Trial: Blue Oyster (LC vs. Agar to Grain)
Testing the vigor of an older Blue Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) Liquid Culture (LC) syringe and comparing direct grain inoculation vs. an agar transfer intermediate.
Progress Log
Start Date: Late May 2026
Method:
- Jar 1 (Left): Direct inoculation from an older LC syringe into sterilized grain.
- Jar 2 (Right): LC was first put to agar (which appeared clean), then transferred to grain.
Status: Mixed results. Direct LC to grain is thriving, while the agar transfer shows signs of contamination.
6-5-2026 (Update): The contrast between these two jars is a great lesson. Jar 1 (direct LC) is looking incredibly healthy and will be ready for a G2G transfer soon. Jar 2 (agar to grain) is clearly struggling with bacterial or other contamination—the growth is weak and stalled. This proves that even if agar *looks* good, it can still harbor issues that only manifest once put to grain. Jar 2 will be discarded soon to prevent any spread.
Left Jar: Direct LC to Grain (Healthy). Right Jar: Agar to Grain (Contaminated). (Photo: 6-05-2026).
6-10-2026 (Update): Success for Jar 1! It is now fully colonized and officially ready for a Grain to Grain (G2G) transfer. I hope to get to those transfers soon to keep this vigorous momentum going.
Jar 1 is fully colonized and ready for G2G (6-10-2026).
Next Steps
I'll be discarding the contaminated Jar 2 to keep the workspace clean. Jar 1 is nearly ready for G2G expansion. This trial highlights the importance of multi-plate cleanup when working with older cultures—one seemingly clean plate isn't always enough!