John Miller
Mushrooms can be grown both indoors and outdoors, and are a good option for urban farming. They do not require light to grow, but do need a dark, cool place with a consistent, warm temperature and moisture. They can be grown in a variety of substrates, including straw, wood chips, compost, or mixed organic materials. The ideal time to plant mushrooms depends on whether they are being grown indoors or outdoors, with outdoor growing being more dependent on the seasons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushroom growing conditions | Dark, cool place, such as a basement or crawl space |
| Mushroom type | Wine Cap, Oyster, Lion's Mane, Comb Tooth, Portabella, Shitake, Chanterelle |
| Mushroom substrate | Compost, straw, sawdust, coffee grounds, wood chips, clay-loam soil |
| Mushroom spawn | Grain spawn, millet grain, rye, wheat |
| Mushroom growing time | 2-4 weeks for spawn to take root, 3 weeks to harvest |
| Mushroom growing location | Indoors, outdoors, urban farms, gardens, forest floors |
| Mushroom temperature | 70 degrees Fahrenheit for spawn, 23 degrees Celsius for 5 days initially |
| Mushroom moisture | Mushroom beds should remain moist, so at least partial shade is best |
| Mushroom nutrients | Sugar, starch, lignin, fats, protein, nitrogen |
| Mushroom fruiting time | Varies, but can be as soon as 2-3 months or 5-18 months |
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What You'll Learn
- Mushrooms can be grown indoors, in a dark, cool place, such as a basement
- They can be grown outdoors in a garden, alongside vegetables, perennials, or trees
- Mushrooms grow best in a substrate that provides all the support they need
- They grow well in straw bales, especially in urban environments or areas with limited space
- Spring is the best time to plant mushroom logs
Mushrooms can be grown indoors, in a dark, cool place, such as a basement
- Plastic tubs or a baking pan
- Mushroom spawn (these are mushroom seedlings). Purchasing from a supplier is the best route for beginners.
- Growing substrate like compost, straw, sawdust, or even coffee grounds.
- A damp towel
- A spray bottle
Place several handfuls of your chosen substrate into your tub or pan. If you're using straw or sawdust, you may want to pasteurize it to kill off any contaminants. Mix the spawn into the substrate and raise the temperature to 70 degrees (placing the pan on a heating pad works well). After 2-4 weeks, the spawn will have taken root in the substrate.
Another method is to fill a bucket 2/3 of the way up with mushroom grounds and either cut or drill four holes 10-15mm in diameter halfway down the bucket. The mushrooms will grow out of these holes. In a separate bowl, mix the spores into the grounds and then pour the contents into the bucket. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap.
Mushrooms require an even, warm temperature, as well as moisture once they have spawned. They do not produce their own food from light, so the substrate must provide them with the right mix of nutrients, including sugar, starch, lignin, fats, protein, and nitrogen.
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They can be grown outdoors in a garden, alongside vegetables, perennials, or trees
Mushrooms can be grown outdoors in a garden, alongside vegetables, perennials, or trees. They can be grown in the shade of trees, in mulched paths, or in inoculated beds. This can be done by sprinkling spawn within layers of the appropriate substrate, such as straw, wood chips, compost, or mixed organic materials. Mushroom beds should be kept moist, so at least partial shade is recommended.
Mushrooms can also be grown on logs, which should ideally be cut during the dormant season before the buds swell in spring. Logs can be stored until daytime temperatures consistently reach at least 40°F (4.4°C) or higher. Planting in spring allows more of the growing season for the mushrooms to colonize the log. Most mushroom logs require a minimum of five months before they can produce mushrooms, but some varieties, such as Lion's Mane and Comb Tooth, may take up to two years.
When growing mushrooms, it is important to provide the right substrate and consistent conditions. Mushrooms require an even, warm temperature and moisture once they have spawned. They do not require light to grow, but they do need the right mix of nutrients in their substrate, including sugar, starch, lignin, fats, protein, and nitrogen.
Some of the easiest and most popular species for home growing are button mushrooms, including portabella, shiitake, oyster, and chanterelle. Wine Caps are also a good choice for outdoor gardening as they are cold-hardy perennials.
It is worth noting that mushrooms are not plants or vegetables, but rather their own category of life, more closely related to humans. They obtain their food from pre-existing material, just like us, through respiration, taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.
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Mushrooms grow best in a substrate that provides all the support they need
Mushrooms are unique organisms that play a crucial role in the natural world. Unlike plants, mushrooms do not photosynthesize and produce their own food. Instead, they rely on the organic material around them to obtain the necessary nutrients for growth. This is where mushroom substrates come into play.
A mushroom substrate is a material used as a base for growing mushrooms. It provides the essential nutrients, moisture, and structure needed for mushroom spawn to thrive. The substrate acts as both the foundation and the food source for the mushrooms. It nurtures the mycelium (the root system of mushrooms) and provides the nutrients required for mushrooms to fruit and flourish.
Different types of mushrooms have distinct substrate preferences. For example, oyster mushrooms, a fast-growing variety, thrive on straw and coffee grounds, which offer a rich nutrient base. In contrast, wood-loving mushrooms, such as shiitake, prefer wood-based substrates like hardwood sawdust or wood chips. These substrates mimic the natural environment of shiitake mushrooms, allowing them to grow on tree roots.
The choice of substrate is critical to the success of any mushroom-growing project. It is similar to how different plants prefer specific types of soil and growing conditions. By selecting the right substrate and providing the appropriate conditions, one can achieve bountiful harvests of high-quality mushrooms. Additionally, substrates can be repurposed to grow new mushrooms, although supplementation is often necessary, and yields may decrease over time.
For urban farmers, growing mushrooms on a substrate provides several advantages. It allows them to create an optimal environment for mushroom growth, maximizing yields while maintaining tidiness. By storing the substrate in climate-controlled rooms, they can further enhance the reliability of mushroom growth. This controlled approach to mushroom cultivation ensures a consistent supply of mushrooms and makes it easier to manage the growing process.
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They grow well in straw bales, especially in urban environments or areas with limited space
Mushrooms can be grown in a variety of settings, from forests to urban farms. They thrive in cool, dark, and damp environments with the right substrate. Straw bales are an excellent option for growing mushrooms, especially in urban areas or spaces with limited room.
Straw is a versatile, inexpensive, and readily available substrate for mushroom cultivation. It is easy to break down, full of nutrients, and supports good mushroom fruiting. Wheat straw, oat straw, and rice straw are all suitable for this purpose. Before use, the straw may need to be chopped into smaller pieces, which can be done with a mower or a weed whacker.
To prepare the straw bales for mushroom growth, they are conditioned by adding nitrogen-rich compost or manure to provide nutrients and initiate decomposition. Grain spawn, a type of mushroom seed, is then mixed into the straw. The fungi will facilitate the faster breakdown of the straw while growing mushrooms. It is important to note that straw, not hay, should be used, as hay contains grain seeds that can sprout and become weeds.
Oyster mushrooms are an excellent choice for beginners growing mushrooms in straw bales. They prefer straw to denser woody substrates and can be grown in partial shade. Other varieties that grow well on straw include blue, golden, pink, pearl, phoenix, and king oyster mushrooms.
Mushrooms grown in straw bales can be harvested within a single season. The time to harvest depends on the mushroom species and is typically around 10-21 days for oyster mushrooms. It is important to harvest before the mushrooms drop their spores, which can be signalled by the caps starting to curl upwards.
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Spring is the best time to plant mushroom logs
Mushrooms can be grown both indoors and outdoors. While indoor growing can be done year-round in a climate-controlled room, outdoor growing is more dependent on the seasons.
Spring is generally the best time to plant mushroom logs for several reasons. Firstly, it is advisable to cut logs during the dormant season before the buds swell in the spring. Logs can be stored until planting when the daytime temperature consistently reaches 40°F or higher. Logs should not be stored for longer into the warmer months, so spring planting is ideal. Secondly, planting in the spring allows more of the growing season for the mushroom to colonize the log. Once planted, most mushroom logs require a minimum of 5 months before they are capable of producing mushrooms. Spring-inoculated logs may be ready to fruit their first mushrooms as early as fall. If inoculated later in the year, logs typically take until the following year to fruit.
The best time of year to plug logs is typically February and March, especially in places like East Tennessee, due to the weather and sap run. Logs plugged during this time have successfully produced mushrooms. The average temperatures of 50°F during these months support mycelium growth while keeping a check on the growth of other organisms. The high incidence of rainfall during late winter and spring is also key for keeping the mycelium growing. In the late winter and early spring, the roots return nutrients to the tops of the trees to facilitate the production of new leaves. These sugars and minerals will feed the mushroom mycelium.
It is not recommended to harvest logs during the spring between bud swell and full leaf out. During this time, most of the nutrients and energy of the tree are used to develop flowers and foliage, leaving little for fungal growth. Bark is also looser during this time, increasing the risk of damage during cutting. Intact bark is crucial for the spawn run.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Indoors, mushrooms can be grown in a climate-controlled room, in a basement, or even under a sink. Outdoors, mushrooms can be grown in a garden, in a forest, or on a farm.
Mushrooms require a dark, cool place to grow. They also require an even, warm temperature and moisture once they have spawned.
You will need a plastic tub or baking pan, mushroom spawn, growing substrate (such as compost, straw, sawdust, or coffee grounds), a damp towel, and a spray bottle.
First, place several handfuls of your chosen substrate into your tub or pan. Mix the spawn into the substrate and raise the temperature to 70 degrees. After 2-4 weeks, the spawn will have taken root in the substrate. Mushrooms will be large enough to harvest after about three weeks.
Some of the easiest and most popular species for home growing are button mushrooms, including portabella, shitake, oyster, and chanterelle. Wine Caps are also a good option, as they are cold-hardy and perennial in northern zones.
