How to Grow Mushrooms

How to Grow Mushrooms

 Growing mushrooms might seem a little complicated but this is a task that any enthusiastic gardener shouldn't hesitate to attempt. The most important thing is setting up the most appropriate environment for them to growth in. Growing mushrooms is different from plants because you won’t be growing them from seeds but from microscopic spores, which take root in the growing medium or substrate. Growing mushrooms at home is easy as you can manage light and temperature conditions, which are vital for their growth.

 
  Which mushroom type do you want to grow?

 The first thing is deciding on the type of mushroom that you wish to growth. Generally speaking, the ease of growing mushroom varies from one type to another. The easiest ones to grow are white button, shitake and oyster. While the method used for growing these mushrooms is similar, there exists difference in the ideal medium for growing them. If you choose shitakes, hardwood sawdust is the best place to grow them. Oysters are best grown in straw while composted manure is the best place for growing button mushrooms. Your taste is what should guide your selection and by the end of the day, growing the type of mushroom that you desire to eat most will make everything much easier and enjoyable for you.

    Get the mushroom spawn & substrate

 In mushroom growing, mushroom spawn refers to the sawdust which is permeated with the mushroom mycelia or simply the fungus’ root structure. This facilitates growth of the mushrooms just like the plant seedlings and there are various online stores where you can order your mushroom spawn from. The type of substrate that you buy should depend on the kind of mushroom you are growing. If you are a novice gardener, opt for mushroom growing kits and this will make your life much easier.

    Growing medium preparation and spreading the mycelia

 You will be spreading the mycelia of your mushroom spawn on the growing medium before the mushrooms are produced. To encourage the growth, a warm temperature will be needed. Once you have identified the most suitable growing medium for the mushroom species you have decided to grow, place some in a baking pan. Using a shallow pan but with a considerably large surface area provides more room for the mushrooms to growth. You can simply use your finders for mixing the spawn in the growing medium and after all, you care less about getting your hands dirty as a gardener. Set the heating pad to 21 degrees Celsius and then have baking pan placed on it. You must be right about the temperature as this is the only way to create an ideal environment for the growth of the mushroom. Place the set up in an environment that is like, probably in the cabinet for like 3 weeks. During this time, your mushroom medial will be able to permeate into the growing medium.

    Facilitating growth of the growing medium

 In order to facilitate growth of your growing set up, you will need to place it in the most ideal environment. This will of course be done after the 3 weeks mentioned here above have elapsed. A dark and cool environment is certainly the most recommended and your basement will be a perfect place to place it. Cover the medium with potting soil and dampen the environment thoroughly by adding water. The most important thing is to keep the mix cool and moist and should be checked regularly and water added if necessary.

    Harvesting

 Once your mushrooms have grown fully, it is now time to do the harvesting. Small mushrooms will be seen appearing on the medium in about three weeks. An ideal environment must be maintained during all this time by keeping it moist, dark and cool as this will go a long way towards encouraging faster growth. After sometime, you will see that their caps are now fully separated from their stems. This is an indicator that your mushrooms are now ready for harvesting. To harvest them, the only tool you need is your fingers and you just need to pluck then. For purposes of hygiene and looking after your health, make sure that you rinse them thoroughly before you cook or eat them.

Source: http://www.homesteadbackyard.com/2014/05/how-to-grow-mushrooms.html