From: mykes@telkomsa.net   
      
   Many thanks for this information which is obviously born out of experience.   
   Just curious about the misting every hour:  do you have an automatic misting   
   system?  If so, what kind of nozzles do you use.  My experience with other   
   mushrooms using automatic misting systems is that they tend to get too   
   wet....unless the droplets are so atomized that they actually "float".  Any   
   comment?   
    wrote in message   
   news:1149228194.216798.159650@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...   
   >   
   > Myke Scott wrote:   
   > > I grow shiitakes on oak chips/sawdust using the breather bag method.   
   I'm   
   > > able to get good mycelial run and solid "logs" that turn white...then   
   brown.   
   > > However, after 2 months when I remove the bag and expose them to what is   
   > > supposed to be optimal fruiting conditions (23 celsius (74 far.) and 80%   
   > > r.h.) they produce only small deformed fruiting bodies.  Anybody else   
   had   
   > > experience like this with shiitake?   
   > If you are obtaining brown "logs" after only 2 months of growth, then   
   > you are probably growing the mushroom correctly.   
   >   
   > So why the "small deformed fruiting bodies"? A) too much CO2, not   
   > enough air exchanges in fruiting area; B) not soaking long enough under   
   > water. Brown crusty logs of mycelium tend to reject moisture instead of   
   > absorbing it in my experience. You may want to slice small holes   
   > through the crust with a sterile knife or similar object. The brown   
   > skin should heal after such damage. Try not to cut through any of the   
   > noticeable "bumps" or primorida, which will hopefully later become   
   > mushrooms. Also, the "logs" may need additional watering during the   
   > mushroom fruitings: 80% humidity is insufficient in my experience. Mine   
   > prefer 95% or higher, and will absorb a lot of misted water sprayed   
   > hourly on top of the cap.   
   >   
   > Daniel B. Wheeler   
   > www.oregonwhitetruffles.com   
   >   
      
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