John Miller
Fruiting a mushroom involves creating the right conditions for fungi to produce mushrooms from mycelium. The process can be done in a variety of ways, including using a plastic bag, a plastic storage container, or a fruiting chamber. The key factors to consider are temperature, oxygen level, humidity, and lighting. The ideal humidity level is between 75% and 90%, and the lighting should be comfortable to read under. One method involves misting the substrate with clean or distilled water and folding the bag shut to hold in moisture. Another method is to skewer the blocks on spikes in the container to maximize fruiting space and prevent them from toppling over. Within 7-10 days of placing the block in a container, the mushrooms should be ready for picking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Container | Plastic tub, monotub, hydroponics tent, wooden stud frame, insulated fridge panel, refrigeration shipping containers, plastic tent, plastic bag, or a room |
| Humidity | 75-90% |
| Temperature | 70-75°F |
| Lighting | Comfortable to read under; LED lights are enough |
| Oxygen | Requires fresh air |
| Misting | Misting the substrate with clean or distilled water if it appears to be drying out |
| Harvesting | Mushrooms should be picked by gently twisting them at the base |
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What You'll Learn
Building a fruiting chamber
Building a mushroom fruiting chamber can be a simple and inexpensive process, but it is important to consider the scale of your operation and the specific requirements of the mushroom variety you intend to grow. Here is a step-by-step guide to building a functional fruiting chamber:
Step 1: Choose a Location and Design:
Select an appropriate location for your fruiting chamber, ensuring it receives natural indirect sunlight throughout the day. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can heat up the chamber excessively and negatively impact mushroom growth. Consider the amount of space you have available and the desired scale of mushroom production. Decide on a design that suits your needs, such as a hydroponics tent, monotub, or Martha fruiting chamber.
Step 2: Prepare the Space:
If you're converting an existing room, ensure it has adequate ventilation to manage the high humidity levels associated with mushroom fruiting chambers. Set up your chamber on a concrete floor with a nearby drain to manage excess moisture. Create a controlled environment by regulating temperature, humidity, lighting, and air exchange.
Step 3: Construct the Chamber:
Build the framework for your chamber using materials like wooden studs covered in plastic sheeting or insulated fridge panels. Alternatively, you can recycle refrigeration shipping containers or use pre-made grow tents. Ensure the chamber is sealed to maintain humidity but also has adequate ventilation to prevent mould and provide fresh air for the mushrooms.
Step 4: Install Equipment:
Install LED lighting strips to provide adequate light for mushroom growth without generating excessive heat. Set up fans and vents to facilitate air exchange and maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels. Run a water hose into the chamber, and consider using a mister or humidifier to control moisture levels. Ensure access to electricity to power your equipment.
Step 5: Monitor and Maintain:
Use tools like a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels and make adjustments as needed. Maintain consistent temperature and humidity levels specific to the mushroom variety you are growing. Regularly mist the chamber and mushroom cakes with distilled water, being careful not to over-mist to prevent mould.
Remember to wear sterile gloves or use hand sanitiser when handling mushroom cultures to avoid contamination. By following these steps and adapting them to your specific needs and mushroom variety, you can create a successful fruiting chamber for mushroom cultivation.
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Humidity, temperature and lighting
Humidity, temperature, and lighting are crucial factors in successfully fruiting mushrooms. A mushroom fruiting chamber is an enclosed space that mimics the conditions and environment in which different mushroom species typically grow, facilitating their growth.
Humidity
High humidity is essential for mushroom growth. Humidity levels should be maintained between 75% and 90%, with the higher end of this range being ideal during the initiation phase, the first four days of fruiting. As the mushrooms start to pin, they become more resilient to lower humidity levels, allowing a decrease to 80% or 75% without significant impact on their development.
Temperature
Temperature control is critical for inducing fruiting in mushrooms. While specific temperature requirements vary depending on the mushroom species, the fruiting stage generally occurs within a temperature range of 70–75°F (21–24°C).
Lighting
Lighting requirements for mushroom fruiting are relatively basic. The lighting should be comfortable to read under, and LED lights can suffice. Mushrooms can be grown in various settings, including indoors, outdoors, or in a dedicated fruiting room, as long as direct sunlight is avoided. A bit of morning sun is acceptable, especially during the cooler periods of autumn, winter, and early spring.
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Harvesting and storage
Harvesting mushrooms is fairly easy. Generally, it is best to harvest all the mushrooms in a single session, unless there are clearly two pin sets at different stages of growth. Once the mushrooms are fully grown, harvest them and fold the top of the bag closed to prevent the substrate from drying out. Mist the substrate to rehydrate if necessary. More fruits should continue to grow in the coming weeks.
When harvesting, use an X-Acto knife so you don't damage newly forming mushrooms. Pick the mushrooms by gently twisting them at the base. Be careful not to destroy the roots. This will be your first "flush". Leave the trays in the fruiting chamber because more fruit bodies will continue to grow in the next few days. Each tray should flush 2 to 4 times before the mycelium is "spent".
If you are growing your mushrooms in a monotub, you can skewer the blocks on spikes in the container. This keeps the blocks off the bottom of the container and prevents them from sliding around or toppling over. It also allows you to arrange the blocks to maximize fruiting space.
If you are growing your mushrooms outdoors, you can yield larger harvests by letting your substrate fruit for longer periods of time.
If you intend to dry your mushrooms, the dried weight can be anywhere from 3-10% of the wet weight, depending on the species.
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Choosing a growing method
There are several methods for growing mushrooms, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs and goals. Here are some options to consider:
All-in-One-Bag Method
This method is user-friendly and contamination-resistant. It involves using a grow bag that contains the substrate and mushroom spores. Once the bag is fully colonized, you can either fruit directly in the bag or cut the top off and place it in a clear tub. This method is suitable for those who want a simple and straightforward process.
Monotub/Dub-tub Method
The monotub method is a popular choice among amateur growers as it reduces contamination while maximizing environmental factors conducive to mushroom growth. It involves using a transparent plastic bin with a snap-on cover and air filters for air exchange. This method typically results in a larger yield compared to the All-in-One-Bag method due to the increased surface area and headroom.
Martha Tent Method
The Martha Tent method involves creating a fruiting chamber out of a plastic tent armed with a humidifier. While this may not be one of the best techniques, it can still be a viable option for those who want a simple and low-cost setup.
Hydroponics Tent Method
The hydroponics tent method is suitable for those who want to grow mushrooms on a larger scale. It involves using a tent or room equipped with hydroponic systems, providing a controlled environment for mushroom growth.
Coffee Grounds Method
This method uses coffee grounds as the growing medium, providing all the nutrients that mushrooms need to grow. Coffee shops may be willing to give away their used coffee grounds for free. However, it's important to inoculate the grounds with spores within 24 hours of brewing to ensure fresh growing conditions.
Log Cultivation Method
One of the more traditional methods is to grow mushrooms on logs. This method involves shocking the logs by soaking them for an extended period, mimicking a strong rainstorm. This technique is particularly effective for shiitake mushrooms.
When choosing a growing method, it's important to consider the species of mushroom, the scale of your operation, and your level of experience. Each species of mushroom has preferred conditions and substrates, so it's essential to research the specific requirements of the type of mushroom you want to grow.
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Selecting the right strain
Strain selection is a crucial step in the mushroom cultivation process, akin to selecting a plant breed. It is one of the commonly overlooked yet extremely important factors in successful mushroom growing. The right strain selection can easily triple yields. For instance, in cordyceps strain trials, yields varied from 3.5 grams per jar to 11.8 grams per jar.
When selecting a mushroom strain, it is essential to consider various factors that influence the cultivation process and the final product. These factors include the growth rate of the mycelium, colour, shelf life, fruiting temperature, size, and yield. For example, the Blue Oyster Amycel 3015 strain is a high-yielding oyster mushroom with fast mycelial growth and a wide fruiting temperature range of 50-75 degrees F. On the other hand, the Pink Oyster VDE-1 strain yields pink to red fruiting bodies and prefers higher temperatures of 60-85 degrees F, but it has a limited shelf life and produces a medium yield.
Additionally, the growing environment and conditions play a significant role in strain selection. By repeating the crossing and selection process, cultivators can select strains naturally adapted to their specific climate and conditions. For instance, if you live in a warmer, drier region, selecting a mushroom strain from a colder, more humid area may not be ideal. However, by repeatedly crossing and selecting, you can choose strains better suited to your environment.
Another critical aspect of strain selection is the desired characteristics of the mushrooms. Cultivators aim for traits such as fast colonisation time, strong immunity towards competing organisms, sturdy fruiting bodies, high productivity, and superior nutritional content. By selecting for these traits over multiple generations, growers can develop superior-performing strains. For instance, mutant dikaryons generated by chemical mutagenesis have shown increased fruiting body production compared to their parental strains.
Once a desirable strain is selected, cultivators can utilise techniques such as cloning and cross-straining to preserve and enhance the desired characteristics. Cloning involves asexual reproduction, where small sections of the mycelia are passaged onto new agar petri dishes for growth. Cross-straining involves fusing mycelia with other haploid cells to generate new genetic combinations. These techniques allow cultivators to continuously improve their mushroom strains and achieve desirable traits for their specific growing conditions and goals.
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Frequently asked questions
A mushroom fruiting chamber is an enclosed space that growers use to mimic the conditions and environment that different species of mushrooms would normally grow in. It creates certain conditions for fungi that will naturally cause them to start producing mushrooms from mycelium.
The four main parameters to consider are humidity, light, temperature, and CO2 levels. Humidity should be anywhere from 75% to 90%, and you'll need lighting that is comfortable to read under. The temperature will depend on the species of mushroom, so be sure to do your research.
Popular techniques for fruiting mushrooms include the shotgun fruiting chamber, monotub fruiting chamber, and the Martha tent. The monotub fruiting chamber is one of the best techniques for fruiting mushrooms on an amateur scale. The shotgun fruiting chamber is very simple and inexpensive, as it doesn't require electricity or expensive materials.
