Laura Smith
Mushrooms are the fruit, or fruiting body, of a larger fungus usually hidden from sight underground or in decaying wood. They grow by absorbing nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter, and play an important role in the ecosystem by secreting enzymes that help break down this matter. Mushrooms are grown in beds within large growing rooms, with the beds filled with a growth medium called substrate, which provides essential carbon and nitrogen nutrients for the mushrooms. In some countries, mushrooms are also grown on a substrate made of straw and cow manure, or straw mixed with horse or chicken manure. This is because mushrooms thrive on slightly acidic soil, and manure is a great source of nutrients for plants and fungi due to its low stomach acid content.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushroom growth substrate | Straw and cow manure |
| Straw mixed with horse or chicken manure | |
| Types of mushrooms grown | Psilocybe cubensis |
| Agaricus bisporus | |
| Button mushrooms | |
| Cremini mushrooms | |
| Portobello mushrooms | |
| Mushroom growth conditions | Temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 regulation |
| Clean environment with thorough sterilization | |
| Substrate pasteurization | |
| Mushroom growth timeline | 3-4 days for medium to large mushroom species |
| 15 days from spawning to harvest | |
| Mushroom growth environment | Underground caves, quarries, and excavated tunnels |
| Large growing rooms | |
| Mushroom growth medium | Substrate (carbon and nitrogen nutrients) |
| Peat moss |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are the fruit of a fungus
The mushroom is the fruiting body of a larger fungus that is usually hidden underground or in decaying wood. This hidden part of the fungus is called mycelium, a complex network of fibers that absorbs nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter. Mycelium can remain dormant for years until conditions are right for reproduction. When the time is right, it produces a mushroom, or the fruiting body, to distribute spores and reproduce.
While mushrooms can grow in various environments, they often thrive in moist, warm, and decaying material. In nature, they can be found on decaying leaves, stumps, and manure heaps. Manure, such as cow or horse dung, provides an ideal food source for mushrooms because it contains undigested food residues in the form of sugars and cellulose. Additionally, cow dung has very low levels of stomach acid, creating an environment conducive to mushroom growth.
The first recorded instance of mushroom cultivation in Western cultures was in France around 1650, where they grew Agaricus bisporus (button, cremini, and portobello mushrooms) in open fields using compost. Today, button and portobello mushrooms are some of the most widely consumed mushrooms globally, accounting for over 40% of global mushroom production. Commercial mushroom production involves growing mushrooms in large rooms with beds filled with a growth medium called a substrate, which provides essential carbon and nitrogen nutrients. The growing process is carefully controlled to stimulate the development of mushrooms, resulting in the beautiful specimens we find in grocery stores.
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They grow in manure heaps
Mushrooms are the fruit, or fruiting body, of a larger fungus that is usually hidden from sight underground or in decaying wood. They grow by absorbing nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter, and play an important role in the ecosystem by secreting enzymes that help to break down this matter.
Manure heaps are a prime example of dead and decaying organic matter, and so mushrooms often grow on them. In fact, horse manure with straw is a particularly good environment for mushroom growth. This is because it is moist, warm, and full of fungal spores, undigested food residues (such as sugars and cellulose), and other nutrients.
Different types of mushrooms grow on different types of manure. For example, Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms, which are hallucinogenic, grow on cow dung. This is because cow dung has extremely low levels of stomach acid, which means that the seeds and spores that a cow eats while grazing are not broken down and can therefore grow into mushrooms once passed out of the cow's system.
Mushrooms are unique in that they are the only fungi that people regularly consume. They are known for their culinary and medicinal uses, and are growing in popularity.
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Cow dung is a great fertiliser
Mushrooms are the fruit, or fruiting body, of a larger fungus that is usually hidden from sight underground or in decaying wood. They grow by absorbing nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter. This is why mushrooms are often found on cow dung, which is rich in nutrients and contains almost zero stomach acid. The dung provides an ideal environment for the fungi to grow, as it is moist, warm, and full of fungal spores.
Cow dung is an excellent fertiliser for plants, and it is also a great growth medium for mushrooms. In some countries, button mushrooms are grown on a substrate made of straw and cow manure. This substrate provides the essential carbon and nitrogen nutrients that mushrooms need. The dung also contains fungal spores, which can easily grow into mushrooms.
Cow dung is particularly good for growing Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms, which are hallucinogenic. These mushrooms grow anywhere that cattle have been grazing and prefer to grow directly on cow dung that is decomposing in a field. They can also be found growing in the wild, where the soil is rich in nutrients, the humidity is high, and there is low wind.
While cow dung is an excellent medium for growing mushrooms, it is important to note that not all mushrooms grow on dung. Different types of mushrooms grow on different types of manure, and some mushrooms only grow on specific tree species. Additionally, mushrooms can be grown in caves, quarries, excavated tunnels, and large growing rooms where the temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 levels are regulated to stimulate mushroom growth.
In conclusion, cow dung is a great fertiliser, not just for plants but also for mushrooms. Its nutrient-rich and acidic composition provides the ideal environment for certain types of mushrooms to grow. However, the specific growing conditions and substrate composition must be carefully controlled to successfully cultivate mushrooms, whether on cow dung or in a more controlled environment.
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Mushrooms are picky about their growing conditions
Mushrooms are indeed picky about their growing conditions. They are the fruit, or fruiting body, of a larger fungus, usually hidden from sight underground or in decaying wood. This fungus, called mycelium, can remain dormant for years until conditions are right for reproduction. It then produces a mushroom to distribute spores.
Mycelium grows by absorbing nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter. It breaks down this matter with enzymes and contributes to the decomposition of organic residues. It can spread over large distances underground. The mycelium is the seedstock for mushrooms and is delivered to growers in sealed bags from specialised laboratories.
In terms of growing substrate, or medium, mushrooms are indeed often grown on manure. In some countries, button mushrooms are grown on a substrate made of straw and cow manure. Other countries use straw mixed with horse or chicken manure. However, manure is not the only growing medium. For 160 years, mushrooms were grown in open fields in France and England using compost. Today, most mushrooms are grown in large growing rooms on beds filled with substrate. This substrate is usually pasteurised and provides essential carbon and nitrogen nutrients for the mushrooms.
The growing process is very sensitive, and growers must regulate temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 levels to stimulate the mycelium to develop mushrooms. Mushrooms thrive on slightly acidic soil, which is why they are often found growing on manure heaps, as bacteria control the digestion of the manure in an acidic environment. They are also often found on decaying leaves and stumps in warm, moist, and decaying material in forests.
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Growing mushrooms is a precise process
In nature, mushrooms often grow on decaying organic matter, such as leaves, stumps, and manure. Manure provides an ideal food source for mushrooms because it contains undigested food residues in the form of sugars and cellulose. Different types of dung mushrooms grow on each type of manure, with horse manure being particularly favoured by mushroom growers.
In addition to the growing medium, mushrooms require specific environmental conditions to thrive. They prefer slightly acidic, moist, and warm environments with low wind and high humidity. In commercial mushroom cultivation, growers regulate temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 levels to stimulate the development of mushrooms.
The process of growing mushrooms for consumption involves several steps to ensure a clean and controlled environment. Growing rooms and beds are sterilized before each crop, and then filled with a growth medium called substrate, which provides essential carbon and nitrogen nutrients for the mushrooms. The substrate is pasteurized before the mushroom spawn, or mycelia, is mixed into it. This spawn acts as the seedstock for the mushrooms and is delivered to growers in sealed bags from specialized laboratories.
Once the substrate layer is at the desired thickness, a layer of peat moss is spread over it. The grower then regulates the temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 levels to stimulate the mushroom mycelium to develop mushrooms on the surface of the peat moss. This precise process takes approximately 15 days from spawning to harvest, resulting in the mushrooms that are commonly found in grocery stores.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, mushrooms can be grown in manure or "shit". In some countries, button mushrooms are grown on a substrate made of straw and cow manure. In other countries, straw is mixed with horse or chicken manure to grow these mushrooms.
Manure is a great source of nutrients for mushrooms. It is slightly acidic, warm, and moist, creating the perfect environment for mushrooms to grow.
Mushrooms are the fruit or "fruiting body" of a fungus. The fungus grows by absorbing nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter in the manure.
