the mycelium to be distributed so you

can see it grow out in a broader

fashion

[Music]

all right for the amount of substrate

that we made in the instapot i'd

recommend at least 120 mils

at most 300 mils of liquid culture

and then you can mix up your

liquid culture into the rice

[Music]

all right i'm gonna clean up my spoon

here i'm gonna make sure you got like a

stainless steel or something like that

and clean it up with this uh diluted

ethanol

or isopropyl

and make sure that uh that your solution

is dried up

your sterilization solution your ethanol

or isopropyl is dry before you stick it

in there to mix it up so that you're not

killing your mycelium

now we're just mixing our liquid culture

in

[Music]

we don't need uh too big of a layer like

no more than a half inch

if you pile it in too much

you're gonna be uh reducing the amount

of space you have

for your fruits to grow so if you have a

culture that has really tall fruiting

bodies and you put too much rice they're

not going to be able to grow as much in

there

so

because this one doesn't have a rubber

seal

but it does have these clips

i'm just going to let it clipped

and

put it in dark incubation if you have a

rubber seal

what i would recommend doing is putting

a hole and putting a filter patch on it

if you have

a tub that doesn't have clamps that just

has a lid that clicks on

i would recommend not using that at all

because there's going to be too much

airflow if you run your whatever bins

that you get if you run them and you're

noticing that it's drying out

you may want to try

putting a line of tape to kind of create

your own gasket or maybe search for one

that has a gasket um

i've had plenty of success with just

putting a line of tape around and no

filter so yeah we're going to set this

in a dark space to incubate over the

next three days

incubation should be in the dark

cordyceps are very photosensitive and

they'll start to change the color of

their mycelium when exposed to light

generally with a healthy culture it'll

take about three to six days for the

mycelium to grow through the substrate

and then after that you will introduce

it to light and you're going to want to

keep the environment about 65 degrees

from incubation time until harvest

[Music]

harvested in cordyceps is like a little

nuanced um you're going to have to like

do it a couple of times and know your

strain because it's going to produce

parathesium on the top of the stroma

perithesium

are technically the fruiting body and

the stroma is like

means of the fruiting body not being in

the dirt like the straw like the the

little

finger looking cordyceps thing that you

see there's bumps on the top of it those

bumps are the fruits the whole finger

thing is just a

fungal stretch

of fungal material for the fruiting

bodies to be in the air

so when those come out and though those

get mature that's when it's ready to

harvest after those are mature then it

starts to die so like you're looking for

the little bumps on the top to get ripe

which is like takes a while to know what

you're looking at you can store them in

ethanol

for you know extracts or just for

preservation

you can store them in vinegar you know

for extracts or just for preservation

where you can dehydrate them

and you know just store them in a

container in a dark with silica packets

and then make teas or foods or

extracts or whatever

[Music]

the most common contaminant is going to

be calculosporium corticola which is

some sort of fungus that lives inside of

the cordyceps and exposes itself when

the conditions aren't ideal so usually

when it's too warm um anything like

above like 68 69

for any long extended period of time

you'll probably start to see this white

fuzz growing on top of your orange

mycelium or growing on top of your

cordyceps

so that's the most common thing and then

just general bacteria and molds that

you're going to be encountering in any

kind of mycology

and mites

if you get mites they like to go in and

out of the jars and eat your mycelium

so you'll see patches in the mycelium

mites aren't common if you're not doing

wild culturing if you're just growing

only fruiting bodies in lab and stuff

like that you might never ever get mites

i definitely encourage people to follow

me on instagram that's where i post a

lot of really cool information that's

michael senbaio you can also check out

microsymbiotics

microfest every august first weekend of

august it's our festival that we host

that's a lot of fun for people to get

engaged with

michaelsonbiotics.net has good

information apex grower on youtube has a

lot of good information and if anybody

wants to support us monetarily

i'm on patreon as permaculture poppy or

you can check the link in my bio on my

instagram just for general donations all

the links are down below let's go

[Music]

you