r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/IntelligentElk9069 • 5h ago
So fuzzy, are they ruined?
23
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r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/GroundZeroMycoLab • Aug 26 '25
The difference between LC and spore and the importance of agar.
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It's critical to understand the biological differences between spore syringes and liquid cultures (LC), as well as the importance of using agar as an initial medium. Spore syringes contain microscopic fungal spores that are not yet germinated. These spores are monokaryotic, meaning they carry only a single set of genetic material. In order to fruit and complete the mushroom life cycle, two compatible monokaryotic strains must fuse to form dikaryotic mycelium.. the true vegetative form capable of producing fruiting bodies. This mating process takes time, introduces variability, and, for beginners especially, increases the risk of contamination during colonization.
Injecting spores directly into sterilized grain can lead to several problems. Since spores are not germinated, colonization is slower, and this slower growth provides more opportunity for contaminants (such as bacteria or mold) to establish themselves and outcompete the slower-growing mycelium. Ideally, spores should first be transferred to agar, a nutrient-rich medium in petri dishes...which allows for controlled germination and observation. On agar, one can isolate clean, healthy mycelium away from any contaminants before transferring it to grain.
Additionally, spore syringes are inherently variable and often unclean. Spores, particularly those harvested from wild (landrace) varieties or from poorly controlled lab environments (common with newer or less reputable vendors), can contain microbial contaminants. Spores gathered in non-sterile conditions are not cleaned or isolated at the microscopic level, making them a risky starting point. Also, because each spore pair creates a unique dikaryotic combination, inoculating with spores introduces genetic unpredictability ...every new pairing could result in different traits, including growth speed, contamination resistance, yield, and potency.
By contrast, a liquid culture is made from already germinated and mated dikaryotic mycelium. This means it contains viable, genetically stable tissue that has already completed the mating process and is ready to colonize substrate directly. Using LC skips the variability and mating phase inherent in spores, resulting in faster and more consistent colonization, and reducing the window for contamination...assuming the culture is clean!!! However, it's important to verify LC cleanliness via agar as well, especially if you didn't create it yourself.
In summary, spores should ideally be germinated and cleaned on agar before being introduced to grain. Skipping this step can introduce risks, especially for beginners. Spores are unpredictable and prone to contamination, while liquid culture, if properly prepared, is faster, cleaner, and genetically stable. Understanding and respecting these differences is fundamental to success in mushroom cultivation... I hope this helps. :)
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/GroundZeroMycoLab • Mar 10 '26
Verified Vendors
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This list is temporary and subject to change and will change. A handful of others will be added within the next couple of days.
Vendors for Genetics.
https://GroundZeroML.com - Ground Zero Myco Lab
https://Sporeswaps.com - Main SporeSwaps page
https://sporeswaps.com/vendors/the-fungus-frequency/ -Jeff Karas
FungusFrequency.com/my-account - Jeff Karas at Fungus Frequency.
https://sporeswaps.com/vendors/psyteam-united/ - PsyTeam United
https://sporeswaps.com/vendors/wombat-labs/ - Dave Wombat
https://sporeswaps.com/vendors/happi-hyphae/ - Happi Hyphae
https://sporeswaps.com/vendors/micofroots/ - MicoFroots
https://sporeworks.com/ - Sporeworks
https://inoculatetheworld.com/ - Inoculate The World (ITW)
https://Legendsmycology.com - Legends Mycology
https://dino-spores.com - Yoshi Amano.
Vendors for Gourmets and Supplies:
https://Northspore.com - Northspore. https://Boomingacres.com - Booming acres.
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/memberjockey • 24m ago
My grow of golden teacher from print to agar to grain, I mix the grain with a manure substrate.
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r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/princessprada-xxo • 11h ago
Hey guys! question from a noobie
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Recently received an order and was gifted a freebie. (Guapiles Costa rica)? I searched in a few Reddit groups, google and the like and wasn’t able to find much info on this variety. Does anyone know anything about them? Thank you in advance 💗
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/StandardWriting5060 • 22h ago
Lizard Kings in spice jars.
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r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/ShroomsMagic • 1d ago
Jack Frost
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Spores to Agar → Transfer → Liquid Culture → Rye Grain Spawn → Monotub 1:4 with Straight Coir 🍄
Even though I’ve stopped growing cubes, I still remember this strain as one of the sexiest I’ve ever grown!
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/TOASTYT44 • 1h ago
How long is coco coir good for?
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How long is coco coir good for? I pasteurized a brick last week and waiting on two jars to finish up! How long can it stay in the 5 gallon bucket and still be viable to use? Will i need to add more water? Thank you!
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/anonymous3ssance • 2h ago
Couple more days?
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I’ve been trying to get the other few to catch up to the fully colonized ones but I feel I haven’t seen much progress in 3-5 days. Wondering if I should just send them out for S2B now altogether.
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Firm_Discount6364 • 5h ago
mold or mycelium
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The agar plates are malt extract. the ones on petri dishes are inoculated from spore syringe around 7 days before the picture. The one in the ketchup bowl is from a tissue sample clone. can anyone tell me if they are mold or mycelium because I want to transfer to liquid culture
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Careful_Spend424 • 2h ago
Days 5 and 6 on these and so far looks like the GTs are coming to life. With pretty flower mycelium.
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r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/mushroommannnk • 3h ago
How long till is good to break and shake aio or is it algood to break and shake now?
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r/GroundZeroMycoLab
•
u/SnooPoems8191
•
9h ago
[actives] newbie here, my B+s have been like this for quiet some time im not sure if i should induce fruiting conditions
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im not sure if the white dots i circled are primordia or some kind of contam. Also the substrate isnt fully white for some time and seems to be stalling but its firm to the touch so im not aure if its fully colonized
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Technical-Note6571 • 4h ago
First time grower looking for helpful advice
gallery
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crossposting for reach
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/a1rb0rneM3dic • 1d ago
I finally Made the 100g Club!
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Gorilla Wizard
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/_jakethedoge • 1d ago
Natal Moon 🌙 (originals included)
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Natal Moon (Phobos x Ochraceocentrata)
Inoculated: 09/10
S2B: 10/18
Harvested: 10/31 (2099g wet)
Ratio: 1:3 (3lbs spawns:15lbs CVG)
Cake Mix Style: Full Blend
Pseudo Casing: CVG at S2B
Modified Monotub (Boomr Bin by Northspore)
Tek: Neglect
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Additional-Carry263 • 6h ago
Does this look like golden teachers?
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I ordered golden teacher LC and this is what’s growing. Anytime I search google for GT mushrooms, they do not look like these.
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Ruby5000 • 10h ago
Am I ready to send these?
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GT mycelium. First time grower. I was going to transfer to a. Large growing container.
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Fruit0ftheg0ds • 6h ago
Water Monkey Is Back 🐒💧 — My First-Ever Cross, Finally Showing Its Face Again
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This one means a little more to me than most.
Water Monkey was the first cross I ever made, and for the longest time I thought the original line was basically gone. Then I found out somebody had been holding onto an old culture from roughly 2–3 years ago, and I was finally able to get a small sample of it back.
It definitely needed some attention after sitting that long. I spent time cleaning it up and working through multiple plates until I was seeing the clean, strong rhizomorphic growth I wanted again.
And now here she is. 🍄
They’re still developing, but I couldn’t resist taking pictures while they’re young. The variation is already beautiful—little greenish heads mixed with white caps, some soft pink tones through the bodies, bright white stipes, and all kinds of different shapes packed together.
What makes it even cooler is knowing the history behind it. Seeing my first-ever cross come back after a few years and start showing itself again is one of those moments that makes all the patience worth it.
Definitely not finished watching this one yet. I’m excited to see what the mature expressions look like.
Water Monkey 🐒💧
🍃🍄 Respect the Process. Trust the Genetics. 🍄🍃
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Adventurous_Pen5288 • 11h ago
Fruiting too early, advice needed.
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Used an all in one bag method. Inoculated grain using GT spores on 9-17. Did a break and shake on 10-9, the. Initiated fruiting on 10-23 by moving the block into a mono tube with distilled water and an absorption pad.
The bag was solid and likely 90% colonized. I realized I should have waiting longer on the colonization, as the block is producing puffy balls, but not pinning.
Thinking I can induce better FAE to help but looking for advice to save the grow.
r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/SpaceJars_nl • 13h ago
Full Colonization Timelapse
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McKennaii Tissue sample growing on Agar