Michael Davis
Building an outdoor Psilocybe mushroom patch is a fun and rewarding project. The process is simple and inexpensive, and you can grow your own mushrooms with a few easy steps. First, choose the type of mushrooms you want to grow, considering your climate zone and how much time you want to spend maintaining your patch. Next, find a suitable location, preferably a shaded area near trees to avoid direct sunlight. Then, prepare the growth medium, or substrate, which can be sawdust spawn, grain spawn, straw, wood chips, or a combination of these materials. Add your mushroom spawn to the substrate, and cover it with a layer of mulch or straw to help retain moisture. Water your patch regularly, and make sure to water the base of the bed rather than the mushrooms themselves. With the right care, your outdoor Psilocybe mushroom patch will thrive!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lighting | Mushrooms require indirect sunlight |
| Location | A shaded area outdoors, preferably around trees and without soil pollution |
| Temperature | Temperatures in early autumn and spring are best |
| Moisture | Keep the mushroom patch damp but not waterlogged |
| Substrate | Sawdust spawn, grain spawn, straw, wood chips, manure, coffee grounds, cardboard, etc. |
| Mushroom Species | Coprinus comatus, Stropharia rugoso-annulata, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, Lepista nuda, and Oyster mushrooms |
| Spawn | Small pieces of established mycelium |
| Maintenance | Add fresh substrate every year and never pick more than half the mushrooms |
| Yield | Outdoor mushroom patches can produce a great yield with less risk of contamination |
| Ease | Creating an outdoor mushroom patch is easy and inexpensive |
| Time | Harvesting can be done in the same season |
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What You'll Learn
Choose a suitable location
Choosing a suitable location is crucial for successfully building an outdoor Psilocybe mushroom patch. Here are some detailed guidelines to help you select the perfect spot:
Firstly, consider your climate zone. Different mushroom species thrive in specific climatic conditions, so choose a variety that suits your region. For instance, attempting to grow Volvariella volvacea in a cold region like Lapland is unlikely to be successful. Consult a plant hardiness map to determine which mushrooms are best suited for your zone.
Secondly, decide on the level of maintenance you're comfortable with. If you prefer a more hands-off approach, consider using hardwood logs, which require less intervention. On the other hand, if you're willing to dedicate time and care, an outdoor patch will demand more attention but will also yield faster and more abundant results.
Next, select a shaded area with indirect sunlight. Mushrooms generally prefer shady environments with plenty of moisture. Avoid locations with direct sunlight, as it can evaporate the substrate's water content, hindering the growth of your mushrooms. Look for spots near trees or other sources of shade to provide adequate protection from the sun.
Additionally, ensure that the chosen location is free from soil pollution. Studies have shown that fungi can relocate heavy metals from the soil to their fruiting bodies, so it's important to select an area with clean soil.
When it comes to the specific spot for your patch, you have options. You can simply place your mushroom bed directly on the ground, or you can create a raised bed. If you opt for a raised bed, you can get creative with its shape and design. Just be cautious around trees with parasitic fungi, as they can negatively impact your mushroom growth.
Lastly, if you're concerned about weeds or want to suppress grass growth, consider laying down a layer of damp cardboard before setting up your mushroom bed. This step is optional but can help create a barrier between the soil and the substrate.
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Prepare the substrate
Preparing the substrate is a crucial step in creating a conducive environment for the mycelium to thrive and grow. Here's a detailed guide on how to prepare the substrate for your outdoor Psilocybe mushroom patch:
Choosing the Right Substrate
The type of substrate you choose will depend on your desired mushroom variety. Common substrates used for outdoor mushroom cultivation include sawdust, grain spawn, straw, wood chips, manure, and agricultural by-products. If you're growing oyster mushrooms, they particularly favour straw over denser woody substrates. It's important to avoid using hay, as it contains seed heads that can lead to contamination and unwanted weed growth in your patch.
Preparing the Substrate for Inoculation
Before introducing the spawn, it's essential to prepare the substrate properly. If you're using sawdust, sterilize it by immersing it in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Then, layer it with your inoculated grain in a bucket and cover it, or place the bucket in a large plastic bag to maintain humidity. Open the bag once a day to allow fresh oxygen to enter. This process will take a few weeks to a month until the sawdust is completely inoculated.
Layering the Substrate
Once your substrate is ready, you can start layering it in your chosen location. If you're creating a raised bed, you can place it directly on the ground or build a structure specifically for the bed. It's recommended to use damp cardboard as a base layer to provide a barrier between the soil and the substrate, though this step is optional.
Adding the Spawn
After laying down the substrate, it's time to introduce the mushroom spawn. Small pieces of established mycelium, known as spawn, should be added to the substrate. If you're using straw as your substrate, ensure it's pasteurized, and create layers of straw and spawn, ending with a layer of straw to help retain moisture.
Maintaining Moisture
Mushrooms thrive in moist environments, so it's crucial to maintain adequate moisture levels. Water your patch regularly, ensuring that you water the base of the bed rather than the mushrooms themselves to avoid damage. If you're in a dry climate, consider covering your mushroom bed with a transparent plastic sheet to help retain moisture.
Long-Term Maintenance
To ensure your patch produces mushrooms for an extended period, it's essential to add fresh substrate annually and avoid overpicking. Leave some mushrooms to provide spores that will add fresh genetics to the patch and prevent it from dying out.
Remember, the success of your Psilocybe mushroom patch heavily relies on creating a suitable environment for the mycelium to flourish. By following these steps and maintaining the right conditions, you'll be well on your way to a thriving outdoor mushroom garden.
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Get the spawn
Spawn is simply any substrate (such as rye or wood chips) that has been fully colonized by the mycelium of your mushroom. Sawdust spawn is a good option for outdoor grows, especially with the woodchip method.
There are a few ways to get spawn. The easiest way is to buy a fully colonized grow kit and use this to further inoculate bags of sawdust or wood chips. Alternatively, you can start with a bag of sterile grain which can be inoculated with a spore syringe. It doesn’t matter which option you choose, the end result is the same. Once you have a bag of fully colonized grain, it can be added to a larger amount of sawdust to further spread the mycelium.
If you want to create your own spawn, you can use straw or horse manure as a substrate. First, pasteurize the straw or manure by hot-soaking it in a pot or bin. This will eliminate competition from other fungi and mould. Then, "fluff" up the substrate by adding sterile vermiculite. This will keep it aerated and avoid unwanted anaerobic moulds from growing. Next, mix the spawn with the substrate. You can also add a layer of pure coconut on top, which will ensure that the pile breathes well.
Another method for creating spawn is to use cardboard or egg cartons. Soak the cartons for about 2 hours in the leftover water from soaking wood chips. Then, crumble up the cartons and mix them with the spawn and substrate.
It is important to note that 100% colonization is necessary regardless of the original spawn. This may take a few weeks to a month, so be patient! Once your spawn is ready, you can move on to the next steps of creating your outdoor mushroom patch.
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Inoculate the patch
To inoculate a patch for growing psilocybe mushrooms, you will need to obtain mushroom spawn. Spawn is any substrate, such as rye or wood chips, that has been fully colonized by the mycelium of your mushroom. Sawdust spawn is a good option for outdoor patches. You can either buy a fully colonized grow kit and use it to inoculate bags of sawdust or wood chips, or you can start with a bag of sterile grain and inoculate it with a spore syringe.
If you choose to start with a bag of sterile grain, you will need to obtain sawdust, which can be bought from most pet shops. Using a bucket, immerse the sawdust in boiling water for about 10 minutes to sterilize it. Drain the sawdust and then layer it in another bucket with your inoculated grain. Cover the bucket with a lid or place it in a large plastic bag to maintain humidity. Open the bag once a day to allow fresh oxygen to enter. After a few weeks to a month, your sawdust should be completely inoculated and ready to use. You will need about 1.2 kg of sawdust spawn for each square meter of your mushroom patch.
Before creating your patch, it is important to consider lighting. Most mushrooms, especially psilocybe mushrooms, require indirect sunlight. Choose a shaded area in your garden that receives some sunshine during the day. Early autumn and spring are the best times to start your patch as the temperatures are ideal and there is enough precipitation to keep the substrate wet.
To create your patch, simply place a cardboard base layer on the ground and build your patch from there. You don't need to dig. Raised beds are also an option, but be careful around trees with parasitic fungi. You can divide your patch into two parts if you want to grow multiple species, but be sure not to mix the spawn as one species may outcompete the other.
Once your patch is set up, leave it undisturbed for at least 6 months to allow the mycelium to acclimatize and colonize the wood chips. In most climates, the change in temperature and rain will initiate fruiting. However, if it is unusually dry, you may need to water your patch daily to keep it hydrated.
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Maintain the patch
Maintaining your mushroom patch is a simple process but requires some care and attention. Firstly, it is important to remember that mushrooms need a moist environment to thrive, so make sure you keep your bed damp but not waterlogged. Water your patch regularly, and be sure to water the base of the bed, not the mushrooms themselves, as this can cause damage. If you are in a dry climate, you can cover your patch with a sheet of transparent plastic to help retain moisture.
To keep your patch producing mushrooms for years to come, add more substrate to the top of the pile annually. You can use straw, sawdust, woodchips, or manure. It is important to add fresh substrate every year and to never pick more than half the mushrooms, as they need the spores to add fresh genetics to the patch. You should also cut the mushrooms at the base when harvesting, rather than pulling them, to avoid disrupting the mycelium network.
If you want to grow multiple species in your garden, you can divide your patch into two parts. However, be careful not to mix the spawn, as one species may outcompete the other.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step is to find a suitable location. Choose a shaded area, preferably around trees, without direct sunlight and without soil pollution.
The next step is to prepare the mushroom bed. This can be done by laying down a cardboard base layer on the ground and building your patch from there. You can also create a raised bed.
After preparing the mushroom bed, add a layer of the substrate. The substrate you use will depend on your desired mushroom variety. Sawdust spawn, grain spawn, straw, wood chips, and manure are some common substrates used.
The final step is to place your mushroom spawn into the substrate and cover it with a layer of mulch or straw to help retain moisture and keep the temperature constant. Water your mushrooms regularly, making sure to water the base of the bed rather than the mushrooms themselves.
