Michael Davis
Creating your own mushroom spawn can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it's important to note that it's a challenging and time-consuming process that requires precision and a sterile environment. The most popular method for beginners is the stem butt method, which involves placing the stems of oyster mushrooms in a container with damp cardboard. This technique is simple and inexpensive but may yield fewer mushrooms. For those seeking a greater challenge, the grain spawn method offers more variety but demands careful attention to detail and specialized equipment, such as a pressure cooker.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Simplest way for beginners | Stem butt method |
| Materials needed | Oyster mushroom stems, cardboard, water, container, rubber bands |
| Cardboard preparation | Tear cardboard into smaller pieces, pour boiling water over them, let cool, drain excess water, poke small holes in the container |
| Container preparation | Add an even layer of mushroom stem butts, cover with another layer of cardboard, seal the container |
| Waiting period | 11 days in a dark corner at room temperature |
| Next steps | Transfer spawn to a bigger container, add spent coffee grounds or cardboard to create more inoculated growing medium, add spawn at a spawn rate of about 15% by volume |
| Alternative method | Grain spawn method |
| Grain spawn materials | Wide-mouthed jars, pressure cooker, seed or grain, cotton wool, bowls, sieve, ladle, spoon, knife, fork, aluminium foil, drill, sterilized water |
| Grain spawn process | Soak the grain in water for 12-24 hours, simmer the grains for 15 minutes, drain the grains, fill the jars 2/3–3/4 full, sterilize the grain after it's in the jar, place on a shaded shelf to incubate |
| Clean room construction | Construct four walls with thin wood panels, cover with plastic sheeting, screw the panels together with sealant, tape a plastic sheet over the top, cut a slit for an opening, install a HEPA filter |
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What You'll Learn
The stem butt method
First, source some oyster mushrooms. You can forage for wild oyster mushrooms, ensuring you get ones with the stems still attached. Alternatively, buy fresh oyster mushrooms from a grocery store. The stems should still be alive, and will continue to grow in the right conditions.
Next, prepare your cardboard. Mushrooms are bio-accumulators, so it is important to use plain cardboard without any ink or writing on it to avoid chemicals or toxins. Tear or cut the cardboard into smaller pieces. You will need enough to fill your chosen container. The container should be airtight with a few holes for airflow, poked or drilled into the sides.
Then, prepare the cardboard by pouring boiling water over it. This will help kill any wild moulds, fungi, or yeasts. Let the cardboard cool down, then drain off any excess water. Mushrooms thrive in a humid and moist environment, so it is important to retain some moisture in the cardboard.
Now, it's time to add the mushroom stems. Cut off the bottom inch of the mushroom stems, being careful to keep the rhizomorphs and any mycelium intact. Place the stems into your prepared container, spreading them out in an even layer. Cover the stems with a layer of cardboard, then seal the container. You can use rubber bands to ensure a tight seal.
Finally, place the container in a dark, warm, and dry place. Leave it undisturbed for around 11 days. During this time, the container should become fully colonized with fresh, white, strong mushroom growth. After 11 days, you can transfer the spawn to a larger container to begin the pinning process.
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Using a lab setup
Setting up a lab for mushroom cultivation can be a tedious process, but it has its advantages. It gives you control over the variety of mushrooms you can grow, and you can learn more about how mushroom mycelium works. However, it can be time-consuming and costly, and you will need to learn a whole new process.
When setting up a mushroom lab, the first step is to choose a location. The ideal location is a separate, dedicated room, isolated from the rest of the house, with low foot traffic, and minimal windows and doors to minimise the risk of contamination. It should be away from areas with high moisture or dust and as far away as possible from the fruiting room air output. The size of the lab is dictated by the space and budget available. The lab should be clean, dark, and as close to sterile as possible. Smooth and hard surfaces are preferred as they are easier to sanitise.
The next step is to gather the necessary equipment. This includes a flow hood to provide sterile laminar air over your workspace, a table made of stainless steel or another smooth non-porous material, a pressure cooker, a still air box, liquid culture, basic tools, a fruiting chamber, and a Martha tent. You will also need laboratory equipment and machinery such as laminar airflow, autoclaves, and incubators. It is important to note that the air source should be from outside the lab, and positive pressure can be added to prevent dust, spores, and insects from entering the room.
Once you have your lab set up, you can start the mushroom cultivation process. This involves creating a substrate, which is the material the mycelium will grow on, and maintaining sterile conditions to prevent contamination. Overall, setting up a mushroom lab requires careful planning and can be challenging, but it can also be a rewarding experience that allows you to cultivate mushrooms effectively.
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Sterilising grain
Grain spawn is a commonly used substrate for growing mushrooms. It is made by sterilizing grains such as rye, wheat, or millet and then inoculating them with mushroom spores or mycelium. The mycelium grows and colonizes the grains, creating a network of fungal cells that can then be used to inoculate larger substrates such as sawdust, straw, or wood chips.
Grain is great for mushroom spawn not simply because it’s nutrient-rich. Each individual kernel of grain can act as its own inoculation site for mycelium. As such, a single liter of rye berries offers roughly 25,000 individual sites from which mycelium can ultimately spread. However, grain also carries a high number of bacteria and fungi. According to mycologist Paul Stamets, each gram of rye berries carries cell counts of around 300,000 bacteria and 12,000 fungi. Therefore, complete sterilisation of mushroom grain bags and any grain to be added to bulk substrate is vital to successful mushroom cultivation.
Methods that are suitable for preparing straw and other bulk substrates for agricultural purposes—including both heat-based “warm-water” pasteurisation and “cold” pasteurisation methods relying on hydrated lime, peroxide, etc.—are not true sterilisation. They leave far too many viable microorganisms in the grain spawn. Even by laboratory standards, sterilising grain for mushroom cultivation is challenging. Most common lab liquids and glassware can be sterilised in 30 minutes or less using an autoclave (which pressurises steam in order to reach higher sterilising temperatures than “stovetop” boiling). A lab can sterilise metal instruments in an autoclave at 135ºC in less than 5 minutes.
To sterilise grain spawn at home, you will need a pressure cooker or autoclave. First, rinse the grains and soak them in water for 12 to 24 hours. Next, simmer the grains on the stove for about 15 minutes. Drain the grains and fill them into jars or bags. Cover the lids in tinfoil to prevent water from dripping in. Pressure sterilise the jars for about 60 to 90 minutes at 15 psi. The sterilised grain should have a similar consistency to al dente pasta or cooked rice.
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Soaking and simmering grain
Firstly, select your grain. Organic rye berries are often considered the best option as they hold water well and contain lots of nutrition for the mushroom mycelium. However, other options such as wheat berries, millet, brown rice, oats, or corn can also be used.
Once you have chosen your grain, it's time to soak it. Place the dry grain in a bucket or bowl and cover it with water. Leave it to soak for 12 to 24 hours. Be careful not to soak the grain for too long, as it may start to sprout. After soaking, the grains will have expanded in volume, so make sure you have enough space in your bucket or bowl.
The next step is to simmer the grains. Move the soaked grains to a pot of water and bring it to a gentle boil. Simmer the grains for 10 to 20 minutes. This will further hydrate and soften them, but be careful not to overcook them, as they can become too soft and mushy, making it difficult for the mycelium to colonize.
After simmering, drain the grains using a strainer or mesh screen. Spread them out on a clean surface to dry for 1 to 2 hours. The outside of the grains should feel dry to the touch, ensuring that there is not too much moisture in the jars when you fill them later.
Once the grains are dry, you can fill your jars. Fill each jar about two-thirds to three-quarters full, leaving some space at the top. This allows you to shake the jars during colonization to speed up the process and ensure even growth.
Finally, sterilize your jars to kill any bacteria, mould spores, or other contaminants that could hinder the growth of the mycelium. You can do this by pressure cooking the jars at 15 PSI for 90 minutes.
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Using a kit
One popular option is the GroCycle kit, which allows you to grow oyster mushrooms at home. With this kit, you don't need to go through the stem butt method yourself. The kit comes fully colonized and ready to produce mushrooms in just 14 days. All you need to do is open the box, cut a hole in the grow bag, and spray water on the box each day.
Another option is to purchase a grow kit from Amazon.com, as mentioned on Mushroom Appreciation. This kit includes spawn, but grain and wood chips can also be used as the growing medium. The advantage of using cardboard is that it is easy to find, cheap, and retains moisture well. It is also a familiar substance for many types of mycelium to colonize.
When using a kit, it is important to follow the specific instructions provided by the manufacturer. However, some general tips for using a mushroom spawn kit include maintaining the right temperature and humidity levels. Mushroom spawn thrives in a temperature range of 20-24 degrees Celsius. While some humidity is necessary to keep the spawn moist, too much humidity can lead to bacteria growth and ruin your crop.
Additionally, it is important to ensure that your equipment and work environment are clean and sterile to prevent contamination from other organisms. This can be achieved through methods such as disinfecting, boiling, and using flames.
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Frequently asked questions
The simplest way to create mushroom spawn is by using the stem butt method. Take the stems of oyster mushrooms and place them in a container with damp cardboard. In a couple of weeks, you will have your own spawn.
You can use almost any grain to make grain spawn, and they all have pros and cons. Factors to consider when deciding which grain to use are grain size, quality, and price. Growers recommend popcorn for beginners as it is easy to hydrate, readily available, and relatively contaminant-resistant.
Creating mushroom spawn requires a sterile environment. To achieve this, you will need a pressure cooker or pressure canner to sterilize your grain and jars. You will also need jars, preferably with glass walls, so you can monitor the mycelium's colonization progress.
