>>2730417You have several options. You don't need pearlite, you can achieve the same micro climate with just water and something to keep the cake above the water level. Vermiculite can be helpful when fruiting cakes. Once the cake is fully colonized, you can either open fruit it or top fruit it. To open fruit, remove the fully colonized cake from the tub, soak it overnight in a ziplock filled with water, next day drain the water and roll the cake in vermiculite. To top fruit, do all of the same, but instead of rolling the cake, place it back in the tub and add a layer of vermiculite to the surface.
For creating a fruiting chamber, you can use a larger tub filled with about an inch of water. Place a couple jars upside down and place the cake on the jars, resting it about half an inch above the water surface(add more water if necessary) Place the lid on the larger tub, upside down with a slight twist to create air gaps for fresh air exchange.
Another alternative is to place the fruiting block into a turkey bag with holes punched every inch or so, starting about half way up. I use the needle that comes with the spore syringe. You'll need to mist every day to keep humidity up. Mist the edges of the bag, not the fruiting block. To close the top between misting, fold it over and use a paper clip. it's not meant to be air tight, just keep most of the moisture in.
