Michael Davis
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, and they are a healthy and delicious addition to any dish. They are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them an excellent substitute for meat. Growing your own mushrooms at home is a rewarding experience and can be done both indoors and outdoors. Mushrooms are relatively easy to grow and do not require soil or sunlight. Instead, they grow from microscopic spores that feed off organic substrates like straw, wood chips, or coffee grounds. These spores can be purchased or collected from mature mushrooms. Once the spores are mixed with the substrate, they need to be kept in a warm, moist, and dark environment to encourage growth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushroom type | Wine caps, lion's mane, button, oyster, shiitake, portobello, chanterelle |
| Mushroom growing kits | Available to buy, great for beginners |
| Mushroom spawn | Can be bought to grow in beds or boxes filled with a suitable growing medium |
| Growing medium | Compost, manure, coffee grounds, straw, wood chips, sawdust, grain, corncobs, cotton hulls, logs |
| Location | Garden, shed, basement, garage, cold frame, cellar, greenhouse |
| Temperature | Even, warm, minimum of 15°C, optimum temperature depends on mushroom type |
| Light | Some mushrooms require light, some require darkness |
| Moisture | High moisture level, no standing water, routine spraying of substrate with water |
| Airflow | Some airflow required |
| Contamination | Keep a clean environment to prevent contamination |
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What You'll Learn
Growing mushrooms outdoors
To grow mushrooms outdoors, you will need to provide the right substrate, consistent conditions, and an even, warm temperature with plenty of moisture. The mushroom bed method is a popular way to grow mushrooms outdoors. It is easy, inexpensive, and can complement your vegetables and plants. All you need is sawdust spawn or grain spawn, straw or wood chips, and a consistent supply of water to keep your bed moist.
When preparing your mushroom bed, it is important to use straw instead of hay because hay contains seed heads that are ripe for contamination and will sprout into weeds in your bed. You can soak your straw beforehand, spray between layers, or water it all in one go at the end. Oyster mushrooms are a great choice for beginners as they are adaptable in temperature and substrate preference and will grow on an array of materials, including agricultural byproducts, coffee grounds, and even invasive species.
If you want to grow your mushrooms from spores, you will need to collect the spores first. Choose a mature, known edible mushroom and carefully remove the stem and any skirt protecting the gills. Place the mushroom with the gills facing down onto a piece of paper and cover it with a glass. After 24 hours, remove the glass and lift the mushroom. You should see a spore print on the paper, which can then be used to grow your mushrooms. Keep the print in a sealed bag in a cool, dry, dark place until you are ready to cultivate.
Once you have your spores or spawn, simply follow the instructions for your chosen mushroom variety, providing the necessary conditions and care, and soon you will be able to enjoy your very own outdoor-grown mushrooms!
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Mushrooms and their ideal substrates
Mushrooms are easier to grow than plants in some ways, but they can also be trickier in others. The hardest parts are figuring out the right substrate for them to grow in and providing consistent conditions. Mushrooms require an even, warm temperature and quite a bit of moisture once they have spawned.
The ideal substrate will depend on the type of mushroom you want to grow. For example, oyster mushrooms can grow on a wide range of substrates, including straw, cardboard, coffee grounds, and even wood chips. On the other hand, some species are more particular and will only produce high yields when grown on a specific substrate.
There are multiple substrates that have been used for successful growth, ranging from simple to complex. Some of the simplest options include straw, cardboard, and coffee grounds. These substrates are easy to obtain and prepare, and they can be effective for growing certain types of mushrooms. For example, oyster mushrooms can be grown on coffee grounds, and this combination has been tried and tested. Local coffee shops will often provide their wasted coffee grounds for free. Combine a kilogram of espresso grounds with 100 grams of mushroom spawn in a blender for this method. For improved air exchange and faster colonisation, you can add 20% straw to your mix.
Wood pellets are another simple option that does not need to be sterilised because they are already sterilised during the manufacturing process. However, most growers supplement their hardwood sawdust with bran to provide extra nutrients for the mycelium. Adding bran means the whole mixture needs to be pasteurised or sterilised. A "master's mix" consists of 50% hardwood pellets and 50% soybean pellets, which tend to result in good yields but need to be sterilised.
More complex substrates may include a blend of materials such as sawdust, straw, wooden plugs, and grain. The variety of mushroom dictates the most suitable material, as different types of mushrooms grow in different materials. Blending together the spores and the nutrients provided by the chosen substance is known as the spawn. This spawn allows the mycelium to develop, and when the spawn is mixed with a substrate, fruiting tends to be more vigorous, and mushrooms are more plentiful.
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Using a mushroom growing kit
Mushroom growing kits come with clear, concise, and easy-to-follow instructions. The only maintenance required is misting your mushrooms a few times a day with a spray bottle. Most kits produce at least two crops of fresh mushrooms, and some kits can produce up to two harvests. This process is called "fruiting" or "flushing."
To encourage more fruitings, you can try moving your kit outdoors, as a change in environment or temperature shift can sometimes be a cue for fungi to produce more mushrooms. You can also bury the kit outside after use, as it will produce more mushrooms and eventually become soil-enriching compost for your garden.
Some popular varieties of mushrooms that can be grown at home with a kit include button mushrooms, portabella, shiitake, oyster, and chanterelle.
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Ideal conditions for growing mushrooms
Mushrooms require specific conditions to grow, and each species has its own preferences. Here are the ideal conditions for growing mushrooms:
Substrate
The substrate is the growing medium for mushrooms, providing the necessary nutrients for their growth. Mushrooms don't contain chlorophyll, so they feed off other substances to gain nourishment. The substrate can range from simple to complex, and it is essential to choose the right one for the mushroom variety. Some common substrates include straw, sawdust, wooden plugs, grain, and even coffee grounds.
Temperature and Moisture
Mushrooms thrive in warm, even temperatures. Once the spores are on the substrate, maintain a high moisture level without standing water. Spraying the substrate with water regularly can help achieve the desired humidity.
Environment
Mushrooms grow in dark, cool places. A basement, crawl space, dark cabinet, or even a garden shed can provide the ideal environment. It is crucial to maintain a clean environment to prevent contamination of the growing mushrooms.
Spawn
The spawn is the blend of spores and the suited substance or substrate. It allows the mycelium, the fungus from which mushrooms emerge, to develop. Creating a spawn by mixing spores with the substrate enhances fruiting and results in more plentiful mushrooms.
Species-Specific Conditions
Each species of mushroom has unique preferences. For example, oyster mushrooms grow well in coffee grounds, while shiitake mushrooms thrive in compost or on hardwood logs. Researching the specific requirements of the mushroom type you want to grow is essential for successful cultivation.
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How to collect mushroom spores
To collect mushroom spores, you will need a mature mushroom, some paper, and glass. It is important to ensure that the mushroom is of a known edible variety. Carefully remove the stem and gently detach any skirt that may be shielding the gills of the mushroom head. The next step is to place the mushroom with the gills facing down onto the paper and cover it with a glass. Leave this setup undisturbed for 24 hours. During this time, the spores will fall from the mushroom cap, creating a spore print on the paper that replicates the gill pattern.
Once you have obtained the spore print, it can be stored in a sealed bag and kept in a cool, dry, and dark location until you are ready for the next step. To cultivate mushrooms from the spore print, create a spore syringe by rehydrating the spores with sterile water. This process requires working in a sterilized environment to prevent contamination. Use distilled water that has been boiled 2-3 times to ensure any bacteria has been eliminated. Similarly, sterilize the syringe needle by holding it in a flame momentarily.
The spore syringe can then be used to inoculate the growing medium or substrate. This substrate can be compost, substrate blocks, or other materials such as sawdust, straw, wooden plugs, or grain, depending on the mushroom variety. After inoculation, maintain humid and dark conditions to encourage mushroom growth. Keep the substrate consistently warm and moist, but avoid standing water.
It is worth noting that some sources suggest creating a spore solution and then transferring it to grain before introducing the substrate. This additional step may help with contamination control. Additionally, it is recommended to research the specific requirements of the mushroom variety you intend to grow, as different species have varying preferences for substrates and environmental conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
You can buy mushroom spores from one of many companies that produce them. Make sure to pick a reputable company with a short shipping time to get the spores at their freshest.
Mushrooms can be grown indoors or outdoors. Indoors, you can grow them in a garden shed, basement, or even under a sink, as long as the temperature is warm and even, and there is high moisture. Outdoors, you can grow them in mulched beds, logs, or totems.
Common substrates for planting mushroom spores include straw, wood chips, coffee grounds, grain, or other organic matter.
First, you will need to obtain spores from a mushroom by placing the mushroom gills-side down on a piece of paper and covering it with a glass for 24 hours. Then, remove the glass and gently lift the mushroom. You should see a print on the paper, which can be used to grow your own mushrooms. Keep the print in a sealed bag in a cool, dry, and dark place until you are ready to cultivate.
