Mushrooms grow best in wet, nutrient-rich soil in temperatures ranging between 60° and 75° F (15° to 24° C). Mushrooms grow best in well-ventilated spaces with a relative humidity between 70% and 90%.
The rest of this article will discuss the best conditions to grow mushrooms, the best time of year to cultivate them, and some tips to help you in your mycological journey. The setup described below is for mound or tray cultures.
Can I grow mushrooms indoors?
Absolutely! In fact, mushrooms grown indoors are often safer than mushrooms you may find while foraging. Why? Because you can control growing conditions and ensure your mushrooms are free of contamination and parasites.
What is the best soil composition to grow mushrooms?
Mushrooms can grow just about anywhere. Just ask anyone who has tried to stop them from growing in their lawn. That said, mushrooms grow best in moist, nutrient-rich soil. One amazing thig is, you don’t really need to use soil. The medium in which you grow mushrooms is called a substrate. You can use various substrates, including shredded newspaper, logs, and even used coffee grounds.
What is the optimal temperature for mushroom cultivation?
Mushrooms are survivors. Spores have been shown to survive the freezing cold and vacuum of space. According to the North American Mycological Association, the best temperature depends on the species you’re trying to grow. Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) grows best at 75° F (24° C), with other species preferring ranges from 60° and 75° F (15° to 24° C). You’ll need to check the appropriate growing temperature for the species you’re working with.
What is the optimal soil moisture to grow mushrooms?
You’ll know the substrate is moist enough when it is thoroughly soaked but water doesn’t seep out when you gently press down on it. You will need to check the moisture daily and replenish it with fresh water when the surface becomes dry to the touch. You can add peat moss or coir to your substrate to help retain moisture. Coir is an environmentally sustainable alternative to peat moss.
What is spawn, and how do I obtain it?
Spawn is a white, thick fungal culture used to grow mushrooms. While not vital for growing mushrooms, it is quite useful to get a head start on the growing process. You can order spawn online, or you can grow it yourself. I will describe a reliable method to grow spawn in a few paragraphs. Newbies should always start with spawn.
How deep should the soil be to grow mushrooms?
You should add the spawn or culture to at least 1 inch of substrate. After placing your spawn or culture in the substrate, add about half an inch of the substrate on top. This provides enough room for the spawn to take root without wasting any soil.
Is there a pH level that is optimal for growing mushrooms?
The substrate should have a neutral pH of around 7. If the substrate pH is above 7 (alkaline), growth will be slowed significantly, which will result in lower yields. You don’t want the soil to be too acidic, but slightly acidic substrate won’t affect the yield.
How long does it take to grow mushrooms?
The grow time depends on many variables. The pH and temperature of the substrate can help or hinder growth. The growth rate also varies by species, with oyster mushrooms being the fastest-growing edible species. According to the International Journal of Plant Biology & Research, it takes about 30 days from initial spawn implantation to harvesting.
Do mushrooms require sunlight to grow?
No. Mushrooms do not need sunlight to grow. In fact, too much sunlight can slow growth and dry out the substrate. It’s best to keep your cultivars in a place with very little light where they won’t be disturbed.
What is the best time of year to grow mushrooms?
Mushrooms can grow anytime the conditions are right. If you can keep the temperature at 70° F and relative humidity in the 80’s, you can grow mushrooms year-round without much difficulty.
Which mushrooms are edible?
For all the benefits of mushrooms, there are some drawbacks. Some species are poisonous, and others are hallucinogenic. One reliable way to grow edible mushrooms is to buy the spawn of an edible species. You might have luck spawning from mushrooms purchased from your local supermarket, but only if they are fresh enough. If you want to learn how to identify edible mushrooms while foraging outside, search for articles and books about safe mushroom foraging to stay safe – most mushroom species are inedible or outright poisonous, so you want to make sure you know what you’re picking.
What is an easy way to create a spawn from a known edible mushroom?
The easiest and most forgiving species to grow is Pleurotus ostreatus, also known as oyster mushrooms. One simple and reliable spawning method is called stem-butt. You can grow spawn quickly using the stem-butt method, which I will describe below.
What is a fast-growing mushroom for beginners?
Oyster mushrooms grow faster than most other edible species and are very forgiving to newbie mistakes. Best of all they can grow in just about any substrate. Here’s an historical tidbit: oyster mushrooms grow so fast that Germany grew them during World War I to stave off starvation caused by the British blockade.
Stem butt method to create spawn
The stem butt method is an extremely simple and reliable way to create spawn. You basically take small clippings from the stem of the mushroom and bury them in wet coffee grounds. Place the combined contents in a food-safe clear plastic bin and close the lid. In 10-12 days, it should turn white.
This is the spawn you can use to start growing mushrooms. To grow from the spawn, place marble-sized pieces of spawn about 2 inches apart in your prepared substrate. If you follow the moistening and climate control instructions above, you should have a batch of delicious mushrooms in about 30 days.
