White mildew found during fermentation

[DynastinaeLucanidae]

I just recently started to make my own fermented flake soil with Traeger oak pellets and as I was checking on the progress this morning, I noticed some white mildew. Does anyone know if this is normal during the process of fermentation or do I have to bake the substrate and start over, or worse case scenario, discard this batch and start another?

 

[MWAInverts]

If you're talking about the light white fuzz, that's from not mixing frequent enough. Daily mixing will keep all molds down.

 

[DynastinaeLucanidae]

Yeah they do look like what you're describing. I was mixing every two to three days instead of daily so I now know that is the source of the problem. Do I discard this batch and start over or can I still save it by baking in the oven then restart with this batch?

 

[MWAInverts]

Just mix it. No need to start over etc. once it's mixed up a few times it'll all just die away.

 

[DynastinaeLucanidae]

I'll give it a try, hopefully it'll be back to normal. Thank you!

 

[Ratmosphere]

Just always make sure to mix it.

 

[aaryuhi@gmail.com]

Just keep on mixing every 2~3 days or so for the first week or two, then scale down to 5 days, then 7 days and so on. White mildew is part of the process.

Don't need to be too sensitive. You are basically making dirt. But if the soil start smelling rotten, like rotten a food, that's a smell of anaerobic bacteria (bad bacteria), usually too much moisture mixed in with the saw dust. You want aerobic to ferment soil.

Because of the low winter temperature, it might take awhile for beetle consumption.Good luck.