Myobalista Aspera - formerly MISidentified as Lepiota Aspera (Freckled Dapperling is correct, and this IS the one that is toxic with alcohol) that are dried in a carefully controlled environment to preserve the viability of the spawn. Instructions to extract spores are included. (Kit includes a metal tin of dried spawn, and instructions for creating the appropriate substrate and for growing indoors or in the garden. Temple Gardens strain.)
Careful study of this mushroom indicates it is NOT a Lepiota. The mushrooms commonly shown as "Lepiota aspera", are now MIS identified as another genus, and they have a CRACKING cap, and NOT a beaded cap. They have a partial veil that tears, and may or may not adhere to the stipe - a Lepiota has a partial veil that tears from the stipe, and leaves a tapered ring on the stipe. This mushroom has a THICK COBWEBBY partial veil, which tears cleanly from the cap, and then hangs as a skirt on the stipe. The cobwebby veil is NOT characteristic of a Lepiota. We have gone back to an older name for this Freckled Dapperling, which represents the entire genus. Unfortunately, there are SEVERAL mushrooms in the genus, most of which have a THINNER cobwebby veil, but it MUST break cleanly from the stipe to be a Myobalista.
Often found in greenhouses, and landscaping. A great edible mushroom to grow with potted plants indoors, and in container gardens since it likes the environment that potting mixes provide, and loves the indoor temperatures. It is an easy mushroom to grow, you normally do not have to do anything special to the indoor pots to get it to fruit - but it does require a 1 gallon pot or larger. It also likes greenhouses and other indoor garden environments, and can also be grown in mixed mulches (not 100% woodchip), or compost. This mushroom CAN be grown in spent mushroom compost.
CAUTION! This mushroom is TOXIC if consumed with alcohol! It is otherwise considered a safe edible mushroom. Interactions with alcohol can occur if you eat the mushroom and still have alcohol in your bloodstream, or if you drink alcohol and still have mushroom chemicals running around in there (up to 3 days after eating the mushroom). Do not serve to guests! They are not always honest about alcohol consumption and may not take you seriously.
NOTE! This mushroom has a mistaken ID running around out there, and it shows a picture of a white mushroom with black spots on the cap (not beads) or a white mushroom with a brown breaking cap, and ENTIRELY the wrong kind of veil! The KEY identifiers for Myobalista aspera are the thick COTTONY (NOT Cobwebby) veil that breaks cleanly from the cap, and the bead-like bits that are loosely adhered to the cap (they brush off easily). The ID of this is vital, since it has toxic properties with alcohol, and specific medicinal properties. The pretenders do not have those.
May be used to culture into compost to create spawn, or can be direct sown into substrates or into the soil using several simple non-sterile methods. Will grow in partially composted straw bales that have had manure or manure tea added. This mushroom also has potential medicinal benefits for women's health, and as an anti-bacterial.
Each order of dried spawning mushroom contains enough to create two batches of active spores, which may be cultured and expanded, and then sown into the desired substrates.
Dried Spawn is EASY to use! Just reconstitute in water, and either finely chop or use a blender, and pour the resulting spore and mushroom mixture over your substrate or onto the ground where they need to be sown.
Packaged in metal tins for longest storage and viability. We do not use plastic in handling this product (plastic leaches chlorides, which are fungicidal in effect), and our products are not exposed to chlorine or other harmful chemicals during growth, processing, or handling on our property. You may be assured of the highest quality and maximum growth potential.
NOTE: Dried spawning mushrooms must be selected and handled correctly to produce viable spores. They must also be used correctly to extract spores, and then to culture the spores into the receiving medium. Our proprietary methods ensure viable spores, and we give you instructions for culturing them in a non-sterile environment. (If cultured improperly in a non-sterile environment, things go terribly wrong.) You are not only paying for the mushroom spores, you are paying for our expertise in both the processes we carry out before you see the product, and the instructions we give you for using the spawning mushroom.
Cross contaminations DO occur with non-sterile mushroom spawn (they seem to occur with alarming frequency with supposed sterile spawn as well!). In general, these contaminations are harmless, they may produce other non-edible, or other edible mushrooms, but for the most part, the mushroom you paid for will outnumber the contaminations by many times, and will not establish ahead of the desired mushroom.
Additionally, when using non-sterile methods to culture in natural materials, prior colonizations of unwanted fungus may occur, resulting in the fruiting of unexpected, random mushroom types. This is not at all a disaster, and normally does not cause problems. These mushrooms will typically be inedible, and may be ignored - in our experience, the cultured mushroom still establishes well and will produce well in spite of the interlopers! The chance that a poisonous look-alike would grow instead is virtually non-existent - because dangerous look-alikes don't grow in the same environment as visually similar edible species.
We do advise that you KNOW YOUR MUSHROOM - and that you know what it looks like, so you correctly identify anything coming up. This is wise in every instance, because even when you are using "sterile" kits or materials, rogue mushrooms may grow.
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