Welcome to our Guide to professional inoculation. At the Sustainability Testing Station (STS), we don’t just “grow mushrooms”—we engineer biological systems. This guide covers the three primary culture formats supplied by SPeS, their technical origins, and the precise ratios required to ensure a clean, high-yield expansion.
Introduction
Whether you are a hobbyist looking for speed or a commercial farmer building a long-term genetic library, we provide our STS-tested strains in three specific formats designed for success at every scale.
1. Liquid Spawn (Liquid Culture) – Speed & Simplicity
Format: 50cc active mycelium in a 100cc Amber SafeSteri bottle with 3mm SHIP.
The STS Process: We expand a pure agar wedge into a high-clarity, nutrient-dense liquid media. Once inoculated, the bottle is held in the STS lab for 5–7 days for quality assurance (checking for cloudiness/clarity) to ensure you receive a “hot” culture at peak metabolic momentum.
- Why Liquid Spawn? In the East, LC is called “Liquid Spawn” because it behaves like grain spawn—fast and aggressive, but with a short shelf life.
- How to Use:
- Ratio: 2cc–5cc per 1kg of hydrated grain.
- SOP: Gently vortex the bottle to distribute mycelium. Use a flame-sterilized needle to withdraw.
The Warning: Never exceed 5cc per 1kg of grain. Over-saturating the grain leads to anaerobic “Sour Rot.” Precision beats volume.
NOTE: With the discovery and knowledge of Selective Nutrition and getting True-Syn synthetic acellular spawn right we do not offer this option anymore as has been superseded by Liquid Inoculant with VermiLIN,
2. Mother Spawn (G1 BioJar) – Traditional Inoculation
Format: 150g colonized Sorghum in a reusable 320ml BioJar.
- The STS Process: We take Generation 1 (G1) genetics from agar and expand them onto sterilized Sorghum. Sorghum is selected for its small size, providing roughly 5000 inoculation points per jar. Every jar is inoculated on order (14-day lead time) to ensure you receive the culture at the point of peak vitality.
- The Vessel: The BioJar is a professional genetic vault with a 0.22-micron duo-filter system. It is designed to be cleaned, re-sterilized, and reused for over 250 cycles.
- Upgrade: We now stock the BioJar with a SHIP so can do your own No-lab operations.
How to Use:
- The Shake: Tap the jar against a padded surface (or tire) until the grains are free-flowing.
- Ratio: 1 Tablespoon (approx. 15ml) per 1kg of grain.
3. Liquid Inoculant (The 100cc Beast) – Castellani Storage
Format: 100cc Castellani-stabilized mycelium in a UV-protective Amber bottle.
- The STS Process: This is our “Suspended Animation” system. We utilize a mineral-stabilized solution (VermiLIN) to put the mycelium into a state of metabolic rest. This prevents senescence (aging) and preserves the vigour of the strain for 1000+ days.
- Why Liquid Inoculant? This is your long-term genetic library. It remains “In Stock” because it is stabilized and ready for immediate dispatch.
How to Use:
- The Vortex: Swirl vigorously to break up the dense white “cloud” at the bottom.
- The Dose: 2cc–3cc per 1kg of grain, or to inoculate 250ml prepped LC.
- The Recovery: Expect a 24–48 hour “lag phase” as the mycelium wakes up and switches back to active growth.
NEW! Molecular Inoculation (Black PearlZ)
This latest innovation from the STS transcends the liquid to solid state… Read more in our Tutorial: Making Alginate Spawn for Mushroom Cultivation.
The Future of Molecular Inoculation. Traditional grain spawn and Liquid Cultures are hampered by contamination issues. The Eco BiniTM Black PearlZ System allows you to “plant” hundreds of high-energy mycelial engines throughout your substrate with precision selective nutrition for mycelium.
Contact Us:
Take note that the STS [Sustainability Testing Station] is a working Urban Farm – with continual work done in various agricultural sustainability spheres. If there is a listed culture and you would like in a certain form do not hesitate to contact us to discuss.
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STS
Flamingo Pink Oyster Mushroom Spawn Kit
Original price was: R1,399.R995Current price is: R995. Add to basket✔ Flamingo Pink Oyster Mushroom Spawn Kit (Pleurotus incarnatus)
✔ Includes 100 ml Living Inoculant (LI) in a reusable Culture Bottle
✔ Includes 1 kg Sterilized Sorghum Grain Spawn with SHIP & 0.2 µm PTFE filter
✔ Fast-growing tropical oyster producing spectacular flamingo-pink mushroom clusters -
STS
Nootropic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Spawn Kit
Original price was: R1,399.R995Current price is: R995. Add to basket✔ Lion’s Mane Mushroom Spawn Kit (Hericium erinaceus)
✔ Includes 100 ml Living Inoculant (LI) in a reusable Culture Bottle
✔ Includes 1 kg Sterilized Sorghum Grain Spawn with SHIP & 0.2 µm PTFE filter
✔ Renowned for its unique appearance and seafood-like flavour -
STS
Immortal Deerhorn Reishi Mushroom Spawn Kit
Original price was: R1,399.R995Current price is: R995. Add to basket✔ Immortal Deerhorn Reishi Spawn Kit (Ganoderma lucidum)
✔ Includes 100 ml Living Inoculant (LI) in a reusable Culture Bottle
✔ Includes 1 kg Sterilized Sorghum Grain Spawn with SHIP & 0.2 µm PTFE filter
✔ Premium Deerhorn strain producing elegant antler-shaped fruiting bodies -
STS
Braai White Oyster Mushroom Spawn Kit
Original price was: R1,399.R995Current price is: R995. Add to basket✔ Braai White Oyster Mushroom Spawn Kit (Pleurotus ostreatus)
✔ Includes 100 ml Living Inoculant (LI) in a reusable Culture Bottle
✔ Includes 1 kg Sterilized Sorghum Grain Spawn with SHIP & 0.2 µm PTFE filter
✔ STS-selected commercial strain producing large, meaty mushrooms ideal for the braai
Socratic Questions:
- How to use BioJars for mushroom inoculation?
- What is the 320ml BioJar advantage in mycology?
- Professional techniques for moving mycelium to logs?
- How to implement zero-waste methods in a mushroom lab?
- Success rates of Castellani-style inoculation protocols?
