This can occur if the substrate is mixed prior to inoculation which can cause the needle to become blocked with substrate. If you're worried this may happen, be sure to add a spare needle to your order to ensure success.
Remove the needle from your injection port (but don't remove it completely) and push down on the plunger once again. This should unblock the syringe.
Short answer? No.
Long answer? Please don't use the same needle twice as there is no home-based method to sanitize a needle which works. Heating the needle can cause pockets of contamination within the chamber, and alcohol can break down the surface of the needle causing grooves in which contamination can enter.
That being said, if you are using a 20ml syringe to inoculate two 2lb bags, if you're quick with your hands you should be able to inoculate both with the same syringe with only a small chance of contamination for the second bag.
This may be due to one of two reasons (and never because the syringe has no spores in it!):
- Albino strains are incredibly difficult to see from under the microscope without a stain. Therefore, it will be difficult for you to see these within the syringe.
- Spores are rarely seen using the naked eye. Those you can see in the syringe are groups of spores clumped together. We use a process called sonification which breaks these spores up to prevent any spores being left behind! Less popular spores may spend more time in our fridge than the regulars, therefore you will be able to see these groups. However popular spores do not have the time to settle!
As always, if you are worried about your spores, please contact us! We keep accurate, up to date records of any reports and will thoroughly investigate so we can support you further!
Fear not! This is not a rancid spore syringe, but a liquid culture! You can find out more about liquid cultures here, but the short of it is that they're already germinated so shouldn't take as long to colonize in your kits!
Keep your spore syringe in the fridge until you fancy studying these from under the microscope! Take these out 12 hours prior to your studies and they'll be ready to use from under the microscope, or to be inoculated within your projects!
Spore syringes are viable for up to six months, whereas liquid cultures will only last for three months.
Growing Gourmet Health Mushrooms
If you’ve chosen to start your journey with mushrooms by growing Gourmet Health Mushrooms but don’t want to mess up the most important part (the inoculation), you’ve come to the right place!
Preparing the area
Make sure you sterilize your surface with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Spray or a diluted bleach: water mix. Wash your hands and get your kit ready! You do not sterilize the needle. Wipe the injection port/s with an alcohol swab and allow to air dry for 5-10 seconds.
Readying the Syringe
Open the small packet holding the needle, being careful to not touch the plastic funnel which will attach the needle to the syringe. Take the end cap off of the syringe and screw the needle on. When you’re ready, you can pop the protective plastic cap off of your syringe and inoculate your project.
The Inoculation
It’s not as scary as it sounds! The secret to getting it right is to follow our instructions… And not to worry too much!
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- Pop the plastic protective lid off of the needle attached to the syringe.
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- Hold your needle at a 45 degree angle and insert it half-way into the recently sanitized injection port.
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- Push the plunger down to release the spores all in one area.
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- Gently pull the needle out of the injection port and dispose of appropriately.
- Continue the method of your chosen grow kit/substrate!
Studying Magic Mushroom Spores
If you’re looking for something fun to study, look no further as our magic mushroom spores are absolutely spectacular when viewed from underneath the microscope. We have a multitude of strains for you to chose from, each boasting unique features.
Preparing the area
Your mission is to view these spores in a pristine, sterile area. When viewing spores microscopically, any contaminants in your area can disrupt your studies. Therefore, you must clean surfaces with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol spray, wear gloves and masks, and use a Flow Hood where possible.
The Microscope
You might be able to see tiny little black dots inside your syringe, however those aren’t spores. They are large clumps of spores which have joined together so you can see them with the naked eye. Typically, you should be able to see them better from under the microscope, at at least x400 magnification.
For mycology, it can be difficult to see the fine structures of fungi using a toy microscope. If possible, it would be more beneficial to invest in a higher grade microscope with a light built-in. Some of the pro’s double down and go for a top-of-the-range x-ray microscope which is most suited to long-term microscopic studies in mycology.
Whilst a minimum of 400x magnification is required, we recommend going for a microscope with a maximum magnification of x1000. To see clearer pictures, an oil immersion lens would work well. Adjustable illumination from underneath the slide is also a must have to be able to properly see your spores.
Stains
Spores have tiny, fine structures that can be difficult to see, especially in the albino varieties. Therefore, they may require staining in order to be visible from under the microscope. This will enhance the contrast and highlight tissue structures within your spores.
There are many straining agents on the market, some of our favorite’s include:
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- Congo Red- General purpose strain well suited for looking at the fine details of hyphal structures.
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- Lactophenol Cotton Blue- Stains chitin which makes spore ornamentation show up much more clearly than other strains. Must be handled with care as they can cause harm.
Making Slides
From the mushroom itself, you can place the fungus’ fertile side downwards on the slide and wait an hour or two. Once you have the spore dust you can add distilled water, and/or the stain of your choice , and finally the cover sheet. Then you can view it from under the microscope.
With our spore solutions, simply tap the syringe on the palm of your hand to break up your spores to ensure they don’t get stuck in the needle, and place 1-3 small drops on the slide. You can use a stain and then cover with a cover sheet.
Happy studies!
