A fruiting chamber is an enclosed space used to artificially produce an environment that mimics fruiting conditions for a species of mushrooms.
Common Designs[]
- Shotgun FC: Named for the extensive amount of holes which need to be drilled into all sides, the shotgun fruiting chamber is a set it and forget it chamber designed for the beginning cultivator. It is constructed of a large plastic tote. For humidity, several inches of perlite or sponge are hydrated and added to the bottom from which they can evaporate a steady flow of moisture into the chamber. The holes drilled on the sides, top and bottom, with convection, provide enough fresh air exchange for many species.
- Poor man's pod: A poor man's pod is a fruiting chamber constructed from a plastic tote and aquarium air pump. Like the shotgun FC the poor man's pod uses perlite or geolite for humidification, but in the poor man's pod, humidification and fresh air exchange are manually supplemented with the use of the aquarium air pump and bubble wants.
- Monotub: A monotub is a set it and forget it contraption like the shotgun FC, but is designed to be used on large, bulk substrate grows. It is constructed from a large, plastic tote with 4 large holes drilled into the sides and filled with polyfill (a synthetic cotton material). The substrate itself provides humidity while the large holes with polyfill provide fresh air exchange.
- Mini greenhouse/Martha: A mini greenhouse is a structure (usually steel) which is covered plastic (usually clear vinyl) with a shelving system for trays or substrate blocks to be set on. In general, mini greenhouses are humidified by a coolmist humidifier and sometimes an ultrasonic humidifier as well. The term "Martha" originally referred to greenhouses build from a Marth Stewart portable closet. Among cultivators, mini greenhouse and "martha" have become synonyms.