Laura Smith
Mushrooms are a fascinating kingdom of life all their own—not animals, not plants. They are tasty, nutritious, and can be pricey at the grocery store. Growing mushrooms at home is a fun, family-friendly DIY project requiring little space and no gardening experience. You can grow them in a box, a bucket, or on a log, and there are many types to choose from, including pink oyster, blue oyster, lion's mane, portobello, and shiitake. Mushrooms grow from spores (not seeds), so you'll need to buy spawn (mushroom seedlings) from a supplier. You can grow them on a variety of substrates, including compost, straw, sawdust, or even coffee grounds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Light | Mushrooms do not need sunlight to grow. However, they need some light and a few hours of light per day. |
| Temperature | The ideal growing temperature is between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| Humidity | Mushrooms grow well in humid environments. |
| Oxygen | Mushrooms need plenty of oxygen. |
| Growing Medium | Mushrooms grow in a variety of media, including wood chips, hardwood sawdust, composted manure, straw, coffee grounds, cardboard, natural logs, cornstalks, and more. |
| Growing Location | Mushrooms can be grown indoors or outdoors. Indoors, they can be grown in a box, bucket, or basement. Outdoors, they can be grown in beds, on compost heaps, or in logs. |
| Growing Kits | Mushroom growing kits are available for purchase and are a good option for beginners. |
| Spawn/Spores | Beginners should use mushroom spawn for their first harvest and move on to spores the next time. |
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What You'll Learn
Choose a mushroom variety
Choosing a mushroom variety is a crucial step in the mushroom-growing process. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, and there are many varieties to choose from, each with its own unique requirements and ideal growing conditions. Here are some popular mushroom varieties to consider:
Oyster Mushrooms:
Oyster mushrooms are a great option for beginners. They come in various types, with grey and pink oysters being the most straightforward to grow. Oyster mushrooms need some light and good humidity to thrive. They can be grown using the bucket method or on hardwood logs.
Button Mushrooms:
Button mushrooms are a familiar variety often seen on shop shelves. They thrive in dark, humid, and warm conditions. White button mushrooms need to grow in the dark, but other varieties can grow in indirect light.
Shiitake Mushrooms:
Shiitake mushrooms are another relatively easy variety to grow. They grow well on hardwood logs and in raised garden beds or damp straw in shady areas.
Lion's Mane Mushrooms:
Lion's mane mushrooms, also known as monkey's head mushrooms, have an unusual cloud-like appearance that resembles a flowing mane. This variety is a bit more challenging to grow, requiring warmer temperatures of around 25°C and high humidity.
When choosing a mushroom variety, it's important to consider the specific growing conditions each type requires, such as temperature, humidity, light, and substrate. Each species has unique needs, and observing their development is an educational and rewarding part of the process. Additionally, some companies sell mushroom spawn or seedings, which can be a good option for beginners.
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Prepare the growing medium
Mushrooms are fungi, not plants, so they don't grow best in potting soil. Instead, they thrive in growing media such as wood chips, hardwood sawdust, composted manure, straw, or coffee grounds. The growing medium, also called a substrate, should be placed in a container at least six inches deep to allow the mushroom mycelium to spread freely.
The traditional growing medium for mushrooms is horse manure, which can be purchased from a local garden centre or stables. To prepare the manure, pile it into a heap and turn it over with a fork every couple of days for two weeks, until the heap has cooled and settled. Ensure that the growing medium is moist.
For white button mushrooms, the recommended substrate is a mixture of compost and manure. Mushroom spawn, which is a substrate that already has mycelium growing on it, can be purchased and spread across the surface of the growing medium. Cover the spawn with damp newspaper and leave it for several weeks until white thread-like mycelium appears.
Once the mycelium has appeared, remove the newspaper and cover it with a 2-3cm layer made up of 50% garden soil or compost mixed with 50% lime. Keep the growing medium evenly moist by misting or watering it as needed. Mushrooms should start to appear a few weeks after sowing.
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Create the right environment
Mushrooms are fungi, not plants, and therefore have different requirements for growth. They thrive in cool, dark, and damp environments. The ideal temperature range for growing mushrooms is between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be grown outdoors, but inconsistent growing conditions may cause the process to take up to three years. Therefore, it is best to grow them indoors in a basement or under a sink, where they won't be exposed to bright light.
The growing medium for mushrooms is different from that of plants. Mushrooms grow best in wood chips, hardwood sawdust, composted manure, straw, or coffee grounds, rather than potting soil. The growing medium should be placed in a container at least six inches deep to allow the mushroom mycelium to spread freely. A rich, fertile, moisture-retentive growing medium is necessary for mushrooms to flourish. Horse manure is the traditional material for growing mushrooms and can be purchased from a local garden centre or stables. Fresh manure should be piled into a heap and forked over to mix well every couple of days for about two weeks until the heap has cooled and settled. The growing medium should be kept moist, and spawn should be spread across the surface and mixed to a depth of 5-8 cm. This should then be covered with damp newspaper. After several weeks, when white thread-like mycelium appears, remove the newspaper and cover the mycelium with a 2-3 cm layer made of 50% garden soil or compost mixed with 50% lime.
Mushrooms require a humid environment with plenty of oxygen and minimal direct sunlight. A "humidity tent" can be created by placing a semi-transparent plastic bag with holes over the growing kit. A dish of water can also be placed at the kit's base to increase moisture levels. However, it is important to ensure adequate airflow to prevent mushrooms from rotting.
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Plant or inoculate the mushrooms
To plant or inoculate mushrooms, you'll need to decide on a substrate, or growing medium, for your spawn (mushroom seedlings) to take root. The substrate provides the mushrooms with the right mix of nutrients, including sugar, starch, lignin, fats, protein, and nitrogen. There are many possible substrates, ranging from simple to complex, and some mushrooms grow better on certain substrates. Here are some options:
- Compost, straw, sawdust, or coffee grounds
- Horse manure, which is the traditional material for growing mushrooms
- A bucketful of fresh coffee grounds
- Hardwood logs, which work especially well for oyster and shiitake mushrooms
- Beds or boxes filled with a suitable growing medium, such as compost or manure
- A mushroom block filled with oat bran, sawdust, or other substrate material that has been coated with mushroom spores
Once you've chosen your substrate, you'll need to prepare it for inoculation. If you're using straw or sawdust, you may want to pasteurize it to kill off any contaminants. If you're using horse manure, you'll need to pile it into a heap and fork it over to mix well every couple of days for a fortnight until the heap has cooled and settled.
After your substrate is prepared, it's time to inoculate your mushrooms. If you're using a kit, it will come with spawn that you mix into your substrate. If you're using the log method, you can buy wooden dowels or plugs that have been impregnated with spawn, which you tap into pre-drilled holes in the log. Cover the spawn with damp newspaper, and after several weeks, when white thread-like mycelium has appeared, take off the newspaper and cover the mycelium with a layer of garden soil or compost mixed with lime.
Keep your substrate moist, and your mushrooms should start appearing in several weeks. The humidity can be kept high by routinely spraying the substrate with water. Avoid using tap water, as it contains chlorine that will kill the spores. Distilled water won't work either, as it lacks the necessary nutrients. Cover the block with plastic after each misting to hold in the humidity.
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Keep the crop moist
Mushrooms require a consistently cool, moist climate to grow. The ideal temperature range for mushroom growth is between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and they thrive in humidity.
To keep your mushroom crop moist, you should mist or water it as required. You can use a spray bottle, a hose with a spray attachment, a watering can with a fine rose, or a hand mister. Mist the crop periodically, but avoid letting the growing medium get soggy. Mushrooms are heterotrophic, meaning they rely on external food sources, and they need the right moisture levels to access the nutrients present in the substrate.
The moisture levels in your mushroom substrate play a pivotal role in determining the success and quality of your mushroom harvest. Mycelium, the network of thread-like structures that form the "roots" of mushrooms, requires moisture to expand and develop. It is through these structures that mushrooms extract nutrients from the substrate. If there is insufficient moisture, the mycelium's growth will be stunted, and the mushrooms will not be able to absorb the necessary nutrients to grow.
To maintain the ideal humidity level for growing mushrooms, you can also use pond misters, fans, perlite, or companion planting. Fans can be used to control humidity by circulating air and reducing the risk of condensation. Perlite is a type of volcanic rock that is placed at the bottom of the mushroom-growing container, and water is added to create a humid environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms thrive in cool, dark, damp environments. The ideal temperature for growing mushrooms is between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Oyster mushrooms are a great option for beginners. They are easy to grow and come in many different types, with grey and pink oyster mushrooms being the most straightforward to cultivate.
There are three primary ways to grow mushrooms at home: using a box kit, a bucket, or a log.
Mushrooms can grow on a variety of substrates, including wood chips, hardwood sawdust, composted manure, straw, and coffee grounds.
Mushroom spores are equivalent to plant seeds, while mushroom spawn is similar to seedlings. Beginners should use spawn for their first harvest, as it is easier to work with.
