Sterilizing substrate without a pressure cooker?

ive seen some guides that just use boiling water, but pressure cookerrs seem more common, so theres prob a reason. but idk fo sho/

 

i think you should use a pressure cooker just in case ..... because you don't want any contaminants in with the mycelium as it is growing ......you can try . just inject the spores on the side of the jar a bit so you can see if there is any contaminants easier as the mycelium spreads

 

o and aslo .... ask a couple of friends if they have a pressure cooker .... theres gotta be someone and if not ...it is highly recommended that you go out and get one ...you dont want any bad shrooms


hit up shroomery.org the forums on there have anything you need to know about shrooms

 

You can boil the jars for about 5 minutes and that'll do the same thing, just make sure the jars are cooled before you add the spores or you'll kill them.

A better place to look might be shroomery.org (I think it's an affiliate of GC as well, so you know it's good)

 

Dude, here's a 4-step plan I would utilize:

1) Familiarize yourself with all the parts a working pressure cooker should have. Also familiarize yourself with the safe operation of a pressure cooker.
2) Go around to some thrift stores and look for a decent used one.
3) Bring it home, do some test runs. Be anal-retentive and make sure it holds the pressure. If you want to be crazy-sure, you might get some autoclave tape or autoclave indicators, to be SURE you're running a cycle for long enough to kill anything.
4) Sterilize your substrate.

oh, and 5) Familiarize yourself with sterile (aseptic) technique so you won't contaminate your substrate accidentally after sterilizing it.

As someone with scientician skeelz, I know that pressure cookers are INVALUABLE because a lot of tough-ass bacteria, fungi, & protists can live in soil, substrate, what-have-you (that is, every-fucking-where). Some types of bacteria common to soil and dirt, for example, are "spore forming," meaning they have a special tough-ass outer coating that allows them to just laugh when someone tries to kill it with boiling water at normal atmospheric pressure [conditions you'd find in a regular pan of boiling water, NOT in a pressure cooker or autoclave].

But it's like magic when you add pressure, as in a pressure cooker or autoclave. Suddenly, under pressure (you can look up pressure cooker timetables and shit too, that might help) those spore-forming bacteria are DEAD!!

Peace and love and llama-ass-rockin' aseptic technique to all my Blades.

 

Everytime I have tried to sterilize in a regular pot the jars always end up getting contaminated. Your best bet is to go grab a Pressure cooker. Check some second hand stores where you can get them for like 6 bucks.

 

A pressure cooker is pretty much required when growing shrooms. Just go to walmart and pick one up for $40. Why even waste your time trying to boil jars, it doesn't work. Shit if your that cheap go buy one at walmart, use it then return it.

 

Pressure cookers aren't that expensive. Hell, spread your spores a little thinner than normal and sell a few eighths to pay for it.

 

i got a pressure cooker at the thrift store for like 9 dollars. i've also heard people use tupperware bins with lids and sterilize them in the microwave. you could also use glass jars and just cover the tops with saran wrap before sterilizing.

 

just pick up a pressure cooker off someone, somewhere. Look on craigslist.

They aren't expensive at all.