Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are a fun and tasty crop to grow at home, and they can be grown both indoors and outdoors. The easiest mushrooms to grow outdoors are Wine Caps, Oyster mushrooms, and Shiitake mushrooms. To grow mushrooms outdoors, you can use garden beds, logs, or buckets, and fill them with a growing medium or substrate such as compost, manure, straw, or sawdust. The benefits of growing mushrooms outdoors include lower costs, less energy use, less plastic waste, and enriching the soil. However, there is a higher risk of contamination from wild spores.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Advantages | Less costly, less energy-intensive, less plastic waste, less contamination, perennial harvests, enriches soil, feeds wildlife |
| Techniques | Garden beds, freshly cut logs, reusable containers |
| Substrates | Compost, straw, sawdust, coffee grounds, manure |
| Temperature | Minimum of 15°C, some mushrooms like Wine Caps are cold-hardy and perennial in northern zones |
| Maintenance | Low-maintenance, pasteurise or sterilise substrate mixture to reduce risk of contamination |
| Harvest | Larger quantities, multiple harvests throughout the year |
| Spawn | Living fungal culture, can be grown on a substrate, buy from a reputable source |
| Logs | Drill holes, place plugs, seal with wax, keep moist, cover with burlap, harvest when gills form under caps |
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What You'll Learn
Choose a mushroom type
Choosing the type of mushroom you want to grow is the first step in the mushroom cultivation process. Oyster mushrooms are the easiest to grow outdoors, especially for beginners. They come in many different types, with grey and pink oyster mushrooms being the most straightforward to grow at home. They can be grown in garden beds, buckets, or containers, and they prefer straw to denser woody substrates.
If you're looking for a challenge, Lion's Mane mushrooms are a good option, but they require warmer temperatures of up to 25°C and high humidity.
Shiitake mushrooms are another popular choice for outdoor cultivation. They can be grown in hardwood logs, which can produce mushrooms for several years. This method involves drilling holes in the logs, placing plugs into the holes, and sealing them with wax to prevent contamination and moisture loss.
Wine Caps are also a good choice for outdoor cultivation, as they are resilient to a range of environmental conditions and can tolerate partial shade and some direct sun. They grow well on woody debris and can be inoculated in the spring to produce mushrooms in as little as 2 months.
When choosing a mushroom type, it's important to consider your Hardiness Zone and the temperature sensitivities of the specific mushroom species. Some mushrooms, like Pink Oyster, are sensitive to temperature and should only be planted outdoors when there is no risk of frost.
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Prepare the substrate
Preparing the substrate is one of the most important steps in cultivating mushrooms outdoors. The substrate is the material that provides mushrooms with the nutrients, moisture, and energy they need to grow and fruit. Different species of mushrooms have their own substrate preferences, so it is crucial to select the right substrate for your chosen mushroom variety.
One popular substrate for growing mushrooms outdoors is hardwood woodchips, especially if you plan to cultivate King Stropharia mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms, on the other hand, thrive on straw that has been chopped into small pieces. If you're using straw as your substrate, it's a good idea to pasteurize it to eliminate any competitors and pathogens, creating a clean environment for your mushrooms to flourish. Straw is rich in nutrients and provides a great surface area for mycelium colonization, leading to healthy and rapid mushroom growth.
Logs are another option for growing mushrooms outdoors. Most hardwood varieties, such as beech, poplar, maple, oak, birch, and elm, can be used. Choose logs that are freshly cut and store them in a clean and dry place for a few months before inoculating. To inoculate a log, drill holes that are four to six inches deep in rows. This process provides the ideal environment for your mushrooms to take root and grow.
For a nutrient-dense substrate, you can combine compost and manure. Well-rotted compost and aged manure create a balanced substrate that supports the mycelium at various stages of growth, resulting in robust and productive mushroom colonies. This blend enhances overall nutrient availability, promoting optimal mushroom yield and quality. However, it is important to ensure that the compost and manure are free of harmful pathogens.
If you want to get creative, you can experiment with substrate recipes like straw and sawdust, coffee grounds and sawdust, or compost and sawdust. Each of these combinations offers unique benefits, such as improved nutrient content, moisture retention, and aeration, all of which contribute to optimal mushroom growth. Remember, the key to successful substrate preparation is understanding the needs of your chosen mushroom species and creating an environment that mimics their natural growing conditions as closely as possible.
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Create a mushroom bed
Growing mushrooms outdoors in a mushroom bed is a great way to make use of shaded areas in your garden that may be unsuitable for other plants. It can also be cheaper and easier than growing mushrooms indoors, as there is no need for special equipment like ventilation or lighting. You can also expect to harvest larger quantities of mushrooms at once, and you will get several harvests throughout the year.
The first step to creating a mushroom bed is to select the type of mushroom you want to grow. The easiest mushrooms to grow outdoors are Wine Caps (Stropharia rugoso-annulata), Oyster mushrooms, and Shiitake mushrooms. It is important to get to know your Hardiness Zone and the temperature sensitivities of your chosen mushroom species. For example, Pink Oyster mushrooms will not survive temperatures below zero and should only be planted outdoors after the risk of frost has passed.
The next step is to select a site for your mushroom bed. Wine Caps, for example, grow best in partial shade but can tolerate some direct sunlight. Ideal locations may be at the edge of fields and woods, around the base of trees, or in perennial gardens.
Once you have selected a site, you need to prepare the space. Clear out any plants or debris until you get to bare ground. Then, you need to create a substrate mixture. This can be made from straw, compost, manure, wood chips, or sawdust. It is important to use straw instead of hay, as hay contains seed heads that are ripe for contamination and will sprout into weeds in your bed. You can also pasteurise or sterilise your substrate mixture to reduce the risk of contamination from wild spores.
After preparing your substrate, you need to inoculate it with spawn (mushroom seedings). Spread the spawn evenly over the substrate, getting as close to the centre as possible. Use a spade, hori hori, or garden fork to get deeper into the substrate. Keep the substrate hydrated by watering it regularly.
Once your substrate is full of mycelium, you can add soil to the centre and plant your mushrooms. Cover the mycelium with a 2-3cm layer made up of 50% garden soil or compost mixed with 50% lime.
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Maintain moisture
Maintaining moisture is crucial for successful mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms thrive in moist environments, and providing adequate hydration is essential for their growth. Here are some detailed tips for maintaining moisture when growing mushrooms outdoors:
Choose a Suitable Location
Select a shaded area in your garden that receives indirect sunlight. Mushrooms prefer shaded conditions, and excessive direct sunlight can lead to evaporation, making it challenging to maintain moisture levels. Areas with partial shade, such as the edges of fields or woods, or around the base of trees, can be ideal for growing mushrooms.
Use Mulch or Coverings
Utilize mulch or organic coverings, such as clean burlap, to retain moisture in the soil or growing medium. These coverings act as a barrier, preventing excessive evaporation and helping to maintain a humid environment, which is favorable for mushroom growth.
Water Regularly
Water your mushroom bed or logs consistently. The frequency and amount of watering will depend on your local climate and weather conditions. Watering can be done by hand or with a spray bottle, ensuring that the growing medium remains adequately moist without becoming waterlogged.
Soak Substrates
If you're using substrates like straw or wood chips, consider soaking them before adding them to your mushroom bed. This ensures that the substrate retains moisture, providing a consistent water source for the mushrooms as they grow and colonize the substrate.
Whether you're using spawn or spores, maintaining moisture at this stage is crucial. For spawn, ensure that it is properly hydrated and kept in a moist environment. If using spores, keep the substrate mixture moist during the inoculation process, as this is when the spores establish their mycelium network.
Monitor Environmental Conditions
Pay close attention to the weather and environmental conditions. Factors such as wind, temperature, and humidity can impact moisture levels. Adjust your watering schedule accordingly, and consider using shade cloth or other coverings to protect your mushrooms from drying out during periods of low humidity or high wind.
By following these detailed tips, you can effectively maintain moisture when growing mushrooms outdoors, creating an optimal environment for their growth and development.
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Harvest and preserve
Mushrooms are highly perishable and begin to deteriorate as soon as they are picked. Therefore, it is important to act quickly to preserve your harvest.
Harvesting
When harvesting mushrooms, it is important to consider sustainability and conservation. Mushrooms are the fruit of a much bigger organism, and they help the plant reproduce by producing spores. Therefore, it is important to ask yourself: do I really need to pick this mushroom? And how can I ensure there will be mushrooms in this location in the future?
Preservation
There are several methods you can use to preserve your mushroom harvest.
Drying
Drying mushrooms is the most practical way of preserving your harvest. Almost any mushroom can be dried and reconstituted, but some mushrooms are better suited to this method than others. Porcini, morels, and black trumpets are well-suited to drying, as their flavour is concentrated and enhanced by the process. Chanterelles, on the other hand, are less appealing when dried, as the process removes some of their aromatic notes and makes them tough and fibrous.
To dry mushrooms, slice them into pieces no thicker than 1/4" and spread them out in a single layer. Depending on where you live, it may take anywhere from six to twelve hours for your mushrooms to dry. You'll know they're ready when you can snap them in half with your fingers. Store your dried mushrooms in sealed containers out of the light.
Freezing
Some mushrooms, like Hen of the Woods, are best preserved by freezing them without cooking. To do this, clean the mushrooms, carve away the tough, woody centres, and brush or rinse off the tender parts. Freeze them in ziplock or vacuum seal bags.
Other mushrooms, like chanterelles, chicken of the woods, honey mushrooms, and field mushrooms, are best preserved by first dry-sautéing them and then freezing them. To dry-sauté your mushrooms, slice them into pieces about 1/4" thick and cook them in a hot, dry pan without oil or butter. Cook over medium-high heat until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring to prevent burning. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and let them cool before freezing in measured quantities.
You can also freeze mushrooms by first lightly patting them dry with a towel, slicing them uniformly, and placing them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze them until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-proof container. Some mushrooms are preserved better if they are blanched or steamed first. However, freezing mushrooms will affect their texture, so they are best used in cooking rather than eaten raw.
Pickling
For those who love the texture of fresh mushrooms, lightly pickling them and storing them in oil is a great way to preserve them.
Canning
Another way to preserve mushrooms is through pressure canning. To do this, you will need to prepare a pressure canner, jars, and lids. Fill the canner with a few inches of water and put it on the stove over low heat with the jars inside to stay hot. Trim the mushroom stems, cutting off any long woody stems, and soak the mushrooms in cold water for 10 minutes.
Storage
No matter which preservation method you choose, it is important to store your mushrooms in a cool, dry place to extend their shelf life.
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Frequently asked questions
Oyster mushrooms are the easiest to grow outdoors, followed by Wine Caps, which are robust and can grow on all sorts of woody debris. Shiitake mushrooms are also relatively easy to grow.
Outdoor mushroom cultivation is less costly, less energy-intensive, produces less plastic waste, and enriches the soil. It can also complement your vegetable beds and feed wildlife.
You can grow mushrooms outdoors in garden beds, on compost heaps, logs, or in buckets. You will need mushroom spawn, a substrate like compost, manure, straw, sawdust, or coffee grounds, and a damp towel and spray bottle.
