How to grow oyster mushrooms at home?

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 daylight 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 harvest, 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. Mushrooms will hurt, light spots will appear on them, 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 must be clean and dry, they must not have mold or rot, and they must not be rotten. 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 myceliums, 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 heaters, 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 the mushrooms only 2 weeks after all the 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

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. Wash every centimeter with bleach is not worth it. 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
• husked 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 a metal dish, filled 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 been laid down 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 crop 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. Poleshki 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. The diameter is about 1-1.5 cm, the depth is 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 in 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 for home use it is very good. 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

If you decide to grow mushrooms on your own, then 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 high yields. 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 of growing 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 at home for sale.

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, it is possible to sell mushrooms and compensate 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 can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months, but you cannot put it 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 or a mixture of these materials. 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 much 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.

Growing mushrooms in the countryside or in your garden is simple and profitable. Having created with his own hands a suitable soil for the growth of the mushroom, the farmer will be able to sell and eat honey mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, chanterelles, shiitake and oyster mushrooms at a high price, without significant financial costs.

The content of the article:

• Growing champignons
• Growing honey agarics at home
• Growing oyster mushrooms at home
• Cultivation of porcini mushrooms in a personal plot
• Growing chanterelles at home
• Growing shiitake mushrooms at home
• And in conclusion

Growing champignons

Today, mushroom cultivation has become a fairly profitable and widespread agricultural activity. Growing champignons at home is certainly not an easy task, but it fully justifies itself when making real profits and fresh homemade products. Growing mushrooms, especially those that are popular for food, can be a real business for you if you pay enough attention to growing and caring for them. In the warm season, as well as in latitudes with a mild climate, mushrooms can be grown annually both in the open field and in greenhouse conditions.

All mushrooms are quite capricious about light and temperature.Therefore, the optimal growing conditions will be a temperature not lower than +12 degrees. With high humidity of about 80% and complete shade. The huge advantage of mushrooms such as champignons and oyster mushrooms is that they can be grown in a multi-tiered way, thereby saving space, the basement can be an ideal place.

For mushrooms, it is necessary to prepare a special nutrient mixture from the soil. A mixture of manure, straw, or sawdust is fine. This mixture is prepared about a few weeks before the mycelium is added to the substrate. The growth and productivity of mushrooms will directly depend on the quality of the soil. At enterprises growing mushrooms on an industrial scale, about 200 kilograms of straw or finely chopped sawdust are taken for half a ton of manure. To improve the soil and saturation, it is enriched with ammonium sulfate, and the substrate is stored in a cool dark place, avoiding direct sunlight on the mixture. The prepared mixture must be mixed every week, with the addition of 20 kilograms of gypsum once and stirring well.
After three to four weeks, the mushroom growing mix will be ready.

It will be very convenient to place wooden flooring or pallets in a basement or greenhouse; you can pour the soil directly onto the prepared surface, not forgetting to water the substrate from time to time.

If you are new to growing mushrooms, then the material in the form of myceliums is best purchased in a specialized store. Spore myceliums are sold in special containers, they are dung and grain. The dung mycelium is divided into equal pieces and placed in the substrate to a depth of about 5 centimeters; it is better to place them in a checkerboard pattern so that the distance between the seedlings does not exceed half a meter. In order to save space. Grain mushrooms are sown in a slightly different way, grains are laid out on the substrate layer, and then covered with a layer of soil about 5 centimeters. The optimum temperature for the development and growth of myceliums is considered to be +25 degrees, then after ten days, the temperature should be reduced to 20 degrees, and the surface of the substrate should be covered with an even layer of soil of 3 centimeters. After a week, the temperature is lowered to +16 degrees, after a month you can wait for the first mushrooms.

Growing honey agarics at home

An equally important mushroom variety, which is grown by mushroom pickers at home, is considered to be honey mushroom. Its unpretentiousness and simple care for mycelium makes honey mushrooms very popular mushrooms. The most common way to grow honey agaric is to breed it in wooden tubs. This cultivation method is common because it can be used both on a personal plot and on specially prepared forest lands. The main advantage in growing honey mushrooms is their low financial cost, as well as the ease of reproduction of myceliums. Cultivation of honey agarics in wooden tubs is carried out mainly by amateur mushroom pickers.

Practically any varieties of honey agarics are suitable for breeding honey mushrooms at home. Wooden decks, tubs, troughs made of deciduous wood can serve as a landing place. But conifers are not used in mushroom cultivation, as they can cause bitterness of the grown product, due to the high resin content. Growing honey mushrooms is a fairly simple procedure, and differs little from the cultivation of other myceliums. The very procedure for cultivating honey agaric consists in infecting a wood platform with mycelium or planting raw materials. It is necessary to make cuts in the thickness of wooden containers for planting or drill holes, and then fill the grooves with mycelium or planting material. After the procedure of filling with mycelium, the holes are covered with a prepared substrate.The most simplified option for growing honey agaric is filling the rotten stump with mycelium, by infecting the bark and cracks, and then sprinkling with rotted manure mixed with straw in proportions 1: 1.

Monitor the quality of your planting material, as it is difficult to acquire high-quality mycelium or mycelium. For home growing honey mushrooms, grain mycelium, which is purchased in specialized stores, is perfect. Pieces of spore-infested wood are also a fairly common option. Infected wood can be found in the forest itself and recognized by a white bloom, as well as a specific mushroom smell. Such myceliums are carefully removed with a knife or file, divided into pieces, and introduced into the prepared slots in the prepared stumps. Before removing forest mycelium, make sure the mushrooms are edible.

After the performed procedure with the introduction of mycelium, for the accelerated development of the mycelium, the mushroom plantation can be isolated with cellophane, and with proper care, the honey agaric harvest can be obtained by autumn. Climatic and other factors (such as the quality of the mycelium, moisture and wood) directly affect the growth rate and development of honey agaric. The mushroom harvest will not immediately please you with its abundance. When growing mushrooms on your site, take into account the fact that myceliums and fungal spores can adversely affect the roots of trees, as well as wooden structures. Therefore, exclude the possibility of contamination of fruit trees with fungal spores. After the mycelium has been introduced into the soil, the fruiting of the mycelium will last about 6 years. Mushroom plantations are quite aggressive, so it is better to fence them off with grooves filled with sand so as not to harm the garden plants.

With the development of the popularity of mushroom farms, mushroom sticks began to be widely used. Special wooden sticks infected with fungal spores. The simplicity of working with such raw materials is good news, the sticks are simply inserted into the bark or holes, and then covered with wet sawdust or small straw. This method of growing mushrooms is suitable for a garden plot, but in industrial enterprises, only grain mycelium is used for growing mushrooms.

Growing oyster mushrooms at home

Another common mushroom with excellent taste is the oyster mushroom. There are quite a few ways to grow oyster mushrooms. This article will describe a method that is suitable for both hobbyists who grow mushrooms in small batches and for large-scale production. In the wild, oyster mushrooms grow on stumps and deciduous trees. The optimal temperature for the development of mycelium is +25 degrees. Then, at a temperature of + 14-16 degrees, fruiting begins, for up to 5 weeks. The sizes of oyster mushrooms range from 5 centimeters to 30, the color of the mushroom is gray, with a brown tint. Oyster mushroom is a rather aromatic mushroom with good taste. These mushrooms are also suitable for pickling and pickling, as well as frying and cooking soups.

So, the substrate for growing oyster mushrooms must be prepared in advance. A mixture of sawdust, small straw and sunflower husks will serve for it. The substrate must be clean, without the presence of foreign objects, it is better to boil the sawdust before preparing the soil to destroy the harmful microflora. After the substrate is dried on a film, spread out in a thin layer.

Temperature and humidity are important for growing mushrooms, so the room should be equipped with everything you need, clean and well ventilated. Oyster mushroom grows well in basements equipped with heating appliances, hoods and lighting.

You can start planting mycelium after all the necessary conditions are met for growing mushrooms, namely after preparing the substrate and premises.Oyster mushroom mycelium can be purchased at specialized factories and farms, as well as in gardening stores. You can start sowing after the substrate is placed at the bottom of ordinary plastic bags or bags, then on a layer of 8 centimeters, the mycelium is laid out in 3 centimeters, broken into pieces, and covered with substrate on top and so on alternately to the top. The bag is tied, the contents are compacted, then incisions are made on the bag at a distance of 2-3 centimeters, for further growth of mushrooms and the removal of excess moisture.

The bags filled with mycelium are placed vertically, about half a meter apart, to allow the oyster mushrooms to grow. It will be easier if the bags are formed in such a way that the location of your mushroom "bed" does not bring you any inconvenience later. You must move freely between the bags for ease of watering and harvesting. You can arrange the bags in tiers if the room is high enough, which will increase the cultivation area. Optimum indoor temperatures are 19-25 degrees, when the mycelium begins to develop, the contents of the bags will turn white, as the spores will penetrate deeper into the substrate. Watering bags with mycelium is done once a day. If you follow all the requirements for the cultivation of myceliums, then after three weeks, your mushroom garden will delight you with the first fruits.

In order for the fruiting of mushrooms to develop actively, some mushroom gardeners resort to tricks. To do this, the substrate sprouted with mycelium is stimulated with a low temperature from +3 to +6 degrees, this temperature is maintained for about two or three days, then you need to leave the substrate in bags, making wide enough holes there, or remove the substrate and leave it without bags and do not water for a week. After a week of lack of moisture, the substrate is watered abundantly, with water at room temperature, and then once a day, ventilate the room, with myceliums, the air temperature in the room should be +15 degrees.

For the first week, your myceliums do not need lighting, but then it is necessary to organize sufficient bright artificial lighting over the bags with mycelium. After the mycelium begins to bear fruit, a new crop of mushrooms can be obtained every three weeks, however, over time, productivity will decrease, which will serve as a signal to replace the substrate and introduce a new batch of mycelium, that is, to resume the cycle. For every 100 kilograms of substrate, experienced mushroom pickers get about 50 kilograms of fresh mushrooms. It is very important, before starting a new fruiting cycle of myceliums, the room should be disinfected in order to get rid of the pathogenic environment of the predecessors. The approximate number of cycles per year will be 4-7, depending on the care and growing conditions.

Cultivation of porcini mushrooms in a personal plot

Cultivation of porcini mushrooms, in personal plots, the procedure is not painstaking and quite simple. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly popular. If you do not want to spend money on the purchase of mycelium, then you can do without it, you just need to find the mycelium and the place where the porcini mushrooms grow. You can collect mature mushrooms and prepare a mixture with white mushroom spores with your own hands. For this, mature porcini mushrooms are crushed and poured with clean water, left in a dark place for a day. Thus, you get a solution containing numerous white fungus spores. Next, you need to act according to the scheme, choose a place that is darkened, it is better under deciduous trees and organize something like a garden bed. To do this, we fertilize the earth with rotted manure, mixed with chopped straw or sawdust, mix everything thoroughly with the soil, level and water the prepared soil with the prepared mixture.It must be borne in mind that porcini mushrooms enter symbiosis only with deciduous trees, and do not like the scorching sun.

Another way to grow porcini mushrooms is to remove the mycelium from the old place and move it to your personal plot. The main thing is to properly organize the place for planting mycelium. Pay attention to the trees under which the mycelium grew in the forest or glade, to the structure of the soil, this will help to establish fruiting in the future on your site. So, after removing the mycelium, collect enough soil from this place so that it would be enough to add to the soil on the site after the mycelium was laid. We loosen the earth, fertilize it with manure, pour out the brought soil, loosen it again. Then we make depressions in the prepared soil and lay out the pieces of mycelium, sprinkling on top with a mixture of sawdust, straw, sunflower husks or forest soil, then slightly moisten. Mushrooms must not be filled with water, and the soil must not be allowed to dry out, that is, the place where porcini mushrooms grow must be constantly moistened.

Mature parts of porcini mushrooms can also be used as seeds. Porcini mushrooms must be crushed, loosened the soil, fertilized with compost and chopped hardwood sawdust. Planting is done, as in the previous version, only the chopped mushroom is introduced. Then the soil is moistened and sprinkled with chopped straw on top. Both fresh mushrooms and slightly dried mushrooms are suitable, such mushrooms are laid out in a dense layer on the prepared soil and watered every day, after the soil is infected with spores, the mushrooms can be removed. With proper selection of the site for planting porcini mushrooms and adherence to fertilization and planting technologies, the harvest will appear next year. Reproduction will take place incrementally, from several mushrooms to whole mushroom families, and in another year from your mushroom plantation it will be possible to get about two kilograms of porcini mushrooms.

These methods of cultivation and cultivation of porcini mushrooms are suitable only for amateur mushroom growers. The described cultivation methods are widely used in the area where the necessary mushrooms grow in sufficient quantities. Industrial production of porcini mushroom is established to a greater extent in Poland. But our domestic producer does not stand aside, increasing the volume of mushroom production.

Unfortunately, in our time, mushroom growing technologies lag behind world producers, although earlier in Russia mushrooms were grown on an industrial scale. Today mushroom cultivation is rather an amateur activity, undoubtedly profitable. The price coefficient on supermarket shelves is quite high, but mushroom cultivation on an industrial scale is not yet practiced at the proper level in our country, preferring to import foreign mushrooms.

If you want to grow porcini mushrooms, it is worth considering the fact that their mycelium differs from other varieties in that it grows together with the roots of trees, forming a kind of symbiotic relationship, and without it, the development of mycelium is not possible. Therefore, the cultivation of porcini mushrooms should take place near the trees growing on your site. Better yet, organize your mushroom farm in the adjacent forest belt.

Growing chanterelles at home

Cultivation of chanterelles, like other mushrooms, is based on the basic rules of mushroom cultivation. Planting a mushroom next to a tree is carried out with the help of a spore infusion, pieces of mycelium or seed material, with the assistance of a layer of forest soil. The composition of the forest soil is saturated and nutritious, and the upper humus layer is responsible for the development of the mycelium. The bulk of the soil is rich in trace elements and organic compounds, it also contains spores of fungi, from which fruits then grow.Therefore, when growing chanterelles on your site and preparing mycelium for planting, choose a place where their main population is concentrated, cut off the mushrooms, and carefully remove the mycelium and transfer it to your site together with the soil.

The removal of forest soil should be carried out near trees; the beginning of autumn, or early spring is considered the optimal harvesting time. Layers of soil are dug, at least 20 centimeters thick. At the site for contamination of the soil with chanterelles, the lower layer of forest soil is used. The organization of a mini-mushroom farm should take place in a cool, shaded place, among the trees. We bury the mycelium in the ground and sprinkle with chopped straw. Maintain the required humidity.

If you previously noticed a place where there are a lot of chanterelles, take note of this place. However, the absence of mushrooms cannot guarantee that the mycelium is dead, it is just possible that the season was less fruitful, the main criterion should be that the mushrooms were noticed earlier in this place. Spores of fungi in the soil layer remain for a long time and they are not afraid of bad weather and oppression of fruiting. They continue their existence remarkably, using a minimum of nutrients, taking advantage of their protection.

In order for the forest soil to serve as a good soil for a future mushroom farm, it must go through a certain stage of preliminary preparation. This preparation method will improve the quality of forest soil. To properly prepare the forest soil, it is packed in plastic bags and dried in a cold room, the main thing is to leave oxygen to the soil. The soil can be stored in such conditions for up to a year, and without harming the spores of fungi, but pathogenic microorganisms will die without moisture. As a result of this kind of training, mushroom spores will become accustomed to drought conditions and become more resilient.

It is better to plant chanterelles on the site in early spring, high humidity and warm weather will contribute to better implantation of the mycelium into the ground and its further development. The previously harvested forest soil must be mixed with garden soil in a 1: 1 ratio, pour the mixture from the soil into the prepared grooves, add mycelium or a prepared solution of chanterelles there, and cover it with fine straw or matted foliage on top to protect the mushroom bed from drying out. Watering must be organized in such a way as not to harm the mycelium, it is better to water in small portions slightly moistening the soil, because water stagnation must not be allowed. The mycelium can simply die from an excess of moisture, as a result of decay.

Chanterelle, has not yet received its distribution, although it has an excellent taste and contains quite a few useful substances. Only a few mushroom growers grow chanterelles in their plots. However, it is quite possible that soon chanterelles will establish themselves and the industrial production of mushrooms will turn its gaze on these mushrooms. And we can all be content with tasty and healthy mushrooms that can treat even gastrointestinal diseases.

Growing shiitake mushrooms at home

Unpretentious, easy to grow and very useful shiitake mushroom, is very popular in foreign countries. Foreign industrial companies grow this mushroom in huge quantities. And for good reason. In terms of useful properties, the mushroom is not inferior to its relatives, it strengthens the nervous system, has a tonic effect. It contains the optimal amount of amino acids for humans.

Shiitake mushrooms are traditionally grown on tree hemp and logs. In the countries of the rising sun, this mushroom is very popular. In our country, the shiitake mushroom is grown on sawdust of deciduous trees. The largest yields can be obtained if these mushrooms are grown on an enriched specially prepared substrate, which is formed into blocks and becomes infected with myceliums.

The main constituent of the substrate for cultivating shiitake is beech, birch, oak, ash sawdust, enriched with special fertilizers. Coniferous sawdust is not suitable for cultivation. The content of esters and resin substances in them will have a disinfecting effect, and only hinder the development of mycelium. The size of the sawdust also plays an important role in mushroom cultivation. Since too small ones will get lost in a lump, and disrupt aeration, slowing down the growth of mycelium. Sawdust can be mixed with wood chips for better gas exchange. In order for the shiitake mushrooms to please you with the harvest, the soil must be sterilized before settling the mycelium. The fact is that the shiitake mycelium, like all other mushrooms, develops more slowly than pathogenic microorganisms, which can harm the mycelium in the future and leave you without a mushroom harvest.

The substrate infected with mycelium should not be too wet and dense, a bacterial infection develops in such a soil. The substrate for industrial production of shiitake is stored in bags, then sterilized and used for its intended purpose. However, there are other methods of preparing the substrate with your own hands. It is not difficult to prepare the substrate, the sawdust is sterilized by heat treatment, cooled, dried, then sown with mycelium, and then packaged in plastic bags. Thus, the mycelium develops in a warm temperature, the mycelium grows for a month and a half, and after that the contents of the bags are taken out and mushroom beds are formed already in the basement or other room intended for growing mushrooms.
The entire process of packing and contamination of the soil with mycelium must be carried out in compliance with sanitary standards. Fruiting on open formed blocks lasts about six months.

The cultivation time for shiitake mushrooms in compliance with the thermal treatment of the soil, whether it be sawdust or other substrates intended for this purpose, has a shorter period than real street cultivation. This method of growing mushrooms is called intensive, harvesting, subject to all the requirements of this method, takes place year-round, in specially designated places indoors. To increase the development time of the mycelium, special fertilizers and enriching additives are introduced into the soil. Sources can be elements of organic origin and nitrogen-containing. You can freely purchase ready-made supplements for growing mycelium and increasing the fruiting of shiitake in specialized stores, or you can use compost or rotted manure. In order to increase the acidity level, as well as for the purpose of enrichment, in addition to organic matter, a dose of mineral fertilizers is also introduced into the substrate, in the form of crushed chalk, bone meal, gypsum or ready-made ones purchased in a store.

And in conclusion

Any varieties of mushrooms are suitable for home cultivation. With proper care and adherence to all the rules for growing mushrooms, even on your own garden plot, you can organize a fruit-bearing mushroom farm, which is inferior to an industrial one only in terms of production, but, undoubtedly, winning in terms of the safe characteristics of the product obtained. Growing mushrooms can also be an excellent business for your family, at a minimum cost, you will get maximum profit and provide yourself with the freshest mushrooms all year round.

There are more than enough mushroom lovers in our country! Only for a hike into the forest for a "quiet hunt" you need the accompanying weather and certain climatic conditions. Not everyone will think about growing mushrooms at home, and even almost on an industrial scale. Most consider this to be fantastic. However, everything is real. And we will tell you how to grow mushrooms in a greenhouse or at home.

What mushrooms can be grown at home

The very idea of ​​growing mushrooms at home poses a choice of a specific species. All varieties suitable for home breeding do not need special material costs or additional efforts. The only exceptions are champignons, but an experienced gardener will cope with this problem too. The choice must be made, first of all, based on the desired profit. All varieties of mushrooms suitable for growing at home can be classified into two main types:

• woody;
• soil.

The former include the well-known shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and winter mushrooms. But to the second - no less popular mushrooms and ringlets. Even with small areas, the harvest can be excellent. That is why these varieties are recommended for growing on an industrial scale.

Growing oyster mushrooms at home on the balcony

Growing technology for beginners

The bulk of the time it takes to grow mushrooms is spent creating mycelium. However, the advice of experienced mushroom growers suggests that it is better to grow this material on your own. After all, even the best and trusted suppliers fail from time to time. Mycelium can be grown in two ways:

• in the grain substrate;
• on wooden sticks.

The choice depends on what kind of mushrooms you plan to grow.

Growing mushrooms on a nutritious substrate

Breeding mycelium

The mycelium is grown in a specific substrate. It is recommended to make sure that its chemical and mineral composition is as similar as possible to that in which mushrooms grow naturally. The composition of this medium must be selected again, depending on the type of mushrooms being grown.

For example, shiitake mushrooms feel more comfortable in wood, mushrooms - in compost, but oyster mushrooms prefer straw. With proper care, chopped straw and sawdust can yield any of these types of mushrooms. However, the substrate must be of high quality. This is ensured by its dryness, absence of mold, as well as unpleasant odors and foreign impurities.

Wheat straw is best suited for growing mushrooms. You can also use rye or barley. Oyster mushrooms are allowed to be propagated in sunflower husks. However, only fresh material should be used, since pathogenic bacteria can grow excellently in old ones.

The mycelium is the backbone of a large number of germinated fungal spores. As soon as this base is placed in the substrate, the process of active growth begins. Initially, only the appearance of thin filaments can be observed, which eventually turn into edible mushrooms.

Mushroom mycelium

It is worth purchasing high-quality planting material only in specialized stores. Priority should be given to wood containing viable fungal spores. They will be more resistant to disease. Not planted from grain mycelium. You can also buy common mushroom spores. Only in this case it will take more time and effort to grow your crop. The procedure will resemble the cultivation of any crop from seed. It is better for beginners to avoid this method.

To obtain the maximum yield, it is necessary that the mycelium spreads as thoroughly as possible in the compost. To do this, you need to keep the planting warm. They can be heated using a special electric pillow. Heat is needed only during the incubation period. Once the mushrooms are in the growing phase, it is best to keep them cool. A glazed and insulated balcony is well suited for this.

When growing mushrooms in residential premises, the maturation phase must be avoided. Otherwise, the spores released into the air can provoke allergic reactions and even asthma.

As a rule, seedlings appear in the third week after planting the mycelium. Readiness for harvesting is determined by the hat.You need to cut off ready-made mushrooms only with a knife, so as not to injure those that are still in the soil and are just preparing to give a crop. The ready-made collection can be used both immediately and after preliminary freezing.

Sectional diagram of mushroom growth from mycelium

Other ways to grow mushrooms at home

In addition to the main ones, there are also additional ways of growing mushrooms. True, they do not bring such a large-scale result and are used mainly by children as experiments. For example, some types of mushrooms can be grown on logs. For this logs up to half a meter long are cut from hardwood. This must be done at least 2 weeks before settling with mycelium.

In the resulting blank, holes are made in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 10 cm. After that, the sticks with mycelium must be sealed. A hammer can be used for this procedure.

Before starting work, you must disinfect your hands and make sure that there is no debris in the holes.

The logs filled with mycelium are placed in the basement and wait until it fills the entire space. The procedure is lengthy and can take up to 1 year. Temperature and humidity are considered key conditions.

A known method of growing mushrooms on coffee grounds. It contains many trace elements:

• manganese;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• nitrogen.

Growing mushrooms on stumps

This environment is ideal for oyster mushrooms. In addition, the coffee grounds do not need to be sterilized again. The disadvantage of this method is that it is very difficult to get a large amount of freshly drunk cake at home. We'll have to ask him at the nearest cafe. The growing container can be regular freezer bags or ice cream containers.

The mycelium must be mixed with the cake, and then the container must be tightly closed. It can be stored under the sink. Germination time will be about 1 month. Once the surface is white, cut a small hole in the top of the bag. Through it, it is necessary to spray with water 2 times a day. After a week, you can see how small mushrooms begin to grow.

Growing porcini mushrooms and other species at home for beginners is a very exciting and useful activity. The needs of your family can be fully satisfied, even without special skills and large areas. The main thing is patience and a desire to see the result. After all, you can grow them all year round!

3 parts: Basic growing method Growing mushrooms on coffee grounds Alternative growing methods

Growing mushrooms at home is a task that anyone interested in growing food for their own consumption should tackle at least once. Mushrooms are a beneficial addition to any diet because they are low in calories and fat, but high in fiber and potassium. Plus, they're easy to grow at home. Mushrooms are best grown in an area where temperature and conditions are easy to manage. Knowing how to grow mushrooms at home will help you carefully manage your growing conditions.

Part 1 The main method of growing

1. Choose the type of mushroom to grow.

   There are 3 types of mushrooms that are easiest to grow at home: oyster mushrooms, champignons and shitaki. The cultivation method for each type of mushroom is similar, but the ideal growing medium is different.

   • Oyster mushrooms are best grown in straw. Shiitaks grow better on deciduous sawdust, and mushrooms grow on compost manure. These different nutrient media reflect the different nutritional needs of each species. However, each of the 3 species is easy enough to grow in sawdust or straw.
   • The choice of mushrooms for growing is a matter of taste. You need to grow the mushroom that you want to eat.
2. Buy mycelium.

   Myceliums are sawdust permeated with fungal mycelium - in fact, the root structure of the fungus.They are used as seedlings of plants to promote growth.

   • You can buy high quality mycelium from an online store, gardening store, or other specialty organic store.
   • Buy mycelium, not spores. Some stores also sell spores that look more like plant seeds (rather than seedlings). Growing mushrooms from spores takes more time and practice and is best suited to a seasoned mushroom grower.
3. Sterilize the culture medium.

   If you grow mushrooms in straw or sawdust, you need to sterilize this substrate before sowing the mycelium. This is done in order to kill any microorganisms that might compete with the mycelium.

   • To sterilize the medium, place it in a heat-resistant bowl and add enough water to make the straw or sawdust damp. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat it on high power for two minutes or until the water has boiled away.
   • This kills all microorganisms, making it a safe breeding ground for mycelium to be accepted. You may have to work in batches to sterilize all straw or sawdust completely.
4. Heat the substrate to spread the mycelium in it.

   The mycelium must be thoroughly spread in a nutrient medium for the mushrooms to grow. Warm temperatures stimulate growth.

   • After choosing a substrate for your mushroom species, place a few handfuls of it in a baking sheet. A shallow baking sheet with a large surface area is ideal for growing mushrooms.
   • Stir the mycelium into the substrate with a sterilized spoon or similar. Place the baking sheet on an electric pillow set at 21 ° C. This is the ideal temperature to stimulate growth.
   • Leave the unit in a dark environment such as a closet for three weeks. This will allow the mycelium to spread in the nutrient medium.
5. Place the substrate in a suitable location.

   After three weeks, place the substrate in a dark and cool place (about 13 ° C). As a rule, a basement is suitable for this, but in winter, a closet or drawer in an unheated room will do.

   • If you notice green or brown spots on the substrate (like moldy bread), remove the spots and discard.
   • Sprinkle a handful of soil onto the substrate and sprinkle everything with enough water to thoroughly moisten. You can cover the baking sheet with a damp towel to prevent moisture loss.
   • You can place a low heat lamp next to the baking sheet. It will replace the sun, and the mushrooms will begin to reach for it and grow upward, which will further facilitate their collection.
   • Keep the mixture moist and cool while the mushrooms are growing. Check it periodically and spray with water as needed.
   • Mushrooms prefer coolness. The most important thing is not to let them overheat. At temperatures below 21 ° C, the mushrooms should grow excellently.
6. Harvest when the mushrooms are fully grown.

   After about three weeks, you will have small mushrooms. Maintain moisture, coolness, and darkening to encourage their growth.

   • When the mushroom caps are completely detached from their legs, they can be collected. You can pick mushrooms with your fingers, but you risk damaging newly developing mushrooms below the surface. Better to use a sharp knife to cut the mushrooms at the base of the stem.
   • Rinse the mushrooms before cooking. The harvested mushrooms can be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Part 2 Growing mushrooms on coffee grounds

1. Take out the coffee grounds.

   Growing mushrooms from coffee grounds is an interesting project that reuses coffee grounds that would otherwise go to waste. Coffee grounds are an excellent breeding ground for mushrooms (in particular oyster mushrooms), as they are already sterilized during the coffee brewing process and are full of nutrients.

   • For 500 g of mycelium, you will need 2.5 kg of fresh coffee grounds.The best way to get that much fresh coffee grounds (brewed on the same day) is in a café and kindly ask. Most likely, they will gladly give it to you.
2. 

   Find a container for mushrooms. It is best to use a special filter bag that can be purchased with the myceliums. If not, you can use a large airtight freezer bag, a cleaned milk carton, or an ice cream carton with four holes punctured in the sides.

3. Transfer the mycelium to a container. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap, then stir the mycelium into the coffee grounds, crushing it with your hands to distribute it evenly. Place the planted coffee grounds in a plastic bag or container and seal tightly.

4. Place the mycelium in a suitable environment.

   Place the bag or container in a warm, dark place between 18 and 25 ° C, such as under a sink. Leave it on for about three to four weeks until the contents are completely white due to the mycelium settling in the coffee grounds.

   • If green or brown spots appear on the substrate, cut them out to avoid poisoning later.

5. Move the mushrooms. When the contents of the bag or container become completely white, move it to a bright place (but not in direct sunlight) and cut a 5x5 cm hole on top.Moist the contents of the container by watering it twice a day to prevent drying out - the mushrooms will not grow too dry conditions.

6. Harvest the mushrooms.

   Over the next five to seven days, the tiny mushrooms will start to sprout. Keep hydrating them with water and they will double in size daily. When the mushroom caps begin to curl slightly upward, they can be collected.

   • When the mushrooms stop sprouting, plant coffee grounds in your garden, cover with bark mulch or compost, and new mushrooms may sprout depending on the weather.

Part 3 Alternative cultivation methods

1. Grow mushrooms from the kit.

   Growing mushrooms from a ready-made kit is a fun and easy way for beginners. Such kits usually consist of plastic bags filled with sterilized and seeded straw or soil. All you need to do is store the bag in the right conditions for seven to ten days until you have your homegrown mushrooms.

   • The sets usually contain the most common varieties of mushrooms such as champignons, shiitake and oyster mushrooms.
   • To start growing, simply open the bag and place it in a well-lit area out of direct sunlight, such as a shaded window sill. The kit can be kept at room temperature, but it needs to be moistened daily with water to keep the humidity high. Some kits have plastic tarps to cover the bag and keep the humidity level.
   • Mushrooms will begin to sprout after seven to ten days, but within three months they may suddenly start growing two or three more times.
   • After you have collected all the mushrooms, you can bury the substrate with mycelium in the garden, sprinkle with bark mulch, or in a compost heap. Then, depending on the weather conditions, the mushrooms will start growing in this place.
2. Grow mushrooms on a log.

   Another interesting way to grow certain types of mushrooms - such as reishi, ram mushroom, shiitake, oyster mushrooms - on a log. Birch plugs, completely sown with mycelium, are stuck into a piece of log. Stoppers can be obtained online and from specialized mushroom spore suppliers.

   • The first thing to do is find a suitable log for growing mushrooms. You will need non-scented deciduous logs such as maple, poplar, oak, or elm. They should be 90-120 cm long and no more than 35 cm in diameter.Cut them out at least two weeks before clogging in order to destroy the natural antifungal properties of the tree.
   • To "populate" a piece of log 90-120 centimeters long, you will need about 50 plugs. Use a 5/16 ″ drill to insert the plugs. Make holes 5 cm deep throughout the log in a staggered manner. The distance between them should be about 10 cm. Insert birch plugs into the holes and hammer them in to seal them completely.
   • If you plan to leave the log outdoors, you will need to seal the holes with cheese wax or beeswax to protect the plugs from insects and harsh weather. If you will be storing the log at home, in a garage or basement, this is not necessary.
   • Over time, the mushroom mycelium will spread on the birch corks throughout the log until the entire piece of wood is inhabited. After complete settlement, the mushrooms will begin to sprout from the cracks in the log. This usually takes 9-12 months, but depending on the temperature and humidity, the mushrooms should reappear from year to year.

Tips

• For more information on growing mushrooms at home and outdoors, read this article.

What do you need

• Mycelium
• Straw, sawdust or manure
• Baking tray
• Heating pad
• Potting soil
• Sprinkler
• Water
• Towel

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Supporters of a healthy diet and just curious gardeners are attracted to growing mushrooms at home. It allows you to supplement the family's diet with environmentally friendly, low-calorie foods that are almost fat-free, but rich in fiber and potassium. Self-cultivation of mushrooms only seems difficult and troublesome. Even beginners can grow them at a minimum cost. Knowledge of the technology and compliance with the requirements of mushrooms for keeping conditions will allow you to get a good harvest.

Substrate selection

Most often, three types of mushrooms are bred at home:

• oyster mushrooms;
• champignons;
• shiitake.

The rules for growing them are almost identical. The difference can be traced only in the composition of the nutrient medium. Oyster mushrooms feel most comfortable on straw. For shiitake, wood is more suitable - sawdust of deciduous trees. Champignons develop fastest in compost. It is prepared in a special way by mixing the following components:

• manure (horse manure is better, but any other can be used);
• fresh straw made from rye or wheat;
• mineral compounds such as gypsum, chalk, meat and bone meal, brewer's grains, ammonium nitrate, urea, superphosphate.

Although these types of mushrooms have different nutritional requirements, they cannot be called too strict. With proper care, each of them will delight with the harvest in chopped straw or sawdust. The nutrient medium must be of high quality. Evaluate it by external signs: cleanliness, dryness, absence of mold, impurities and odors.

The mushrooms will bring the greatest harvest on wheat straw. On rye or barley, they will also delight you with their abundance and rapid growth. It is better not to take oat straw for growing mushrooms. When growing oyster mushrooms, sunflower husks can be used. Another requirement is imposed on it: it must be fresh. Aged husk is an excellent breeding ground for pathogenic microbes.

Mycelium or fungal spores?

The next step is the acquisition of mycelium, which will serve as material for sowing, seedlings. In the scientific literature, it is called mycelium. It is a base containing many germinated fungal spores. After placing the mycelium in a nutrient substrate, it begins to grow actively. First, thin white filaments are formed, which, as they develop further, turn into mushrooms.

The basis of the mycelium can be:

• rye grains;
• wooden blocks;
• sawdust.

So that the experience of home mushroom growing does not bring disappointment, you need to purchase high-quality planting material. Specialized shops will come to the rescue here. The cost of wood with viable fungal spores is higher than that of grain mycelium. But she has an important advantage - a higher plant resistance to viral diseases.

On sale there are also just spores of mushrooms. Champignons or oyster mushrooms are also obtained from them. This process will be like growing any garden crop from seed. When planting spores, you have to be patient, because much more time will pass before harvesting. This way of growing mushrooms will require a certain skill, which can only be obtained with practice. Therefore, it is not suitable for beginners.

Preparation of the culture medium

The nutrient medium is prepared for sowing the mycelium by sterilizing it. This is an important step that cannot be skipped. Finely chopped straw or sawdust can contain pathogens that can destroy plantings. They will die during the sterilization process. It is not difficult to carry out the procedure at home. After filling a heat-resistant bowl with straw or sawdust, add water to it so that the material becomes damp. Then the dishes are placed in the microwave oven, turning it on at maximum power. Warm up the nutrient medium until excess water evaporates. This usually takes about 2 minutes.

Advice

If there is a lot of straw or sawdust, sterilization is carried out in batches.

The productive use of mycelium involves its thorough distribution in a nutrient medium. So the mycelium will give more harvest. At this stage, warmth is important to disputes. It stimulates their growth. Therefore, the nutrient medium is heated using an electric pillow.

Part of the treated straw or sawdust is placed on a baking sheet or in a shallow but wide saucepan. After scattering the mycelium on the surface of the material, mix it slightly with your fingers. The dishes with the nutrient medium are placed on the electric pillow, setting its temperature at around + 21 ° C. Then the structure is placed in a place securely protected from light. A wardrobe is ideal for this. Keep the mycelium in it for 3 weeks. During this time, it will spread in straw or sawdust.

Requirements for growing conditions

For the development of mushrooms, 3 conditions are necessary:

1. high air humidity (around 90-95%);
2. ventilation;
3. temperature regime.

If the incubation period is transferred to the mushrooms in the warmth, then with the entry into the growth phase, they begin to need coolness. The temperature is comfortable for them at the level from +10 to + 15 ° C.

Therefore, the experience of home mushroom growing in an apartment is unlikely to be successful. If you have a glazed balcony, you can put the seeded mycelium on it. But in order to create an optimal microclimate there for it, you will have to make a lot of efforts.

There is one more factor that must be taken into account when thinking about growing mushrooms in a residential environment. When they mature, they release many spores into the air. If inhaled, they can provoke a serious allergic reaction: cough, runny nose, watery eyes. In the room where mushrooms grow, you need to be in a gauze bandage, or better - in a respirator. Long-term daily inhalation of spores can cause asthma. It is worth noting that only fully ripe mushrooms are thrown away. Usually, the crop is harvested earlier, not allowing their caps to overgrow. Having isolated the spores, they begin to dry out and become unsuitable for food. It will be more productive and safer to grow mushrooms in a basement or similar premises (cellars, sheds, garages).

After removing from the cabinet, the culture medium with the seeded mycelium is sprinkled with a thin layer of soil and well sprinkled with water. Professionals advise covering the planting container with a damp cloth folded in several layers or a towel. This will help to avoid rapid evaporation of the water.The state of the mixture is carefully monitored, preventing it from drying out and overheating.

It will be possible to notice small mushrooms after 3 weeks. Their readiness for cutting is determined by their caps. You can start harvesting when they finally separate from the legs. A typical mistake for beginners is trying to pick mushrooms with their hands. In this case, the mycelium is often injured. New mushrooms, which are still inside the nutrient mixture, are also damaged. To avoid this, the crop is cut with a sharp knife. The collected mushrooms can be cooked immediately or put in a paper bag and put it in the refrigerator. The maximum storage time is 7 days.

Mushrooms on the tree

Some mushrooms (boletus, shiitake, chanterelles, reishi) are grown on wooden blanks - logs. They are clogged with corks seeded with mycelium, which are made from birch. It is not difficult to get such material, it is on sale. Logs are cut from deciduous trees. Poplars, maples, elms, oaks are well suited for this. The length of the blanks should be 30-50 cm, and their diameter should be 20-50 cm. Saw them out in advance, no later than 2 weeks before settling with mycelium, since fresh wood has high antifungal properties.

Plugs are inserted into holes, which are drilled with a drill to a depth of 5 cm, without touching the core of the log. They are made in a checkerboard pattern throughout the workpiece, retreating 10 cm between them. The sticks with mycelium are compacted. You can use a hammer for this.

Advice

Before starting work, wash your hands thoroughly with soap. In the process, they carefully monitor so that no debris gets into the holes.

Then the logs are placed in a basement or other room where mushrooms are to be grown. The mycelium will eventually spread from the birch plugs, completely populating the workpiece. When this happens, the mushrooms will begin to sprout into the log from the cracks. This process usually takes 9-12 months. It is strongly influenced by external conditions - temperature and humidity.

Alternative way

Waste-free practitioners prefer to use coffee grounds for growing mushrooms. It contains nitrogen, manganese, potassium, magnesium. In such a nutrient medium, mushrooms develop quickly, it is ideal for growing oyster mushrooms. The advantage of coffee pomace is that it does not need additional sterilization. The one that he passed during the brewing is enough. But this method is not for everyone. The reason is simple: mycelium can only be sown in fresh grass. It should be brewed during the day. It is not easy to get such a volume of drunk coffee at home, but there is a way out - to ask for cake in the nearest cafeteria.

Next, you need to prepare the landing container. Special durable bags made of geotextiles are available for sale. But mushrooms can also be grown in regular freezer bags or milk cartons, as well as in ice cream boxes. Only 2 conditions must be met: the container must be clean and roomy.

The mycelium is evenly distributed over the surface of the coffee grounds, slightly mixing it into the cake. Do this with clean hands, washed with antibacterial soap. After sowing the drunk coffee, it is placed in a container or bag and tightly closed. Then it is placed in a closet or under the sink. For germination, mushrooms need darkness and warmth (+18 to + 25 ° C). In such conditions, the thick should lie for about 3 weeks.

When the mycelium completely populates it, it will turn white. Then the cake is placed in a bright place, shading it. A 5x5 cm hole is cut in the upper part of the bag. The culture medium is sprayed with water in the morning and in the evening. It should not dry out, otherwise it will not get a crop. After 5-7 days, small mushrooms will appear from the coffee cake. They will grow literally before our eyes. The main thing is not to forget about hydration. Whitened coffee grounds can be planted on site by burying it in compost or covering it with bark.

Protein-rich mushrooms have become an indispensable ingredient in many dishes.They are added to salads, snacks, scrambled eggs, cereals, soups, roasts, pilaf, stews, hodgepodge, sauces. They go well with meat, fish, liver, pasta, vegetables. Few can resist pies and other pastries with mushroom filling. You can endlessly experiment with them in the kitchen, discovering more and more new flavor combinations.

There is nothing difficult in growing mushrooms for a family or for sale. All they need is a comfortable environment: a nutrient medium, temperature conditions, high humidity and ventilation. They don't have to pay much attention. If you want and have a minimum of knowledge, it will not be difficult to achieve success in home mushroom growing.