Any novice gardener asks the question: "How to grow mushrooms at home?" Oyster mushrooms are currently the easiest variety to master. For their cultivation, it will not be necessary to create specific conditions or deeply study mycology issues.
First you need to find the right raw material for the manufacture of the substrate necessary for the development of mycelium. The best suited for this is barley or wheat straw, as well as corn stalks finely chopped into dust. Raw materials must be clean, dry and without the slightest sign of decay. Anyone who is interested in
how to grow mushrooms at home should know that mold will just kill the mycelium. After the selection of raw materials, it must be crushed to ensure good moisture of the substrate and create favorable conditions.
The ground substrate must be properly heat treated. To do this, it is placed in a pan and cooked for one and a half to two hours. After the procedure, it is necessary to drain the water and cool the contents to 25-30 degrees. Everyone who asks a question about how to grow mushrooms properly should consider that the liquid needs to be drained completely. To check, it is necessary to squeeze the substrate strongly in a fist, while water should not leak out through the fingers.
Most mushroom growers grow oyster mushrooms in ordinary
plastic bags. Their size depends on the goals, but not very large ones are best suited for home growing. Before starting the process, the bags must be thoroughly washed and held for several hours in a 2% lime solution. After this procedure, they can begin to fill with the prepared substrate and mycelium. Those who are interested in how to grow mushrooms at home will find it useful to know that the contents of the bag should be layered. The first and last should be the substrate. This is done to protect the mycelium from temperature extremes. After this, you need to tie a bag at the neck and perforate. In a checkerboard pattern on the entire outer surface of the bag you need to make small holes at a distance of 10 to 15 centimeters from each other. Experienced mushroom growers call the resulting package along with the contents the mushroom block.
Those who know how to grow mushrooms at home will always say that after preparing the blocks they will need to be placed in a warm, well-ventilated room for a period of 10 to 12 days. It is very important at this stage not to admit any insects to the mycelium. They elementary can destroy all labor. In the first few days, the temperature inside the blocks will increase. At this time, it is extremely important to ensure that they do not overheat above 30 degrees. To reduce the temperature, you can ventilate the room or install a fan or other cooling device.
Mushrooms develop very quickly, and if everything is done correctly, after 10-12 days the block will be completely covered with mycelium. At this time, the first fruiting bodies will begin to appear at the perforation sites of the packet. At this time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the temperature: it should not exceed 15 degrees, and include lighting for 8-10 hours a day. In addition, those who ask the question "how to grow mushrooms at home," it will be useful to know that mushrooms need high humidity for growth. This can be achieved by spraying the walls of the room with a spray gun.
Two weeks after the appearance of the first rudiments of fruiting bodies, it will be possible to harvest the first crop. To do this, oyster mushrooms are either twisted or carefully cut to the base of the bag. After collection, the room must be ventilated and wait for the next wave, which usually occurs after 12-14 days. In total, you can expect up to 4 waves of the crop, after which the block must simply be thrown away or used as fertilizer.