GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

S awdust
CHAPTER 16
Creating Sawdust Spawn
spawn is simply created by inoculating grain spawn into
sterilized sawdust. Hardwood sawdust, especially oak, alder, cot-
tonwood, poplar, ash, elm, sweetgum, beech, birch and similar woods
are best. Fresh sawdust is better than aged, and sawdust with dark
zones (often a sign of mold infestation) should be avoided. Sawdust
from milling lumber is best because of its consistent particle size,
measuring, on average, 1-5 mm. in diameter. Sawdust from furniture
manufacturers is much more difficult to formulate. Often this saw-
dust is either too fine and/or combined with shavings. With shavings,
the mycelium must expend excessive cellular energy to span the
chasms between each food particle. Per cubic inch, shavings are too
loose a form of wood fiber, insufficient to support a dense mycelial
mat let alone a substantial mushroom.
Sawdust is moistened 60-70% and scooped into gusseted polypro-
pylene bags to a gross weight of 6 lbs. The open tops of the bags are
folded down and stacked tightly into a square push-cart. This helps
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