3 mistakes I’ve made pouring my own agar plates 🧫
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1. Forgetting to add a magnetic stir bar to my media bottle 🧲 some may not even add a stir bar, but I find it’s nice to add because when your media bottle is left unattended or stays stagnant too long, your media can begin to coagulate at the bottom of your bottle. A slow steady stir from a magnetic stir bar on top of a magnetic stir plate will help to keep an even temperature in your media and keep all your ingredients well distributed while also breaking up any bits that clumped or didn’t get mixed in all the way.
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2. Pouring too HOT 🥵 when you pour your plates too hot, you’ll likely get too much condensation built up in your plates. This doesn’t really affect the quality of your cultures growing, but it makes it difficult to see into the plate and this is important because you want to be able to observe any possible contaminants that may have popped up after taking transfers etc. I like to pour at 120F. After letting my plates cool and solidify in front of my FFU for 30 mins or so, then then rotating them 180 degrees and resting for another 30, generally I’ll only have a few that have condensation.
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3. Not storing my finished plates properly ☣️ after all my hard work, I’ve ran into situations where my plates either dried out too fast or actually had contamination on them prior to me using them. I used to wrap each plate individually with ParaFilm, not only did this take way too long, some of my plates weren’t wrapped right enough or well enough and this led to excess air entering the plate.. now I shrink wrap stacks of 10 plates and place two sets of 10 plates into a fresh 1 gallon zip lock bag. This method allows me to store my plates for MONTHS if I wanted to, but they generally are used way before then.
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Hope this helps! Like-Comment-Share
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Had a heady chat with Bradford Champlain of @themushroomchamp 😎 you guys are going to love the golden nuggets in this one 🔥
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In this podcast episode, Bradford Champlin, owner of @TheMushroomChamp in Denver, Colorado, discusses his journey from being a licensed massage therapist to starting a mushroom business. He shares his early interest in mycology and the transition to turning his hobby into a business. Bradford talks about the challenges and hurdles he has faced in business development, as well as his scientific approach and data collection methods. He also discusses his experiences with different types of mushrooms, including psilocybin mushrooms and Cordyceps militaris. The conversation covers various topics related to mushroom cultivation, the environmental impact of the industry, personal life in Colorado, creating community and events, and the importance of self-care and health and wellness. In this conversation, Bradford discusses the importance of mind, body, and breathwork in maintaining well-being. He emphasizes the need for self-care and incorporating practices like meditation and a whole foods diet. Bradford also shares his experiences with creating community and the importance of personal stamina. He explores the concept of human design and how it can influence one’s approach to life. Additionally, he shares his mindset and the influences that have shaped his beliefs. Finally, Bradford provides pro tips and golden nuggets for mycology, mushroom cultivation, and business. Overall, the conversation highlights the interconnectedness of personal growth, mushroom cultivation, and community building.
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Jonathan Garner, a Navy Veteran, mycologist, and entrepreneur, shares his expertise in clean rooms and lab processes. He discusses his journey in mycology and the transition from pharmaceuticals to medicinal mushrooms. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and expertise in the mycology community. He also talks about the challenges in the mushroom market and the shift towards gourmet and functional mushrooms. Jonathan finds balance and self-care through outdoor activities and cultivating fruits and vegetables. He shares his favorite mushroom varieties and phenotypes. In this conversation, Jonathan discusses various topics related to mushrooms, including different varieties, growing experiences, and the utilization of mushrooms for health benefits. He also shares his thoughts on microdosing and the future of the mushroom market. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of maintaining stability and growth, both in mind and body, and highlights the significance of community support.
