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Top Questions About Mushroom Cultivation

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Questions About Mushroom Cultivation

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    September 21, 2021
    Certified Expert
    A.

    Those jars appear to be sealed. Pins cannot form unless it is exposed to fresh air (the more accurate term is CO2 exchange). With that small amount of substrate, it will be important to spray it with a fine mist several times per day. If all goes well, you can expect to harvest half of your initial substrate weight worth of fruiting bodies (also depending on substrate make up).

    As a cultivator, myself, I prefer a humidity controlled tent. This can be as simple as a horticultural greenhouse tent and a fogger in a jug of water, with a fan blowing inside. Hooking this up to a cheap humidistat will automate the process. It doesn't have to be that intense, though. It can be as simple as a tote with holes in it, and perlite in the bottom, kept saturated with clean water.

    Here is an article that will help you to set up a simple fruiting chamber:

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/mushrooms/making-a-mushroom-fruiting-chamber.htm

    This collection of articles will offer more information on mushrooms:

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/mushrooms

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    January 20, 2022
    Certified Expert
    A.

    I find that exposing mycelium to some light helps it to colonize faster, in spite of old knowledge that says otherwise!

    I have colonized species over several genera, both, in darkness and in fruiting conditions. What I have found is that most will perform the same or better, in the light, as long as your moisture is on point.

    The exception is with Agaricus bisporus...

    If you want that pristine, white, button- Those bad boys need to be grown in darkness. Otherwise, you will see quite a bit of brown coloration.

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    September 1, 2022
    Certified Expert
    A.

    This is a subject that would require quite a bit of a response. In order to do that, I will direct you to some articles that will help:

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/mushrooms

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    January 15, 2024
    Certified Expert
    A.

    Actually, the process for both mushrooms are very similar. Other than the substrate used. For more success, the shoebox method can provide a decently sterile environment to work. Otherwise, if this is outside, and not inside, then you will be at the mercy of nature. This carries little success, but can be done through trial and error. I work in mycology, myself, and have plenty of experience on this subject. It is not easy without a flow hood for complete sterility. You can make the attempt by using agar for more success. This requires cutting a slip from the INSIDE of the mushroom. This portion hasn't been exposed to contaminants, and needs to be set on agar wrapped in parafilm for the best results. After, you can move to a birdseed jar, sterilized with a pressure cooker for 90 minutes. Once inoculated and colonized, you can put this to a bag or sheobox of wood shaving and straw. Once this is colonized, expose to air and humidity between 80 and 90 percent. Fruiting should begin within 2 or 3 weeks.

    Otherwise, the instruction for a more crude method can show some success.

    As far as the photo goes- It was just a general mushroom photo, since the process is similar for all mushrooms.

    This article will better suit you:

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/mushrooms/grow-mushrooms.htm

    This one, actually, came from my tent!

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/mushrooms/grow-oyster-mushrooms.htm

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    January 28, 2024
    Certified Expert
    A.

    It would be similar to growing oysters, but there are some very big differences to consider with mushrooms that grow on manure, such as cremini mushrooms.

    Since you will not have the mushroom ends, being that they are removed before selling, the process will need to be done using tissue culture in sterile conditions. Personally, I have a flowhood, which is a laboratory grade ventilated workspace, which allows me to work with tissue culture readily.

    If you do not have one of these, then it is going to be INCREDIBLY difficult. It isn't impossible, but it is not easy. It will require knowledge of agar work and sterile practice and fungal isolation from contamination.

    There are other ways to try and re-grow them, but this will not be very reliable without the vigorous butt of the mushroom. This requires pulling mushrooms apart, without touching the inner meat, and spreading them into some aged manure. Keep this in a near perfect dark place and moist until you see growth IF you see growth at all that is not contamination.

    Personally, if there isn't easy access to lab equipment and knowledge of sterile practice then this is going to be a frustrating and expensive task. I'm sure you can see why they are so expensive, at this time.

    Oysters and wood loving mushrooms will be much easier, as they will not succumb to contamination as easily. They are much more forgiving.

    Pholiota adiposa is a good one to start with. It is a wood-lover, fast, and forgiving. Just follow the steps in the article for an easy mushroom that can be similar in texture when it is young, with a more "woody" flavor, rather than the characteristics of the cremini from its growing medium.

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