Grow oyster mushroom at home

Growing mushrooms at home and in private plots has not yet become common. What for? After all, and so the forests are filled with white mushrooms, mushrooms, chanterelles and boletus mushrooms every autumn. But there are mushrooms that either do not grow in our forests at all, or do it with great reluctance. They can perfectly diversify the menu, and also make good money on them. For example, an oyster mushroom plantation in your own dacha is more than real! It is an ideal mushroom for household cultivation. Delicious, inexpensive (in terms of labor costs and the cost of the technological process). Oyster mushroom can be grown in different ways, but there is an option chosen by the time and experience of many amateur mushroom growers.

Growing oyster mushrooms at home

"Children of the Underground"

For the first phase of growing mushrooms, which is their reproduction with the help of mycelium (mycelium), you can do with any ground room - a shed, for example.

The second, main phase is better for mushrooms to "live" in a cellar or basement, that is, underground in the cool.

Growing oyster mushrooms - photo

Both premises for a mushroom plantation must be carefully prepared and equipped with ventilation, electricity and water supply. From the inventory, you will definitely need thermometers to control the degree of heating and cooling of air in the room. The equipment will need a water heater.

By the way! Temperature regulation in a room with growing oyster mushrooms is best controlled by conventional ventilation. To do this, you will have to provide for the possibility of wide opening of windows or doors.

There are several mandatory procedures that must be performed in a building or underground room where mushrooms will grow.

1. The premises are whitewashed with lime and then dried using active ventilation.

   The walls are whitewashed with lime - photo

2. Then the place of cultivation is sprayed with bleach (4% solution).
3. After processing, the doors / windows are closed and the inside is left to disinfect for two days.
4. Then the object is ventilated for the same amount of time.
5. A similar disinfection treatment for conveyor re-cultivation must be performed every cycle.

What mushrooms grow on

Oyster mushrooms differ from their forest counterparts in that they do not grow in soil. They need a substrate for successful growth. You can make a suitable mixture from many components:

• dried straw of field cereals;
• the shell of sunflower seeds is suitable;
• it is very good to use sawdust of trees, but not conifers, but deciduous ones;
• corn stalks, reeds are suitable.

Substrate preparation

All this will become an ideal "soil" for oyster mushroom plantations.The components can be used separately, and it is acceptable to mix them in arbitrary combinations and proportions. The ingredients must be dry. Before use, they need to be crushed (the optimal size of fractions is in the range of 0.5-3 cm). The resulting mixture should have a pleasant smell, not contain any traces of mold, fungal debris and foreign objects.

Prepare the substrate on the surface of the earth; this is not necessary in the cellar. For proper preparation and compliance with all regulations, certain procedures must be followed.

1. The crushed mass is poured with boiling water until it is completely covered, to destroy all kinds of competing organisms in the form of other varieties or harmful microflora.

   Moistening and stirring the substrate

2. The substrate thus poured, steamed to the state of "porridge", is tamped into large barrels or other containers suitable for the capacity and left to swell up to half a day.
3. Then the mass is taken out of the barrel and laid out for complete cooling and evaporation of some of the moisture on a wide film with a thin layer.

Stage one: mycelium - building up mass

Oyster mushroom mycelium

The preparation is over. Mycelium purchased. You can proceed to the first stage, the task of which is to build up its mass.

Advice! How to check the quality of the mycelium of the oyster mushroom progenitor? He must have some characteristics. Snow-white color, with a small proportion of substrate blotches with a darkish tint. The second parameter is smell. Despite the fact that this mushroom does not grow in the forest, the mycelium should smell like forest mushrooms.

1. In a dense transparent polyethylene bag, with a volume of 20 to 60 liters, a layer of wet cold substrate is laid. Layer height - 8 cm. Carefully leveled by hands.

   Laying the substrate

2. Lay on top, ramming tightly, mycelium, in a three-centimeter layer (you can simply break it into small pieces to tamp without voids).
3. Then the substrate is laid and compacted, but already with a layer of 15 cm.
4. Again a three-centimeter layer of mycelium.

   Mushroom substrate bags

5. The procedure should be repeated until all the acquired mycelium ends. In this case, there should be a substrate layer of 8 cm on top.
6. The resulting "puff cake" is compacted, the bag is tied tightly with twine and set in a vertical position.
7. The entire surface of the bag is pierced with a long disinfected (can be ignited on fire) nail, 120-150 mm in size. Not every 25 cm² has one hole.

   How to make a perforation of a mushroom block

Advice! There should be more holes at the bottom: this is necessary to drain the liquid constantly forming in the package.

Immediately after the procedure, a clear separation of the layers into dark and light (substrate and mycelium) will be visible through the film of the bag.

The temperature required to increase the mycelium mass should be kept at + 18 ... 26 ° С. Germination of mycelium spores will begin in three days, and ten days later you can observe a miracle. The whole mass will turn into mycelium and become completely white. After that, the bag is untied and multiplication is continued to the required amount.

Hanging substrate bags and growing oyster mushrooms

One full standard bag gives life to 8-10 other bags with an interlayer (substrate + mycelium). When, finally, the required amount of mycelium for your purposes is formed, then 2 bags from every ten are left for the subsequent increase in mass, and 8 are transferred to obtain the long-awaited harvest of oyster mushrooms.

Fruiting process

Growing oyster mushrooms

The whitened substrate must be kept in the "native" bag for another 5-6 days after ripening, if this bag is sent for fruiting. During this period, it will finally mature, become "monolithic", will be as dense as possible.

To activate the beginning of the crop formation, bags with completely processed substrate mycelium are kept at + 3 ... 5 ° С for another three days. To enable the mushroom fruiting body to grow, it will need room to grow.To create it, holes 3-5 cm in diameter are cut out in polyethylene (one per square meter). The packages are moved to an underground room in temperature conditions of + 10 ... 16 ° С. Here they are installed at a distance of at least 30-40 cm from each other, always vertically. To make it more convenient to water the mushroom "plantation", the bags are placed with ribbons in three rows with a 70 cm gap between them.

Advice! If you are the happy owner of a high basement, then you can also place bags with future mushrooms on additional shelves located along the walls. Such placement will increase the used area, and hence the mushroom yield.

Care for future mushrooms

Once a day, the bags should be slightly moistened, and the room itself should be thoroughly ventilated, since in the process of fruiting oyster mushrooms, a large amount of carbon dioxide is formed. As for the lighting in the dungeon, during the first week it will not be needed at all, and then it would be nice to illuminate the room. Mushrooms will grow in any case - with or without light - but backlighting can significantly increase the yield.

Watering oyster mushrooms

If all conditions are met, the first fruiting will begin in 10 days. When the mushroom heads begin to lighten (after the whitish, dark and greyish brown stages), you can harvest. After a while (about three weeks), the second fruiting will begin with a much lower productivity. Two series of fruiting, taking into account a well-chosen base and high-quality mycelium, yield up to 45 kg of oyster mushrooms from 100 kg of the substrate used. When the harvesting of mushrooms of the second second wave is completed, the packages are taken out of the basement, and, after sanitizing the underground room, a new batch is placed in it. This conveyor method makes it possible to carry out 6 double fruiting cycles per year.

Basic rules for growing oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms grow in a bag of hay

Table. Growing conditions for cycles

1	Germination of mycelium bodies into the substrate	10-14	20-24	90	not required
2	Ripening and fruiting	4-5	22-28	95	not required
3	Growth of the fruiting body (1 wave)	7-10	15-19	85	100
4	Growth of the fruiting body (2nd wave)	7-10	13-17	85	100
5	Harvesting, unloading the substrate, disinfection of the chamber	2	irrelevant	irrelevant	not required

Value and use

Fresh Oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushroom is highly valued for its beneficial nutritional properties. In taste, it is not inferior to other cultivated mushrooms and even surpasses them, and in terms of the value of the composition, it has no competitors at all. Not hard, but dense texture, light bread flavor and subtle aniseed notes on the palate. For cooking - a godsend, since oyster mushroom is a versatile mushroom. It can be boiled, fried, canned (pickled and salted), stewed, dried. The only product that the popular mushroom doesn't go with is fish. Otherwise, in salad, hot, soups, as a stand-alone culinary masterpiece - oyster mushrooms are wonderful.

Fresh oyster mushroom - photo

Important! A prerequisite for the preparation of any mushroom dishes is its heat treatment. In its raw form, it contains chitin, which is not absorbed and rejected by the human body.

Growing a mushroom, given the right premises and some free time, can become not only a useful and nutritious hobby, but also a way to make good money by supplying healthy and tasty oyster mushrooms to the retail network.

Video - Premises for forcing mushrooms Oyster mushroom

Video - Oyster mushroom harvest

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

Features of growing oyster mushrooms: necessary conditions and premises

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

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

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

1. Growing equipment (bags). The choice of equipment depends on the method of growing oyster mushrooms. The most convenient and economical option is bag cultivation. To do this, you need special supports with hangers on which the bags with the substrate are suspended. It is best to use plastic equipment, it does not corrode and is much cheaper. By the way, oyster mushrooms can also be grown on stumps.
2. Room temperature. This mushroom does not need high temperatures, so there is no need to create a greenhouse. It will be enough to insulate the room and carry out thermal insulation to retain moisture. Naturally, elementary heating devices must be present so that the temperature does not fall below 13 ° C. An elevated temperature is necessary only at the initial stage after planting the mycelium (22 ° C - 25 ° C). Infrared lamps can be used for additional heating.
3. Humidity. Oyster mushrooms are very fond of moisture, so the air in the growing room must be constantly humidified. It is very easy to do this using nebulizers or special electronic humidifiers. The humidity level should be around 70-90%.
   
4. Ventilation and lighting. All mushrooms grow in the fresh air and oyster mushrooms are no exception. The room must be systematically ventilated. This can be done manually, or you can install special hoods that will deliver fresh air. Again, purchasing such equipment is expensive, so unless you plan to grow large quantities of oyster mushrooms for sale, it won't be cost effective. When it comes to lighting, you need to install fluorescent garden lamps. You won't need a lot of them, since this type of mushroom does not require a lot of light.
5. Cleanliness and pest free. To grow a large, and most importantly, a healthy 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 harvest of mushrooms has been harvested, the substrate and bags must be disposed of. They are not recyclable. The room is well cleaned, ventilated and disinfected. It will be possible to re-breed mushrooms only 2 weeks after all harvesting work.

Video: technology for growing oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushroom diseases and pests: control measures and precautions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video: how to grow oyster mushrooms at home

Growing an oyster mushroom in a home basement is a trend that came from the 90s. Craftsmen mastered this business from scratch, planted entire plantations in such conditions and built a business on them. It is not difficult to grow oyster mushrooms - it is important to adhere to the step-by-step algorithm and instructions.This article contains the recommendations of experts on where to start the process and how best to carry it out. Photo and video tips are provided to help beginners.

Step 1: preparing the room

To organize home growing of oyster mushrooms, you need a properly equipped room, high-quality mycelium (mycelium), and a suitable substrate. In the basement, mushrooms are grown in two ways:

1. Natural. Minimum equipment costs, but no more than one harvest per year.
2. Intensive. Requires investment in order to create and maintain the microclimate necessary for oyster mushrooms in the basement. But it allows you to collect several crops per season, regardless of weather conditions.

Advice. Mushroom pickers often choose the second option. This technology will allow the family to feed and sell some of the mushrooms.

You should not count on a safe and healthy harvest if you cannot create and maintain such conditions in the basement:

• purity;
• air temperature in the range of + 10 ... + 20 ° C;

Oyster mushroom is easy to grow on your own

• humidity - 85-90%;
• constant air circulation, well-functioning ventilation;
• no pests and mold.

A deep cleaning in the first step will help detect problems in the basement. You may need a total rearrangement or re-equipment of the premises. To grow mushrooms in winter, take care of the tightness and insulation of the basement. Then, to maintain the microclimate in the cold, one heater will be enough for you, which will turn on for 2-3 hours.

Cover the ventilation openings with mosquito nets. Mold can be removed by hand using special products or vinegar solution. As a preventive measure, a normal balance of temperature and humidity is sufficient. Remove pests using pest control: smoke bombs or chemicals. Further work in the basement can be started no earlier than in a week.

Step 2: preparing the substrate

When using an intensive growing method, the substrate acts as a comfortable, moist and breathable environment. It protects oyster mushrooms from mold damage. Experienced mushroom pickers use hardwood shavings. It is easier for beginners to work with buckwheat or sunflower husks, barley or wheat straw, dry corn stalks.

An important task is to properly prepare the substrate for growing.

Prepare the material before use:

1. Make sure it is free of fungal microorganisms.
2. Heat the raw materials: steam a dry or moist substrate, boil in water. In the latter case, let the liquid drain for a few days. Such saturation with moisture is considered optimal when, when squeezed by hand, the substrate springs, but does not ooze with water.
3. Cool and grind the material.
4. Place the substrate in plastic bags with small holes. Transfer them to a separate, disinfected, warm room to place the mycelium.
5. Use bleach for surface treatment. The same sterilization is needed in the basement.

Step 3: buy quality mycelium

In order not to make a mistake in choosing a basis for the reproduction of mushrooms, follow these recommendations:

1. If you are not sure about the quality of the myceliums you are purchasing, take several small batches from different suppliers.
2. When buying, study the data on the variety and strain, productivity, mold resistance, crop saving time.
3. The optimum temperature for mycelium is about +20 ° C. Make sure no overheated material is sold to you.
4. The mycelium should not exude an ammoniacal odor and be covered with black or green spots. A healthy color is bright orange.

Oyster mushroom mycelium

After harvesting, the seed mycelium is stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 3 ... + 4 ° C. Under such conditions, normal mycelium will retain productivity up to 3 months, substrate mycelium - up to 9 months. Check with sellers for compliance with these conditions. After purchasing mycelium:

• place the bags separately in a well-ventilated room;
• leave for a couple of hours at room temperature;
• before laying, grind the mushroom base without opening the bag.

Attention! It is necessary to open the package and carry out all subsequent operations only with gloves, in a sterile environment. After opening, treat the mycelium with a disinfectant solution.

Step 4: laying the mycelium

You will need a sterile table. The bags also need to be treated with a disinfectant solution and then with water. Turn off ventilation, close windows and doors during work. Mix the substrate and mycelium directly on the work surface. Correct proportions for mycelium:

• domestic raw materials - 3-5% of the total volume of the substrate;
• foreign product - 1.6-2.5%.

Put the mixture back into bags and tamp. The optimal weight of one bale should be 5-15 kg. Flatten the bags lightly and using a sharp knife, cut openings on both wide sides. The length of one is 0.5 cm. This technique will lead to the fact that the mushrooms will break through in bunches.

Place mycelium under sterile conditions.

Place the bags on props or shelves in the same room. The bags should be at least 5 cm away from walls and each other and should be well blown from all sides. The most favorable air temperature is around +25 ° C. In the block with the substrate, it may be slightly higher. Sowing maintenance is simple:

• do not ventilate the room;
• Wipe floors and surfaces with chlorine and water every day.

Attention! Do not overheat mycelium at + 30 ° C or higher.

Step 5: growing oyster mushrooms in the basement

In a warm room, the bags should lie for 18-25 days. After that, they should be transferred to the basement. There the blocks are placed vertically. They can be placed on top of each other, however, a gap of at least 0.5 m is required between the columns. The first mushrooms can be collected after 1.5 months. after laying the mycelium.

Growing oyster mushrooms in the basement

In the basement, you need to maintain optimal conditions for growing oyster mushrooms. The desired lighting intensity is 5 W / sq. m. In order for the body of the fungus to mature dense, and not watery, use a humidifier or sprayer for irrigation. Water with a temperature of + 10 ... + 25 ° C should flow from top to bottom no more than twice a day. Ventilate the area after watering.

Attention! Oyster mushrooms form a lot of controversy. To prevent them from causing allergies, the basement must be isolated from the living rooms.

Subsequent waves of fruiting in oyster mushrooms occur with an interval of 2-3 weeks. Remnants of the mushroom legs should be removed between these periods. Go through the bags. If you notice mold, remove it from the room. Such a substrate will fit on the site as an organic fertilizer. It is easy to grow oyster mushrooms in the basement, especially if you are well prepared for the process.

Growing oyster mushrooms at home: video

Mushrooms are a popular and healthy product that our housewives know well. Growing oyster mushrooms at home will allow you not only to cook delicious meals for the whole family, but also to get a stable source of income. This type of business is highly profitable.

Technologies for growing oyster mushrooms at home

Growing mushrooms is a rewarding hobby and a profitable business

Oyster mushrooms give a high yield. With 1 kg of these mushrooms, you can get 3 kg of mycelium in a short time. They are unpretentious to the place of growth and feel good in a small area. Such conditions will not affect the amount of the crop.

Growing oyster mushrooms can be a profitable business. To engage in this type of business, it is enough to have a garage or basement at your disposal. You can also grow mushrooms for your own consumption. An ordinary window sill is suitable for this purpose.

There are two growing technologies:

• intense;
• extensive.

The first option involves the growth of mushrooms in artificial conditions. Intensive technology allows you to get an equal amount of crops throughout the year. But in this case, you will need to purchase special equipment to maintain the microclimate necessary for the growth of the mycelium. This will entail financial costs.

The extensive method consists in growing mycelium in natural conditions. This technology does not require significant investment. But the yield depends on the season and climatic conditions.

How to grow mushrooms in an intensive way

Site preparation

Oyster mushrooms are always grown in a sterile room. For this, pre-treatment is carried out with 1% chlorine solution or lime. The temperature must be kept at +18 ° C .. + 26 ° C. If there are ventilation systems in the room, they should be turned off for the period of laying. Doors must be tightly closed.

Selection and processing of the substrate

Any dry organic matter is suitable as a substrate for growing oyster mushrooms.

For oyster mushrooms, you can use various plant residues. It can be:

• stalks and stalks of corn;
• sawdust of non-coniferous wood;
• vine;
• reed;
• sunflower husk;
• wheat and rye straw.

Any material available will do. If straw is used as a substrate, it must be chopped up. This can be done with an ax or knife. Crushed straw to 5-10 cm. This procedure will help to avoid the formation of voids, the presence of which negatively affects the harvest.

Important! You can only use fresh straw that does not have a moldy smell.

The next stage of preparation is heat treatment. Under natural conditions, oyster mushrooms do not grow on the substrate, since their development is hindered by various microorganisms, including mold. Heat treatment eliminates these mycelium competitors. This can be done in two ways:

• using pasteurization;
• by sterilization method.

When grown at home, the first method is used. The substrate is placed in a metal container, poured with boiling water, tightly closed with a lid and left for 2-4 hours. Note that it needs to be refrigerated before being placed in the bags.

Sterilization involves the use of autoclaves and is applied in a production environment.

Video: practical tips for processing the substrate

Formation and installation of blocks with mycelium

Mycelium blocks for oyster mushrooms are formed from bags or boxes

1. For growing oyster mushrooms, you can use plastic bags or boxes. It is necessary to pay special attention to the size of the container so that the substrate does not dry out and does not overheat. The size of the bags should correspond to the indicators of 50x100 cm, boxes - 20x40x60 cm.
2. For planting, a substrate is used, the temperature of which is +20 ° C ... + 30 ° C. Mycelium should not be added to a hotter mass, this can lead to the death of the mycelium.
3. If oyster mushrooms were in the refrigerator, they must be kept for 24 hours at room temperature before planting.
4. Then they are placed in a container and crushed by hand until the grains are separated.
5. Observe the sterility of the planting material. Work with rubber gloves disinfected with 1% sodium hydrochloride.

There are two ways to add mycelium:

1. In accordance with the first method, the mass is formed in several layers, alternating the substrate with the planting material.
2. The second method involves uniform mixing of the components:

• when using bags, shake them after filling;
• then the top is wrapped around the neck to achieve a snug fit of the substrate to the surface;
• 12 holes must be made on both sides, each with a diameter of 10 mm. Cover the neck with tape;
• the amount of mycelium should be 3-5% of the weight of the substrate. An increase in the mass of oyster mushrooms up to 7% is allowed;
• after packaging, the containers are placed in a place for germination.

Important! The number of fungi relative to the substrate must be at least 3%, otherwise there is a possibility of mold.

Video: Forming Mushroom Blocks

Mycelium care

To ensure a good harvest, it is necessary to observe temperature conditions, as well as maintain the required level of humidity.

Oyster mushroom growth is carried out in two stages:

• incubation;
• fruiting.

The first one lasts 14-18 days. During this time, the room should be kept at a temperature of + 24 ° C, humidity - 75–90%. There is no need for lighting and ventilation. After a few days, a white bloom can be seen on the surface of the substrate mass.

Important! Avoid overheating as this can cause mycelial scabs to develop. The presence of such a formation will lead to a decrease in yield. A crust can also appear due to planting an excessive amount of oyster mushrooms.

If an unpleasant odor emanates from the substrate mass with mycelium, moisture is released and the appearance of black, orange or green spots, then this indicates an infection with mold or bacteria. Such bags or boxes must be removed from the premises immediately.

The second stage of cultivation is fruiting. During this time, the temperature regime in the room is changed, the mushrooms are provided with ventilation and lighting. There are two strains of oyster mushrooms:

• shockless;
• shock.

For mushrooms of the first category, a temperature level of +20 ° C must be ensured. After 5 days, the indicator begins to decrease to + 15 ° C. This process is carried out gradually and lasts 5-6 days. Oyster mushrooms with a shock strain need a more significant decrease in temperature. During the first 2-3 days of fruiting, they should be within 4-5 ° C. Then the temperature is raised to + 12 ° C .. + 16 ° C and maintained at this level throughout the entire period.

At this time, the mushrooms need ventilation. They give off carbon dioxide, which must be removed. As a result of oxygen deficiency, the bodies of the fruits are deformed and lose their presentation. But excessive ventilation should also be avoided, dry air is especially harmful to fungi. Under its influence, small fruits dry out, caps of large oyster mushrooms are deformed.

When creating lighting, you need to focus on the size of the room. A 100 W light bulb is used in an area of ​​15–20 square meters. Lack of light leads to intensive development of the stem, while the fruiting body does not grow to the required size.

The humidity level should not fall below 70%. When growing a small amount of oyster mushrooms, they can be sprayed with a spray bottle. Direct moisture to fruiting bodies.

Extensive breeding of oyster mushrooms

Preparing stumps or logs

Stumps for growing oyster mushrooms

To implement the extensive method, wood species are used on which oyster mushrooms grow in nature: poplar, birch, aspen, beech, oak, hornbeam. The length of the logs should be 25-30 cm.

Important! Do not use wood with a diameter of less than 15 cm. This will negatively affect the yield.

The logs are placed in water, where they are soaked for a week. The wood should have a moisture content of 80–90%. Freshly cut logs do not need to be subjected to this procedure.

Sowing mycelium

Sowing is started at the end of winter or with the onset of spring. The logs are used to form vertical columns up to two meters high. A layer of grain mycelium 1–2 cm thick is applied to the upper end of each wood segment. The next log is placed on it, which is subjected to a similar treatment. One piece of wood will require 70-100 g of mycelium.

Video: instructions for sowing mycelium

Planting hemp in the ground

Planting an oyster mushroom stump in the ground

1. In May, logs that have already been overgrown with mushrooms are placed in the soil. To do this, choose shaded places near the trees. If there is no suitable site, it can be created using awnings.
2. Each log is buried 10-15 cm.
3. The segments are arranged in rows.You need to keep a space of 50 cm between them.

Mushroom colony care

During the incubation period, the columns are covered with burlap or straw to maintain the required moisture level. For this purpose, it is not recommended to use a film material - it prevents the penetration of air, which is necessary for the development of fungi.

The wood will be overgrown with mushrooms within two months. In the room where the oyster mushroom logs are installed, the temperature should be at +10 ° C .. + 15 ° C. The air should be humidified, but water should be avoided on the wood. During fruiting, care involves moderate watering of the soil in dry weather.

Video: practical recommendations for caring for oyster mushrooms

Harvesting and storage

When using stumps, the yield is less abundant than when planting in bags

Oyster mushrooms bear fruit several times. With intensive cultivation, the first harvest is obtained in 10-14 days, it is 70% of the total amount. During the second fruiting, 20–25% are harvested, during the third - 5–10%. Oyster mushrooms can continue to yield crops, but their amount will be insignificant.

Important! Economically, it is advisable to collect mushrooms only during the first two fruiting.

Extensively grown mushrooms begin to harvest in August or early September. In the first year, approximately 600 g of oyster mushrooms are obtained from one log. Cuts of wood for the winter period are left in the same place. After a year, the number of mushrooms increases. One log gives 2–2.5 kg of oyster mushrooms. The most abundant harvest is obtained during the second and third years of cultivation.

Oyster mushrooms bear fruit in clusters. In the process of collecting, you need to cut them off completely, without leaving even small mushrooms. If the splice is damaged, they will not develop. For storage, use boxes, boxes or baskets.

Important! It is not recommended to repeatedly transfer mushrooms from one container to another, this will ruin their appearance.

Video: harvesting from tree stumps

The storage time depends on the temperature. At +2 ° C .. + 4 ° C oyster mushrooms will not lose their appearance and taste for two months. In a room where the temperature reaches +7 ° C, this period is reduced to 1 week. And at room temperature, mushrooms are stored for no more than a day.

If you decide to grow oyster mushrooms not only for your own consumption, but also for organizing a business, you need to think about ways of implementation. You can sell products in several directions:

1. One possible option is vegetable markets. Use a display stand to grab the attention of potential buyers.
2. Another area of ​​sale is catering establishments. Offer free product samples first. If the quality of the mushrooms meets the required level, you will not have to look for other marketing options.
3. You can also sell oyster mushrooms to supermarkets and grocery stores. But be prepared to face significant competition here. You may have to lower prices for the product. But if the volume of sales is large, it will increase the profitability of the business, as well as justify the discounts.

Breeding oyster mushrooms does not require significant material costs and great efforts. Anyone can organize home production, even without experience in this area and special knowledge. By following the step-by-step instructions, you will get a high-quality harvest, which will allow you to organize a profitable business.