Spore Print Making, Storage, and When to Make Syringes
16 replies · Cultivation Science
I'm at the point in my growing where I want to start making my own spore prints from my grows rather than always buying syringes. Can someone walk me through best practices for print collection, storage, and making your own syringes from prints?
Spore print process: wait until the veil tears and cap flattens (you've waited slightly too long for potency but it's fine for print collection). Set the cap gill-side-down on clean aluminum foil or thick paper in a still air environment. Cover with a bowl or container to prevent airborne contamination. Leave 6-24 hours. The denser the print, the better — dark purple-brown deposits of spores.
Storage: once the print is dry (1-2 hours air drying), fold the foil or paper carefully (don't touch the print with bare hands), seal in a zip lock bag with a small desiccant packet, and store in the refrigerator. Properly stored prints remain viable for 2-10 years. Some cultivators have successfully germinated prints that are 20+ years old.
Making syringes from prints: flame-sterilize a syringe needle, draw up 10cc of sterile water, inject it under the edge of a print while the syringe is positioned to sweep across the print. Draw the water back into the syringe, suspend any visible spore material. You now have a homemade spore syringe. This should be done in a SAB or flow hood — the main risk is introducing contamination during the process.
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