Phase One: (Step 3) Make The Lids

 

 Disclaimer: What are Your Intentions For Growing or Using?

Make The Lids

You can make the lids at any time. I recommend doing it before you get into the intense three day schedule of prepping the grains and clean room, and pressure cooking.

You are making two holes in the lid, and putting the white sticker over one and the black sticker over the other. The white sticker is a filter, for gas exchange. The mushrooms will take in oxygen and expel CO2, just like animals. The black sticker is a self-healing access port. That means that when you stick a needle in it, the hole will close back up, not leaving access for contamination.

I only use these stickers once per grow. They are very cheap, and I want to disinfect the lids between uses. I also want to make sure that the stickers are doing their jobs well... keeping out contamination. 

The metal lids do get rusty, I know that some people prefer plastic lids because of this. The lids can also be sharp around the new holes that were made. You could probably file them down if that part bothers you. I was just careful, and it didn't bother me much at all. 

There have been reported issues with the plastic lids melting in the pressure cooker (PC) so I just have stuck with the metal lids. Plus, the metal lids are cheap, and easily replaceable if needed.

Just do what makes you feel most comfortable.

What you need: 

🟧 10 wide mouth quart jars with lids and bands

🟧 If you don't have the quart lids and bands, you can buy them here - 24 count 

🟧 1 sheet of adhesive micropore 0.3 micron filters for your lid

🟧 1 sheet of adhesive micropore self-healing injection ports for your lid

🟧 1/4 inch drill bit

🟧 Drill 

🟧 Small stack of cardboard 4 inches thick (this is what you will drill into)

🟧 1 large trash bag, to put on the bottom of your work space. It will catch the small metal pieces that come from drilling into the lids.

How to Make the Lids  

1. Wash the lids in hot soapy water. You don't need to worry about disinfection yet. They will be disinfected in the pressure cooker later (PC)
   
2. Get out 10 of the cleaned wide quart jar lids. 
3. Get out the drill, and the 1/4 inch drill bit. 
4. Lay down the large trash bag flat. This is going to catch all the small pieces of metal that comes from drilling into these lids. It makes clean up so much easier. 
   
5. You will need a stack of cardboard (3-4 inches thick) or an old piece of wood, or something you don't care about that you can drill into. When you drill, you need something to catch the drill bit once it's through the lid. You don't want to hurt your table or kitchen counter. 
6. Drill two holes in the lid, make sure you have wood or cardboard underneath. 
7. Some people like one on the side and one in the middle. It doesn't really matter. I personally like one hole on each side evenly, because I'm a little OCD. 😂
   
8. You want the lid on top as smooth as possible. So be careful when you drill. Sometimes you get a metal snag. If this happens you will have to remove the metal so you have a flat top. The stickers need to adhere to the top of the lid completely, to seal it off from the outside air. 
   
9. Get your white stickers (filter) and the black stickers (self-healing injection port). 
10. Over one hole put the white filter sticker.  Make sure you center the sticker as much as possible over the hole. This white sticker with the air filter is for air exchange, without letting in any contaminants. Remember mushrooms need oxygen to grow.
    
11. Over the other hole put the black self-healing injection port sticker. Make sure you center the sticker as much as possible over the hole. The black sticker is used for when you stick the needle in the jar of grain, to spray the spores into the grain. When you pull the needle out, it will close up the hole the needle made, automatically. Thus, keeping out the contaminants.
12. Set your lids aside in a clean area. The lids will be disinfected in the pressure cooker. 

NEXT UP: (Step 4) Prepare the Rye Berries for the Pressure Cooker

9 Steps of Growing Psilocybin Mushrooms: Making Grain Spawn

1. (Step 1) Planning - Timing and Schedule Breakdown
2. (Step 2) List of Items You Need
3. (Step 3) Making the Lids
4. (Step 4) Prepare the Rye Berries for the Pressure Cooker
5. (Step 5) Clean Room - Set up and Cleaning 
6. (Step 6) Using the Pressure Cooker for the Grain Jars
7. (Step 7) Last Prep for Clean Room
8. (Step 8) Inoculation of Grain Jars
9. (Step 9) Let it GROW!! Growing Mycelium into Grain Spawn