Among our culinary preferences mushrooms are given an honorable place. They can be deliciously fried with onions, marinated, boiled fragrant soup or make a filling for pies. Pickled mushrooms are considered an excellent traditional snack for any festival. You are incredibly lucky if you have the opportunity to travel to nature for picking fresh mushrooms. Things are more complicated for those who live in a large metropolis. Surely the majority of those who have their own land, visited the idea of how to grow champignons in the country. These mushrooms are considered the most common and undemanding to care. But far from all dare to dare to translate such an idea into reality. It is believed that this process is complex and you need to have enough knowledge about such an unusual creature as a mushroom. In the absence of the necessary skills, it is easy to fail.
Homemade mushrooms
In fact, growing champignons in the country house and in the garden is not so difficult, and even a beginner can cope with it if it is properly treated. The main thing that will require effort is the proper preparation of the soil and mycelium for the full development of the mycelium. After you just have to maintain the full existence of the mushroom family and enjoy the collection of fungi. Today we will shine our article on how to organize the cultivation of mushrooms in the country. The tips and tricks of experienced mushroom pickers who ate a dog on mushroom beds will help you with this.
What is a mushroom and where to plant it?
Mushrooms are a complex living organism; for their successful development and life, certain living conditions should be observed. The mushrooms that we eat are just a small visible part of the huge mycelium. The stronger it is, the greater will be the yield.
It is necessary to properly prepare the soil for planting mycelium, it should be sufficiently saturated with useful elements for feeding mycelium. You should also take into account the fact that for development it will be necessary to create a certain microclimate. And mushrooms are quite vulnerable, they can easily get sick, so some sanitary measures should be followed.
How to grow champignons in the country? There are two main ways:
- growing champignons directly on the ground (often in the garden under the trees);
- indoor cultivation (a small shed or basement is suitable).
Next, we will describe in detail how to grow champignons in the country in both cases.
Growing mushrooms indoors
If you have a small shed in the dacha, stuffed with trash to the eyeballs, feel free to take care of cleaning and turn it into a home for your future wards. Champignons are not demanding on light, therefore it is convenient to grow them indoors. The room should be warm, without drafts and with a sufficient level of humidity. The basement will also be a great place to live mushrooms.
If the walls of your room have long forgotten what repair is, and mold has formed on them from dampness, you must get rid of it without fail. Champignons can easily catch any infection, so carry out a thorough cleaning and whitewash the walls with ordinary lime.
How to grow champignons in the cottage indoors? Arrange several racks on which to place boxes, baskets or any other suitable containers. Shelving will increase the area of the mycelium, which means that the yield will be large. Boxes can be knocked down from boards, bought ready-made or even use ordinary dense garbage bags - as you wish.
In total darkness, champignons will not be able to fully develop, so take care of the lighting, one light bulb will be enough.
Outdoor cultivation
Usually these are mushroom beds. They look a little different and do not represent a hill, but a depression (30 cm is quite enough). A drainage is laid at the bottom of such a bed - a layer of small pebbles. Then compost is laid and rammed on top. The bed is covered with a film on top, it will protect the mycelium from drying out, excessive light and other troubles.
After you have decided on the place of resettlement of mushrooms, you should proceed to the organization of fertile soil.
Soil preparation
No matter where you grow mushrooms, the soil is prepared equally. To do this, you must first prepare compost, it will include:
- organic matter (a mixture of sawdust, straw, manure and sand equally) - 50 kg;
- lime and gypsum - 12 kg each;
- urea - 1.5 kg.
For the preparation of organics, it is good to use potato or tomato tops and even foliage from your garden, in general, all this is usually at hand for each gardener. It remains only to get hold of manure. Growing champignons in the country (the feedback from experienced mushroom growers confirm this) will be most fruitful if you use horse manure. But you can take an ordinary cow.
All components should be mixed, put in a container, pour with water and cover with a dark film on top. In this state, the mass will remain for 20 days, the soil should overheat well. The process is considered complete when the smell of ammonia disappears.
Mycelium
Ready soil is poured into beds or prepared boxes, and then the mycelium is introduced. Fill the containers should be only half, then you can put them on top of each other, and the mushrooms will not be affected. Mycelium can be bought in specialized stores, it is often sold in plastic briquettes and can be of different weights and even different grades and types. It costs absolutely inexpensively. Further cultivation of mushrooms in the country (an instruction with a description is attached to each package) should be carried out according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Often the actions are to introduce mycelium into the ground and ensure the full development of the mycelium. The humidity should be high - not less than 50%, and the temperature - not lower than 18-20 degrees. Cover the soil with foil.
After 2 weeks, you will see the formation of white plaque. This is the mushroom picker. Now it remains to pour a little greenhouse soil on top, cover with a film and wait for the appearance of fungi.
Harvest
The first mushrooms can be harvested in about 30 days. Mushrooms fully fruit 3-4 months, and after their growth is in decline. They must be collected carefully so as not to disturb the mycelium. Do not tear the mushrooms, but carefully twist them. Sprinkle the ground where they were collected.
Do not forget to water the mycelium, the humidity should be maintained constantly. Use the irrigation method, so the earth will be evenly saturated with moisture.
Non-waste production
This is true, and this is with a minimum investment of money and effort. Outdated mycelium is an excellent organic fertilizer for your garden. It will give a huge amount of nutrients to your land and will allow you to get an excellent harvest from your vegetable beds. And they also use mycelium to feed pigs, they love her very well.
Here are some more great arguments to organize mushroom cultivation in the country. Photos of fruit beds look more than tempting. And even if you have never encountered mushroom growing before, be sure to try to grow at least a little for your family. Perhaps you will get a taste, and this idea will be a great start to a small family business. Good luck in your endeavors!