How to grow oyster mushrooms at home?

How to grow oyster mushrooms at home? By a certain technology. Then you don't have to spend money on buying mushrooms. And it will certainly be possible to safely eat them without fear of poisoning.

Where to begin

You always need to start by getting to know the experience of other people, so to speak - studying the materiel. There are many articles and videos about growing oyster mushrooms at home. After acquaintance, you will need:

Two rooms. One directly for growing, the second for the incubation period. It is assumed that this will be one room. Then it is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime and regulate the level of air humidity.

• Nutrient substrate. Sold ready-made, packaged.
• The mycelium itself. Pay special attention to the expiration date.
• Fan. The most common, household.
• Antiseptic. Rubbing alcohol or chlorine solution.
• Rubber gloves, a gauze bandage for the face, a sharp knife, thick plastic bags.

Naturally, you have to be patient (a process of more than one day) and the desire to taste your own grown oyster mushrooms.

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Requirements for the premises

For growing mushrooms at home, you need to allocate a separate room. It doesn't have to be a bedroom or living room. A basement, a cellar, a shed, a garage - they all fit perfectly. For the incubation period, the temperature should be maintained no higher than 24-26 ° С, the air humidity should be no more than 70%.

Separately, it must be said about cleanliness. Do not wash every centimeter with bleach.It is better to treat it with a sulfur-smoke bomb or simply whitewash the walls with lime with the addition of copper sulfate. Then no extraneous mold will infect the mycelium.

The main condition is that all ventilation openings must be closed with a fine mesh. Mushroom flies strive to fly into the aroma of mycelium and ruin the whole idea from the very beginning.

For the period of germination and harvesting, the humidity in the room should be at the level of 80-95%, the temperature should not be higher than 18 ° C.

Advice. A basement or cellar is the most optimal room. In such places, there is always high humidity, and the temperature can be increased with an ordinary heater.

Preparing the substrate for oyster mushrooms

As a nutrient medium for growing oyster mushrooms at home, you can use any substrate available, as long as it contains cellulose. It is she who feeds on the mycelium. Experienced mushroom growers use sawdust, small branches or shavings. For beginners, it is best to use:

• barley straw
• sunflower seed husks
• corn stalks, leaves
• wheat straw
• buckwheat husk
• corn cobs

First of all, you need to carefully sort out the prepared raw materials. The mass must be clean and dry. The presence of mold or the presence of only the smell of decay already indicates that the raw materials are not suitable for growing oyster mushrooms.

After taking the mass, it is necessary to thermally process it for reliability. This will get rid of harmful bacteria, insect larvae, and at the same time moisturize it. For this, raw materials are poured into metal dishes, poured with clean water. Heat to a boil, boil for about 40 minutes. Then leave for 3 hours.

Then the excess water is drained, and the raw materials are put under a press to remove the remaining liquid. Alternatively, the substrate is poured into a tissue bag and hung.

As soon as the temperature of the mass drops to 24-26 ° C, you can start planting.

Advice. For best results, a little fresh yeast is added to the raw material before planting. Approximately 50 g per 15 kg total weight.

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Planting material

It is very difficult to prepare a good quality mycelium on your own. Therefore, it is better to buy it from seed shops or from oyster mushroom growers. How many grams do you need? The calculation is very simple. For 10 kg of raw materials, you need about 400 g of mycelium.

First of all, before buying, you need to carefully examine the package with planting material. Gray or black spots, a distinct smell of ammonia are signs of incipient mold. This mycelium is not suitable for planting. The color of the vegetative body of the fungus should be from bright yellow to orange.

It is not recommended to order planting material through Internet resources. Indeed, the photograph may show something completely different from what will be in the package.

Advice. If the mycelium was purchased in advance, then it must be stored in the refrigerator before planting, no more than 9 days. Temperature 3-5 ° С is the most optimal.

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The most crucial moment

The substrate has been prepared, the planting material has been purchased and has already lain for a day at room temperature. We took a deep breath, we can start.

The most important thing is that there should be no slightest draft in the room. Fungal spores are very volatile. The slightest breath and then you can find oyster mushrooms in places that are completely unsuitable for them.

All instruments must be disinfected. Knife, tight bags, hands. You can wash it thoroughly with laundry soap or wipe it with aseptoline. Hands can be additionally protected with gloves. They also need to be treated with an antiseptic. Be sure to wear a gauze bandage. The ingestion of fungal spores into the lungs is not a very pleasant event.

The process itself:

• The mycelium is crumbled without opening the bag.
• Raw materials are poured into the bottom of the prepared plastic bag.
• Oyster mushroom vegetative body is laid out on top with a thin layer.
• Layers are repeated all the way to the top.
• The bag is tightly tied.

In order for the mushrooms to sprout faster, it is advisable to lay out the planting material closer to the walls of the bag than to the center.

You can do it even easier. Raw materials are poured into prepared bags, small cuts are made with a knife. Mycelium is laid in them, then sealed.

Advice. Don't take huge packages. Anyway, oyster mushrooms will only grow outside. The most optimal size holds about 5-8 kg of the finished mixture.

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Incubation period

So, the bags are full, tied, awaiting their fate. Which? Warmth, darkness, tranquility. The incubation room should have a temperature not higher than 18-20 ° C. The substrate gets very hot, the vegetative body may die. It is impossible to ventilate the room, the emitted carbon dioxide is very important for the germination of oyster mushrooms.

What to do? Fan! Saves the day, helps to cool the bags, does not make drafts.

One day after the laying, the previously made incisions are opened. If the mycelium was laid in layers, then it is imperative to make cuts with a sharp knife. Vertical 2-3 cm high, horizontal about 0.5 cm wide, the distance between them is 10-12 cm.

Packages should not fit tightly to each other. A free space of at least 7-9 cm is left between them.

The incubation time depends on the variety, ranging from 16 to 24 days. Detailed information can be obtained from the manufacturer, or read on the packaging.

It is important to periodically enter the room and inspect the bags. The appearance of black spots and an unpleasant odor indicates that the tools and materials were not sufficiently disinfected. The normal state is a light, almost white color of the contents, a characteristic pleasant aroma of mushrooms.

Advice. Inspection is carried out as quickly as possible. Any light is now not desirable for the mycelium.

First fruiting. Important aspects

It is important not to miss the moment when oyster mushroom rudiments appear. They can be seen with the naked eye. On a white background - gray tubercles. In the meantime, bags with mushrooms are transferred to another room, or the conditions are changed in the same:

• The temperature is reduced to 10-18 ° C.
• Increase air humidity up to 90-95%.
• They put artificial lighting with fluorescent lamps for a period of at least 8 hours per day.
• Be sure to ventilate the room. At least 4 times a day.

The main factor for the first fruiting period is moisture. However, it is impossible to water the oyster mushrooms. They can rot before reaching their size. The ideal way out of the situation would be frequent spraying of walls, floors, spraying water in the air. Care should be taken not to get water on the mushroom caps and bags.

Advice. If light-colored oyster mushrooms are needed, then the temperature is kept at 12 ° C. To obtain a dark cap, the temperature is raised to 18 ° C.

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Second fruiting

After the first harvest is harvested, the mushroom blocks are not thrown away! Oyster mushroom gives up to 5 harvests from one planting. The mushroom holder rests for about 12 days, then pleases with a new portion of a healthy treat. It is very important not to change conditions during breaks between harvests. Then one block can bear fruit up to 4 months.

And if there is no separate room

How to grow oyster mushrooms at home if there is no separate room? It's also very simple! When did this stop a Russian person if he needed to? There is no basement, which means growing on stumps is a completely alternative option.

This will require:

• Smooth stumps of non-resinous trees.
• Planting material.
• A secluded spot in the garden with good shade.
• Burlap, film.
• Enthusiasm is welcome.

The wood must be healthy, free from mold, rot or debris. It is advisable that before use it lay no longer than 10 months. Poles are soaked in clean water for 3 days, pressing with oppression so that they do not float.

Then holes are made in the tree, preferably with a drill. Diameter about 1-1.5 cm, depth about 5-7 cm.Oyster mushroom planting material is poured inside, the holes are plugged with moss. If there is no drill at hand, then they simply cut off the upper end of a log 5 cm thick, apply a vegetative body. The resulting saw cut is placed on top. For reliability, you can strengthen the structure with nails.

The procedure is carried out in March. Before the logs are planted in the garden, they are folded into a pyramid, covered with burlap and foil. Periodic ventilation, regular inspection for mold growth is the key to success. After a while, the mycelium will completely braid the wood, the hemp will turn white.

With the onset of warm weather (mid or late May), the woods are planted in the garden. They choose shaded places: under trees, vines, on the north side of buildings. The stumps are installed vertically, burying 12-15 cm into the ground. Damp foliage or soaked old barley grains can be placed at the bottom of the holes.

Taking care of the logs consists only in carefully watering the soil around it, if the weather is dry and hot.

Subject to the technology, the first harvest appears from the end of August. Lasts until mid-November depending on climate and weather conditions. For the winter, the poles are covered with spruce branches or covered with leaves. Ideally birch. They disinfect well and do not allow the mycelium to rot.

Of course, this method is not suitable for industrial cultivation of oyster mushrooms, but very good for home use. Good yields can be obtained at low cost. The only negative is seasonality. Oyster mushrooms do not grow under the snow in winter.

Advice. Such poles with bunches of oyster mushrooms can become an original decoration of the site. They can be cooked as much as there is enough free land. There will be enough mushrooms for themselves and their relatives and for sale.

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Several nuances

1. All work on the cultivation of oyster mushrooms is recommended to be carried out in a gauze bandage. Mushrooms secrete a large number of spores, which can lead to allergies.
2. When harvesting, oyster mushrooms are twisted by hand from the substrate. When cutting with a knife, you can infect the mycelium with putrefactive bacteria, then you will have to forget about the next crops. The remaining roots of the mushrooms also harm the mycelium. A large amount of moisture is lost through them.
3. If the slightest signs of mold appear in one of the bags, you must immediately remove it from the room so that the rest does not become infected.
4. The spent substrate is an excellent fertilizer, it will be a pity to throw it in the trash. Taking it out into the garden or pouring it out in the garden is the right decision. By the way, the remains of mycelium next year can give a small harvest of oyster mushrooms, if you pour the mixture somewhere near a reservoir or under trees.
5. When grown indoors, the first two waves of fruiting are the most productive. The second and third years of cultivation are the most prolific on the woodlands.

Growing oyster mushrooms on your own at home is a very real thing. Just follow the instructions and enjoy the result!

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Video: technology for growing oyster mushrooms

Growing mushrooms at home allows you to pamper yourself with this tasty and healthy product all year round, and can also become an excellent source of additional income. Oyster mushrooms are one of the simplest types of mushrooms of their kind. Anyone who has decided to try their hand at mushroom growing can feel like a master growing oyster mushrooms. This variety is very unpretentious and does not require special care. Where is the best place to grow oyster mushrooms at home and what is needed for this? Let's try to figure it out!

Features of growing oyster mushrooms: necessary conditions and premises

Oyster mushrooms or oyster mushrooms are a unique species that can sprout on any soil, be it dry grass, thyrsa, coffee grounds or even cotton fabric. This stunted plant is able to extract nutrients from everything in its environment. Another advantage of the species is its fast growth rate.Already two weeks after sowing, the first crop can be harvested.

Growing oyster mushrooms does not require any special knowledge and skills. The best place for growing oyster mushrooms will be the basement or cellar of a private house. Oyster mushrooms are not thermophilic and do not need a lot of light. If you do not have a basement, they can be grown in a greenhouse in a country house or shed. Despite the simplicity and the absence of excessive maintenance of mushrooms, the growing room must be properly prepared.

The following equipment should be installed in the room and special conditions for growing oyster mushrooms should be created:

1. Growing equipment (bags). The choice of equipment depends on the method of growing oyster mushrooms. The most convenient and economical option is bag cultivation. To do this, you need special supports with hangers, on which the bags with the substrate are suspended. It is best to use plastic equipment, it does not corrode and is much cheaper. By the way, oyster mushrooms can also be grown on stumps.
2. Room temperature. This mushroom does not need high temperatures, so there is no need to create a greenhouse. It will be enough to insulate the room and carry out thermal insulation to retain moisture. Naturally, elementary heating devices must be present so that the temperature does not fall below 13 ° C. An elevated temperature is necessary only at the initial stage after planting the mycelium (22 ° C - 25 ° C). Infrared lamps can be used for additional heating.
3. Humidity. Oyster mushrooms are very fond of moisture, so the air in the growing room must be constantly humidified. It is very easy to do this using nebulizers or special electronic humidifiers. The humidity level should be around 70-90%.
   
4. Ventilation and lighting. All mushrooms grow in the fresh air and oyster mushrooms are no exception. The room must be systematically ventilated. This can be done manually, or you can install special hoods that will deliver fresh air. Again, purchasing such equipment is expensive, so unless you plan to grow large quantities of oyster mushrooms for sale, it won't be cost effective. When it comes to lighting, you need to install fluorescent garden lamps. You won't need a lot of them, since this type of mushroom does not require a lot of light.
5. Cleanliness and pest free. To grow a large, and most importantly, a healthy crop, the premises must be clean. If the basement is heated by groundwater, and there is fungus or bloom on the walls, this can seriously affect the yield. The mushrooms will hurt, light spots will appear on them, the mushrooms will lose their density, become soft. To protect future plantings, it is necessary to disinfect the premises. First, they thoroughly clean the walls, ceiling and floor, remove all dirt and mold. Then, all surfaces are sprayed with a solution of sulfate, and the walls and ceiling are covered with a solution of lime and copper sulfate.

Video: a room for growing oyster mushrooms in the basement

Note! If there is a fungus in the room, it is better not to use it as a greenhouse. High humidity, which is necessary for growing mushrooms, will only aggravate the situation, the disease will affect crops, they will become inedible and poisonous.

How to grow oyster mushrooms at home: growing technology

Having decided on the location of the mushroom greenhouse, after thoroughly disinfecting the premises and installing the necessary equipment, you can proceed to the very process of growing the mushrooms. The technology of growing oyster mushrooms involves several stages.

Video: step-by-step instructions for breeding oyster mushrooms at home

Substrate preparation

The key to a rich harvest is a high-quality substrate. Although it is generally accepted that oyster mushrooms are indiscriminate in this regard, the soil should still be fertile.

The best substrates for breeding oyster mushrooms are:

• dry straw of wheat, barley and buckwheat;
• hardwood sawdust;
• sunflower seed husks;
• dried stalks and cobs of corn.

Choose the amount of substrate according to the amount of mushrooms you want to grow. So, one bag for growing oyster mushrooms is designed for 5 kg of substrate. All components of the substrate should be clean and dry, they should not be moldy or rotten, they should not be rotted. It is best to disinfect the selected substrate by heat treatment. Next, you need to grind these components to a fraction of 4-5 cm and mix. Repeated heat treatment for two hours and squeeze out.

Actually, the substrate for growing oyster mushrooms is ready.

Selection and purchase of mycelium

For growing oyster mushrooms at home, it is best to use grain mycelium. It is very convenient to sow and does not require additional processing.

When buying mycelium, pay attention to its appearance. The grains should be yellow with a slight orange tint. It is strictly forbidden to buy mycelium, on which dark spots are visible - this is the first indication of the presence of mold. You can also determine the quality of the planting material by smell, it must be fresh and smell like mushrooms. If you smell a slight ammonia smell, it means that the mycelium was stored incorrectly and has deteriorated.

Be sure to pay attention to the manufacturer's company, it is better if it is a well-known and large manufacturer in the seed market, read reviews of gardeners on the Internet. Do not buy large quantities of mycelium at once, take a trial batch. If the mycelium germinates without problems, forms good and healthy mycelium, you can purchase a large batch.

If you want to make your own oyster mushroom mycelium, then read this article.

Landing

Before proceeding with planting, the mycelium must be placed in a room where oyster mushrooms will grow for a day. This is done in order to equalize the temperature and the mycelium does not die from shock.

To grow oyster mushrooms in bags, it is imperative that it first be disinfected or thermally treated. An effective way of processing is washing with a solution of bleach.

The optimal volume of the bag should be at least 5 kg.

Further, the planting of oyster mushroom mycelium or the formation of mushroom blocks is as follows:

1. There is a layer-by-layer filling of the bag with a substrate and mycelium. For every 5 centimeters of the substrate, there should be about 0.5 cm of mycelium. The top and bottom layers in the bag should be substrate.
2. At the end of the filling of the mushroom block, the bag is tightly tied at the neck.
3. Then small holes are cut at a distance of 10 cm from each other, with a diameter of no more than 2 cm. The cuts are best done in a checkerboard pattern.

Attention! The planting of mycelium and the cultivation of oyster mushrooms are carried out in separate rooms, since there is a high risk of infection of myceliums.

Video: how to make a perforation of a mushroom block

Further care

In the period from planting to the formation of myceliums, temperature room air should be 18 ° C - 20 ° C. As soon as they are visible first fungi formations, the temperature is lowered to 13 ° C - 15 ° C. This is the optimum temperature for growing all types of oyster mushrooms.

It is very important to maintain humidity air. Watering the substrate is strictly prohibited, since in wet soil the mycelium begins to rot. Even if the myceliums survive, all the mushrooms will hurt, rot and dark spots will begin to appear on them. To achieve optimal humidity in the room, you can hang wet sheets or any other wet cloth. Open containers with water are left near the heating devices, in this way the moisture evaporates faster and saturates the air.

Harvesting

The fruiting period for oyster mushrooms is only 30 - 35 days, which is a very short period. The thing is that these mushrooms have a very high frequency of fruiting: every 7 to 9 days. That is, already 9 days after planting the mycelium, you can harvest the first full harvest.

It is customary to cut the mushrooms with a knife carefully so as not to damage the main root attached to the mycelium. When collecting mushrooms, absolutely all fruits cannot be cut from one mycelium. It is necessary to leave 2 - 3 of the smallest mushrooms on the stem, otherwise the mycelium may dry out and stop bearing fruit.

Video: how to properly harvest oyster mushrooms

Important! After the last crop of mushrooms has been harvested, the substrate and bags must be disposed of. They are not recyclable. The room is well cleaned, ventilated and disinfected. It will be possible to re-breed mushrooms only 2 weeks after all harvesting work.

Video: technology for growing oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushroom diseases and pests: control measures and precautions

It happens that during the fruiting period, the mushrooms begin to hurt. A variety of factors can be the cause of such diseases. If all disinfection work has been carried out in the room, diseases should not disturb the crop.

The main number of fungal diseases lies in the substrate... As a rule, bacteria enter along with wet and rotten straw.

Important! If you are not sure about the quality of the substrate, it heat treatedbefore planting the mycelium. It is placed in a large container and poured with boiling water, after which it is boiled for 2 hours, then squeezed and dried.

In a damp substrate, the mushrooms begin to rot, the legs darken and become soft. This disease is called dark rot. If, nevertheless, she overtook the plantings, it is necessary to remove all diseased plants along with the substrate.

Very often oyster mushrooms are attacked mushroom flies, a little less often - ticks. These parasites are also born in the mycelium when the air is too humid and the room is not ventilated. Light pits appear on the mushrooms, like small bites. Naturally, such mushrooms must be removed immediately, and the room must be disinfected. Do this with smoke bomb, which is left for a day in a hermetically sealed room, and then thoroughly ventilate it.

It is necessary to carefully monitor the state of the mushrooms from the formation of the mycelium to the last fruiting. If one of the myceliums is infected, the entire bag will have to be thrown away, and this will significantly reduce the yield increase.

Summarize. Based on all of the above, it can be understood that growing oyster mushrooms at home is a very simple but time-consuming process. To do this, you will need to purchase special equipment, prepare the premises and fertile soil, and purchase high-quality mycelium. Further, it all depends on your patience and hard work. With proper care, up to 9 kg of mushrooms can be harvested from one bag. Growing oyster mushrooms is a great option for getting your first experience in mushroom growing.

Video: how to grow oyster mushrooms at home

Foods such as mushrooms are valuable and nutritious foods. At home, the cultivation of oyster mushrooms and mushrooms has become widespread. Such cultivation guarantees the absence of carcinogenic substances and nitrates, which are easily absorbed by the fungi.

Oyster mushrooms are recommended for use by patients with hypertension, cancer and some others. They slow down the aging process, help rejuvenation.

The article describes how to grow mushrooms and make your own oyster mushroom mycelium.

What is oyster mushroom mycelium, the history of excretion

The mycelium of any fungus, including oyster mushrooms, is called its vegetative body, in other words, the mycelium, consisting of the finest branched root-filaments.The development of mycelium occurs inside the substrate and on its surface. You can get this extensive network both at home and in laboratory methods.

In their natural habitat, fungi reproduce mainly by spores. In order to answer the question of how to make oyster mushroom mycelium within the walls of a laboratory, scientists have tried several different methods.

At the beginning, fragments of mycelium for reproduction in specially adapted greenhouses were taken in the forest, in places of accumulation of mushrooms, then they were planted in prepared soil. After it was completely intertwined with mushroom threads, the substrate was dried and was ready for breeding. The qualitative characteristics of such material were weak, the mycelium degenerated and gave meager yields.

Later, in France, a method was found for removing mycelium from fungal spores under artificial conditions, which was very limited in use and also did not take root.

The last and all accepted patented method was the cultivation of oyster mushroom mycelium on the grain of almost any grain crops, sawdust, and straw.

Mushroom growing methods

Oyster mushrooms are very unpretentious mushrooms that quickly yield yields. Within a month and a half after disembarkation, you can make the first collection. About ten kilograms of mushrooms per month are usually obtained from a square meter of a plot.

Several methods can be used to grow this product:

1. Extensive. This method is an imitation of natural growth and requires a certain area. For him, tree stumps are harvested, cuts are made in them, and first oyster mushroom caps are placed in them, and then parts of the mycelium. The method depends on the weather conditions: under unfavorable circumstances, the growth of mushrooms can be delayed for three months.
2. Intensive. In this way, mushrooms are grown, for example, in plastic bags. It is very efficient, low labor cost and inexpensive.

To grow mushrooms at home, mycelium can be obtained in two ways: buy oyster mushroom mycelium, the price of which is currently about 150 rubles. per kilo, or make it yourself.

Making mycelium

Oyster mushroom mycelium - mycelium - is planted in the substrate, where it will germinate. At home, do-it-yourself oyster mushroom mycelium can be grown on wood or grain. Cultivation takes place in three stages in the following way:

1. Obtaining uterine mycelium. It is made in the laboratory from spores and stored in test tubes or propagated from pieces of mushroom tissue.
2. Preparation of the intermediate mycelium. At this stage, the mother culture is transferred from the test tubes, where it was stored, to the nutrient medium, where the base for the seed mycelium begins to develop.
3. Getting the seed mycelium. The intermediate material is sown into the substrate, where it grows. Parts of this substrate are used to sow the area where the mushrooms will be grown directly.

How to prepare the base for planting

To obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to properly prepare the soil for planting. The manufacturing technology provides that for this it is necessary to grind dry and clean husks, straw and husks (barley or wheat), and then heat them. These actions will remove from the composition of the insects that got into it during collection.

In order to thermally treat the substrate, it is placed in a large metal basin, poured with hot water (70 ° C) and boiled for a couple of hours, after which the liquid is drained and the mass is cooled to room temperature. To check the saturation with moisture, a small amount of the mixture is squeezed in a fist: for normal humidity (about 70%), a little moisture should come out or nothing at all, waterlogging is not allowed.

For cultivation, both a greenhouse with stumps installed in it and large plastic bags at home on the balcony are suitable.Below we will consider how to cook oyster mushroom mycelium at home, plant and grow mushrooms. Oyster mushroom is the only mushroom that can be easily grown if all the necessary conditions are observed.

Oyster mushroom mycelium at home: stage one

To obtain the uterine mycelium, parts of the fruiting body of fresh mushrooms are taken. Divide the oyster mushroom in two and cut a small piece out of the leg. Then it must be dipped in a solution of hydrogen peroxide for disinfection - the material is ready for planting in a nutrient medium.

Then a processed piece is placed in a container with a nutrient substance and closed with a stopper disinfected by fire. Such home production of oyster mushroom mycelium requires mandatory sterility, therefore, after processing, the material is not touched by hands, but taken with auxiliary tools, the room must also be kept clean.

A closed container with seedlings placed inside in an inclined position is left in the dark for a couple of weeks.

Agar from wort, carrot, oatmeal, potato or glucose can serve as a nutrient medium in this production. After cooking, it is sterilized, poured into containers and waiting for solidification, after which a piece of mushroom is introduced.

Stage two: obtaining intermediate mycelium

The second stage is directly breeding oyster mushroom mycelium. The production technology of the intermediate mycelium of the oyster mushroom requires the use of cereal grains. For these purposes, healthy, high-quality grains are used, which are boiled for fifteen minutes in a ratio of material and water of one to two. Then the boiled grains must be dried well and mixed with calcium carbonate and gypsum.

Next, the mixture is placed in glass containers, filling them by two-thirds, and sterilized. After processing, pieces of the nutrient medium prepared earlier are placed in the resulting substance. After two to three weeks, when the mycelium grows, it can be laid for storage, previously laid out in plastic bags. It is allowed to store mycelium for three months at temperatures from zero to twenty degrees.

Properly prepared do-it-yourself intermediate oyster mushroom mycelium, which is developed and viable, looks like a lush white bloom with a pleasant mushroom smell.

To plant the seed mycelium, perform similar actions, sowing more spacious containers. To do this, add one spoonful of intermediate mycelium to liter jars. This prepares the substrate for further growing mushrooms on it.

Conditions for planting mycelium

You can grow oyster mushrooms in an old barn, stone garage, or other suitable space. The criterion for its selection can be considered:

• the possibility of creating high humidity, which must be maintained at a level of 85-90%;
• maintaining the ambient temperature in the region of 15-20 degrees - at a higher temperature, the mushrooms cease to bear fruit;
• creation of a good ventilation system - the accumulation of carbon dioxide is unacceptable due to the high sensitivity of fungi to it;
• the possibility of sufficient lighting - sunlight without direct rays or fluorescent lamps for nine hours a day.

Mushroom growing technology

After the oyster mushroom mycelium has been grown with your own hands, you can start planting it, which is performed as follows. At the bottom of the plastic bag, a substrate in the amount of one kilogram is laid out, and on it is a layer of mycelium, and so on in layers to the very top. The ratio of the weight of the substrate and mycelium in the bag should be 1: 0.05. The mycelium should be placed closer to the sides of the bag, in which slots should be made to allow air to enter. The weight of the finished block is 13-15 kg.

After filling, the polyethylene blocks are left in the dark at a temperature of about plus twenty Celsius - a higher temperature can lead to the death of the mycelium, since it can be ten to fifteen degrees hotter inside the block.

After two weeks, the block looks like a white monolith. Before the appearance of primordia, the block is sprayed from time to time to maintain humidity and strictly observe temperature conditions. After the appearance of primordia, in a couple of days they become full-fledged adult mushrooms. It is not necessary to water them during growth, but it is important to ventilate the room well. When the edges are aligned on the caps, the crop is ready for harvest.

Conditions for the preservation of mycelium

In industrial conditions, the mycelium is stored in low-temperature conditions or in liquid nitrogen. This content allows you to maximally preserve the properties of the material and its germination without loss of qualities. The process of freezing and subsequent defrosting for disembarkation is carried out slowly under the supervision of specialists.

In home-made conditions, mycelium is best stored in types of refrigerators that allow the freezer temperature to be set to minus twenty degrees Celsius. This will allow the material to not deteriorate and not lose its quality.

After defrosting for a short time, the mycelium restores its vegetative functions.

It is important not to allow multiple abrupt changes in temperature conditions, that is, defrosting and re-freezing. This can significantly impair the quality of the mycelium, which, accordingly, will negatively affect the yield of the mycelium.

Useful tips for mushroom pickers

For the successful cultivation of mycelium and the harvest of mushrooms, the following rules must be observed:

• The ideal substrate is sawdust of deciduous trees.
• The color of the used sawdust should be white or yellow, this will serve as a guarantee of their freshness.
• The substrate should have a fresh odor, free from rot.
• When transporting mycelium, the required moisture content should be maintained within 30-45%. The same conditions must be observed inside the plastic bag in which the oyster mushroom is grown.
• It will take about 300 grams of mycelium to be put into one block bag measuring 35 X 75 cm, you need to know this in order to accurately calculate the required amount of material. It is highly undesirable to buy for future use or to defrost an excess amount of mycelium due to the short shelf life and loss of sowing qualities.
• When producing mycelium and planting it in a substrate, strict sanitation rules must be followed to avoid pest infestation: containers, tools and hands must be disinfected.

In general, if you follow the rules and technology for growing oyster mushroom mycelium, and then the mushroom itself, you can achieve good results with not a very large investment of funds and efforts. With an attentive attitude to the process, even a beginner can handle it.

The technology of growing and breeding oyster mushrooms at home with your own hands is quite simple, even an amateur can handle it. However, before you get down to business and grow mushrooms, you should familiarize yourself with the existing methods and requirements for the environment in which mushrooms will develop normally. Where to start and how to make the process from scratch, we will tell you step by step, and even a beginner will find it easy to breed and plant mushrooms.

Conditions for growing oyster mushrooms at home

You can organize a place for the cultivation of mushrooms in basements, cellars or specially designed rooms at a summer cottage. For the cultivation of oyster mushrooms, you need to create the following conditions:

• the ability to set and maintain a temperature regime within 10-20 degrees;
• equip the room ventilation system for the removal of carbon dioxide and lamps with fluorescent lamps;
• set humidity mode 70-90%.

Due to their properties, mushrooms absorb elements of the environment, including toxins.Therefore, it is important that all surfaces in the basement are disinfected. free from signs of mold and pests... It is necessary to maintain cleanliness until the very end of the harvest.

When growing oyster mushrooms, it is important to keep it clean until harvest.

The temperature regime in which oyster mushroom grows well is limited to marks from 20 to 28 degrees.

How to grow mushrooms at home

There are several ways to grow oyster mushrooms at home. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, so it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with all the intricacies of technologyto choose the one that suits you best.

How to dissolve in bags with your own hands

The substrate can be purchased ready-made or prepared with your own hands. The best raw material for oyster mushrooms is barley or wheat straw... Also suitable:

• hardwood shavings;
• buckwheat husk;
• sunflower husk;
• corn cobs and stalks.

The components used must grind to 5-10 cm.

Ready substrate for growing oyster mushrooms

Those who are just starting to master the technology of growing mushrooms at home are advised to refrain from using sawdust. This method is complex and requires special requirements.

Before using the substrate, it is necessary to carry out disinfection material. For this, it is subjected to heat treatment.

Step-by-step procedure for the disinfection of the substrate:

• the selected crushed raw material is poured into a metal tank or a spacious pan;
• fill the container with water (proportions 1: 2);
• bring the contents of the pan to a boil and cook for about 2-2.5 hours.

The finished base should be wet and soft, but do not overdo it with water. The correct composition releases the minimum amount of moisture during spinning.

In addition to the substrate, the seed (mycelium) is placed in the bag. It is not worth buying a lot at once, it quickly deteriorates. With proper care, from 1 kg of raw materials you can get up to 3 kg of oyster mushrooms.

The base is laid in the bags in layers, alternating the ball of the substrate with the seed. The bags are filled tightly without tamping. After tightly tying the edges of the container, cross-shaped holes are cut with a blade on the surface of the polyethylene. They need to be arranged at intervals of 10 cm in a checkerboard pattern.

Oyster mushroom mycelium in packing

For 2 weeks, the bag is lowered into the basement for an incubation period at a temperature 19-23 degrees... Lighting is not required at this stage.

The main advantage of the method is the simplicity of the technology. However, there is often poor or no fruiting. In such cases, you need to sort out the substrate and check for mold.

Mushroom picking begins 1.5 months after planting. Two crops are taken from one bag.

Step-by-step technology for breeding on stumps

There are two main ways of growing oyster mushrooms: intensive and extensive. In the first case, special premises with favorable conditions. The second method is the technology of mushroom cultivation open air... The timing of the harvest depends entirely on weather conditions.

If there is neither a felling nor a cellar at the dacha, you should not be upset. You can grow oyster mushrooms directly on stumps or scraps of hardwood (chestnut, ash, poplar, beech, etc.).

Sowing dates begin in the spring in establishing positive temperatures. The cuttings are soaked for 1-2 days before use. This procedure is not performed with a fresh tree.

In the country, you can use stumps to grow oyster mushrooms.

On the stumps, holes are pre-made with a diameter 10 mm with deepening on 5-6 cm... The seed is placed in the holes and covered with moss or adhesive tape. A stick-shaped mycelium is enough to insert into the hole and close it with plasticine.

The place for growing mushrooms is selected in the shadow under the dense crowns of trees. This is necessary to prevent the oyster mushrooms from drying out during the warm season.

When using logs, digging holes and laying wet sawdust on the bottom are provided. Further, soaked wood scraps are inserted into the prepared recesses and buried with soil for a third of the length (at least 15 cm). The spacing between stumps should be 35-50 cm.

Further care of the mushroom beds is to water the soil around the blanks. The timing of the collection of oyster mushrooms more often falls on Aug. Sept... Such a plantation will yield good growth up to 5 years with the most generous fruiting 2-3 years after planting.

On substrate briquettes

Substrate briquettes are polyethylene sleevestuffed tightly with filler. Pre-applied on the surface of the film perforation round or other shape. The holes can be evenly spaced throughout the block, or span only two sides.

In the first case, when fixing the briquettes, their contact must not be allowed, in contrast to double-sided perforation, where the junction has no holes.

The most popular are the capacities of the following parameters:

• weight - 15 kg;
• length - 70 cm;
• diameter - 25 cm.

The density of the substrate in the sleeve, the level of humidity and the environment depends on the raw materials used and the method of its heat treatment.

There are many options for placing substrate briquettes. They can be suspended 2-3 pieces per rope or hang each one individually on the fittings. The weight of the bags is quite heavy, which provides stability when stacking blocks Each other... The result is a solid wall.

Substrate briquettes

The arrangement of briquettes on the shelves is also allowed. in vertical or horizontal position. The rope stretched from the back of the shelves acts as a safety net against falling or falling of the substrate. When growing mushrooms at home, the decision on the placement of bags is made based on the characteristics of the room.

The advantages of the method:

• convenient application;
• easy care;
• getting a quick harvest (after 1.5-2 months).

The disadvantage is the additional costs for the purchase of substrate briquettes.

On racks

Briquettes or bags with substrate and seed in the basement or cellar can be placed on racks if space permits. The shelves themselves should be made of wood or rolled steel. Blocks are placed vertically or horizontally.

The racks are manufactured in various designs. Craftsmen independently develop drawings, providing safety elements that prevent the bags from falling. One of the options is equipped with special pins on the shelves, on top of which blocks are placed. Due to this, their stability is increased.

It is permissible to install mushroom sleeves in several tiers, but no more than three... In this case, the distance between the shelves should be 70 cm, and between mushroom bags - 15-40 cm.

Racks for growing oyster mushrooms

When installing mushroom containers in 2 or 3 tiers, it is necessary to leave a free space under the lower blocks of at least 30 cm to ensure normal air circulation.

This method of growing oyster mushrooms is characterized by convenient maintenance and harvesting. However, not all summer cottages and cellars have a sufficient amount of space for installing shelving.

How to make mycelium for oyster mushrooms

It is not difficult to buy ready-made mycelium, but you can only evaluate the quality of your purchase after a few weeks. If a low-quality product is identified, it will no longer be possible to compensate for the costs of raw materials and energy resources, therefore many mushroom growers master the technology of mycelium production on their own.

The mycelium is planting material, which is introduced into the substrate to obtain a harvest of mushrooms.

At home, mycelium is grown mainly on wood or grain... The method with wood is appropriate to use with the subsequent replanting of mycelium on hemp. This seed has a long shelf life and disease resistance. The cereal appearance is obtained by applying the mother culture to a substrate of cereal grains.

A high quality mushroom is obtained in laboratory conditions... At home, this process can be repeated by preparing special equipment in advance:

• agar;
• thermometer;
• tweezers;
• test tubes;
• pipettes.

Also, work will require water, electricity, gas.

The devices and the surface on which the work is planned to be performed must be pre-treated with an alcohol solution for disinfection.

Stages of growing mycelium

1. To obtain uterine mycelium, you need pinch off oyster mushrooms (from the area closer to the cap) a few small pieces. To cleanse the separated fragments from bacteria and parasites, it is recommended to dip them in hydrogen peroxide and dip the processed pieces into test tubes with crushed grains. Carrot, oatmeal, or potato agar can be used in place of the grain medium.

   The tubes are tightly closed and stored in a room with an average humidity level and a temperature of about 20 degrees... After 2 weeks, a white edge will appear in properly prepared tubes. This is the uterine mycelium.

2. To obtain an intermediate mycelium, you should boil cereal grains for 15 minutes. After cooling and drying, they are mixed with chalk and gypsum (for 1-1.5 kg of grains, take 30 grams of gypsum and 10 grams of chalk). The resulting mixture is poured into jars, filling it by 2/3. Then, uterine mycelium from a test tube is added to the container. The neck of the jar is closed with foil, which is fixed with tape. The workpiece is stored in the same conditions as the test tubes for 2-3 weeks... The result is a jar filled with grains and a fringe - an intermediate mycelium.
3. The inoculum is obtained in a similar way, by replacing the intermediate mycelium in clean containers with a substrate. After the growth of the mycelium, it is transferred into bags or briquettes with a substrate in which the mushrooms will be grown.

Growing mycelium in a jar

Care of mushrooms during growth

After replanting the mycelium in the holes of the polyethylene, the bags are sent to incubationwhich takes up to 3 weeks. The temperature regime should not reach 30 degrees, otherwise the planting material will undergo a heat shock.

At this stage no ventilation... The accumulation of carbon dioxide creates favorable conditions for the development of mycelium. All that is required is daily cleaning of surfaces using chlorine-containing products. This will help prevent mold growth.

Next, the bags are placed in a specially equipped room with a temperature 10-20 degrees... The cooler the air, the less saturated the color will be. Lighting should be 12 o'clock with an intensity of 5 kW per 1 m2. The mushrooms are watered with a special sprinkler 1-2 times every day.

In the room where mushrooms are cultivated, there is a high level of spores in the air, so work should be done with a mask and glasses. This will help prevent an allergy attack.

The profitability of growing at home

You can grow mushrooms in several briquettes, satisfying the needs of your family. But this type of activity, with a reasonable approach, sometimes becomes a means of additional income. Moreover, caring for mushroom beds is not considered difficult.

About 350 kg of oyster mushrooms are obtained from 100 bags

If you create optimal conditions for keeping mushroom briquettes (bags) and adhere to the established temperature regime, then 3-3.5 kg of mushrooms can really be removed from one block. Respectively from 100 bags get 350 kg of oyster mushrooms.

Taking into account the market value (approximately 130 rubles per kg), the income will be 45,500 rubles. About half of the funds are spent on related costs associated with creating conditions for the cultivation of mushrooms. The net profit will amount to 20,485 rubles. The profitability in this case is 75%, payback - 5.2 cycles, which translated into months means 13-15 months.

If the dimensions of the premises allow accommodating 200 bags, then the profitability increases to 82%, and the net income will be in the range of 40,000-41,000 rubles. The investment will pay off in just 3.4 cycles or 9 months.

The process of growing oyster mushrooms at home is quite exciting and educational. By accumulating experience, you can gradually increase the volume, which will allow you to turn your hobby into a small business.

The whole kingdom of mushrooms can be conditionally divided into three types: cap, mold and yeast. The first group of mushrooms is the most common; it is its edible representatives that people and animals use. Each of these groups is divided into different subspecies, differing in their characteristics, but their common feature is the uterine body, the scientific name of which is mycelium. You can learn how to grow and get oyster mushroom mycelium from this article.

What is mycelium

The mycelium is the vegetative body of the fungus, which is able to change its structure, depending on the environment, through the formation of special organs. It has thin processes that create a whole network of microscopic fibers. These fibers penetrate into a variety of structures (tree tissue, bark, roots), into the substrate, dead tissues of living organisms, etc., in order to receive useful and nutrient substances from there for their growth. Mycelium is a mother material that is produced from fungal spores in special laboratories. To understand more, it is worth taking a quick look at its structure.

• Vultures. These are the threads that penetrate the fertile surface (wood, plant roots, soil, substrate) and absorb all the minerals necessary for the growth of fungi.
• Sclerotia. Such a strange name was given to dense, solid neoplasms that arise as a result of changes in the vegetative body of fungi. This is a protective reaction of a microorganism to adverse conditions. Thus, it sinks into a hard capsule and is able to maintain its spores under adverse conditions.
• Stroma - small cocoons (mummies) separated from the main body. These are small, dense formations that appear in the tissues of a plant infected with fungal mycelium. The stroma take part in the formation of new forms of mycelium.

These are the three main structural elements of the intermediate mycelium. There are other structural elements that mycelium forms as a result of its germination in a certain soil and in a certain environment.

Features of growing oyster mushroom mycelium at home: advantages in comparison with buying ready-made

The technology of growing oyster mushroom mycelium from grain at home is very popular among amateur mushroom pickers.

Oyster mushroom grain mycelium, as a rule, is made in specialized laboratories, under sterile conditions and at the required temperature. This gives a guarantee of quality, rapid growth and formation of myceliums. Naturally, the most productive will be the cultivation of oyster mushroom mycelium in special greenhouses, where all climatic conditions are observed, in the presence of high-quality, professional equipment and specially trained personnel. But it often happens that people who want to grow mushrooms on their own and in small quantities do not have the opportunity to acquire the mycelium of the desired type of mushrooms in their region.

In such cases, it will be more rational to independently prepare oyster mushroom mycelium for home cultivation. The need for this may be due to the poor quality of the purchased material.This happens very often, because many intermediaries are aimed only at making a profit, without observing all the storage conditions. Such mycelium loses its properties and is not able to fully bear fruit. Therefore, more experienced mushroom growers prefer to prepare planting material on their own.

Based on this, there are several advantages of home production of oyster mushroom mycelium:

• First of all, it is the price. Whatever one may say, the material prepared on its own will cost much cheaper than the finished purchased one.
• You will be 100% sure of its quality, and in some cases, homemade mycelium is superior to laboratory one.

The only one flaw home mycelium - long-term growth rate.

Home production technology:step-by-step instructions for growing oyster mushroom mycelium

It is not difficult to grow oyster mushroom mycelium at home. It is necessary to stock up on patience and faith, as this is a long and laborious process. Most often, the vegetative body is bred on corrugated cardboard or on a tree, but this will require large areas and special conditions. The easiest way to grow good mycelium is on a cereal grain substrate - grain. This technology is used by most of the leading manufacturing companies.

The whole process of obtaining oyster mushroom mycelium can be divided into several stages.

Extraction of uterine mycelium

The uterine body (spores) is the basis for the origin and development of the mycelium as a whole. It is produced from the fruiting body of mushrooms, or rather from their upper part (cap). It is under the cap of the oyster mushroom that the spores are found. Only fresh mushrooms are used for cultivation, without damage or disease.

Note! The most important thing in this business is sterility. It is necessary to completely exclude the contact of the mycelium and the substrate with the environment. All instruments must be sterile, otherwise there is a great chance of bacterial growth in the substrate.

Here is a step-by-step instruction for obtaining oyster mushroom uterine mycelium.

• We cut the mushroom in half and use tweezers to separate a small piece (it is best to choose the area closer to the cap).
• Next, you need to process this piece with hydrogen peroxide, in other words, disinfect it. Thus, we get rid of possible parasites or larvae that could be inside the fungus.
• Then the processed piece of oyster mushroom is placed in a test tube with crushed grain and tightly closed. Agar (carrot, potato, oat) can also be used as a substrate.
• Now you need to leave the vessel for 2 weeks in a warm place, which does not get either drafts or direct sunlight.

Memo! The developing high-quality oyster mushroom mycelium looks like a fluffy white bloom with the aroma of freshly cut mushrooms.

Getting an intermediate mycelium

You can prepare the nutrient soil for growing uterine mycelium yourself. Oat or rye grains are an excellent option.

Important! For the preparation of the substrate, you should not use two types of grains. When interacting with each other, they can ferment, and the uterine mycelium will disappear.

Step-by-step instructions for obtaining an intermediate mycelium:

• The grains are placed in a saucepan and poured with water so that the grain is covered by 3-4 centimeters, and boiled for half an hour.
• Next, the grain is filtered, dried and mixed with gypsum and lime.
• In the meantime, it is necessary to sterilize the jars (in the usual way, as for preservation).
• Then put the substrate in the jars by 2/3 (grain with gypsum and lime).
• Now the planting material obtained at the previous stage must be added to the resulting substance.
• The results should be expected for about 2 weeks, again leaving the jars in a warm room.

Important! If you notice that during the germination of the mycelium, dark spots and black dots began to appear on the grains, this means that foreign bacteria are present in the substrate.Most likely, the substrate or working tool was not sterile enough. Don't panic right away! Place the jars under the light of a quartz lamp for 24 hours, this will help kill all bacteria and prevent them from spreading further.

Step-by-step video tutorial on growing oyster mushroom mycelium at home

How to store oyster mushroom mycelium

It is not very difficult to store oyster mushroom mycelium, because it is not a perishable product.

Oyster mushroom mycelium can be stored for up to 1 year at a temperature of + 1 ... + 5 C on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (in winter it can be a basement).

Mycelium can deteriorate at temperatures above + 30 ... + 32 C.

There are also 2 more ways to store oyster mushroom mycelium for a long time. The first is storage in a freezer at a temperature of -20 C, the second is placing it in liquid nitrogen. The second method is usually used in an industrial setting. Therefore, for home storage of oyster mushroom mycelium, it is necessary to use a freezer.

Note! Repeated thawing and subsequent freezing can damage the material.

For more convenient storage, the mycelium can be packaged in vacuum bags, which are preliminarily heat-treated. They are placed in boiling water for 15 minutes, after which they are dried, and only then the seed itself is packaged in them. With such storage, you need to be especially careful. If you open the bag or its depressurization has occurred due to rupture, it is necessary to urgently disembark, otherwise the mycelium will become unusable. There is no point in re-packing.

Video: how to properly store oyster mushroom mycelium

As it has already become clear, it is quite possible and very simple to grow oyster mushroom uterine mycelium at home. It takes a little patience and responsibility. The main thing is that you will be 100% sure of the quality of your own planting material. An important fact is that the cost of such a product will be three or even four times lower than that of the products of large mycelium production companies. By adhering to clear guidelines for mycelium production, you will be able to grow quality intermediate material for oyster mushroom cultivation.

Video: how to make oyster mushroom grain mycelium at home

The seed material for growing oyster mushrooms is mycelium. Its quality depends not only on the appearance of the mushroom and its size, but also on the volume of the crop. Mycelium can be purchased at specialized retail outlets. But if you wish, you can prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to know how to grow oyster mushroom mycelium at home.

Growing mushroom mycelium at home

Oyster mushroom mycelium, which is offered by commercial structures, is intended for growing mushrooms on an industrial scale. It is grown using a special technology, taking into account further processing with organic and chemical preparations. Therefore, it is almost impossible for a household consumer to control its quality.

Growing oyster mushrooms in buckets

For growing a small batch of mushrooms, it is better to use a self-made mycelium. The main advantage of this method is constant control over the quality of the seed.

For the manufacture of oyster mushroom mycelium, you will need a separate room and sterile dishes. It is important to fully comply with the technology. If the cultivation meets all the recommended rules, the mycelium can be grown in 16-28 days. The term depends on the conditions and variety.

It is important to create the necessary microclimate in the room. For this, a temperature of +24 degrees is maintained around the clock, the humidity should be high 80-90 percent. During the germination of the mycelium, it is impossible to ventilate the room and turn on the light.

To prepare mushroom mycelium at home, you must first prepare:

• Premises
• Equipment
• Dishes
• Agar
• Wheat grain
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Healthy fresh mushroom or mycelium sticks

In an industrial setting, the mycelium is grown in the laboratory. Therefore, when preparing a room at home, it is necessary to create approximate conditions in it. To do this, all surfaces are thoroughly washed out and treated with disinfectants. The room should have water, light and ventilation. You also need to consider a way to heat the room. For this, gas or electric heating is used.

From the equipment you will need a thermometer, tweezers, a vertical rack for test tubes.

If possible, laboratory test tubes made of glass are used as glassware. But you can also use glass jars with sealed lids.

Wheat agar or grain is necessary to create a nutrient medium. Mycelium develops in it.

Peroxide is used to treat a mushroom fragment. It helps to destroy the larvae of harmful insects and diseases.

To maintain sterility, the room is pre-treated with chlorine solution at a concentration of 1%, or the walls are whitewashed with lime. A burner, alcohol and sterile medical gloves are also required. The entire procedure is carried out indoors.

Growing uterine mycelium on agar

All instruments and work surface are preliminarily treated with a disinfectant. The test tubes are calcined on a fire. Then they are filled with a nutrient medium. It is prepared from:

• Potato glucose agar
• Wort agar
• Oat agar
• Carrot agar

With the right freak, the oyster mushroom harvest won't keep you waiting long

To prepare a nutrient medium, it is necessary to dissolve agar in water at room temperature, add a decoction of grains, vegetable juice or glucose to it. The mixture is brought to a boil over low heat and kept on fire until it is completely thickened. Agar is constantly stirring during cooking. Burning in in this case is unacceptable.

Next, the resulting broth is cooled to room temperature and poured into prepared test tubes. They are tilted so that the nutrient mixture has taken up a large area. In this position, the tubes are left until the agar has completely solidified. The mixture should become jelly-like.

Then a fragment of the mushroom is placed in each test tube with tweezers. It is separated from the inside of the cap. Each piece is gently wiped with a swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide, or completely dipped in it. This is necessary for disinfection.

The tube is then sealed tightly. The stopper is pre-sterilized over an alcohol burner.

The finished closed test tubes are placed in a warm, dark place. If the technology has been fully followed, mycelium will appear in the test tube after 14 days. It can be used for sowing into a substrate.

This method of growing oyster mushroom mycelium at home requires effort, since all surfaces and working tools must be carefully processed.

The penetration of various bacteria and parasitic microorganisms into the test tubes can lead to the death of oyster mushroom spores. In this case, mold develops in the test tube. But if you follow all the recommendations when growing oyster mushroom mycelium on agar, you can get high-quality seed in a short time.

Growing uterine mycelium on grain

This method is considered one of the most common ways to grow mushroom mycelium at home.

For this, seeds of corn, oats, millet are used. The most productive option is to grow spores on rye grains.

First results at home

Before sowing, the grain must be prepared. The preparation process consists of three stages:

• First. The grain is boiled in clean water. For this, the prepared container is filled with 30 liters of water. 30 kg of grains are poured into it. After boiling, it is kept on low heat for half an hour.The remaining water is then drained off. The boiled grains are dried and mixed with 350 g gypsum and 95 g chalk. These impurities are necessary to improve ventilation. They also prevent the grains from sticking together and make them crumbly.
• Second. Boiled grains are poured into glass jars with a volume of 2 or 3 liters. The containers are 4/5 full. The neck is covered with a gauze napkin. The cans are then placed in a saucepan or medical autoclaves. Boil jars of grain twice for 2 hours. The interval between sterilization is a day. It is important when cooking to prevent water from entering the jar.
• At the third stage, the sterilized containers are transferred to a disinfected room. The grain is infused for 13-15 hours.

After such preparation, the grain is sown with oyster mushroom spores. For this, pieces of the fruiting body of the mushroom are placed in the container.

Fragments for sowing are best taken from the top, closer to the cap. Mushroom pieces are necessarily disinfected with hydrogen peroxide.

Then the jars are placed in a warm, shaded place. Do not expose them to a draft or direct sunlight.

If the technology is followed, after a couple of weeks, a fluffy coating of white color will appear in containers with grain. This is the oyster mushroom mycelium, which is used to grow mushrooms in the substrate.

When growing oyster mushroom mycelium on grain, it is important to use high-quality seed. For reproduction, a fresh, ripe mushroom with a large cap is selected. It is also important to choose clean grain without chemical treatment.

Growing uterine mycelium on cardboard

The easiest and cleanest way to make your own mushroom mycelium is to grow oyster mushroom mycelium on cardboard.

The advantages of this method:

• Pathogens develop poorly on cardboard
• It quickly colonizes fungal spores.
• On corrugated cardboard, the necessary air is better supplied to the mycelium
• Paper retains moisture well
• Cardboard does not require long-term sterilization
• Cardboard sheets are available to any consumer
• Large amounts of mycelium can be grown on cardboard at low cost.
• It is important to choose your cardboard carefully. It should be free of stamps, inscriptions, stickers, glue and paint. Such places are cut out.

The sequence of growing oyster mushroom mycelium on cardboard:

• Sheets of cardboard are crushed and filled with hot boiled water. Withstand for an hour.
• Plastic containers are being prepared. Drainage holes are made in the bottom. Then the container from the inside and outside is scalded with boiling water.
• The seed is being prepared. These can be special strips with mycelium, fragments of the aerial part of the fungus, or pieces of root. The trunk and cap of the oyster mushroom is divided into fibers using a sterile knife or blade.
• The soaked cardboard is squeezed out and mixed with the seed.
• Then everything fits into prepared containers. The cardboard is lightly tamped. From above, they are covered with a bag or cling film.
• The containers are placed in a dark, warm place.
• Remove the plastic cover for a few seconds every day. It is also important to keep an eye on the moisture content of the cardboard.
• If necessary, moisten with clean water using a spray bottle.
• Subject to the sequence and conditions of mycelium growing, within 1-2 months, the cardboard will be covered with a white, fluffy bloom. This mycelium can be used to cultivate oyster mushrooms at home.

The resulting mycelium can also be used to start a new batch. To do this, pieces of cardboard, densely covered with spores, are laid in clean soaked paper. The quality of the seed does not decrease with this cultivation.

How to prepare a substrate for growing oyster mushrooms at home

Oyster mushroom harvest

Under natural conditions, this mushroom grows on stumps and tree trunks.With artificial cultivation, oyster mushrooms can be grown on wood and in special soil.

The level of yield is influenced by the nutrient composition of the substrate. It should have enough protein and fat. Therefore, the most productive is considered to be a mixture containing cereal straw harvested in regions with a clean environment.

The main components of the substrate are often:

• Cereal straw
• Sunflower husk
• Fruit wood sawdust

It is recommended to use material that was harvested the year before last as straw. In such a mixture, the concentration of nitrogenous compounds increases significantly, the structure becomes more hygroscopic.

High quality sunflower husk is usually harvested at the beginning of the processing season. Such material should contain no more than 3% fat, no more than 5% dust. Its moisture content is not higher than 16%.

The sawdust must also be of high quality. The admixture of softwood shavings is strictly not allowed. If there is cotton wool in the sawdust, this improves the quality of the material. But this impurity is very rare and significantly increases the cost of sawdust.

An incision in the bag for the growth of oyster mushrooms

Also, nutritional and mineral supplements are added to the substrate for growing oyster mushrooms. They are necessary to optimize nitrogen content and maintain acidity. Most often, this is added: hay, malt sprouts, soy flour, wheat bran, gypsum, alabaster, slaked lime.

Purified drinking water is added to improve the structure and maintain the required moisture content. It is strictly forbidden to use water from open wells and natural sources.

The technology for preparing the substrate provides for several stages. They are executed in the following sequence:

Initially, a thorough grinding of all components is carried out. It is especially important to crush the straw-based substrate well. The finer the fraction of the constituents, the easier it is in the future for the mycelium to fill the entire area of ​​the prepared block.

Then additional components and necessary chemical components are introduced into the crushed base. Everything is thoroughly mixed and brought to homogeneity.

Next, the substrate is moistened. To do this, it is soaked for several hours in special containers. Pure water is used for humidification. The mixture is kept under these conditions until it is completely saturated with moisture.

Also, with the help of soaking, the soil is cleared of large particles that reduce the yield. After the soil is wrung out.

Its moisture content should be at least 70%. With a lower rate, it will be impossible to grow mushrooms.

The use of a specially prepared substrate will significantly reduce the cost of growing oyster mushrooms at home and will help you get a high yield the first time.

While watching the video, you will learn about growing oyster mushrooms.

It is possible to grow oyster mushrooms and mycelium on your own at home. But in order to obtain high-quality seed, it is necessary to carefully observe the technology and stage-by-stage process.

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Mushrooms

If you decide to grow mushrooms on your own, it is better to start with oyster mushrooms. Growing these mushrooms at home does not require the study of complex theoretical information or special skills. Oyster mushrooms are not as demanding as other types (for example, mushrooms). Another argument in their favor will be the high yield. You can cook many delicious dishes from them, the taste of which will not leave anyone indifferent. Let's figure out what are the ways to grow oyster mushrooms and how to cope with the difficulties arising for beginners.

Growing methods, their pros and cons

There are two ways to grow oyster mushrooms at home - extensive and intensive.

Positive aspects of the first method:

• it does not require the creation of special conditions, since a natural environment is needed for maturation;
• for the same reason, the extensive method does not have to spend a lot of money;
• in addition, the mushrooms do not need constant supervision in this case.

But there are also negative aspects:

• the appearance of the crop depends entirely on the season and suitable weather;
• ripening period is quite long;
• due to the impossibility of control, it will not be possible to turn this hobby into a business and grow mushrooms for sale at home.

With intensive technology, the growing conditions are created by the mushroom grower himself at home.

Pros of the intensive method:

• the ability to control the time of harvesting;
• You can also regulate the amount of harvest - when using this method, it will be more;
• thanks to this, there is the possibility of selling mushrooms and compensating for costs.

Some cons:

• you will have to make more effort and spend a lot of time doing landings;
• cash investments will also be required - to create the necessary conditions at home.

In the intensive method, the mushrooms are ripened in a cellar or other suitable room.

Mycelium selection

First of all, you need to purchase "seeds" - in mushrooms they are called mycelium. Recently, it has become much easier to do this - there are many online stores with mail delivery throughout the country. But there are also local companies. For beginner mushroom growers who fear failure, it is enough to purchase one kilogram of mycelium. The result will be about three to four kilograms of mushrooms. You can purchase the material in advance. Mycelium is stored in the refrigerator for up to two months, but it cannot be put in the freezer. It is not allowed to get mycelium on the skin, therefore, when opening the package, do not forget to wear gloves.

When buying, pay attention to the following recommendations.

• Check reviews for a store or individual seller.
• Even if you are an experienced mushroom grower, purchase a small amount of planting material from a new supplier for the first time.
• Learn all the information about the selected variety, the time of mycelium growth, mold resistance.
• Check the expiration date on the packaging.
• Check the temperature of the mycelium immediately after delivery - it should be about +20 degrees Celsius.
• The mycelium should be free of black and green spots.
• The color of the "seeds" is bright orange, interspersed with yellow.

Growing on stumps

If you are a beginner and are not yet ready to invest a lot of effort and money in growing mushrooms, try the extensive method.

To plant oyster mushrooms in this way, you do not need a lot of materials.

• Hemp that is on the site of your house. But they can be sown only in late April or early May, when a constant high temperature is established.
• Pruning from deciduous trees such as beech or aspen. They should be no more than half a meter in height and fifteen centimeters in diameter.

Check every stump carefully - they should be free of mold.

Advice

If the wood is dry, soak it in water for several days. Only in such conditions will mycelium be able to develop.

The technology is as follows:

• drill or cut out six centimeters in the stumps (they should be staggered);
• mycelium is placed in these holes;
• then they need to be covered with moss;

There is another way - you need to saw off a disk two centimeters thick from the top of the stump. Apply a layer of mycelium to the cut. Cover with a disc. For strength, nail it down.

After sowing, stack the logs on top of each other in a room where the temperature is maintained at +15. Leave them there for three months, covered with plastic wrap or thick cloth. By the end of the term, a white bloom will appear on the stumps. This means that it is time to "plant" them. To do this, they dig holes in the ground at a distance of half a meter and fill them with wet leaves. Hemp is placed in them - to a depth of fifteen centimeters.The soil around them must be constantly moist.

The harvest will appear at the end of summer. You can collect it throughout the fall. For the winter, the planting must be protected by sprinkling with straw.

Preparing for growing in the basement

To grow oyster mushrooms in an intensive way at home, you will need to prepare a basement that meets the following requirements:

• it must maintain a temperature of +15 degrees;
• a good ventilation system is needed in the basement;
• its depth can reach five meters;
• you need to create bright lighting;
• there must be a source of clean water in the basement.

Other types of premises are also suitable:

• cellar;
• poultry house;
• greenhouse;
• garage;
• cowshed.

The main condition is that this basement should not be adjacent to the living rooms of the house, since spores can cause allergies.

The next important condition for harvesting is a good substrate. This is a breeding ground, thanks to which mushrooms will grow. To prepare it, you can use:

• buckwheat husk;
• wheat straw;
• barley straw;
• cobs of corn.

Grind one of these materials or a mixture of them. Fill it with warm (up to twenty-five degrees) water for twenty minutes. Stir the workpiece periodically. Drain this water and fill a container with hot water (not boiling water). Cover with something heavy and let sit for five hours. Drain, squeeze out the substrate (liquid residues can cause mold) and add nutrients (urea and superphosphate) to it.

Basement landing

In this growing technology, it is not only the place and the basis for planting that are important. The vessels must also be prepared. Oyster mushrooms are usually grown in bags. At home, ordinary garbage bags as large as possible are also suitable.

Punch holes in them at intervals of twenty centimeters. Through these holes, the mushrooms will break out.

The bags need to be filled with substrate and mycelium. The bottom layer should be the substrate - pour fifteen centimeters of the mixture. Sprinkle it with a layer of mycelium. Alternate them, filling the volume of the vessel by 2/3. The bags should be moved to the basement and placed on top of each other or hung from the ceiling.

Planting care

In the early days of growing oyster mushrooms, it is most important to maintain suitable conditions.

• The temperature in the bags will rise, but it is important to ensure that it does not reach +30 degrees (when growing at home, in a small basement, it is enough to use a fan for this).
• Keep flies out of the basement.
• The lighting can be switched on after three days.
• The humidity in the basement should be about 95% (for this you need to spray the walls and floor with water, but not the oyster mushroom plantings themselves).

When collecting oyster mushrooms, you also need to follow some rules.

• They do not need to be cut off, but unscrewed from the substrate.
• After harvesting the first crop, it is important to maintain the same conditions in the basement for two weeks, then another batch will appear soon.

Conclusion

Oyster mushrooms are the most suitable mushrooms for growing at home. They don't need any special care. The conditions for their development are easy to maintain even at home.

There are two ways to grow them. One of them requires less effort, but the result will be a long wait for the harvest. For another, you need to prepare the room, but thanks to this you will quickly get a large amount of mushrooms.

Choose the method that seems to you the most successful, and feel free to start planting. In this case, you will be satisfied with the result.