Can champignons be grown in the basement of a residential building?

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 completely picky about the conditions.

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

The cultivation of 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 installing 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 one: 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 buying 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 cap 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, business profitability is 100%. Investment will pay off within a few months.

What risks await an entrepreneur?

Growing mushrooms in the basement of the house, just like any other business, involve certain risks for the entrepreneur. They need to know and, if possible, to minimize the negative consequences.

• Although a high level of competition in this area can not speak, but to find a stable market is difficult. Start building partnerships before harvest, as the product spoils pretty quickly. With buyers to find ideas you can read above.
• Champignons are not particularly whimsical mushrooms. However, they are susceptible to disease, as well as other factors affecting the yield. Monitor compliance with all growing rules and the condition of the mycelium.

Growing mushrooms in the basement - 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, to obtain decent revenue actually only in the case when the entrepreneur is establishing a permanent distribution channel. If you find enough buyers or one, but the wholesale, you can recoup the investment and make a profit after the first harvest.

And be sure not too lazy to write a business plan before starting the implementation of the idea to make detailed calculations and outline the scheme of work.

In recent years more and more popular become such an occupation as mushroom production. Most people want to grow mushrooms on their own for their own use or as a small business. And it's 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 spare basement, then this article will be discussed is about the cultivation of mushrooms in the cellar.

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 low air temperatures 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 construction steps, before planting. To do this, use special sulfur checkers, which are used to fumigate the room.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.

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, mushrooms 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, the mycelium grows in the other, 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 sulfur 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.

It looks like 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 is too difficult for you to prepare your own mushroom substrate, you can always buy it in 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 properly created 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 double and double 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.

Almost every owner of a private house also has a basement. Usually, the basement is used for storing vegetables and fruits, seaming and conservation are lowered there. But the basement is suitable not only for such standard purposes - here you can also grow mushrooms, or, more precisely, champignons. To do this, you can use both the basement already available on the site, or build a cellar from scratch.

What is the peculiarity of growing mushrooms in the basement, and how a novice mushroom picker can grow a decent harvest without making gross mistakes - this will be an article about this.

What should be a basement for growing mushrooms

As mentioned above, mushrooms can be grown even in the basement where vegetables and seals were previously stored.

However, for the event to be successful, the basement must meet certain requirements:

1. All basement surfaces must be isolated from the "outside world", that is, the walls, floor and ceiling of the basement in no case can be earthen. It is best to use concrete as a filling of the floor, and the walls and ceiling can be laid out of bricks, blocks or sheathed with wood. Insulation is necessary in order to protect the basement from the penetration of rodents and insects into it, as well as to prevent a sharp increase in humidity during periods of heavy rainfall, for example.
2. Champignons need a certain air temperature, so the owner of the basement must provide the possibility of airing or conditioning the room in extreme heat, as well as heating for the winter period. As heaters, for example, it is convenient to use warm floors made of infrared film - it is enough to spread the canvas around the perimeter of the basement, and the mushrooms are provided with a comfortable temperature.
3. Compost for mushrooms in the process of decomposition releases a lot of carbon dioxide, and mushrooms, like any plants, need oxygen. Therefore, the task of the mushroom picker is to provide ventilation of the cellar. A conventional supply ventilation system may not be enough, in which case you will have to install a forced ventilation system in the basement. It is also impossible to overdo it with airing, because drafts are destructive for champignon seedlings.
4. Ventilation ducts and shafts must be closed with metal grates to protect the basement from rodents, as well as mosquito nets with a fine mesh so that insects do not get inside.
5. Champignons do not need light - like all mushrooms, they grow in complete darkness. This fact, of course, allows you to significantly save on utility bills and makes mushroom cultivation a very profitable business.In the basement, it is enough to install a couple of ordinary lamps, which they turn on only when they are working with mushrooms.
6. Even a small basement area is not considered a problem, because mushrooms can be grown on multi-tiered racks or shelves. It is better to make racks from metal, only it should be painted regularly to prevent corrosion. Wood is also suitable as a material for making shelving for mushrooms, but high humidity in the basement will lead to rapid decay of the wood. To protect the racks, they are treated with antiseptics, regularly repeating the impregnation.
7. The humidity in the basement should be high, and its level depends on the stage of development of the mushrooms. You can control the humidity in the basement by ventilating or irrigating the floor and walls of the basement with water.

Growing champignons in the basement is good because you do not need large material costs to re-equip the cellar. The owner only needs to insulate his cellar in order to equalize the summer and winter temperatures. As insulation for walls and ceilings, you can use foam or mineral wool, for example. Rodents and mold do not start in these insulating materials, they are safe for increased basement humidity.

If the mushrooms are grown all year round, you will have to take care of heating the basement - this will be the biggest expense item, because the rest of the mushrooms are quite unpretentious.

Advice! It is much easier to correctly calculate the humidity level and temperature in the basement if the cellar is specially built for growing mushrooms. In addition, the new premises do not need disinfection.

Cellar preparation for mushrooms

So, it was decided to grow champignons in the cellar already available on the site or under the house. First of all, it is necessary to completely empty the basement, since champignons do not tolerate neighborhood, the presence of vegetables or fruits will be destructive for them.

Now the walls of the basement are insulated and insulated, and the floor is poured with concrete. If the cellar was already insulated and warm, it must be thoroughly cleaned, remove cobwebs, dirt and completely get rid of mold.

Important! The walls and ceiling of the basement where the mushrooms are grown must be dry, without condensation drops.

Now you need to equip ventilation and, if necessary, take care of heating.

The time has come for disinfection, the method of which depends on the state of the cellar:

• in the basement, where food was previously stored, there is a high probability of the appearance of fruit gnats, bugs or larvae. A chlorophos solution, which is used to treat all surfaces of the room, as well as racks and shelves, will help get rid of insects in the basement.
• if there is mold or mildew, you need to paint the walls and ceiling with lime. A greater antiseptic effect can be achieved if copper sulfate is added to the lime.
• the basement can be rid of all pests with a sulfur checker, which is bought in an agricultural store. The checker must be placed in the center of the basement, set on fire and tightly closed all doors and dormer windows. In this state, the cellar is left for a day.
• another good remedy is a 4% formalin solution, which is used to treat the walls of the basement.

After any treatment, the basement must be thoroughly ventilated, otherwise there is a risk of suffering yourself from the action of disinfectants. And such compositions are unlikely to be useful for champignons.

Attention! Ventilation, by the way, will help identify possible ventilation problems. If the pungent smell does not disappear for a long time, you need to think about strengthening the ventilation system.

Further protection of champignons from parasites is to install a box with sawdust near the entrance to the basement, which has been pre-moistened with formalin or other special agent.

To make it convenient to work, as well as for the "comfort" of the mushrooms themselves, it is recommended to divide the basement space into several separate zones. Ideally, there should be three such compartments:

• The first is used for incubating mycelium, that is, for germinating fungal spores. Here the temperature should be constantly maintained at 25-27 degrees, and the humidity should not fall below 85%.
• In the second "room" there are racks with already growing mushrooms. Here it is permissible to drop the temperature to 17-19 degrees, and the humidity to 65%.
• The third area of ​​the basement is optional, it is used for composting.

When the basement space is organized, processed and cleaned, you can proceed directly to growing mushrooms.

The technology of growing champignons in the basement

To grow mushrooms, three factors are needed:

• planting material;
• substrate;
• conditions suitable for the development of mushrooms.

Only if all three components match, the mushroom picker will be able to get a good harvest and remain "in the black."

Attention! You can grow mushrooms for your own needs without any permits and documents. But, if the mushrooms are sold, registration of an individual entrepreneur, sanitary inspection of the basement and examination of finished products are required.

What mushrooms grow from

Today, more than 50 types of champignons are known, not all of them are suitable for growing at home: a novice mushroom picker should pay attention to the most unpretentious varieties that give high yields.

You can buy mushroom planting material in specialized online stores or in agricultural supermarkets.

Advice! For the first experience, beginners can use ready-made briquettes consisting of champignon substrate and mushroom mycelium. All that remains is to get the briquettes out of the film, put them on racks and moisten them regularly. In the future, it is better, nevertheless, to prepare the substrate yourself, as it will cost less and increase the yield.

For planting champignons in the basement, you can use mycelium or grain spores of mushrooms. The mycelium is produced in special laboratories and is a mushroom embryo. This product can be frozen for long-term storage, and the mycelium is removed from the refrigerators a day before planting.

Spores are mushroom seeds. They can also be used by a mushroom picker, only mushrooms should be planted with spores somewhat differently than with the help of mycelium - the seeds are evenly scattered over the surface of the substrate and are not covered with earth, but only moistened.

Compost or mushroom substrate

The composition of the mushroom compost may differ slightly depending on the type of mushroom. Precise recommendations on this matter are easy to find on packaging with mycelium or spores.

Horse manure is an ideal basis for mushroom compost, it is this component that ensures high yields of mushrooms. Instead of horse dung, you can use cow dung or replace it with bird droppings.

Important! You can only use horse manure for growing champignons, which ate hay, and not green mass.

But not fresh fertilizer is used as a substrate - for mushrooms, it is compost that is needed, that is, a fermented product. To prepare such soil you will need:

• manure;
• straw of wheat, barley or rye;
• urea;
• superphosphate;
• ammonium nitrate;
• gypsum, chalk or alabaster.

To prepare a substrate for growing champignons in the basement, you need to perform the following sequence of actions:

1. Place the straw in a trough or other container and cover with warm water until the straw is completely covered. Leave the straw to swell for a day - as a result, the volume should increase by 2-2.5 times.
2. Lay manure and wet straw in layers of 15-20 cm - you will get high stacks of 7-8 layers. Each layer is additionally moistened with warm water.
3. After 4 days, the compost is mixed with a pitchfork and urea and superphosphate are added to it - now a pungent nitrogen smell will appear.
4. Stir the compost every 3-4 days, gradually adding all the other ingredients.
5. In the last batch, plaster or alabaster is poured.

Composting consists in the process of fermentation - fermentation and processing of active components of manure. The whole process will take about 25-30 days. The readiness of the substrate will be indicated by its pleasant smell without nitrogen impurities and a brown tint.

Advice! A thermometer will help you easily find out when the mushroom compost is ready. If the mass is still fermenting, the temperature inside the stack will be 50-70 degrees. Reducing it to 24 degrees indicates that mushroom mycelium can already be planted in the substrate.

Planting and caring for mushrooms

The finished compost is placed in plastic or wooden boxes with a layer of about 20 cm. Now the seeds are sealed: 5 cm holes are prepared according to the 20x20 cm scheme and poured into each of them with a little crushed mycelium, covered with a substrate. Boxes of champignons are placed on the basement racks.

Watering champignons is strictly prohibited, but they need constant high humidity. This can be achieved by covering the crates with newspaper or cloth and regularly dampening the cover with a spray bottle.

After a few days (5-7 days), white strings of myceliums should appear, which means that it is time to cover the seeds with a layer of special earth:

• 5 parts of peat;
• 1 part of chalk;
• 4 parts of treated soil.

The period of germination of the mycelium is called incubation, it lasts about 10-14 days and ends with the appearance of white peas - champignon rudiments. When the body of the mushroom grows, the stage is called pasture, during this period the boxes are taken out to a cooler room.

Growing mushrooms in a cellar takes 1 to 1.5 months. In one compost and from one mycelium, you can grow mycelium, which will give from 5 to 8 harvests. Only the first three harvests of champignons will be full-fledged, with each next time the harvest is poorer.

Attention! Champignons should never be cut with a knife - there is a high risk of infection in the "wound". Therefore, the mushrooms are slightly twisted and pulled out of the substrate, and then the leg is trimmed. The "stump" sticking out of the ground should be covered with compost.

Outcomes

Growing your own mushrooms in your basement can be a great family business. After all, this production does not require the connection of communications, the purchase of special equipment or expensive raw materials, in addition, the mushroom picker does not have to pay for the rent of the production area. Such a business pays off after the first harvest.

But the beginner must take into account all the "wishes" of the mushrooms: prepare the basement, arrange ventilation, maintain the temperature and humidity, and prepare high-quality compost. Only then will the myceliums in the basement please him with a good harvest.

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