Laura Smith
Straw is a versatile, inexpensive, and readily available substrate for growing mushrooms at home. It is easy to break down, full of nutrition, and supports good mushroom fruiting. Wheat straw, oat straw, and rice straw are ideal due to their readily digestible cellulose content. The process of growing mushrooms on straw involves pasteurization, inoculation, and waiting. First, the straw is pasteurized by soaking or steaming it. Then, it is inoculated with mushroom spawn, a substance containing mycelium, which colonizes the straw. Finally, the mushrooms are allowed to grow in a fruiting chamber or another appropriate environment. Oyster mushrooms, including blue, golden, pink, pearl, phoenix, and king oyster varieties, are a great choice for beginners as they grow well on straw.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Substrate | Straw |
| Mushroom Species | Oyster, King Oyster, Elm Oyster, Blue Oyster, Golden Oyster, Pink Oyster, Pearl Oyster, Phoenix Oyster |
| Pasteurization Methods | Submersion, Steaming |
| Soaking Temperature | 30°C / 86°F |
| Soaking Duration | 24-48 hours |
| Additive during Soaking | Hydrated Lime (50g per liter of water) |
| Chopping Straw Length | 3-5 cm / 1-2 inches |
| Pasteurization Temperature | 65-82°C / 160-180°F |
| Pasteurization Duration | 1-2 hours |
| Spawn Type | Grain Spawn, Sawdust Spawn |
| Spawn Ratio | At least 10% |
| Fruiting Container | Poly Tubing, 5-gallon Bucket with Holes |
| Fruiting Chamber | Monotub, Shotgun Fruiting Chamber, Martha Grow Tent, Larger Grow Tent, Greenhouse, Grow Room |
| Fruiting Humidity | 80-90% |
| Harvesting Technique | Gently twist mushrooms at the base |
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What You'll Learn
- Choosing the right substrate: Wheat, oat, rice, or barley straw are ideal
- Pasteurization: Soak or steam straw at 160-180°F for 1-2 hours
- Chopping: Cut straw to 1-3 inches for optimal fungal colonisation
- Soaking: Submerge straw in lukewarm water for 24-48 hours to hydrate
- Fruiting: Place in a fruiting chamber or an environment with 80%+ humidity
Choosing the right substrate: Wheat, oat, rice, or barley straw are ideal
Choosing the right substrate is crucial for successfully cultivating straw mushrooms. Wheat, oat, rice, or barley straw are ideal options due to their readily digestible cellulose content. These types of straw are widely available and can be purchased from feed stores or local garden centers.
When selecting your straw, ensure it is clean, dry, and free from pesticides. Chop the straw into small pieces, ideally between 3-5 cm (1-2 inches) in length. This provides an optimal surface area for efficient fungal colonization while maintaining good air circulation within the substrate.
Soaking the straw is an important step. Submerge the chopped straw in lukewarm water (around 30°C / 86°F) for 24-48 hours. This process hydrates the straw, making it easier for the fungal mycelium to colonize and absorb nutrients. Adding hydrated lime during soaking can help suppress competing bacteria and favor the growth of Volvariella volvacea, a common straw mushroom species.
After soaking, the straw should be pasteurized to ensure a sterile environment for mushroom growth. There are two common methods for pasteurizing straw: submersion and steaming. For submersion, place the straw in a heat-resistant mesh bag and submerge it in boiling water for 1-2 hours. For steaming, spread the straw on a baking sheet and steam for 1-2 hours, ensuring adequate steam reaches all parts of the straw.
By choosing the right substrate and following the subsequent preparation steps, you'll be well on your way to successfully cultivating straw mushrooms.
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Pasteurization: Soak or steam straw at 160-180°F for 1-2 hours
Pasteurization is a crucial step in the straw mushroom cultivation process, as it helps reduce the number of harmful competitor organisms in the straw substrate. This gives the mushroom mycelium a competitive advantage, allowing it to spread and produce mushrooms. The pasteurization process for straw mushroom cultivation can be achieved through various methods, including hot water pasteurization and natural fermentation.
Hot water pasteurization is a common method for straw mushroom cultivation. It involves soaking the straw in hot water at a specific temperature range of 160-180°F for 1-2 hours. To achieve this, you can fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Then, adjust the heat to maintain a stable temperature between 160-170°F. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Place the straw in a heat-resistant mesh bag or colander and submerge it in the hot water, ensuring complete submersion. Let the straw pasteurize for 1-2 hours. After pasteurization, remove the straw from the water and allow it to cool completely before proceeding to the next step of inoculation.
Another method for pasteurizing straw is through natural fermentation, which is energy efficient and suitable for large volumes of straw. This process takes longer and can be quite smelly. It involves submerging the straw in non-chlorinated water for around a week. During this time, anaerobic bacteria break down the straw through fermentation. The absence of oxygen kills organisms that depend on it, such as fungal spores and aerobic bacteria. When the straw is removed from the water and exposed to oxygen, the anaerobic organisms die, resulting in pasteurized straw.
It is important to note that pasteurization is different from sterilization. Pasteurization reduces the number of harmful competitors, while beneficial bacteria remain active in the substrate. Sterilization, on the other hand, aims to remove all living organisms from the substrate, typically achieved through chemicals or high heat and pressure.
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Chopping: Cut straw to 1-3 inches for optimal fungal colonisation
When preparing straw for mushroom cultivation, it is important to cut the straw into small pieces. The ideal length is between 3-5 cm (1-2 inches) or 1-3 inches, depending on the source. This size provides an optimal surface area for efficient fungal colonisation while maintaining good air circulation within the substrate.
There are various methods to cut straw into smaller pieces. For smaller amounts of straw, one can use shears in a large tote, or garden shears. For larger amounts, a lawnmower, a wood chipper, or a weed whacker in a large barrel can be used to cut the straw into the desired length. If you are buying straw directly from a farmer, you can ask them to chop the straw for you with their machines. Some farmers may even do this for free, especially if you are a regular buyer of large amounts of straw.
After chopping the straw, it is recommended to soak the straw in lukewarm water (around 30°C / 86°F) for 24-48 hours. This process hydrates the straw, making it easier for the fungal mycelium to colonise and absorb nutrients. During soaking, you can add approximately 50 g (1.75 oz) of hydrated lime per litre (gallon) of water to suppress the growth of competing bacteria and favour the growth of Volvariella volvacea.
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Soaking: Submerge straw in lukewarm water for 24-48 hours to hydrate
Before you begin the process of cultivating straw mushrooms, ensure you have clean, dry, and pesticide-free straw. Wheat straw or rice straw are ideal, but you can also use oat straw or barley straw.
Now, you can begin the soaking process:
- Submerge the chopped straw in a large container filled with lukewarm water (around 30°C/86°F).
- Ensure the water covers the straw completely.
- Let the straw soak for 24-48 hours. This process hydrates the straw, making it easier for the fungal mycelium to colonize and absorb nutrients.
- During this time, you can also add hydrated lime to the water. Add approximately 50g (1.75 oz) of hydrated lime per liter (gallon) of water. The lime creates a slightly alkaline environment that helps suppress competing bacteria and promotes the growth of Volvariella volvacea (straw mushrooms).
After the straw has soaked for the recommended time, it will be ready for the next steps of the cultivation process, which include pasteurization, inoculation with spawn, and fruiting.
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Fruiting: Place in a fruiting chamber or an environment with 80%+ humidity
Fruiting Chamber Setup
Once your straw is inoculated with spawn and pasteurized, it's time to induce fruiting. This stage requires an environment with high humidity and some air circulation. Here are the steps to create the optimal fruiting setup:
Fruiting Chamber Options
You can use a monotub, shotgun fruiting chamber, Martha grow tent, larger grow tent, greenhouse, or a grow room. If you're growing king oyster mushrooms, a poly bag with holes at the top can be used as a fruiting container.
Humidity Requirements
Maintain consistent humidity levels of around 80-90% throughout the cultivation process. Fluctuations in humidity can stress the mycelium and hinder fruiting. If growing king oyster mushrooms, a casing layer of 50% vermiculite, 50% coconut coir, and 1% hydrated lime can help retain moisture.
Ambient Light
While straw mushrooms don't need direct sunlight, a little ambient light is beneficial. Ambient light helps trigger mushroom formation.
Air Circulation
Ensure proper air circulation within your fruiting chamber. Chopping the straw into small pieces (3-5 cm or 1-2 inches) helps maintain good air circulation.
Fruiting Body Formation
After placing your straw in the fruiting chamber, small pinheads will begin to form on the surface, indicating the initiation of fruiting body development. This typically takes 3-5 days.
Harvesting
Harvest the mushrooms when the caps are fully expanded but before the veil breaks. Gently twist the mushrooms at the base to detach them. Pulling or cutting can damage the mushrooms.
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Frequently asked questions
Wheat straw, oat straw, and rice straw are all ideal for cultivating mushrooms due to their readily digestible cellulose content. Rice or wheat straw is often recommended due to its ease of breakdown.
Oyster mushrooms are a great choice for growing with straw. All oyster mushroom strains will grow on straw, including blue, golden, pink, pearl, phoenix, and king oyster varieties.
First, pasteurize the straw. Then, chop the straw into small pieces, ideally between 3-5 cm (1-2 inches) in length. Next, soak the straw in lukewarm water for 24-48 hours, adding hydrated lime to suppress competing bacteria and fungi. Drain the straw, cool it, and mix in mushroom grain spawn. Stuff the straw/spawn mixture into a fruiting container. Let it colonize for 7-14 days, then move it to a fruiting chamber to initiate mushroom growth.
