MYWHAT?'s WBS Tek

[AnotherDimension]

I hear lots of people say WBS is hard and judging the water content sucks. Well here is a tried and true method for WBS!!
First You'll need some Wild Bird Seed. (from here on out referred to as WBS)

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jMiO0.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jMiO0)

Measure out the amount of WBS that you ll need to fill all the jars your using 2/3rds full. Dump it all into a pot and fill with warm water.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jMAg0.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jMAg0)

Now strain out the water and repeat 3 more times. (make sure your strainers holes are small enough so the millet seeds don't go threw)

http://www.postimage.org/Pq1EQavr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq1EQavr)

Now fill it back up with warm water and set it some place with the lid on the pot. Let it soak for 12-24hrs(Preferably 24hrs). This will cause the hardened endospores on the WBS to germinate so the heat from the PC will be able to kill them off. (This step is important, you wont be able to kill all the endospores unless they have begun to germinate).

After waiting for 12-24hrs (preferably 24hrs) its now time to rinse again. (After sitting for the allotted time the WBS will smell foul, this is perfectly normal). 3-4 more good rinses at this point should do the trick.

Now you need to take the pot with WBS and fill it up with water till it covers all the WBS and 3 to 4inches above it. Stick the pot on the stove and simmer (not boil) for 20 minutes. Stirring frequently. This will make the WBS soak up the needed water for the colonization of mycilium. You don't want the seeds to burst so keep a close eye on it. If some seeds start to burst stop immediately and don't worry it should still be fine.

Once its done simmering you'll want to rinse it off one more time. I use cold water to cool the seeds off. Now its time to dry it out. To do this I lay out a clean towel on the counter and spread the WBS over the towel about a half inch deep. Allow to dry for an hour or so.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jNpE0.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jNpE0)

A good way to check if the WBS is dry enough is to take a paper towel and toss a hand full of the WBS on it.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jNR4A.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jNR4A)

Now immediately dump it back in the pile. It shouldn't leave much if any wetness on the paper towel. (notice not many even stuck to the paper towel ether)

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jO7xA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jO7xA)

Prepare some lids with 2 nail holes in them like so.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jOIXJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jOIXJ)

OK now you can load your jars 2/3rds full. (you want to leave room for shaking the jars later on). These jars actually have a little to much in them.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jOXVA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jOXVA)

Place a piece of tyvec over your jar and screw the lid on. this will act as a filter for your jars. It also makes it so the jar lids don't rust out, and there easier to clean when done. (when using a syringe for inoculation I place a piece of breathable first aid tape over the hole that I used for inoculation).

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jP9oi.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jP9oi)

Cut of the excess tyvec. Repeat for the rest of your jars.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jPqRi.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jPqRi)

Cover all the jars with aluminum foil so no unwanted water gets into them during PCing. Now your ready to PC your jars. This is wear it is handy to have a big PC. Unfortunately I do not. Load your jars, as many as you can fit into your PC. Fill with water a little over half way up the jars. PC at 15 psi for 45min for 1/2 pints, 60min for pints and 90min for quarts. It also depends on how many jars you have in your PC.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jPykJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jPykJ)

Let the PC cool off for 2hrs before taking out your jars. Store them some place clean until inoculation and keep the foil on them. After your done PCing and all the jars are cool its time for inoculation. For these jars I'm inoculating with Pearl Oyster Plugs.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jQ6fJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jQ6fJ)

Stick all your jars in your glove box. Spray oust in and around the glove box. Wait a couple min for the oust to work. Now inoculate with what ever method works for you. After inoculating the jars bang them against your hand or piece of rubber to mix them up and break up the WBS. This will help keep the WBS from clumping and make it easyer to work with.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jQiJr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jQiJr)

And here is a finished jar.

http://www.postimage.org/aV2jQREr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2jQREr)

This method has been used by many people. This is not totaly my own creation. Singling out one person to give credit too is impossible due to the fact that so many use the same or similar steps.

I hope this helps you have success with WBS.
Good Luck!!

[Zeus]

is there something else to use besides tyvek? or is there other places to get tyvek besides those envelopes?

[Fungus Maximus]

is there something else to use besides tyvek? or is there other places to get tyvek besides those envelopes?

You can buy tyvek in rolls from home centers and some hardware stores, they wrap houses and buildings in it prior to siding them.

They have filter discs but IMO the tyvek is the best choice.

[Zeus]

thanks fungus max

[Zeus]

do you pick the sunflower seeds out or not cause i heard you do?

[Fungus Maximus]

thanks fungus max

No prob. glad to help.:)

[AnotherDimension]

I pick out some of em but some of em will actually colonize...so you don't have to pick em out if you don't want to

[WhiPLasH]

for tyvek the full painters suits work really well, you can purchase them from home depot or any kinda hardware supplies store around. look in the paint section you can cut them up into hundreds or squares for your lids. works great.

[NHMI]

It is easier to get it at the post office cuz it's free!