John Miller
Growing mushrooms outdoors is an easy, fun, and inexpensive way to cultivate your own edible mushrooms. It is also a great way to improve the quality of your soil. The most important thing to understand is that the mushroom is just the fruiting body of the organism, and the real being is the mycelium. Mycelium is the vegetative part of the fungus, and it's the white web that slowly progresses through a substrate. To grow mushrooms, you need to create an environment in which mycelium can thrive and grow. You will need to find a good location, prepare the ground, and then layer it with cardboard, spawn, and substrate. Once your patch is made, you will need to regularly water it and wait for the mushrooms to grow.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Not exposed to direct sunlight, wind, or all-day sun. Naturally humid with access to water. |
| Preparation | Clear ground of weeds, debris, and existing mulch. Use cardboard to suppress weeds. |
| Substrate | Rye, wood chips, straw, compost, soil, or sawdust. |
| Spawn | Wine Caps, King Stropharia, Shaggy Ink Cap, Black Morels, Oyster Mushrooms. |
| Quantity | 1kg of spawn per 1m x 1m patch. |
| Maintenance | Top up with substrate once or twice a year. Water regularly, especially during dry weather. |
| Harvest | 6-18 months for the first crop. |
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What You'll Learn
Choose a suitable location
Choosing a suitable location is crucial for cultivating a thriving mushroom patch. Here are some detailed guidelines to help you select the ideal spot:
Lighting Conditions
Most mushroom varieties require indirect sunlight, so it's important to choose a location that receives ample light throughout the day without being exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods. A spot with dappled light, such as under a tree canopy, can provide the necessary shade while still allowing some sunlight to reach the mushrooms. Avoid locations that are too shady, as mushrooms need some light to grow.
Shelter from Elements
Mushrooms are sensitive to strong winds and excessive sun exposure. Select a location that offers shelter from strong winds and protects the mushrooms from all-day sun. A gentle breeze is beneficial, but strong winds can damage the delicate mushrooms and hinder their growth.
Humidity and Water Access
Mushrooms thrive in humid environments. Look for a naturally humid location or one with access to water, allowing you to maintain the necessary humidity levels. A moist patch of land or an area with a subsurface flow of water, such as a slope or swale, can provide the ideal conditions for mushroom growth.
Soil Type and Nutrients
Different types of mushrooms prefer specific soil types and nutrients. For example, Black Morels can be grown in a patch of loamy soil mulched with pine bark chips, while Wine Caps, which are large mushrooms with a firm texture and burgundy-coloured caps, thrive in carbon-rich mulch, typically wood chips or straw, with some compost or soil mixed in. Ensure you understand the preferences of the mushroom variety you plan to cultivate.
Proximity and Accessibility
Consider how far your mushroom patch is from your home or daily routine. If it's too far away, you might neglect it or miss the optimal harvest window, as mushroom patches may require daily checking during the harvest period. Ideally, choose a location that is easily accessible and not too remote.
By carefully considering these factors, you can select the most suitable location for your mushroom patch, maximising the potential for a bountiful and healthy crop.
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Prepare the ground
Preparing the ground for your mushroom patch is a simple process, but it requires careful consideration and several steps. Firstly, choose a suitable location. Mushrooms thrive in cool, shaded spots with indirect sunlight and high humidity. Avoid areas with high exposure to wind and direct sunlight, as this can cause the substrate to dry out. If you are creating a patch in your garden, it is best to opt for a spot near trees, ensuring there is no soil pollution, as fungi can relocate heavy metals from the soil to fruiting bodies.
Once you have selected the perfect location, it is time to prepare the ground. Start by removing any weeds, mulch, or existing plants and debris, scraping down to the bare ground. This step is crucial, as mulch may already host other random fungi, and weeds will compete with your mushrooms for nutrients. After clearing the area, you can line the bed with rotten logs to create a border and help retain moisture.
If your chosen location has a lot of weeds or grass, you may want to lay cardboard on the ground. This will suppress weeds and provide a clean surface for your mushroom patch. Soak the cardboard with water until it is thoroughly saturated, creating a decomposable barrier.
Now, you are ready to begin creating your patch. Dig a shallow trench with a consistent depth of 20-30cm. This trench will be layered with various materials to create the perfect environment for mushroom growth. The first layer, or substrate, is critical for successful mushroom cultivation.
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Get the right materials
To create your own mushroom patch, you will need to gather the right materials. The first step is to choose the type of mushrooms you want to grow, as this will determine the specific substrate or spawn you will need. For example, Wine Caps/King Stropharia mushrooms grow in carbon-rich mulch, such as wood chips or straw, while Shaggy Ink Cap mushrooms thrive in rich compost or rotted animal manure. Once you've decided on the mushroom variety, you can source the appropriate substrate or spawn.
The next step is to prepare the location for your mushroom patch. Choose an area that is not exposed to direct sunlight, as most mushrooms require indirect sunlight and do not fare well under prolonged direct exposure. A spot with dappled light or a few hours of sun per day is ideal. Additionally, ensure that your chosen location is sheltered from strong winds and has access to water, either through natural humidity or a nearby water source.
To prepare the patch, you will need a sturdy metal rake to clear the area of any unwanted debris, such as twigs, straw, or uncomposted yard waste. You may also want to lay down cardboard to suppress weeds and provide a clean surface for your mushroom patch.
If you're using a pre-inoculated substrate, such as grain spawn in sawdust or wood chips, you can simply spread this over your prepared patch. However, if you're starting with plain sawdust or wood chips, you'll need to follow a process of sterilisation and inoculation. To sterilise sawdust, immerse it in boiling water for about 10 minutes, drain it, and then layer it with your chosen spawn in a bucket. Cover the bucket and maintain humidity to allow the spawn to colonise the substrate over a few weeks to a month.
Once your substrate is ready, spread it over your patch, ensuring you have enough to cover the area adequately. For example, a minimum of 1kg of spawn is recommended per 1m x 1m of the mushroom patch. After spreading the spawn, you may want to add another layer of substrate on top to create a "layered bed" with spawn in the middle, which will grow upwards and downwards.
With the right materials and preparation, you'll be well on your way to a thriving mushroom patch!
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Layer the patch
To create a mushroom patch, you will need to layer the patch with cardboard, wood chips, and mushroom spawn.
First, you must clear the ground of weeds and any existing mulch, which can be done by scraping off the top layer of the soil. If the patch is particularly weedy, you can lay down cardboard to help suppress weed growth. Soak the cardboard with water until it is sodden.
Next, spread a layer of wood chips or straw mulch on top of the cardboard. This layer should be approximately 5 cm deep. On top of this, spread a layer of mushroom spawn. This will form a base platform for the mycelium to grow upwards through the wood chips towards the surface.
Cover the spawn layer with another layer of wood chips or mulch, this time making it at least 10 cm thick. On top of this, add another layer of spawn.
Finally, top it off with a third layer of wood chips or mulch, creating a 'spawn sandwich'. You can also sprinkle a couple of handfuls of compost or soil over the patch to provide soil microbes.
The mushroom patch will take some time to grow, so be patient and leave the patch undisturbed for at least 6 months. During this time, the mycelium will acclimatize and colonize the wood chips.
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Water and care
It's important to maintain a balance, as too much water will create an anaerobic environment where bacteria will flourish. You can cover your patch with straw, cardboard, or a tarp to prevent it from drying out. Alternatively, you can use a plastic sheet to create a terrarium-like effect and retain moisture. Remember to keep your patch humid, but not soaking wet. During dry and hot weather, lightly water your patch every few days, especially if it's a straw bed.
To automate the watering process, you can try various methods. One idea is to use a cloth spread out on sticks over the mushrooms, allowing water to slowly percolate through. Another method involves a network of tiny hoses with holes, fed from a higher water source, but this may require manual intervention to cut off the water supply when optimal moisture levels are reached. You can also try misting the mushrooms, but this works best when combined with humidity sensors and manual watering.
For long-term care, it's important to feed your patch. The mycelium needs to run and eat, so consider adding wood chips or straw to your patch once or twice a year, especially in the winter when mushrooms aren't cropping. Oyster mushrooms, for example, are aggressive feeders and will devour their beds quickly, so feeding them at least twice a year is essential.
Additionally, it's common for other mushroom species to grow in your patch due to the abundance of good fungi food. This is normal, but it's crucial to positively identify mushrooms before consuming them.
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Frequently asked questions
Your mushroom patch should be in a cool, shady spot that is sheltered from strong winds and not exposed to direct sunlight. It should also have access to water.
You will need a spade, corrugated cardboard, mushroom spawn, and wood chips. You can also add grass seed or flowers to plant on top of the patch.
First, use your spade to dig a shallow trench that is about 20-30cm deep. Then, layer the trench with corrugated cardboard and soak it with water. Spread a thin layer of mushroom spawn on top of the cardboard, followed by a layer of wood chips. Repeat this process, ending with a top layer of wood chips.
Keep your mushroom patch moist and watered, especially during dry weather. You may also need to add new substrate or food for the mushrooms, such as straw or sawdust, once or twice a year.
It commonly takes between 6 to 18 months for a mushroom patch to produce its first crop. However, some varieties, such as Wine Caps, can produce mushrooms in as little as 2 months if inoculated in the spring.
