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Liquid Cultures
Lion's Mane Liquid Culture
Live Hericium erinaceus mycelium suspended in sterile nutrient broth, ready to inject into your own sterilised grain to start a colonised batch.
★★★★★ 5.0 · 1 reviewsSealed syringe with needle and alcohol wipe. For microscopy and legal gourmet cultivation.
Pure Hericium erinaceus, no other fungi mixed in
Comes as a sealed syringe with needle and alcohol wipe
Grain usually fully run in about two weeks at room temperature
The short version
This is live lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) mycelium growing in a sterile sugar broth, held in a sealed syringe. You inject a small amount into your own sterilised grain through a port, let it colonise, then use that grain spawn to run your fruiting substrate.
It is a starting point, not a grow kit. You supply the sterile grain or agar and the clean technique. Keep it cold and use it reasonably soon.
What it is
What liquid culture actually is
Liquid culture is mushroom mycelium suspended in a nutrient broth, usually a light sugar solution. The mycelium feeds and multiplies in the liquid, so a single syringe holds many living growth points rather than spores that still need to germinate. Because it is already growing, it tends to take hold faster than a spore syringe.
This culture is lion's mane, Hericium erinaceus, the white toothed gourmet mushroom. It is supplied as a single pure species. You use it to inoculate sterilised grain or agar, which you then use to spawn your fruiting substrate.
This is a culture for starting your own grain spawn. It is not a ready to grow kit and it does not fruit on its own.
How to use it
Using it in cultivation
Work clean. Use a still air box or a flow hood, wipe down surfaces and the injection port with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, and shake the syringe so the mycelium is mixed evenly through the broth before you draw it.
Prepare sterilised grain
You need your own pressure sterilised grain in a jar or bag fitted with a self healing injection port. Let it cool fully before you inoculate.
Inject the culture
A common rate is around 1 to 2 ml of liquid culture per pound (about 450 g) of grain, or roughly 10 ml for a 2 to 2.3 kg bag. Wipe the port, push the needle through and inject.
Colonise
Keep the jar or bag at normal room temperature, out of direct light. Lion's mane usually runs the grain in about two weeks. Its mycelium looks light and wispy, so early growth can look thin. That is normal for this species.
Spawn to substrate
Once the grain is fully colonised, use it to spawn a fruiting substrate. Lion's mane is normally fruited on supplemented hardwood sawdust rather than on plain grain.
| Species | Hericium erinaceus (lion's mane) |
|---|---|
| Form | Live mycelium in sterile nutrient broth, in a sealed syringe |
| Typical inoculation | About 1 to 2 ml per pound of sterilised grain |
| Grain colonisation | Around two weeks at room temperature |
| Fruiting substrate | Supplemented hardwood sawdust |
Storage
Keeping it alive
Store the sealed syringe in a fridge, cool and dark. Do not freeze it, as freezing damages the mycelium. Let it come back to room temperature and shake it before use.
Kept cold it stays usable for several months. Like any live culture it is strongest when fresh, so it is best to use it within the first couple of months rather than holding it for a long time.
What it is not
What this is not for
This is a single species culture for microscopy and for legal gourmet cultivation. It is not for human consumption as supplied. It is not a grow kit and includes no substrate, jars or fruiting gear. You provide the sterile grain, the clean working area and the technique.
Common questions
Frequently asked
Around 1 to 2 ml per pound of grain, so roughly 1 to 2 ml for a 1 litre jar. Use about 10 ml for a 2 to 2.3 kg bag.
Lion's mane mycelium is light and wispy, so early growth often looks thin or uneven. This is normal for the species.
Yes. Keep the sealed syringe cold and dark and do not freeze it. Use it within a couple of months for best results.
No. You colonise grain first, then spawn supplemented hardwood sawdust, which is where lion's mane normally fruits.
Yes. Work in a still air box or flow hood, wipe down with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and use sterilised grain with an injection port.
What customers say
Reviews
Unfortunately these could not be delivered due to an issue with the supply. However, the team made me aware of this in good time and did everything they could to make up for it. This included a refund and they say they will deliver free of charge when it is available.
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Supplied for microscopy and legal gourmet cultivation. Not for human consumption as supplied.
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