Manual: Pioppino Spawn

Pioppino - Spawn

(Cyclocybe cylindracea)

Use the spawn as soon as possible after you receive it, or store it in the fridge for a few weeks at most.

What you need:

  • Pioppino spawn (80 grams)
  • Sterile substrate (for example a mix of hardwood sawdust and soy hulls)
  • Pressure cooker or another heating method for sterilisation
  • Clean work area

Preparing the substrate:

Mixing the substrate
Prepare a suitable sterile substrate, such as a mix of hardwood sawdust and soy hulls. A ratio of 70% hardwood sawdust and 30% soy hulls or wheat bran works well. Add enough water so the substrate just releases moisture when squeezed, but is not soaked.

Sterilising
Put the substrate in a sturdy, heat-resistant bag or container and sterilise it in a pressure cooker for 2 hours at 15 PSI.
No pressure cooker? Heat the substrate for longer (for example 16-24 hours at a lower temperature) until it is sterile.
Then let the substrate cool down completely.

Inoculation:

Clean work area
Work in an area that is as clean as possible to prevent contamination. Use gloves and disinfect work surfaces.

Mix in the spawn
Add the Pioppino spawn to the sterilised substrate. Use a ratio of about 1:10 to 1:20 (80 grams of spawn for 800 to 1600 grams of substrate). Mix the spawn evenly through the substrate to encourage consistent colonisation.

Close the grow bag
Close the bag or container with a filter for air exchange, such as micropore tape or a filter patch.

Incubation:

Environment
Put the inoculated substrate in a dark room with a temperature between 20°C and 26°C.

Colonisation
Let the Pioppino mycelium grow and colonise the substrate completely. This usually takes 2 to 4 weeks. Check regularly for signs of contamination.

Growth and fruiting body formation:

Temperature and light
Move the fully colonised substrate to a room with diffuse light and a temperature of 18°C to 28°C. Our supplier gives 18 to 28 degrees for a controlled growing room, but we have by far the most success with this species simply outdoors, in partial shade. Outdoors it follows the season and comes mainly in late summer and autumn, as soon as it turns humid. Indoors, high humidity matters more than the exact temperature.

High humidity
Pioppino needs a fairly high humidity of 75%-95%.

  • Cover the grow bag with a loose plastic bag with small holes for ventilation.
  • Put the bag on a wet cloth or place a dish of water under the bag to raise the humidity.
  • Spray the inside of the plastic bag regularly with water, but avoid letting the substrate stay wet.

Primordia
Within 1-3 weeks small, dark brown pins (primordia) appear. Keep the humidity high and provide fresh air while the mushrooms grow.

Harvesting:

Harvest in time
Harvest the Pioppino mushrooms when the caps are dark brown and the edges are just starting to curl open.

Remove carefully
Pull the mushrooms carefully out of the substrate or cut them off.

Storing:

Store the harvested Pioppino in a paper bag in the fridge. They stay fresh for about a week.

Second harvest:

After the first harvest you can often get a second and even a third flush.
Keep the same conditions as for the first harvest. New primordia appear after a few weeks.

Cleaning up:

When the substrate is spent, you can use it as compost or a soil improver in the garden.