How to Grow Mushrooms – A Complete Guide for Cultivating Mushrooms in Your Home
Growing mushrooms can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. If you are a beginner or a seasoned gardening enthusiast, learning to grow mushrooms will open up new culinary possibilities and provide you with an alternative, natural, and sustainable food source. Mushroom growing is a fun, low-maintenance hobby that can be carried out in a limited space. This makes it perfect for apartment dwellers and those who have limited gardening space. This blog will teach you how to grow mushrooms at home.
Why grow mushrooms?
It’s important to know why you want to take up this hobby before we get into the details of how to grow them. Mushrooms are not only nutritious–providing key vitamins like D, B, and minerals like potassium–but they also add amazing flavors and textures to your meals. You can harvest fresh mushrooms that are more flavorful and vibrant than those you buy in the store. You can try different kinds of mushrooms such as oyster, shiitake and lion’s Mane. Each has its own unique flavor and benefits. Growing your own mushrooms is a great way to get a constant supply of gourmet ingredients for your kitchen.
The Medium Used for Mushroom Growth
The most important and first step to growing mushrooms is selecting the right medium. For mushrooms to grow, they don’t require soil or sunlight. They rely instead on organic matter (known as substrate) for nourishment. The substrate is a material that feeds the mushroom mycelium, the vegetative part of fungus as it grows.
Common Substrates for Growing
1. Straw
Straw is a popular substrate for growing oyster mushrooms. Straw is a great choice because it is abundant, easy-to-handle, and relatively cheap. Straw is also excellent at retaining moisture, a key factor in the growth of mushrooms. Straw is a favorite of oyster mushrooms, and it can be a great growing medium when properly pasteurized.
2. Wood Chips and Sawdust
Growing hardwood-loving mushroom species like shiitake or lion’s Mane is often done with wood chips or sawdust. These materials are best suited for mushrooms that need a denser, more fibrous substrate. Combining sawdust with supplements (such as bran) creates a balanced environment that is ideal for growing mushrooms. While sawdust can be a good medium for growing mushrooms, it must be pasteurized or sterilized to prevent contamination.
3. Organic Wheat Bran & Hardwood Sawdust
This combination is especially popular for growing medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s head. Wheat bran is essential for growth while hardwood sawdust creates the perfect environment for mycelium expansion and development. The right balance of these materials allows the mycelium colonization to occur quickly.
4. Manure
Manure from cows, horses, and chickens is used to grow mushrooms because of its high organic content. Many mushrooms, including button mushrooms, require nutrients from manure. It is important to compost manure before you use it. Fresh manure may contain harmful pathogens or bacteria that can ruin your mushroom crop. Before using, it must be completely composted to remove any chemicals or pesticides.
5. Coco Coir
Coco coir, made from coconut husks is a sustainable and excellent option for growing mushrooms. It is a good water-retentive material, essential for achieving high humidity levels for mushroom cultivation. Coco coir may not be enough to feed some mushrooms. However, coco coir can be combined with other substrates such as coffee grounds or sawdust to create a perfect growing environment.
6. Coffee Grounds
You’re in luck if you like coffee! Oyster mushrooms can be grown on used coffee grounds. Mushrooms love organic materials like coffee grounds, which are high in nutrients. Sterilize used coffee grounds at home or from local cafes before using.
Prepare the Growing Medium
It’s important to properly prepare your substrate once you’ve chosen it to ensure that you get a good harvest of mushrooms. To eliminate harmful bacteria or mold that could compete with mushroom spawn, most substrates must be pasteurized or sterilized. How to prepare some of your more common mushroom growing mediums
You can pasteurize substrates such as sawdust or straw. You can do this by heating the material between 160-180degF for an hour. This will kill any harmful microbes and preserve the nutrients.
Composting manure is important. If you use it, compost it for a few weeks to reach a temperature around 60degC (140degF).
Choose the right mushroom variety
Mushrooms are available in many different types and have unique requirements for growth. Some mushrooms grow better indoors, while others require specific outdoor conditions. Consider the following when selecting a variety of mushroom:
Oyster Mushrooms are some of the easiest mushrooms to cultivate at home. They can grow in many different conditions, on various substrates including sawdust and straw. The oyster mushroom also fruits quickly, usually within 3 to 6 weeks.
Shiitake Mushrooms: Shiitake mushroom is a good choice for people who want to grow a gourmet variety. The mushrooms require sawdust or wood as a growing medium. They have a longer growth period but are well worth it.
Lion’s Mane mushrooms: These medicinal mushroom require a high humidity level (85%-95%). They grow best on hardwood sawdust, or a mix of sawdust with organic bran. Lion’s Mane mushroom are prized for their delicious flavor and brain-boosting qualities.
5 Button Mushrooms : Often found in supermarkets, button mushrooms grow best in composted manure, or in a mixture of straw and compost.
Inoculating Substrate With Mushroom Spawn
After you have prepared the substrate, it is time to inoculate with mushroom spawn. Mushroom spawn, or mycelium, is the “seed”, the part of the mushroom that grows throughout the substrate to produce the fruiting bodies. Spawn can be purchased from reliable suppliers in different forms such as grain spawn or sawdust spawn.
To inoculate your substrate:
1. Mix the spawn well into the substrate.
2. Pack the mixture in your growing containers.
3. Seal containers, and place them in an area that is warm and dark to allow mycelium colonize the substrate. This process may take between 2-4 weeks depending on the mushroom type and temperature.
Create the ideal growing environment
Mushrooms are only able to thrive under certain environmental conditions. It is important to maintain the correct temperature, humidity and airflow.
Temperature
Most mushrooms prefer a cool, stable temperature. As an example:
- Oyster mushroom flourishes between 55degF to 65degF (13.5degC-18degC).
- Shiitake mushroom grows best between 50degF and 70degF (10degC to 21degC).
- Lion’s mane mushroom needs a temperature slightly higher than 60degF to 75degF (15degC to 24degC).
Humidity
For mushrooms to flourish, they need a high level of humidity. This is usually between 80%-95%. Consistent moisture in the air keeps the mushrooms hydrated, and encourages healthy growth. To maintain ideal conditions, you may need to purchase a humidifier. Or create a humid tent around your growing set-up.
Fresh Air Exchange
Mushrooms require fresh air in order to avoid the accumulation of carbon dioxide, which can inhibit their growth. Make sure your growing area has adequate ventilation, whether it’s through the natural airflow of your home or a small exhaust vent in a tent.
Harvesting Your Mushrooms
After monitoring the temperature, humidity and air exchange for weeks, your mushrooms should begin to produce. This could take between 3 and 12 weeks, depending on the type of mushroom. Harvesting mushrooms at the correct size and maturity is essential. Overripe mushroom will release spores that could hinder future growth.
To harvest:
1. Remove the base of the mushroom by gently twisting or cutting it.
2. Do not pull them by the stem as this could damage the mycelium and affect future harvests.
Common Mushroom growing problems and their solutions
Growing mushrooms is not without its challenges. Some of the most common problems are:
-Contamination: Mold or other fungi are usually the result of unsterilized substrates or poor hygiene. Clean your equipment and substrate thoroughly before inoculating.
Low yield: This may be caused by an improper temperature or humidity. Maintain the right environment for the type of mushroom you are growing.
Pests: Small pests such as fruit flies and fungus gnats may invade your growing space. Set up sticky traps or fine mesh to keep out pests.
Mushroom Growing Kits
A mushroom growing kit can be a great way to get started if you are intimidated by the idea of collecting all the materials. These kits are easy for beginners to use because they come with pre-inoculated spawn and prepackaged substrates. You’ll have mushrooms growing in no time with a little attention and care.
Popular kits include varieties like:
- White Oyster Mushrooms
- Blue Oyster Mushrooms
- Pink Oyster Mushrooms
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Conclusion
Growing your own mushrooms is a rewarding, fun and sustainable project. Growing mushrooms is an enjoyable experience, and requires patience and attention. Follow the instructions in this blog to successfully grow mushrooms at home. Why not give it a go? You might become a pro mushroom grower in no time.
