Are you concerned about the quality of mushrooms you are buying in the grocery store? Do you wish you had healthier alternatives? Why not grow your own? It is not all that complicated if you have the knowledge of the requirements of the plants and a few simple tools.
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What are mushrooms?
Mushrooms are a fungus. They are low in calories and carbohydrates. They are a great source of B vitamins, trace minerals, fiber and even protein. They are high in antioxidants and they have anti inflammatory properties. They have also been linked to fighting cancer and supporting heart health. OK, and if all that is not enough, they are pretty darn tasty too.
Why should I grow my own?
I confess that I used to buy jarred mushrooms for when I was really lazy. One day, several years back, I took the time to read the label and found that they were not from the USA. That was the end of my jarred mushrooms. But, even if you are purchasing fresh mushrooms you do not know what pesticides may have been used. Due to the nature of the mushroom they absorb a lot of what they come in contact with. I don’t really want all of that. Plus, as an avid, long time gardener, I know the joy of harvesting your own crops. Not to mention the peace of mind that comes with it.
What do you need to grow mushrooms?
You will need either mushroom spores or spawn. The spawn are much easier to handle for a first time project. As you progress you may even learn how to harvest your own spores, but that is not something that you would want to take on as a new mushroom farmer. You need a growing area. You will want an area where you can cut the light off and keep the temperature at a pretty constant temperature. A basement, a spare room, anything of that sort. I remember talking to a man at a garden show years ago. He told me he had grown mushrooms in his hallway for years. You will need nutrient rich soil and a substrate. Materials such as straw, compost, wood chips, sawdust, newspaper, cardboard or coffee grounds are excellent materials for the substrate. You will also need boiling hot water and temperature and humidity controllers.
What kind of mushroom should I grow?
Oyster , shitake and button mushrooms are probably the easiest to grow. There are so many other beautiful, colorful and I am sure tasty varieties to try that are available as spawn. These may take longer to grow.
How do I grow them?
Some of the spawn that are available are meant to be inoculated onto stumps or logs. These take up to a year or more to produce. These are the exception. Most mushrooms will produce between 1 – 3 months depending on the size of mushroom you want. You basically sterilize your substrate which has been placed over your soil. You then inoculate the spawn or spores. Make sure to keep your temperature at the desired level for your species. At this point you will be misting the spawn 1 or 2 times per day. Once you see mycelia – which is a fungal version of roots, you will cut the watering down to once a day. The main thing is to keep out of light and drafts. For detailed instructions see Mushroom Growing 4 You.
If you purchase a kit you should follow the instructions with the kit. You harvest by cutting with a sharp knife. Once you cut the mushroom another may appear again in the same space. But, to ensure a constant supply of mushrooms you should plant a couple of weeks apart. If you are using a large enough growing bed you may just be able to place your spawn in different areas of the bed a couple of weeks apart.
Growing with Mushroom Kits
These have had pretty much all of the guess work taken out of them. Most of the kits are as simple as open and water. Some will even give you mushrooms in as little as 10 days. This is a great gardening project for a child. With the short turnaround time they will not tend to lose as much interest as with crops that take longer.
Yellow Oyster Log Plugs – Mushroom Spawn L…
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Can I make money growing mushrooms?
Absolutely. But, as with any farming operation, you will need to research your local market first. Visit your local farmers market and see if anyone is selling mushrooms. Ask the vendors if they ever get requests for them. Go visit your local chefs and see if they would be interested in purchasing them. If you have small local grocery stores you may be able to work with them. I am finding more and more that even the big grocery stores are trying to source fresh food locally. If you have the demand do not start out too large, especially if you have never grown mushrooms before. The best feature of growing these is that you do not need to invest in expensive equipment to get started. You will need your items as listed above, but they are not high dollar or hard to find items.
Conclusion
We are all concerned about the quality of our food. That is a given. But, there is nothing more satisfying than growing your own food. Mushrooms are an ideal crop because they don’t require a lot of room or hard to obtain special growing conditions. Try your hand at growing mushrooms today. I think you will be pleasantly rewarded for your efforts.
