PermaSolarPotterThe whole thing with #Florida #gardening is going with the flow and planting what works in this environment at the right time. I just met someone in town who is really into #mushrooms and can help me get started growing native varieties in my yard. All of the heat and humidity makes this the perfect place for shrooms. This is exciting. Stay tuned for updates! 🍄‍🟫
Okay, I’ve got two buckets full of straw inoculated with pink oyster #mushroom spores. My friend came over with all of the supplies and it was super straightforward: we drilled holes in two 5 gallon buckets, spread straw on a tarp, mixed it with mushroom spores, wet it and mixed it all together and then filled the buckets with the mixture. Now all we do is wait. Moisture shouldn’t be an issue bc we live in a humid environment. https://northspore.com/products/pink-oyster-mushroom-sawdust-spawn-5-5-lbs #mushrooms
I’m surprised at the concern with sterility when growing #mushrooms: pasteurized straw instead of compost, tap water instead of rain water, the idea of “competing microbes”… it all seems so counterintuitive. I’m suspicious, but I don’t know anything about mushrooms so I can’t push back. (I have a questioning nature. It’s my husband’s favorite quality about me 🤣) Anyway, if this method works, it will be amazing to add shrooms to the list of foods we can grow and eat. #QuestionEverything
Kathryn B@PermaSolarPotter I think the issue is that you're providing such a perfect environment that lots of things would be happy to overrun if given the chance. Since many of those could be disagreeable or worse if you eat them, you want to ensure from the outset that they're not there to get started.
The Great Llama 
@PermaSolarPotter
Having grown mushrooms in the past, and having had the same thoughts, here's my take.
You are creating an environment that's far more fertile than the fungus would normally encounter in nature. Whatever microorganism gets the early lead is going to go hog-wild, and you want that to be your mushroom fungus. You aren't trying to keep it permanently free of anything else, you're just trying to get the most fungus for the effort you put in.
UrbanFarmBoy@TheGreatLlama @PermaSolarPotter I learned that the hard way. I'm a home brewer and I thought "Hey! I can use my spent grain as a substrate!" Wrong! The molds were very happy I did that.
@PermaSolarPotter I have blue oysters in one bucket on straw and coffee grounds. My second bucket is Pink oysters on recycled cardboard. They started fruiting the other day. Maybe be ready to pick on Sat!