Magic mushroom harvesting time, first flush
Step 12. Day 31-33. Harvesting guide: how to harvest magic mushrooms
First flush of fruiting Psilocybe Cubensis mushrooms
The most exciting moment for every mushroom cultivator! You couldn't even imagine the emotional spectrum at this moment. Amazing feelings... Take a look!
When to harvest magic mushrooms
When mushrooms tear the veil and open their caps to release spores they stop their growth
From this moment mushrooms stop increasing the amount of psychoactive alkaloids. Opened caps is the exact sign for harvesting and the best time to prepare your own spore prints for future cultivations
π΄ Recommended guide: How to make magic mushrooms spore prints
Sometimes mushrooms mature unevenly. All mushrooms (even small ones) should be picked during the peak of the harvest or the day after it.
You can also pick them partially. On the first day you can pick mushrooms with torn veil only and let small shrooms to grow for one more day.
For example, the first flush of fruiting and our first harvest we got in 2 steps. On the first day were harvested only mature mushrooms with torn veil. Small mushrooms were left on the cake.
For example, such shrooms better to leave in fruiting chamber for 1-2 days more
The next day absolutely all mushrooms were picked (including the smallest mushrooms).
In fact we are waiting for "torn veil" moment to make spore prints with mature spores. If you don't need spore prints you can pick all mushrooms at once even before torn veil
There's no reason to wait until all the mushrooms are mature and tear the veil. The sooner the flush is harvested the faster the next flush appear, the shorter the total cycle. Small mushrooms should be removed as well.
Some mutated strains of Psilocybe Cubensis, e.g. Albino Penis Envy don't open their caps as muΡh as regular Cubes. Sometimes they keep caps closed or open just a little
π΄ Check out: Mutant strain Albino Penis Envy aint just APE but King Kong of Magic Mushrooms
Usually the first flush (multiculture cultivation) isn't the most productive. The second and third flushes after soaking in water aka rehydration can be richer. Fruit bodies will be really cool!
π΄ As the nutrients in substrate decreasing there will be less mushrooms after 2-3 flush. On the last flush you'll find a few large or a few small strange mushrooms and aborts
How to harvest magic mushrooms: pick or cut?
Twist mushrooms by rocking slightly to the sides and remove them gently. So that you won't damage mushroom cake and reduce the risk of contamination.
Sometimes you remove the whole mushroom cluster (bush of mushrooms) easy without damaging the cake
If a piece of substrate comes off don't put it back. Just throw it away.
Try to remove all mushrooms and their stumps. Why? After rehydration such stumps can provoke contamination (wet rot). This is not a common case, just be aware.
βοΈBe gentle with mushroom cake and casing layer when remove mushrooms. Don't damage mushroom cake
Leave small pinheads (2-3 mm) on the cake, they continue their development on the next flush.
βοΈThere is an opinion that pins after rehydration can rot and kill the entire cake. It has never happened in our experience, usually most pins continue their growth on the next flush. However we need to inform you
Pick as much as you can. If you leave small pinheads on the cake it's not a problem.
Results of the first flush of fruiting and harvesting period (5 mushroom cakes): 238.1g of wet shrooms = 21.62g of dry shrooms + 12 spore prints
To be honest, it's a pretty small crop. Nonetheless great result for such growing process. In additional guides we'll show you how to increase your yield, but for the first try keep it simple!
π΄ Detailed growing statistics with charts by strains and by flushes: Mushroom grow report in numbers
What happen if you leave magic mushrooms on the cake for a long time
Torn veil means spores are ready for spreading around. It is an endless process in nature. From this moment mushrooms stop increasing psilocybin, psilocin and baeocystin.
If you leave mushrooms for a long time to sporulate everything around will be covered with layer of spores
When mushroom caps opened at night and what you can see in the morning
When you were out of home and can't harvest mushrooms in time. Two days after torn veil
π΄ Check out more examples and additional info: Black spots on Mushrooms and Mycelium
Moreover, such mushrooms start to lose they alkaloids due to decomposition processes in mushroom cells. This can provoke rotting and contamination of the entire cake.
Harvest in time, grower!
What to do after mushroom harvesting?
The next 2 steps we usually make on a parallel.
At first let's prepare our harvest for a long time storage by drying them.
After this step we are going to make mushroom cake rehydration to promote the new flush of fruiting cycle.
Let's move on the next step of our growing guide β Step 13. How to dry and store psilocybin mushrooms π½
