How to grow mushrooms at home in a cellar?

The microclimatic conditions of the cellar are ideal for growing mushrooms. Everyone can buy mycelium and master the technology of growing mushrooms in the basement. If you want to get a good harvest, first of all, you should pay attention to such things as: preparation of the nutrient substrate, equipment of the room, disinfection, temperature and humidity control. Let us examine these and other questions in order.

What should be the cellar?

You can grow mushrooms in any well-made cellar. The floor in the cellar should be concrete, not earthen. In general, the cleaner and more isolated from external influences the room is, the better.

To save space in the basement, racks with mushrooms are equipped with several floors (tiers).

Lighting

Unlike green onions and other plants, champignons do not need additional lighting. They can be perfectly grown in the dark. The light should be screwed in only so that it is convenient to work in the cellar or basement.

Ventilation

The cellar should be equipped with a ventilation system, since the compost on which the mushrooms grow actively releases carbon dioxide during decomposition. And mushrooms do not tolerate mustiness. Carbon dioxide must be removed and replaced with fresh air. However, drafts should not be allowed. The ventilation pipes are closed with a fine mesh to prevent insects from getting inside.

If there are not enough conventional supply and exhaust pipes for good ventilation of the cellar. We'll have to take care of the forced ventilation of the room. Additional fans can be used to circulate air above the mushroom boxes. If possible, it is worth installing additional air purification filters.

Temperature and humidity

To control these indicators, install a thermometer and a hygrometer in the mushroom growing room. You can increase the humidity by spraying the racks and the floor with a spray bottle. Reduce - by airing.

The temperature in summer can be regulated by ventilation, but if you plan to grow mushrooms all year round, take care of additional heating of the cellar.

Space zoning

If your cellar is large enough, it makes sense to divide it into two zones. You will use one room for incubation (spreading the mycelium over the substrate), and the second for the direct forcing of mushrooms (fruit bodies).The temperature for the successful course of these processes is different. The mushroom grows at about 23 degrees, and fruiting occurs at 16-17 degrees.

By maintaining stable temperature conditions in each room, you can simply carry the substrate boxes. In this way, you can grow champignons continuously - while half of the boxes bear fruit, in the other, mycelium grows, and so on. If necessary, add a third composting area.

Pre-disinfection

To grow mushrooms, the basement must be well disinfected, treated from parasites and mold. Champignons are very susceptible to disease and pest infestation, and it will be a shame to lose most of the crop due to neglect of safety measures at the initial stage.

In particular, the following processing can be carried out:

• Fumigate with a sulfuric stick.
• Whitewash the walls and ceiling with lime with the addition of copper sulfate.
• Spray with a 4% formalin solution.
• If there were previously vegetables in the basement, and fruit flies or other pests were bred, you need to treat the room with chlorophos.
• As an additional protective measure, a box of sawdust soaked in a disinfectant solution can be placed at the entrance.

After disinfection, the basement should be thoroughly ventilated, otherwise not only the mushrooms, but also it will be very difficult for you to be inside.

Substrate preparation

The preparation of the nutrient medium on which the mushrooms will grow is one of the most important and crucial moments. To grow the maximum yield, prepare the substrate by following the recommendations on the mycelium packaging you purchased. Since the strains or varieties of champignons are different, the preparation technology and the composition of the substrate may differ insignificantly.

This is how the substrate on which the mushrooms grow.

However, there are general principles for preparing compost for growing mushrooms, which can be considered universal. The best option would be natural horse manure compost. It is important that the animals eat hay and not green food.

Two options for making natural compost:

1	Horse manure with a high straw content, humidity 40-45%	850
	Urea	3
	Superphosphate	13
	Ammonia saltpeter	8
	Gypsum	18
2	Horse dung	2000
	Straw	50
	Urea	5
	Ammonium sulfate	8
	Superphosphate	5
	a piece of chalk	7,5
	Alabaster

Horse manure can be replaced with cow or poultry droppings, however, in this case, the yield will be significantly lower.

The straw is soaked for a day in warm water in a convenient trough or other container. After that, it is stacked in a pile mixed with layers of manure. You should end up with only 6-8 layers. We additionally moisten each layer with warm water. After 3-4 days, the compost should be thoroughly mixed and added with urea and superphosphate. After that, the substrate will acquire a characteristic ammonia smell. After another 3-4 days, the compost is mixed again. So it needs to be shoveled 4-5 times, gradually adding the rest of the minerals. During the last mixing, gypsum is added.

The average compost time is 24–28 days. The completion of the fermentation process can be judged by the disappearance of the ammonia smell and the light brown color of the manure. During the fermentation process, the temperature of the compost can reach 50–70 degrees. For growing mushrooms, the temperature of the compost should be no more than 25 degrees.

It is worth preparing the substrate either in a special utility room with good ventilation, or outdoors under a canopy that protects from rainwater and the sun. We do not pour compost on the ground, it is better to spread cellophane. This is required so that insect pests do not get into the finished substrate.

If it's too difficult for you to prepare your own mushroom substrate, you can always buy it at the store. However, hand-made compost is usually of better quality.

We move the finished substrate to the basement and put it in boxes or containers in which it is planned to grow mushrooms.

Planting mushroom mycelium (inoculation)

So, the substrate is ready and placed in the cellar, now it is required to add the mycelium of the fungus to it in order to grow the mycelium. The mycelium is grown industrially in laboratories under sterile conditions. You can buy it at gardening stores or order it online.

Grain mycelium.

In order to grow mushrooms on 1 square meter of substrate, you need 500 g of compost mycelium or 400 g of champignon cereal spores.

We place the "seeds" in the substrate. If you've composted it correctly, it should bounce slightly when pressed. We make five-centimeter depressions at a distance of 20 centimeters from each other and put a small amount of compost mycelium in each depression. If you have purchased champignon spores, you just need to scatter them over the surface. Gradually, the strings of mycelium will begin to grow over the substrate.

The growth time of the mycelium, while the fruiting bodies of the mushrooms have not yet appeared, is called incubation. During this period, it is necessary to maintain the air humidity in the cellar at the level of 70–95%. To prevent the substrate from drying out, it can be covered with paper or cloth and periodically sprayed with a spray bottle.

The temperature at which mycelium grows is 20–27 degrees. The mushroom filaments will begin to actively spread in ten to twelve days. Then the surface of the substrate should be covered with earth by 3-4 centimeters and wait another 3-5 days. The land is not just from the garden, but a mixture of peat (5 parts), limestone (1 part) and soil (4 parts). Do not forget to sprinkle with water occasionally.

Forcing fruiting bodies

After the incubation period, you should lower the temperature in the cellar to 12-17 degrees, or move the boxes with the substrate to the room for distillation (if, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, you divided the room into two compartments). The growth period of the mushrooms themselves begins.

For one harvest, 5-8 waves of mushrooms can be removed from the mycelium, although the bulk will fall on the first three waves.

You can remove the first wave of the harvest in 3-4 months. Prevent mushrooms from overripe. You should pick them off when the lower part of the cap is still covered with a white film and the brown plates are not visible. Each mushroom must be carefully twisted out of its place, not cut off. From the leg remaining after the cut, bacteria can get into the mycelium.

After collecting the mushroom, the place where it grew should be lightly sprinkled with soil. The champignons will grow vigorously within 1–2 weeks. Under the right conditions and good compost, 5–8 harvests of mushrooms can be harvested during this time. The main volume falls on the first three waves. Then the yield of mycelium will sharply decline.

The best varieties to grow

More than fifty different varieties of champignons are known in the world. Some of them are found in the wild, and some are bred by breeders for industrial breeding.

For growing in a cellar, varieties with high yields, easy to care for and unpretentious are ideal. Among them, one can distinguish two-pore and two-ring. Also suitable for home breeding of meadow mushroom, Somycel 512 and Hauser A15.

The technology for growing champignons in the basement has its own characteristics, but it is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. If you have prepared the right compost, established the required microclimate in the cellar and purchased good planting material, you are guaranteed a high yield of mushrooms! And our recommendations will help you cope with this creative and interesting task.

Growing champignons in the basement is most often perceived not as a business idea, but as a strange hobby of an amateur gardener. However, with such an occupation, you can really make a profit! To do this, you just need to competently approach the matter: draw up a business plan, calculate profitability and investments, assess risks.

If you are interested in the idea, let's get down to the debriefing!

Where to start a business?

Growing mushrooms in the basement of a residential building is a very real idea for implementation. Why not, because the microclimate is fully consistent with the conduct of such an activity, and mushrooms are not picky about the conditions at all.

A step-by-step algorithm for organizing a business can be presented as follows:

1. Understand the technology of growing mushrooms.
2. Prepare a basement for placement of seedlings.
3. Disinfect the premises.
4. Buy mycelium.
5. Purchase compost or raw materials for its production.
6. Plant the mycelium in the substrate.
7. Control temperature and humidity levels.
8. Harvest according to the prescribed rules.
9. Find points of sale and sell the product.

We will analyze each point of organizing the cultivation of mushrooms in your own home.

Business registration

The cultivation of champignons as a business (in the basement) must be officially registered. Unless, of course, the volume of your production is limited by the limits of "a batch for yourself, a batch for neighbors."

When it comes to business specifically, and especially about implementation through retail outlets, cafes, etc., you cannot do without documents.

Do not worry if you haven’t come across this question before. It's pretty simple. Let's represent your actions in the form of a step-by-step algorithm:

1. It is necessary to register an individual entrepreneur. To do this, you need to go with your passport to the nearest tax office.
2. As an indication of the activity, you choose agricultural production and sale.
3. With this type of work, you can count on a single agricultural tax - 6%. This is a very profitable taxation option.
4. The room for growing mushrooms is subject to inspection by employees of the phytosanitary inspection. The basement must have a permissible background radiation. After verification, you will be issued a certificate.
5. Also in the phytosanitary inspection, you will check the goods before selling. No serious client will cooperate with you without a certificate of quality. The validity period of one certificate is the "life" period of one batch of compost. You will provide this data during registration.

Next, let's take a closer look at the conditions for growing mushrooms in the basement.

What conditions are required for work

Growing mushrooms in the basement of a private house follows the same principles as in any other place. We'll talk more about the technology later. Now let's figure out what conditions are necessary to get a bountiful harvest of mushrooms.

Growing champignons in the basement of a garage or other room presupposes a solid, solid building. We will analyze the rest of the requirements in stages:

• Contrary to popular belief, the floor should be covered with concrete, not dirt.
• The room itself is maximally isolated from the environment, excluding the possibility of contamination sources from outside.
• Another difference from other types of vegetation grown for sale: champignons do not need a constant source of light. This translates into substantial savings in equipment and utility bills. It is enough to hold one lamp in the basement to work with convenience.
• Even in a small area, it is possible to organize the cultivation of a significant amount of the crop. To do this, the containers are installed "in layers", placing ordinary racks in the basement. The mushroom growth height is small, which allows you to make tiers at a short distance.
• It is important to consider this feature: the mushroom compost will emit unpleasant carbon dioxide. It is unpleasant because it leads to mustiness. And mushrooms do not tolerate such a situation. Establish an efficient ventilation system to avoid problems.
• Do not overdo the ventilation of the room. Drafts are also the enemy of your seedlings. It is also worth installing a mosquito net with small meshes on the ventilation holes to prevent insects from getting inside.
• Mushrooms, however, are unpretentious to the temperature regime. Try to maintain an "even" level, that's enough. In summer, a fan is used if necessary. Growing champignons in a basement in winter may require a heating system (if the room is very cold).
• Control the humidity level in the cellar. It can be reduced by ventilation, and increased by a simple spray bottle with water.

What preparation of the premises is needed before growing?

Like many other mushrooms, mushrooms are susceptible to diseases and parasites. Growing in the basement (the technology of the process is, in fact, extremely simple) requires careful preparation of the place before work begins. Preliminary work consists of disinfecting the room, treating surfaces, removing mold and even a chance for its appearance in the future. If you do not approach this issue carefully, the crop can be spoiled. It's a shame to destroy a case for several months out of sheer laziness, isn't it?

If you do not want to check the resistance of fungi to a harmful environment, prepare the territory like this:

1. Examine the room for insects (it is important if vegetables were previously stored in this cellar). If you find at least a few individuals, be sure to process chlorophos.
2. All surfaces are covered with lime, to which copper sulfate is added.
3. Use a sulfur stick to fumigate the room.
4. Also, the space is sprayed with a 4% formalin solution.
5. Want to insure yourself? Take a deep container of sawdust and sprinkle it with disinfectant. Place the box at the entrance to the cellar. It will serve as an additional barrier for pests.
6. After carrying out the manipulations, carefully check the basement. Otherwise, you can harm not only the seedlings, but even your own health.

Sometimes simple airing does not give much results. This indicates the fact that you need an additional ventilation system. For example, you can put additional fans above the racks with mushrooms. As your business expands, it makes sense to invest further in installing air purifying filters in the ventilation system.

Champignon cultivation technology

What is the principle for planting champignons? Growing in the basement (process technology, to be more precise) has some features:

• Zoning. It is recommended to divide the basement into two parts - for the incubation period and for direct distillation. The fact is that you will need to observe different temperature conditions. Zoning the space will greatly facilitate the task.
• As mentioned, each period needs its own temperature. For cultivation - 23 ° C, distillation - 12-17 ° C.
• Carefully follow the composting conditions indicated on the packaging. Horse manure is considered the best base. When using it, an increased yield is noted.
• A self-made substrate will always be better than a purchased one. But to save time and effort, it can still be purchased.

Growing process

When all the conditions for growing mushrooms in the basement are met, you can proceed directly to the process. The easiest way for beginners will be to imagine it in the form of a step-by-step algorithm:

1. We plant the mycelium in the substrate. Typically, entrepreneurs purchase mycelium ready for planting to grow at home. Most often it is a base grown in special laboratories in which ideal conditions of sterility are maintained. They buy mycelium for planting through intermediaries - on the Internet, in All for Garden stores, as well as directly from suppliers.
2. It is very simple to calculate the required amount of mycelium: 1 m2 - 500 grams of "living" medium. If you decide to grow mycelium from spores, you need 400 grams.
3. The planting process is not very different from the usual: you need to make holes about 5 cm deep.Properly prepared compost will feel a little springy. Keep a distance of at least 15-20 cm between the holes. Place a piece of mycelium in each hole.
4. For planting spores, holes do not need to be made. The seeds are simply poured evenly onto the ground. The mushroom pickers will pave their own way.
5. During the incubation period, the entrepreneur's task is to monitor the level of humidity and temperature. How to do this is described in more detail below.
6. For permanent moistening of the earth, you can cover it with paper (cloth) and moisten it.
7. 10-12 days after planting, cover the substrate with another layer of earth - literally 3-4 cm. The earth is prepared in a special way: peat + lime + soil in a ratio of 5: 1: 4.
8. The incubation period will end in 4-5 days. During this time, regularly moisten the air and soil with a spray bottle.
9. The next growing period is forcing. At this time, the temperature in the basement is lowered to 12-17 ° C. Sometimes this is difficult to achieve, it is much easier to move the racks to another room. For this, in the section above, it was proposed to zone the basement.
10. The mushrooms will start growing soon. Follow the rules for collecting them and do not over-ripen the mushrooms.

Sales channels

A rare person in our time does not use champignons. Growing at home in a basement can meet the needs of one family of mushrooms. But when it comes to business, of course, it is necessary to establish distribution channels. Finding clients is the secret to the success of this endeavor.

Growing champignons in a basement rarely involves a large amount of mushrooms harvested. Therefore, the surplus that family members do not use can be sold in the nearest market.

If the business is nevertheless put on stream and you want to find a more "solid" sales market, consider the following options:

• It is not necessary to sell the mushrooms directly to those who consume them. Using intermediaries can reduce your profits, but it will provide you with a steady stream of orders. Whether such a scheme is beneficial in your case, decide for yourself.
• Shops, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants can act as an intermediary for the sale of mushrooms.
• If you get a solid harvest, it makes sense to look for an opportunity to conclude a supply agreement with manufacturers of semi-finished products (champignons can be part of pancakes, pizza) or cookery.
• A good idea for promotion is to create your own website. On it you can post useful information for the consumer about mushrooms in general and champignons in particular. The price list, potential discounts, terms of delivery of products to customers, contact information are also indicated there.

Calculation of financial investments

Growing champignons in the basement, which is positioned as a business, will be quite cheap. Of course, it all depends on the resources you have and the planned production volumes. However, the absence of the need to pay for the rent of the premises is already a big plus!

It is also important to note that by growing champignons, an entrepreneur frees himself from such a large cost item as the purchase of equipment. It is on technology that the lion's share of the budget is usually spent when organizing a business.

Consider the remaining cost items for 1 cycle of mushroom cultivation:

• raw materials for the manufacture of 1 ton of compost - 1000 rubles;
• mushroom mycelium - 500 rubles;
• creating the necessary conditions in the basement - 2000 rubles.

In total, we get the amount of 3500 rubles. As you can imagine, this is a ridiculous price to pay for starting your own business, albeit modest.

Profitability and payback of the mushroom business

If you have correctly considered all the requirements for growing white champignon in cellars, each mycelium can bring you 5-8 harvests. It is worth noting that only the first three will bring the main amount. Typically, the growing cycle is 1-2 months.

Follow these rules when harvesting:

• Control the state of the mushrooms - they must not be allowed to overripe.
• It is easy to determine the right moment for collection - the bottom of the champignon hat is covered with a white film.
• Champignons that are grown at home are not cut, remember this! They just need to be gently twisted around their axis and taken out.
• When you get the mushroom, sprinkle it with earth.
• If you follow simple rules, new mushrooms will grow for several more weeks.

Let's calculate the estimated profit from the business:

• 1 ton of compost is 200 kg of mushrooms, if all conditions have been met;
• 1 kg of this type of mushroom is now estimated at 100-150 rubles;
• profit from 1 harvest cycle - 20,000-30,000 rubles.

As you can see, the ROI is 100%. The investment will pay off within a few months.

What risks await an entrepreneur?

Growing champignons in the basement of a house, like any other business, involves certain risks for an entrepreneur. You need to know them and, if possible, minimize negative consequences.

• Although one cannot speak of high competition in this area, it is difficult to find a stable sales market. Start building partnerships before harvest, as the product spoils pretty quickly. You can familiarize yourself with the ideas for finding buyers above.
• Champignons are not particularly whimsical mushrooms. However, they are also susceptible to diseases, as well as other factors that affect productivity. Monitor compliance with all growing rules and the condition of the mycelium.

Growing champignons in the basement is a decent business option at home. It has a number of advantages at once: low competition, minimum starting budget, 100% profitability, ease of planting and caring for mushrooms. However, it is possible to get decent revenue only if the entrepreneur establishes a permanent sales channel. If you find enough buyers or one, but wholesale, you can recoup your investment and make a profit after the first harvest.

And be sure not to be too lazy to draw up a business plan before starting to implement the idea in order to make calculations in detail and outline the work scheme.

Champignons are elite mushrooms included in the daily diet of every family. They have excellent taste and are easy to prepare. A wide variety of dishes can be prepared from them. If you have a summer cottage with a basement and a desire to please your family with these wonderful mushrooms without restriction all year round, having studied the technology, you can start growing them on your own. Believe me, planting mushrooms is not at all difficult. And our instructions on how to do it step by step for beginners will help you in this matter.

Where can mushrooms be grown?

Champignons can be grown at home both in the beds and in the basements. You can grow this type of mushroom on the beds with your own hands for some time, as long as the weather conditions allow. But you can grow in the basement all the time. To do this, you just need to prepare a special substrate, properly prepare the room, study all the nuances of growing and be patient.

Champignons are quite unpretentious mushrooms that can be grown both in the country and at home in the basement.

Breeding in the basement for beginners

Before you start growing mushrooms, you need to properly prepare the room for growing mushrooms. It is better to approach this issue seriously, since the yield and quality of mushrooms depend on the growing conditions.

When equipping a basement for growing mushrooms, it should be borne in mind that the floor in the basement must be concrete. This is necessary in order to be able to maintain the appropriate humidity and a certain temperature regime in the room, as well as to prevent the appearance of rats, moles and various kinds of insects in the cellar.

To prepare the basement for growing mushrooms, it is important to carry out the following activities:

1. Clear the basement from the remnants of vegetables;
2. Whitewash the walls and ceiling with lime, with copper sulfate added to it;
3. If, as a result of storing vegetables in the basement, there are fruit midges, it is necessary to treat the room with chlorophos;
4. Place a box with sawdust soaked in disinfectants at the entrance. This will prevent bacteria from entering the room;
5. Disinfect all surfaces and racks;
6. Install additional ventilation, air conditioners and air purifiers;
7. There must be no mold on the ceiling and walls;
8. After processing, the room is well ventilated.

Prepared basement for growing mushrooms

Preparing the substrate at home

To prepare the substrate you will need;

• horse manure - 100 kg;
• dry straw - 100 kg;
• urea - 2.5 kg;
• gypsum - 8 kg;
• superphosphate - 2 kg;
• chalk - 5 kg;
• water — 400 liters.

The preparation of nutrient compost should be done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. If the substrate is being prepared outdoors, then it is advisable to build a canopy to protect the composition from raindrops and direct sunlight. The straw is soaked and left for 2 days.

For composting, it is better to use wheat or rye straw, without any signs of mold.

After soaking, straw and manure are mixed and left to roast. After 3 days, the composition is stirred, urea and superphosphate are added to it. When these components are added, a pungent ammonia smell appears.

On day 7, gypsum or alabaster is added to the composition, the composition is mixed well so that the top layer moves inside. After another 3 days, add chalk and add water. Then two more cuttings are made every 4 days. When performing interruptions, you need to thoroughly mix all the components so that they are evenly distributed in the total mass.

Ready-made mushroom compost should be rich in protein

When the compost is overcooked, it will turn dark brown and the ammonia smell will disappear. The mass will be springy, the straw will become soft, and the compost will leave a wet trail on the palms when compressed. If, during compression, water is released from the substrate, then it must be interrupted again and scattered to dry. You can add 2 kilograms of chalk to it. The composting process takes 21 days. This volume is enough for an area of ​​3 sq. meters.

Planting mushroom mycelium at home in the cellar

When the substrate is ready, it is lowered into the basement, laid out in boxes or bags for growing mushrooms and planted with mycelium. You can buy it in specialty stores or mushroom farms.

It is necessary to deepen the mycelium to a depth of 5 cm. The distance between the grooves should be at least 20 cm. It is recommended to plant in a checkerboard pattern. After planting, the mycelium is sprinkled with soil.

Mycelium for planting in packaging

If fungal spores are planted, then in this case they are sown on the surface of the prepared soil. After sowing, spores are not sprinkled and the soil does not require additional moisture. It is important to cover the soil with a cloth and moisten it regularly. Mycelium will grow within 5 days. At this time, it is necessary to maintain the air humidity in the room 80-92% and the temperature from 22 to 27 degrees. After 12 days, when the increased growth of mushroom threads begins, the surface must be covered with a mixture of the following ingredients:

• peat - 5 parts;
• soil - 4 parts;
• limestone - 1 part.

The layer must be at least 3 centimeters thick. After laying out the top layer, another 5 days should pass. The soil must be periodically moistened.

The covering layer must be sterile, otherwise infection can occur and the entire mycelium will die. For sterilization, the soil is spilled with boiling water or steamed in the oven!

After 5 days, the room temperature must be lowered to 13-16 degrees. During this period, the growth of mushrooms begins.

Planted mycelium that needs time to grow

Forcing fruiting bodies

The first crop can be harvested in four months. It is important to ensure that the mushrooms do not overripe. Collect at a time when there is still a white film on the underside of the cap and no brown plates are visible. Mushrooms cannot be cut with a knife, as infection from the remnants of the cut leg can get into the mycelium. Each mushroom must be carefully twisted.

After harvesting, the places where the mushrooms grew must be covered with soil. Within 7-14 days, mushrooms will grow actively, which will make it possible to harvest up to 8 times. The largest amount can be harvested in the first three harvests, then the yield drops.

Technology for growing mushrooms in open beds

You can grow mushrooms not only indoors, but also in open beds.

For growing mushrooms, a garden bed located on the north side of the site, shaded from direct sunlight and protected from drafts, is suitable.

The ideal location would be under a canopy or next to a wall or brick fence. This will protect the mycelium from sunlight and rain.

The convenience of growing mushrooms in the open field is that no additional ventilation is required, the bed is naturally ventilated, which prevents the risk of mycelium decay in the ground.

For growing in an open bed, chicken droppings, horse or cow manure mixed with straw are suitable.

Champignons can grow both in the basement and in the open garden

What is mycelium for in the country

For planting and growing mushrooms, a mycelium is needed. The mycelium is the root system of the fungus, which is a network of white thin filaments located in the upper layer of the soil. Its task is to reproduce mushrooms. It grows from the spores that are contained in the overripe cap of the mushrooms in the process of dying off. It needs moisture to grow successfully.

For growing mushrooms at home, mycelium can be purchased in specialized stores or grown with your own hands.

Planting in the ground in open beds

For planting champignons, it is better to prepare the site in the fall. In the selected area, it is necessary to remove the top soil layer of 30 cm. The garden bed must be at least 1 meter wide. The distance between the rows is 55 cm. At the bottom it is necessary to pour a layer of expanded clay, it will serve as a drainage layer.

The thickness of the layer should be 9 cm. Then weeds are thrown over the drainage layer, watered with mullein solution, sprinkled with soil removed from this bed and left until next year. Before placing the substrate on the beds, the soil must be disinfected. For this, a carbation solution can be used. The thickness of the substrate should be 22 cm. It is laid out in waves, the height of which is 32 cm and the base is 52 cm.

Scheme of arrangement of beds with open-type champignons

In the substrate, you need to make holes with a depth of at least 5 cm. The myceliums must be deepened into the hole 2 cm below the surface of the soil and covered with a substrate. If the mycelium is grain, then it is enough to scatter it over the surface of the soil, sprinkle it with a layer of three cm of substrate and tamp it lightly.

Along the border of the bed, bends must be made to drain excess water!

Provided that the soil temperature is +25 degrees, the growth of the mycelium will occur within two weeks. If the temperature is +30, the mycelium will die. For convenience, the mycelium is planted in a checkerboard pattern with an interval of 25 cm with honey holes. At the end of planting, the beds must be mulched with straw, this will prevent moisture evaporation. The layer thickness should be 25 cm.

From time to time, the straw is carefully moistened so that water does not get onto the substrate. You can check the germination of the mycelium after 5 days. To do this, you need to carefully lift the compost. After 14-21 days, the surface of the substrate will be braided by the threads of the mycelium.

After rooting of the mycelium, the straw must be removed and the mycelium should be covered with a covering layer.Covering soil is prepared as follows:

• peat - 9 parts;
• chalk - 1 part.

The soil must be moist. Spread it over the surface, compact and cover with straw again. The thickness of the soil should be 3.5 cm.

The first mushrooms should appear in 7-10 days. If the weather is hot, then fruiting may stop. With the onset of a decrease in temperature by several degrees, the mushrooms resume growth.

Mushrooms are harvested 21-30 days after planting.... It is necessary to pick mushrooms when the hat begins to take on a pink tint. It is impossible to leave the ripe mushrooms, as they will weaken the mycelium. In addition, overripe mushrooms have a significantly worse taste. When collecting, mushrooms are not cut. They must be carefully twisted. New mushrooms grow within two months.

The first mushrooms sprouting in the garden

The profitability of growing mushrooms at home

In order to understand how profitable it is to grow mushrooms at home, it is necessary to clearly understand all the nuances of this business, namely:

• rental of finished premises or construction of a new one;
• buying mycelium;
• disinfectants for room treatment;
• necessary equipment (racks, containers);
• equipment for ventilation and air purification;
• sanitary examination of finished products.

Let's try to calculate the cost part:

• compost 20 tons — 13,335 rubles;
• mycelium — 6,700 rubles;
• heating the room — 33,335 rubles;
• salary - 40,000

Total - 93,370 rubles.

Growing mushrooms on an industrial scale

Profit calculation:

For 20 tons of compost, you can get 4 tons of finished products. The average cost of champignons is 150 rubles. From the sale of 4 tons, we get 600,000. Accordingly, the net profit will amount to 506 630 rubles.

However, these estimates do not take into account the investment in equipment, premises and costs incurred during the growing process. Accordingly, the recoupment of costs and the receipt of the first profit can be expected not earlier than in 12 months, subject to all the requirements regarding the cultivation technology.

It should be borne in mind that the calculation was made for an average farm. At home, the scale will be much smaller, and, accordingly, the cost part will not be so large. You can also use the simplest method - growing in bags.

You can start growing champignons from several boxes, and having mastered the cultivation technology, having delved into all the nuances, you can safely develop this type of business.

Recently, such an occupation as mushroom growing has become more and more popular. Most people want to grow mushrooms on their own for their own needs or as a small business. And it is worth saying that this is completely simple to do, since mushrooms are quite unpretentious and do not require much effort when growing. If you have a free basement, then this article will focus on growing mushrooms in the basement.

Features of growing mushrooms in the basement, advantages

Growing mushrooms in the basement means the year-round availability of this product, the opportunity to constantly pamper yourself with delicious and fresh mushrooms. In addition, the idea of ​​a mushroom growing business looks very attractive. A business based on home growing mushrooms in the basement is a great option for additional income. A business idea has its advantages, namely:

• mushrooms do not need special attention when growing them, respectively, there is a lot of free time;
• cultivation does not require special knowledge and skills;
• all the materials necessary for cultivation are very simple, they can be obtained at home, and, if necessary, bought ready-made;
• minimum financial investment.

With good results, mushroom growing can grow from a hobby into a main source of income.It is very important to grow a good and high-quality product, conclude supply contracts with shops, restaurants, canteens.

Cellar varieties

For growing in basement conditions, all the same mushrooms that are usually grown in large greenhouses and mushroom pickers are suitable. Only oyster mushrooms and mushrooms can be grown in the basement. The latter, in specific cases, will be more whimsical. The thing is that champignons love light, therefore, for their cultivation, powerful lamps of diffused daylight will be needed, which should illuminate myceliums 12-13 hours a day. The easiest way is to grow oyster mushrooms in basements - they do not like light, the dampness of the basement and the low air temperature suit them.

What should be a basement for growing mushrooms

Before starting to grow mushrooms, the cellar must be prepared accordingly. It will not be enough just to plant mycelium in the drawers of the cellar and leave the light on.

Preparing a cellar for growing mushrooms involves a number of operations, which include:

Lighting... It is worth considering that for the cultivation of each type of mushroom, individual lighting is required. If you are going to grow several types of mushrooms at the same time, the basement will need to be divided into light zones. Champignons love more light than oyster mushrooms. In specialty horticultural stores, you can purchase fluorescent lamps for the greenhouse, in which the brightness and sharpness of the lighting will be adjusted.

Ventilation. All mushrooms, without exception, love fresh air. The problem with the cellars is that the air in them is damp and rotten. To avoid the formation of mold and mildew on the walls, it is necessary to install special hoods in the room, which will take in bad air and supply fresh air.

Humidity and temperature. Air humidity for growing mushrooms should be 65% - 95%. But with the temperature regime it is a little more complicated. Champignons are more thermophilic, the optimum temperature for growing them is 13 ° - 29 °, while oyster mushrooms feel comfortable at 12 ° - 25 °. Therefore, in order to grow several types of mushrooms at the same time, the room must also be zoned into temperature zones. For heating, it is best to use water systems with a temperature controller. They are easy to install, more economical, and most importantly, they do not dry out the air in the room.

Zoning. As already mentioned, the room is divided into zones according to lighting and temperature conditions. This can be done using ordinary plastic or polyfiber partitions, which retain moisture and temperature well. It is important, as convenient as possible, to determine the area for growing each type of mushroom.

Disinfection. To avoid the formation of mold, the room must be disinfected. This is best done after all the building steps, before planting. To do this, use special sulfur checkers with which the room is fumigated. If the basement is old, it is best to spray all surfaces with a formalin solution. In the absence of disinfection, mushroom flies, ticks or nematodes can attack the mushrooms, and the crop will be lost. You will have to change the substrate, disinfect the room, and these are additional costs.

Shelving. The best option for the manufacture of shelving is durable plastic. Constant temperature conditions and high strength will quickly render wood and metal unusable, so plastic is an ideal option - it does not rust or rot. In garden centers, you can buy ready-made racks that only need to be assembled indoors.

Other equipment. This group includes containers for placing the substrate and planting myceliums. Special underlays for shelvingthat you may need if in the basement not warm enough... Also worth mentioning about watering... It is strictly forbidden to water the mycelium with a direct stream of water - this leads to the debate of the substrate, and the mycelium may die or rot. To do this, use special sprayers (manual and automatic)that irrigate the soil. If the lighting is too bright and unadjustable, you may need a special the cloth, which is hung over the shelves to to avoid direct light hitting the formed myceliums.

Video: a room for growing oyster mushrooms in the basement

Important! The floor of the room must be concrete. If there is none, it is recommended to make a screed. The earthen floor is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and parasites that will attack crops. Be sure to cover the walls with a solution of lime and copper sulfate. This will additionally protect your plantings from parasites, which are often found in mushrooms.

How to grow mushrooms in your basement

For each type of mushroom, individual needs are taken into account when growing, namely air temperature, humidity and lighting. Today, oyster mushrooms are considered the most popular for cultivation, the favorites of all generations are champignons.

Note! Sometimes on the Internet you can find information about growing porcini mushrooms at home in the basement, but this is pure deception, do not see each other.

So, what are the characteristics of growing in the basement for each of these species? Let's try to figure it out.

Champignons

The main task is to prepare a nutrient substrate in which the mushrooms will grow. To prepare the substrate, you must use straw, horse or cow manure, urea or ammonium nitrate, gypsum or alabaster, superphosphate and chalk, as well as water. Next, mix all the remaining ingredients in certain proportions. A more accurate recipe for preparing a substrate can be found in the article "Growing mushrooms at home"... The compost takes more than 3 weeks to prepare. The finished compost is laid out on racks in a dense layer and left for a day so that it evenly warms up to the room temperature, namely: 23 C ° - 25 C °. Next, the mycelium is planted in warm soil. It takes about 10 days from planting to the first shoots. The temperature at this time should be at least 28 ° C. After germination, the temperature is lowered by 8 - 10 degrees. Lighting is always kept at the same level (12 hours of light daily). The first crop can be harvested after 14 days from the date of sowing. It is necessary to irrigate myceliums every two days. The fruiting period of champignon mycelium lasts 40 - 45 days.

Video: growing mushrooms in the basement

Oyster mushrooms

The optimal substrate for growing oyster mushrooms is a wooden bar. This is a very affordable material that you can make yourself. To do this, it is necessary to prepare bars (wooden stumps.) They are partially cleaned of bark, deep cracks are made and soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Then the tree becomes infected with mycelium. Any trees will do, with the exception of conifers. Most often, shavings or sawdust of deciduous trees, dry straw, husks from seeds and other organic debris are used as a substrate. These are all commercially available at any gardening store. Ready-made substrates can also be purchased there. Next, this substrate is mixed with mycelium and placed in a felt bag, which is hung on a rack. The room temperature must be at least 22 ° C. When the first shoots appear, the temperature is lowered to 13 ° C. Oyster mushrooms are undemanding, and bright lighting is harmful to them, therefore, they must be illuminated with very weak and diffused light for no more than 5 hours a day. Within 10 days after sowing, you will be able to harvest the first crop. The fruiting period of oyster mushrooms is up to two months. You can find more detailed instructions on growing oyster mushrooms in this article.

Video: growing oyster mushrooms in the basement

By the way! The substrate in which the mushrooms grew cannot be reused. It makes an excellent organic fertilizer for flowering plants in your garden or houseplants.

White mushroom

It is one of the most demanding mushroom cultivation that you can never grow at homealthough on the internet you will find many articles and videos about successful breeding. Here's one of those instructions.

You will get such a harvest of porcini mushrooms if you only go around the whole forest!

“The substrate for their planting should completely mimic the landscape of their place of birth, namely: forest soil. For this, dry ground twigs, leaves, field grass and dried moss are suitable. The prepared dry substrate is laid out on the racks, in a thick and dense layer. It should be well dried, but in no case ripe or damp. Next, the mycelium is planted and the soil is properly irrigated, after which it is covered with garden paper. Bright light is harmful to mushrooms, therefore, before the first shoots, the paper remains on top. The room temperature should be at 18 ° C. The fruiting period of mushrooms is short - only 30 - 35 days. Porcini mushrooms take a very long time to sprout and take root. From the moment of sowing to the first shoots, it can take up to 40 days. And in the process of growth, mushrooms may need additional fertilization (if the growth of mushrooms has stopped). "

By the way, if you still have doubts, then you can read more about growing porcini mushrooms at home. in this article.

But remember, you will never grow porcini mushrooms in unnatural conditions.

Based on the above information, it can be understood that growing mushrooms in the basement is not such a difficult task. It is important in this matter to competently approach the organization of the process itself and the equipment of the room (basement). With the right lighting, temperature and timely watering, even amateurs without much experience can grow high-quality mushrooms. A well-prepared substrate and high-quality mycelium play a key role in mushroom growing. Mushroom growing is a great example of how a hobby can grow into a profitable business.