How to Take a Spore Print

Spore prints are used both in the process of mushroom identification and for cultivation. It's a basic mushroom cultivation technique that's easy to do at home. Learn how here.
#wildharvesting #mushroomcultivation #organicgardening

[@sporemuse]

Definitely millions of spores!
Great video! i’ve never seen anyone prop it up like that, I’ve been considering using a small mesh screen (about chicken wire size) to do the same thing.. It seems to me that keeping the mushroom from touching the surface will only result in a cleaner print. Not just from keeping it more dry underneath, but also from eliminating the direct contact. 🎆

[@sugaslate14]

This was super cool. Especially the reveal. I just made my first agar cups yesterday. Inoculated with some store bough shiitaki lentils to practice with. Waiting on my lions mane grain spawn. So could I take the spore print and transfer into my agar cups or plates?

[@timothylongmore7325]

Thanks for this video. I've taken spores from wild reishi , gano tsugae. I wipe them off the caps with a paper towel and then placed them in a baggy. Would you think there is any chance they're still viable? I've used this method to spread the spores as well. Am I wasting my time or are the spores long lived , like seeds?

[@eveningclicks7767]

I'd imagine so. I've heard of people setting mushrooms out to dry for days away from the sun, and putting them in a baggy then doing the slurry method.

[@timothylongmore7325]

@@eveningclicks7767 good tip. Ihaven't tried to culture them yet, but I do have all the supplies now. I imagine you're talking about a freshly picked mushroom. The wild reishi I want to do is seasonal mushroom. In about two months here. I may try cloning if I can't get anything to take.

[@eveningclicks7767]

@@timothylongmore7325 fresh or dry. But since some have used dry with success, I'd imagine your spores sitting for a while would still work np. Best of luck!

[@timothylongmore7325]

@@eveningclicks7767 Thanks. Im motivated to get back to this project. One more question. It seems to me the phase of growth from the time a spore lands on the hemlock tree substrate to a fruiting is about one year. Would you think that to be the case? Or longer , like lionsmane?

[@eveningclicks7767]

@@timothylongmore7325 I have no idea. I'm a newbie myself just learning as I go. Every mushroom is different.