How to grow mushroom mycelium at home

Growing mushrooms on your own, at home, is a fascinating and profitable business, someone grows them for themselves, others are selling and have a good income from this.

But in order to get a high-quality and rich harvest, you need good seedlings, so many want to know how to make mushroom mycelium at home, and whether it is possible. The withdrawal of mycelium is not an easy task and is not always successful, we will tell you about several technologies, you can choose a suitable option for yourself and try.

What is mycelium?

To begin with, let's figure out what exactly is the mycelium of mushrooms. The mycelium is the vegetative body of the mycelium, which contains the cells of the fungi. When immersed in a nutrient medium, fruits begin to develop and grow from the mycelium.

Visually, these are thin white, brown or yellowish threads, meshes, weaves, which are called hyphae. Some mushrooms form a mycelium in the form of a cannon, similar to cotton wool, but if you look at such a plaque through a magnifying glass, you will notice the finest interweaving of threads.

Such formations (hyphae) are often formed in places of fruiting myceliums on stumps and in other areas (depending on the genus of mushrooms). If you take such a piece with threads and place it in favorable conditions, the cells are activated and soon mushrooms will start growing from the threads. This is how mushroom pickers often collect seedlings in the forests, so that they can then plant mycelium at home in the prepared substrate.

Mushroom mycelium

Mycelium types

Before proceeding to the answer to the question of how to get mushroom mycelium at home, you should know that there are several types of this material.

1. The mycelium is uterine. Diluted under sterile laboratory conditions. In test tubes, strains of fungi are removed, which later serve as inoculum.
2. Mycelium of the body of the fungus. Sowing material is pieces of ripe mushroom caps, prepared according to certain rules.
3. Sowing mycelium. The material collected from the fruiting myceliums is already almost ready for sowing.

Growing mushroom mycelium at home

If everything is clear with the finished seed mycelium (it only needs to be put into the substrate for germination), then the first two types of material need to be prepared. To grow uterine mycelium at home, you will need to purchase some special laboratory equipment. You also need to carry out sowing in sterile conditions and with access to gas, water, electricity.

Growing mushroom mycelium at home

Technology for growing uterine mycelium

You will need:

• test tubes, preferably with cork closures;
• tweezers;
• alcohol and burner;
• wort;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• agar agar;
• sterile gloves.

All items necessary for the cooking process and the work area are sterilized. First, prepare the culture medium for inoculation.

1. The wort is mixed with agar and boiled over a fire until thickened.
2. Pieces of mushrooms are prepared in advance. They must be processed in hydrogen peroxide and placed in a sterile container.
3. A mixture of wort and agar is poured into sterile test tubes and placed in an inclined position until they cool. The whole process must be carried out in complete cleanliness.
4. When the substance cools down and becomes jelly-like, a piece of mushroom is placed in each test tube with tweezers. The stopper is sterilized over an alcohol burner and the vial is sealed.
5. The inoculated tubes are removed in a dark, warm place for 2 weeks. After this period, the material is ready for sowing into the substrate.

The problem is that often at home it is impossible to remove the uterine mycelium, since the sterility of the conditions is not sufficiently observed. Microorganisms enter the test tubes, and all that turns out as a result is mold growing in the vessels or other parasitic bacteria. Therefore, it is better not to suffer and buy ready-made mycelium from those who are professionally cultivating mushrooms.

When buying mycelium, make sure of the quality of the product: the seller is obliged to indicate the production time of the material, the conditions, the storage duration. Usually the product can be stored for up to 3-4 months if the environment is observed correctly.

The next way to grow mushroom mycelium from the body is simpler.

Sowing mycelium from the body of the fungus

Best of all, oyster mushrooms and mushrooms reproduce in this way.

1. To prepare the seed, collect ripe mushroom caps, it is desirable to select the best and largest, without damage. Soak them in clean boiled water for a day.
2. Then drain the water, and mash the caps into a gruel. It is impossible to store such a product, so immediately prepare the inoculation medium (substrate or cuttings).

If mushrooms are grown on stumps or cuttings, then the gruel is laid in pre-made slots (grooves in the tree). In the substrate, the mycelium of the body of the fungi is placed between the layers. For the germination of fungi, it is important that the entire incubation period maintains a temperature of + 23-25ºC and high humidity where the substrate bags or cuttings are located.

Sowing mycelium from the body of the fungus

Other options for growing mushroom mycelium at home are available only if you have a mini-laboratory with an autoclave and other special equipment in your home, which is unlikely. Therefore, it makes no sense to describe them here.

Mycelium sticks

Today sticks with mycelium are very popular. They are sold specifically for seedlings in mushroom farming enterprises and in specialty stores.

Mycelium sticks

These are ordinary small sticks of hardwood, infected with mycelium. They can be stored for up to 6 months at room temperature and humidity over 50%. It is enough to place such a stick in a nutrient medium, and soon the mushrooms will sprout.

Many, having tried to get mushroom mycelium at home, give up the idea, preferring to use ready-made material. But if growing mushrooms is a hobby for you, be sure to try growing mycelium at least once on your own.

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. 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 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. Ordinary mushroom spores can also be purchased. 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, it is necessary to avoid the phase of their ripening. 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 should be mixed with the cake and then the container should 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!

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 would 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 excellent options.

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.

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

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

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 discuss 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 met.

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 cork 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 room. The criterion for its selection can be considered:

• the possibility of creating high air 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 is laid out in the amount of one kilogram, 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.

For 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 not to deteriorate and not lose its quality.

After defrosting for a short time, the mycelium regains 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 from 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, without any admixture of rot.
• When transporting mycelium, the required moisture content must 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.