Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis are grown almost exactly in the same way. And this is not that different from growing the Psilocybe cubensis either.
However the Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis are in many ways much more vulnerable than the Psilocybe cubensis. Vulnerable in a sense that these 2 types need more attention during the preparation and maintenance of their ideal growing circumstances than the Psilocybe cubensis does. You can also see on the mycelium that these types are more vulnerable. Their mycelium is normally less rhizomorph than the mycelium of the Psilocybe cubensis.
When growing the Psilocybe cubensis it’s sometimes possible to deviate from the ideal conditions and still get a fine harvest. When growing the Panaeolus cyanescens and the Panaeolus tropicalis, the delivery of ideal conditions may be the difference between a good harvest of no harvest at all.
Required items:
- Spawn
- Straw
- Manure
- Vermiculite
- Casing
- Filter bags
- Impulse sealer
The first thing you must have for the growing of these mushrooms is strong spawn. Rye is the best basis for spawn. It’s wise to inoculate the rye with a strong single strain on agar instead of a spore syringe.
When the spawn is totally colonized, it’s time to prepare the substrate.
The substrate consists of (in volume):
10 parts of straw
4 parts of cow manure
3 parts of vermiculite
3 parts of water
Mix the dry components in a pot and add the water afterwards. Mix everything very well.
Next sterilise the substrate in a filter bag. Don’t seal the bag yet, because you still need to add the spawn to it later on. After it’s cooled down you can spread the spawn in the filter bag with straw. For a normal filter bag a pot with spawn is enough. The spawn must first be well shaken to get loose. After this you can scatter the spawn in the filter bag and seal the bag immediately after this.
It’s important to spread the spawn equally on the whole substrate to prevent it from colonizing unevenly or not colonizing at all. Try to do this by shaking the bag. Especially with a humid mass substrate in a filter bag this can sometimes be difficult.
Now let time do its work. Put the filter bag in the incubator with a temperature of 28 – 30 °C and after two to four weeks the substrate will be totally colonized with the mycelium.
Now the last phase has began. Get a big, clean bag, spread the colonized substrate in it and put the casing layer on top. Close the pot well again with plastic foil. Place the pot again in the incubation space and give the mycelium time to create a strong network through the casing layer. After a couple of days, when the mycelium is undoubtedly visible through the casing layer, it can be placed in fruiting conditions.
The fruiting conditions are:
– (indirect) sun light
– 24 – 25 °C
– air humidity 95 – 100%
After a week the first pinheads will appear. From now on it’s really important that the mushrooms get enough fresh air (min. 4 – 5x a day). The air humidity can go slightly down to 90 – 95%.