A Question about Mushrooms and Bagged Manure

So I have done a lot of research on the growing and fruiting of mushrooms and the main focus is on the sterile conditions. My question is how do these wild shrooms grow in abundance out in the wild with ZERO sterility? If these strains can grow in a cow pie, why can't I just grow that strain?

My second question is in regards to the manure you can buy in Lowes, Home Depot, etc.. is that stuff sterilized or could you possibly get a few mushrooms growing from a bag dumped in the back yard?

Thanks for the help if anyone how some knowledge about these subjects. I have looked around and could not find where these noob questions were asked.

If you are interested in shrooms I strongly recommend you visit the shroomery (or mycotopia, but I prefer the shroomery).

Anyway, in nature what happens is just a lottery. A cow pie might produce 20 shrooms, each shroom in turn producing millions of spores. And out of all those spores, only a few will manage to innoculate maybe one or two new pies.

For home growing you can't rely on that kind of odds, so to increase your odds to as close as possible to 100% you eliminate unwanted competition (other species spores, unwanted bacteria, etc) using sterile procedure.

Regarding strains you have to realize that they are basically a hype, apart from a few novelty strains like penis envy.

This is because spores work differently to seeds. With a seed, the genetic mix (breeding) happens first and then the seed is produced. With spores,the spore is produced first, then the spore germinates and seeks other spores to breed with.

So you have basically no control over genetics and it is practically impossible to breed consistently from spore, you need tissue cultures.

Oh and if you want to use manure just make some shroom spawn using grain or PF Cakes (Cakes is much easier) and make an outdoor bed.

Instructions can be found at the Shroomery

That rocks man. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm in a pretty tropical climate so maybe I'll try that if one of my jars manages to get to the fruiting stage I'm just to damned lazy to be making a clean box...heh.

Inoculate them all and let God sort it out, says I

outdoors grows are good, bigger mushroms and more potent.. but the little i had looked into of outdoor cultivation you have so sew the spawn in a bed outside and it can be several months before you get any, there still is maintenace (humidity tents) and such.
i do indoor (harvest in a month +or -) and i just dump my cakes in the compost when i am done.. then... if the conditions are right you get some extra you werent counting on!

good luck!

also visit Shroomtalk Magazine & Mycology Forums - Issue #3 now on sale cool forum, lots of info
also, any manure you will buy will have to be pasturized... messier then other substrates like grain or straw. but if you REALLY want to use shit, use BLACK KOW... stuff is great

but if you REALLY want to use shit, use BLACK KOW... stuff is great

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Haha, I can't imagine the stink of that I was just wondering if the manure might have a chance of sprouting mushrooms if the bag was opened and left on the ground to just do it's thing.

Thanks again for the advice. Fun stuff!

i mean its deff possible... colonize like 6 gallons of grain.. and then sew it in the bag... im sure myc would grow... worth a shot?