Simple Casing Method
Mushroom Cultivation

Items:
Vermiculite
Sterilizing container - bakeable or microwaveable
fruiting container - (see below)
foil and/or plastic wrap

* Remember to practice sterile technique at all times *

Procedure:

1. Follow PF-Tek method until you have a fully colonized cake.
2. Wet vermiculite and put in sterilizing container, sterilize and let cool
3. Sterilize fruiting container and let cool
4. Add 1/2" (1cm) or more vermiculite layer to bottom of fruiting container.
5. Crumble or leave cake whole over bottom layer
6. Cover cake with damp, sterilized vermiculite (note: some growers suggest leaving crumbled cake without casing until it starts to grow mycelium again (24+ hours))
7. Cover fruiting container with foil or plastic wrap, poke holes in covering
8. Let stand.

Some growers have reported success, when using a casing layer, using no external humdification. Most growers put their cased growing containers into a humidity tent using one of the many electric humidification techniques. Some growers have reported good results using perlite only humidification (perlite humid technique)..

Fruiting containers:

Some growers report using pyrex dishes, others use plastic containers, trays, cheap foil baking pans, etc. Some growers poke holes in the bottom of the containers to keep water from occumulating and drowning the mycelium. The container must be sterilizeable (microwave or oven).