Mushrooms grow faster than most fruits and vegetables, and don't take up much space in the garden. Most hobbyists start mushroom cultivation with oyster mushrooms, the easiest mushroom species to grow. However, once you learn the basics of mushroom cultivation, you can try growing a dozen species of mushrooms yourself.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Developing the First Mushroom
Step 1. Buy oyster mushroom seeds
Oyster mushrooms are the easiest species to grow and are a great choice for beginners. To get started, buy mushroom seeds (spawns) from the internet, garden and garden supply stores, or brewery supply stores. Mushroom seeds are root-shaped spores or mycelium that are deposited in sawdust, wheat, or agar. You can purchase mushroom seeds separately or as part of an oyster mushroom cultivation kit. You can choose any variety of oyster mushroom, but the blue gray and pink oyster mushroom species are easier and quicker to grow.
Want to grow mold outdoors? "Plug spawn" or "plug" spawn is an alternative that is slower to develop, but easier to maintain. Just make a hole in the side of a hardwood branch that has just fallen or been felled (avoid softwood or pine wood as these can inhibit mold growth), insert the “plug”, and wait for the weather to feel more humid.
Step 2. Create a pasteurized substrate
If the kit you purchased includes sufficient hay, it is a ready-to-use substrate or material that provides nutrients and a place for mold to thrive. If you only get a small container of mushroom seeds, you will need to make your own substrate and warm it up so that beneficial microbes can thrive. Here are two ways to make a substrate:
Cardboard box:
Suitable for seeds stored in sawdust
1. Cut the corrugated cardboard into pieces of the same size (approximately 20-25 square centimeters).
2. Put the cardboard pieces in the bucket and hold it down using a heavy object.
3. Pour boiling water to soak the cardboard pieces.
4. Cover the bucket and let it rest for eight hours.
5. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
6. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the cardboard pieces. Straw:
Suitable for seeds stored in wheat
1. Choose a cereal straw such as oats or rye.
2. Cut 7.5 to 10 centimeters of hay using the mower (or lawn mower) in the trash can.
3. Tie or put the straw in a pillowcase or nylon gauze laundry bag.
Soak in a pot of water that has been placed on the stove.
4. Heat the straw to a temperature of 70–75 °C for one hour.
5. Drain and allow the temperature to drop below 27°C.
Step 3. Add the seedlings to the substrate
This process is referred to as inoculation. To reduce competition with other spores, wash your hands first and inoculate immediately after the substrate is ready for use:
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Mushroom cultivation kit built-in substrate:
Sterilize the syringe and insert the seedling into the developer bag through a small hole, or into the substrate cross-section at some point.
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Cardboard substrate:
Stack the cardboard pieces in a food-grade plastic bag. Sprinkle the seeds into each layer or piece of cardboard you stack. Separate or crush the lips with your hands if the seeds are lumpy.
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Homemade straw substrate:
Wipe the surface of the table with 70% alcohol. Spread the straw on the table and sprinkle the seeds on it, then mix thoroughly. Transfer the straw to a food-grade plastic bag until it is full, but make sure the bag doesn't compress or lose air.
- There is no absolute/exact ratio between seed and substrate, but you can start by adding 2-3% of the weight of the substrate. Adding more seeds helps fungal colonies to grow faster and fight contamination.
Step 4. Make a hole in the bag
Tie the top of the plastic bag. Make several holes in the sides of the bag with a distance of 7.5 centimeters between the holes, and add a few more holes at the bottom for drainage holes. Mushrooms need ventilation in order to thrive and thrive. Otherwise, carbon dioxide will accumulate and hinder the process of fungal development.
Most of the expander bags included in mushroom cultivation kits already have holes or an air filter system so you don't have to punch the holes yourself
Step 5. Choose a place with a fixed temperature
Now, the seedlings are ready to fill the substrate with mycelium. Most strains thrive in places with temperatures between 16-24°C. Small changes in temperature can reduce crop yields or lead to contamination. Therefore, look for a room that always has a temperature in that range, 24 hours a day.
- Mycelium can develop with any light intensity, except exposure to direct sunlight. Some developers or growers say that they get better results if the mushrooms are exposed to low light in the day cycle (both real and simulated cycles). However, if you use straw as a substrate, too much light can cause the wheat to germinate and interfere with mold development.
- The ideal temperature required will depend on the strain. If the seed you purchased comes with instructions for the planting/development environment, follow those directions.
Step 6. Check the humidity level in the next few weeks
Usually, it takes 205 weeks for the fine white “roots” (mycelium) to start spreading on the substrate. At this time, all you need to do is check the humidity level every few days. If the substrate feels dry to the touch, moisten it through the hole in the bag. If you see standing water in the bag, make more drainage holes at the bottom of the bag.
Mycelium has a white color. If you see large patches of other colors, the bag has been contaminated with fungus (which is dangerous). Dispose of the bag and wipe the area that previously occupied the bag with rubbing alcohol before attempting to regrow the oyster mushroom
Step 7. Move the bag to a supportive environment
Once a thick layer has formed inside the sac, the mycelium is ready to bear fruit (in this case, produce a fungus). However, mushrooms have different needs at this stage so you will need to move them to a new location and follow these instructions:
- Mushrooms will not grow without light. Provide light for at least a few dozen or tens of minutes during the day. Use indirect light, plant lights that follow the character of the sun, or-as a less effective, but more affordable option-white/cool light bulbs.
- Mushrooms need fresh air to remove carbon dioxide that inhibits growth or produces small molds. Open the top of the bag and allow air vents inside the bag with a diffused light flow of air.
- Lower the temperature (ideally, 13-16°C). Increase the humidity level to at least 80% (ideally 90-95%) by turning on the humidifier or hanging a plastic sheet around the developer bag. The temperature aspect doesn't need to be managed perfectly, but several other conditions can affect mushroom yield, shape and color.
Step 8. Flush the mushrooms with a little water
At this stage, over-watering (or under-watering) is a common problem. To prevent the mold from drying out without making it too wet, spray water on the walls of the bag 1-2 times a day.
- If the mold that develops is brown or new mold is growing on the surface of the old fungus, the substrate may be too dry.
- If the mushroom cap feels wet or sticky, the substrate may be too wet.
Step 9. Pick the mushrooms after they grow big
The fungus initially develops as a small “pin needle”, then grows rapidly within a few days as long as the surrounding environmental conditions are favorable. Once it reaches its full size, press down on the substrate with one hand, then use the other to twist the mushroom stem at the base. You can eat the oyster mushrooms directly or dry them for later use.
- If you're not sure whether the oyster mushrooms are fully or completely developed, wait until the sides of the first mushrooms start to curl. At this stage, the mushrooms are slightly past the optimal point for harvesting, but are still edible. You can pick other mushrooms before they reach the size of the first mushroom.
- Small and “fail” fungus is usually seen in several strains. Leave the mushrooms alone and don't pick them.
Step 10. Keep harvesting mushrooms that are successfully developed
Most seedlings can produce at least two harvests, and some will remain thriving for 3-4 months. Keep the substrate moist and pick mushrooms that do manage to grow until the seedlings no longer produce mold.
Part 2 of 2: Improving the Cultivation Process
Step 1. Experiment with other mushroom varieties
The basic process of developing oyster mushrooms can be followed for most mushroom species, but you will need to make some adjustments. When buying mushroom seeds, read the growing instructions or ask the seller or cultivator for the following information so you can adjust the approach you need to take later:
- Better substrate (some species require specially prepared compost)
- Ideal temperature during colonization
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The ideal temperature and humidity level during the mushroom development period
The lion's mane (lion's mane), lingzhi, shiitake, enoki, and nameko species are good choices for a second breeding project. However, these mushrooms are a little more difficult to grow than oyster mushrooms.
Step 2. Keep the substrate clean
If mold or other contaminants "take" the substrate, the fungal strain cannot be used. Most mushroom species are less resistant to contamination than oyster mushrooms. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep the substrate and planting environment clean:
- Wash your hands with antibacterial soap before performing any surgery or steps.
- Pasteurize the substrate carefully. If you cannot heat the substrate using a stove, use a "steam room" or chemical treatment.
- Handling compost substrates is a complex process and you may need the help of an experienced developer or cultivator.
Step 3. Cover the substrate with a visor or case
The shield used is a layer of sterile material over the cross section of the substrate (usually a mixture of sphagnum moss and limestone powder. Keep the barrier moist so that water is persistently in and wet the substrate, without making the substrate too wet or muddy.
- Not all mushroom seeds need protection. Ask an experienced seller or developer for advice.
- Do not ventilate the bag until small mold appears on the protective surface. Ventilating too early will trigger development before the tiny mold "breaks" so that mold will develop under the protective film, not over it.
Step 4. Control development conditions
Check and control the temperature and humidity levels for a better harvest. You can also get better initial conditions in the next cultivation experiment. If you want to take this hobby seriously, prepare a room with a fan or air duct for ventilation, as well as a heating and/or air conditioning system to control the temperature. Check changes in temperature and humidity levels using a thermometer and hygrometer.
- The temperature in the ceiling and floor of the room can differ significantly. If you store bagged mushrooms on multiple shelves (with different heights), place a thermometer on each shelf.
- Strong winds or air currents can kill some types of fungus. Therefore, protect the mushroom seeds from direct wind exposure.
Step 5. Remove the substrate after you harvest the mushrooms
If you plan to grow more mold in the same bag/media, pasteurize the substrate again to kill any harmful fungi and bacteria that could contaminate the bag. For compost substrate, you can steam it at 70°C for 8-24 hours. Even if the substrate is low in nutrients for fungi, you can still use it as compost or mulch for newly planted grass.
The substrates that have been used contain high concentrations of salt, and some plants are sensitive to high salt levels. However, you can leave the substrate outside and “dry” it for six months before the substrate can be reused
Step 6. Make your own mushroom seeds
Instead of buying new seeds every time you want to grow mushrooms, you can grow them yourself from spores. This development is quite difficult and complex, but there are plenty of free resources that you can use as a guide. You can also contact a mycological association or group in your city/region. One way to develop mushroom seed culture is to make spore prints. Transfer the spores to a petri dish filled with agar using an inoculation loop (try searching and reading other references to find out more, and you don't need to draw a “T” pattern on the dish either). Repeat steps on several petri dishes as some spores may fail to develop.
A sterile environment is required for seedling. Before starting, remove any carpet or curtains that could be a "nest" of dust. Clean all surfaces with a mild disinfectant, including the ceiling. Cover all openings with a plastic sheet and create a “vestibule” in the door using a second (larger) sheet of plastic
Tips
Mushroom seeds will rot over time. Place the lips on the substrate as soon as possible and refrigerate if you can't use them right away
Warning
- In most countries, it is illegal to cultivate, transport, possess or consume psilocybin mushrooms. You can be sentenced to prison if you violate this rule.
- Fungi produce spores that can be carried by the air. These spores can trigger respiratory problems in people who have a sensitivity or allergy to the spores. Wear a respirator mask when you are near mold that is being developed if you are concerned about this condition.
