How To Mist And Fan Mushrooms? The 127 Detailed Answer

Here at Growing Organic Farm we are committed to environmentally conscious self-sufficiency. A few years ago we made a commitment to transform our home into a homestead by using sustainable farming practices and incorporating the principles of permaculture to reduce waste. We thoroughly enjoyed growing a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs and raising chickens for fresh eggs.

Since transitioning to a more holistic lifestyle, we have also started growing a variety of plants for their therapeutic benefits. Cannabis is the most popular plant of this type, but medicinal mushrooms are also an important part of our homestead. We recently shared a number of blogs explaining the benefits of different strains of medicinal mushrooms, including our latest post detailing how to grow your own medicinal mushrooms at home!

If you’re not interested in growing your own mushrooms at home, we get it! Though a lot less time-consuming than foraging for wild mushrooms, growing your own medicinal mushrooms may still not be the project for you, and that’s okay! We are proud to offer a variety of medicinal mushroom tinctures in our shop. These tinctures can be useful if you want to experiment with different types of mushrooms before deciding which one to grow, if you want to try mixes of numerous mushrooms other than the ones you plan to grow, or if you don’t want to grow your own mushrooms Everyone.

This blog post aims to help our friends who have expressed a desire to start growing their own medicinal mushrooms at home to do so in the most efficient way, using the monotub method. We hope to simplify this process so everyone can feel comfortable and successful in their mushroom growing endeavors, but if you have any questions or useful tips you think we should include, please let us know!

How to grow medicinal mushrooms at home using the monotub method

Attachment overview

The monotub method is not a new technique. On the contrary, many (if not most) professional indoor mushroom growers actually start out with this method. The advantages of a monotubing setup are many, but it’s mostly valued for its relative simplicity for newcomers and minimal space and equipment requirements. The monotub method was designed to use easily accessible components, so anyone can start cultivating their own mushrooms at home.

The monotub technique is most commonly considered for mushroom strains that thrive in manure, including Psilocybe species. However, by swapping out your substrate, you can also use this method to grow other types of mushrooms that thrive on woody media. A monotub setup is ideal for a variety of mushroom species and is widely considered to be the easiest and most cost-effective choice, especially for beginners.

cultivation considerations

kind of mushrooms

Fungi are curious organisms. Surprisingly, fungi actually have a lot in common with animals and are often thought of as hybrids: neither plant nor animal, but sharing traits with both. Growing mushrooms at home is not a particularly difficult process, but it does require an understanding of the biology of the mushroom, including not only how mushrooms grow, but also when and why they thrive in certain conditions. In most cases, these details will depend on the particular type of mushroom you want to grow, so making this decision is a good first step. Check out our How to Grow Mushrooms post for a thorough explanation of the mushroom’s life cycle.

Preferred growing medium

One of the reasons growing mushrooms differs from growing herbs, fruits, or vegetables is because of their preferred growing medium. Although you’ve likely discovered varieties of mushrooms that grow in soil, perhaps even in your own garden, intentionally growing an entire crop of mushrooms often involves cultivating a manure or wood medium, such as. B. a cut tree trunk or a bucket or container with sawdust or manure substrate. Different types of mushrooms thrive on different media.

Importance of sterile technique

Whichever method you choose, it’s important to remember the importance of working in the cleanest possible environment. Microscopic contaminants are every mushroom grower’s worst enemy as these various bacteria and molds can and will take over your mycelium and destroy your entire grow. This does not mean that you should expect to eliminate 100% of the contaminants as that would be an impossible goal. But we cannot stress enough how important it is to disinfect not just your workplace, but ALL your tools, including yourself.

We encourage you to start with good personal hygiene. Shower or bathe, brush your teeth and put on freshly washed clothes. Vacuum all floors and sanitize and sanitize all surfaces. Immediately before and after use, we like to use 70% isopropyl alcohol to sanitize all of our work surfaces, tools, and containers. In addition, 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can also be a useful aid in sterilization.

Also, remember to wash your hands thoroughly and wear latex or nitrile lab or surgical gloves. For people who prefer to cover the length of their forearms, farm insemination gloves are another popular and affordable option. Finally, put on a face mask to protect yourself from inhaling dust and to protect the mushroom growing environment from your own exhaled particles.

Direction of light for mushroom plants

When setting up your monotub, consider the direction of light entering the room. While fungi don’t use light for photosynthesis like plants do, some species of fungi use light to guide growth. When the mushroom buds start to stick in these species, you’ll notice that the sticks grow toward the light source.

How to set up a monotub

Required accessories for a monotub

Fungal spores, cultures on agar or liquid culture (not required when purchasing pre-inoculated grain spawn)

Sterilized grain spawn (either pre-vaccinated or with an injection port)

Unfilled sterile substrate (manure or wood)

Large tub for cultivating mushrooms (or you can make your own using a large Tupperware, a builder’s bag for the liner, and drilled holes in the lid for airflow)

Band with microspores

70% isopropyl alcohol

Two spray bottles

Latex gloves (or medical gloves of equivalent material) and dust mask

Optional additional supplies:

Flowhood

Air flow fan

Painter’s tape or similar to secure the filter disc or micropore tape

cycle timer

Humidifiers & Humidifiers Maintaining ideal ambient humidity can greatly improve the success of your cultivation. We recommend setting up a humidifier with a flexible hose pointed towards your mono tub and a humidistat to ensure your ambient humidity remains constant. Ink Bird is popular for this.

LED Light Bar An LED light bar can be a wonderfully efficient and practical option for bringing light into your workspace. An LED light bar works particularly well in a monotub setup as it doesn’t give off heat or raise temperatures, and you can place it directly above your tub to encourage proper pinning (for mushroom species that grow to the light) .

How to prepare your monotub for fruit mushrooms

Before we start fruiting mushrooms, there are a few preliminary steps that need to be taken to ensure successful mushroom cultivation.

Prepare step one: spores or cultures

Before beginning any method of growing mushrooms, your very first step is to acquire spores (or cultures) that you will use to inoculate and colonize grain spawn. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-vaccinated grain spawn, in which case you can skip to “Step 3: Purchase or Prepare Bulk Substrate”.

When purchasing mushroom spores for home growing, it is important to ensure that you are buying from a reputable retailer. If your spores are contaminated before you start, it will be impossible to have a successful cultivation no matter what else you do right.

Reputable retailers offer a warranty on their product from the date of purchase, usually around thirty days. When you receive your package containing spore or liquid culture syringes, spore prints, or pre-inoculated brood, you should inspect the package to ensure it is free of contamination. If you find any signs of damage or contamination, contact the retailer for a replacement.

When you start vaccinating your own spawn, expect to make mistakes. This means that you should order more spores than you think you need to increase your chances of success. Everyone messes up at least a few syringes in their first few cultivations, so give yourself some room for error. If you have more spurs than you need, you can at least afford a few mistakes.

Keep in mind that laws regarding the legality of certain species of mushrooms vary by state and region, with some species only being considered legal in certain areas for microscopy research, not cultivation. Check local laws carefully before deciding which spores or culture to purchase.

Prep Step Two: Fully colonize your Grain Spawn

You can either buy grain brood that has already been inoculated and fully colonized (in which case you don’t need to buy spores or culture), or you can inoculate and colonize your own brood. The easiest way to colonize your own spawn is to inject fungal spores or cultures into an Injection Port Bag, which is a bag of sterilized grain fitted with a self-healing port that you inject with a spore syringe inoculate. After inoculation with spores, your grain spawn must be fully colonized before it can be added to the sterile substrate (cultivation medium) in your monotub.

Instructions for inoculating grain spawn using an injection bag

PREPARATION STEP 2a: Inspect Materials / Sterilize Work Area / Inoculate Spawn

If you choose to inoculate sterile grain spawn using a hypodermic syringe, you should follow the instructions that come with your bag. As always, sterile technique is critical to success in these applications, so you should carefully inspect any bag, syringe, or other material for signs of damage or contamination prior to use. Wipe down all surfaces including the bag, syringe, and gloves with 70% isopropyl alcohol.

Many mushroom growers advise letting bags or other store-bought materials sit for a week or two before using. This gives time for contaminants to form mold, which should be visible during your inspection. If you received a contaminated or damaged product, contact the manufacturer for a replacement before proceeding.

If you’re just starting out, we recommend buying your spawn. When you first start out, you may even want to purchase fully colonized grain spawn to simplify your cultivation process while you become familiar with the rest of the monotub growing technique. But if you want to grow mushrooms, which are less readily available in fully colonized spawn, you’ll eventually need to learn to make and colonize your own grain spawn. For this process, Shroomology provides an excellent guide to making your own grainspawn using readily available ingredients like wild bird seeds and mason jars.

PREPARATION STEP 2b: Wait for colonization

If you inoculate your own spawn, after introducing the spores or culture you will need to leave the bag or jar undisturbed for a few weeks to establish. Colonization is best done away from direct sunlight in a cooler location between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll know your spawn is starting to colonize when you see mycelium starting to cover the grain.

Once the mycelium has spread three or four inches wide without opening or damaging the bag, gently break up the mycelium-covered grain with your fingers and mix it with the rest of the uncolonized grain. This will spread the mycelium and speed up the colonization process. After a few more weeks, you should see that the contents of the bag (or jar) are completely covered in fluffy white mycelium, signifying the colonization step is complete.

After you have made (or purchased) your fully inoculated grain spawn, it needs to be mixed with the sterile substrate in your monotub. This means that at some point after inoculation, while your spawn is colonizing (or while you’re waiting to get your fully colonized spawn), you’ll need to prepare the rest of your monotub setup and sterile substrate.

Prep Step 3: Buy or Prepare Bulk Substrate

Depending on the type of mushroom you want to cultivate, you will need either wood chips or manure-based growing medium in your monotub. To start, we recommend buying sterile substrate in bulk, at least until you feel comfortable with the rest of the monotub growing technique.

If you’re planning on growing a dung-loving mushroom species, the Boom’r Bag is a great option that saves you the trouble of sterilizing your own dung. For mushrooms that prefer wood, you’ll need to sterilize your own wood chips or mulch. You can also choose to vaccinate tree trunks in the garden instead of growing them indoors.

If you’re ready, want a little more challenge and it suits your application, you can make your own sterile manure-based substrate at home. Our friends at North Spore have provided a relatively easy method for making your own sterile manure based substrate from horse manure and coco coir, which we’ve included at the end of this article. Making your own spawn and substrate can be quite inexpensive in the long run, especially when you start growing more mushrooms, but if you’re just starting out it may be less frustrating to resort to buying pre-prepared spawn and/or sterile substrate to keep.

Fruit Mushrooms Using the Monotub Technique:

Alright, now that you have a fully colonized grain brooder and sterilized substrate, it’s time to harvest your shrooms using the monotub method.

STEP ONE – Buy your tub

We recommend purchasing a tub already made for mushroom growing like the MaxYield Bins, or you can opt for a large plastic tub similar to the Tupperware or Sterilite models.

If you decide to make your own you will need to line the tub and create holes for airflow.

When you buy your mushroom growing tank from us the tub will already be blacked out and have pre-cut holes for airflow so you can proceed to step 4 where you will cover the holes with microporous tape or filter discs.

STEP TWO – Lay out your tub

*This step is only for those making their own monotub!

Older instructions for the one-pot technique often instructed cultivators to use black spray paint to cover the bottom of their pots (when using a clear or clear pot). However, over time, our friends at North Spore found that this step – typically done to block light and prevent side pinning – wasn’t the best method. Instead, they recommend lining your tub with an opaque black contractor-type trash bag, but folded so that it’s only about halfway down the sides of the tub. This is the best way to avoid getting stuck on the sides of the tub.

STEP THREE – Make holes in a trough for airflow

*This step is only for those making their own tub!

You need to make sure your tub has airflow, so drill holes around the outside of the tub with your hand drill fitted with a 2 inch hole saw. You want at least one hole on each side of your tub, with no more than about 8 inches between holes. Drill your holes just above where the top of your bulk substrate and foil will sit, or just above halfway down the sides of the tub.

STEP FOUR – Cover the holes with microporous tape to prevent contamination

Use the microporous tape to cover the holes in the sides of your tub. This protects the contents of the tub from contamination while still allowing adequate airflow. If desired, you can secure the microporous tape by wrapping painter’s tape around the edges of the holes on the outside of the tub. Just make sure you don’t completely cover your holes as this will impede airflow.

STEP FIVE – Disinfect all materials

Next it is imperative that you disinfect all of your work surfaces including the entire monotub, liner, lid and all tools. We use 70% isopropyl alcohol to disinfect all surfaces and tools. For proper disinfection, it is important not to use alcohol with a percentage higher than 70. Although 90% and 99% isopropyl alcohol is widely used, the lower water content of these formulations means that the alcohol will evaporate from treated surfaces much faster, leaving insufficient contact time for effective disinfection.

Fill one of your spray bottles with alcohol and the other with freshly sanitized water. Alcohol can degrade plastics and other materials over time, so it may be worth investing in an industrial-grade, chemical-resistant alcohol spray bottle. Spray both the inside and outside of your tub, all work surfaces and tools, and your own gloves. Don’t forget to sanitize the entire outside of all spawn and substrate bags, as well as any scissors you use to cut them open! Make sure the room you’re working in has been vacuumed recently (but not for too long, as the air turbulence created by vacuuming can introduce contaminants). Close all doors and windows and take care to keep pets, children or visitors out of your sterile environment.

STEP SIX

Stay tuned… It’s finally time to place your sterile bulk substrate in your monotub and start vaccination with your fully colonized spawn!

After sterilization, cut open your bag of substrate and fill your monotub evenly so that the substrate is about 1 inch deep in the tub to begin with. Make sure your substrate has “field capacity,” meaning you should only get a drop or two of water out when you squeeze a clump in your fist. If your substrate is too dry, add a small amount of sterilized water to the mix when adding it to the tub.

Then sprinkle a thin layer of fully colonized spawn over the base of the sterile substrate. Then add another inch of substrate and place another thin layer of spawn on top. Repeat this process until you reach the desired depth of substrate, usually about three to five inches deep throughout the tub.

The amount of bulk substrate and spawn you need will depend on the size of your tub, but in general a 3 lb bag of spawn can be expected to colonize a monotub or two if filled with ten pounds of sterilized substrate is combined.

STEP SEVEN – The “Spawn Run”

For added protection from contamination, spray a paper towel with alcohol and wipe the inside of your monotub over the liner and substrate. Wipe the lid (or a second tub upside down) and cover the mono tub.

Leave the Monotub undisturbed in a warm (but not hot) environment, away from direct sunlight but not in total darkness – inoculation will be faster with moderate exposure to ambient light. Aim for a room temperature of 77-80 degrees Fahrenheit and do not disturb or control the contents of the monotub for any reason for at least six to 10 full days as this will allow carbon dioxide to escape from the tub and increase colonization time and potentially introduce contaminants. The only reason to open the tub during this time is if you smell a very rancid or foul odor coming from the mono tub.

After this initial phase you should start checking the tub once a day and expect to see splotches of white mycelium emanating from each piece of grain spawn. Eventually these spots will expand and connect to occupy the entire surface of the bulk substrate and you can see small droplets of fungal exudate, which is a sign of adequate hydration and successful colonization.

With dung-based substrate types, it takes two to three weeks for the mycelium to “overrun” (or colonize) the entire substrate, while times for grain and wood-based substrates vary. It is around this time that you should start looking for the formation of hyphae – this is called fungal “pinning” and looks like dense knots of white mycelium extending vertically from the surface of the substrate. Hyphae knots or “pins” are the sign that your substrate is fully colonized and it’s time to proceed with the sheathing of your monotub.

STEP EIGHT – Housing, fruiting and harvesting your monotub

Once you start seeing primordia forming, you have the option of shrouding your container, which means covering the entire substrate with a very thin layer of 100% coir. However, this step is entirely optional. You can also remove the lid from your tub at this point.

Add a 1/4″ to 1″ layer of 100% coir to your tub, then spray the layer with sanitized water until the coir appears fully hydrated.

Some mushroom growers use vermiculite instead of coir for the casing, but recent research has shown a link between vermiculite casing and asbestos contamination, so we strongly recommend avoiding vermiculite in favor of coir.

Check the monotub daily and leave the lid slightly offset on the tub to allow for increased oxygen flow and less CO2 in the tub. Spray the top layer of the housing, the sides and the lid of the monotub with disinfected water one to three times a day. About 7-14 days after the involucre you should begin to notice hyphae protruding through the involucre layer. Ensure minimal to moderate light gets into the tub to help grow these pens in the right direction, but don’t expose the tub to excessive light or heat.

Eventually, you’ll find your hyphal needles bearing fruit or turning into harvest-ready mushrooms. You can harvest your mushrooms according to your own preferences, but for most edible mushroom species, the best time to harvest is just before the mushroom caps have flattened out.

Fruiting only takes place when a few environmental conditions are present. The temperature of the tub should remain between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit for best quality mushroom growth. Additionally, it is imperative that you check your monotub daily and maintain hydration as reduced CO2 and moisture evaporation from the surface of the substrate is key to fruiting conditions.

Harvest mushrooms & print spores

As mushrooms mature, they begin to shed spores from their caps (for capped species). Mushroom caps have a veil under the cap that breaks to release these spores and propagate the next generation of mushrooms. Most growers prefer to harvest their shrooms just before or after the veil has broken.

To cause the least amount of damage when harvesting your mushrooms, grasp each mushroom by the base of its stem and gently but firmly twist it in any direction until you feel it separate from the substrate and casing. Don’t just pull out your mushrooms. Bring a shallow dish to place the mushrooms on, e.g. B. a clean plate or lid.

If you want to preserve a certain variety of mushroom for future cultivation, you can “print” its spores after harvest and then use those spores to grow more mushrooms of the same variety in the future. Spore prints can also be used to identify fungal species, or sprayed with a fixative and displayed for their artistic value. If use for culturing is planned, it is important to maintain a sterile procedure when making spore prints to avoid contamination.

make spore prints

To make spore prints, start by fully disinfecting your entire work area, including all tools and yourself. Place a freshly picked mushroom cap (stem removed with a sterile blade) gills down on a piece of black or white paper, stiff plastic, or aluminum foil. (Aluminum foil is often preferred by growers because it’s inexpensive and can be sanitized with alcohol.)

Put something on the mushroom cap to protect it from disturbance and contamination – sanitized cups and bowls work well. Leave the cap on for six to 12 hours, then carefully remove the cover and mushroom cap from the foil (or paper). Place the cover back on the new spore print for another six to 12 hours to allow it to dry completely.

Once the spore print is dry, remove the cover and carefully make an envelope of the foil to protect the print. This can be accomplished by folding up the bottom half of the film and then folding each of the sides inward to form a seal around the edges. Be sure to double-fold the edges of your envelope and make clean, clear creases to prevent mites from accessing the spores inside. These envelopes are best stored in self-seal bags with oxygen and moisture absorbent packaging to prevent deterioration. However, if one is hoping for successful cultivation, spore prints should be used within a year or two, at most.

Through our blog posts, we hope to encourage you to explore the wide variety of mushrooms that can be grown at home, including not only the many species prized for their culinary value, but also those historically associated with greater health and well-being have been linked. If you have questions about a specific type of mushroom or any aspect of this technique, please send us a message.

*Growing Organic encourages you to familiarize yourself with local mushroom growing laws. We do not condone, support or encourage any illegal activity. *

Making your own manure-based sterile substrate

Directions from North Spore at https://northspore.com/pages/mono-tub-cultivation-method-walkthrough Instead of buying sterile substrate in bulk, you can make your own manure-based sterile substrate at home. To do this, you will need the following additional materials: Coir (available from hydroponic or urban gardening grow shops)

Horse manure (manure is best composted for at least six months)

OVEN PROCESS: Aluminum foil baking pan

STEAM METHOD Filter bag Pressure cooker (optional)

This recipe is used to make bulk sterile substrate for mushrooms that thrive on a manure based growing medium. For grain or wood loving species, you must use sterilized grain or hardwood chips like oak or maple. Das einfachste Rezept zur Herstellung Ihres eigenen sterilen Substrats auf Güllebasis besteht darin, 50 % Kokosfasern mit 50 % Pferdemist zu kombinieren. Hochwertiger Pferdemist kann von Farmen bezogen werden, die Pferde beherbergen oder Reitunterricht anbieten. Für beste Ergebnisse sollte Mist mindestens sechs Monate vor der Verwendung kompostiert werden. Mischen Sie zuerst die Kokosfaser und den Dünger bis zur „Feldkapazität“, dh wenn Sie eine Handvoll des Substrats so fest wie möglich zusammendrücken, kommen nur ein oder zwei Tropfen Feuchtigkeit heraus. Wenn die Mischung zu trocken ist, fügen Sie kleine Mengen Wasser hinzu und testen Sie häufig, bis der richtige Feuchtigkeitsgehalt erreicht ist. Wenn die Mischung zu hydriert ist, fügen Sie mehr Kokosfaser hinzu, bis die Feldkapazität erreicht ist. Als nächstes muss der Mist pasteurisiert werden, entweder durch Kochen in einem Ofen oder Dämpfen. Wenn Sie die Ofenmethode verwenden möchten, heizen Sie Ihren Ofen auf 170 Grad Fahrenheit vor, legen Sie das Substrat dann auf Backformen und decken Sie es mit Aluminiumfolie ab. Nach dem Vorheizen das abgedeckte Substrat mindestens zweieinhalb Stunden im Ofen garen. Wenn Sie lieber die Dampfmethode der Pasteurisierung verwenden möchten, füllen Sie das Substrat in Filterbeutel. Kochen Sie die Beutel in einem Schnellkochtopf oder dämpfen Sie sie auf dem Herd, bis sie 160-180 Grad Fahrenheit erreichen. Lassen Sie das pasteurisierte Substrat vor der Handhabung vollständig abkühlen.

Wir hoffen, dass Sie dies auf Ihrer Mykologie-Reise hilfreich fanden. Zögern Sie wie immer nicht, unten in den Kommentaren Fragen zu stellen, und wir werden unser Bestes tun, um Ihnen zu helfen. Wir möchten, dass jeder die Früchte genießt, die Mutter Natur uns zu bieten hat.

The moisture needs of mushrooms begin before you plant them. They need nutrient-rich compost to grow, and making that compost requires water. An ideal substrate is horse manure mixed with straw. Wet the pile until completely damp and rotate to fully mix the water. Turn the pile every 2-3 days and add more water to make sure the pile stays slightly moist. After 2-3 weeks, check the compost for a sweet smell and a dark brown color to indicate it’s ready to be used as a substrate for your mushrooms. Add more water before adding the compost to the grow box; The compost is the right consistency when you can squeeze out a few drops of water when picking up a handful.

How are mushroom fruiting bodies made?

The main body of the fungus consists of fine threads (hyphae) that are grouped into a mycelium. Most of the time the mycelium is hidden because it grows through the soil or under fallen tree trunks or decaying plant and animal remains. The fungus breaks down the dead remains and releases simple food products that it can absorb through the hyphae that make up its mycelium. This is how the fungus gets food for its growth.

When conditions are just right (which can be once or twice a year, or sometimes more often!), the mycelium can coalesce into a fruiting body. So the fine threads that make up the hidden mycelium can also form the fruiting body of the mushroom that we see.

The fruiting bodies are the fruit of the mushroom – just as apples are the fruit of the apple tree.

Fruit bodies come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes. Fruiting bodies, which have a cap and a stalk, are sometimes called mushrooms or toadstools.

When I started gardening after buying my first house, I noticed a white residue in some wood chips I placed in some of my flower beds. Little did I know that white residue is exactly what my garden needs! It was a magical little thing called mycelium.

What is mycelium?

Mycelium is a white, spider web-like structure, a network of cells that is the vegetative part of the fungus that lives in and throughout almost every land mass on earth. The neurological network of nature. According to mushroom expert Paul Stamets’ book Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save The World, “More than 8 miles of cells can be found in one cubic inch of soil.”

Mycelium represents rebirth, rejuvenation and regeneration. Mushrooms create soil that gives life. The task we face today is to understand the language of nature. Paul Stamets

All ecosystems and agriculture rely on mycelium to support vegetation health and resilience. It is more similar to the animal kingdom than the plant kingdom in that it does not produce its own food and relies on plants for nutrients.

Environmental benefits of mycelium

The benefits of mycelium are countless! It helps maintain a firm structure in the soil and reduces erosion. It helps to create new, fertile and nutrient-rich soil. It removes industrial toxins from the soil including pesticides, chlorine, dioxin (a highly toxic environmental pollutant) and PCBs (highly toxic industrial compounds). It even helps trees become more drought resilient and cleans the groundwater of impurities and pollutants!

In the garden, mycelium helps increase nutrients available to plants, improve water efficiency, reduce erosion by acting as a cell web, and promote root growth by adding oxygen, nitrogen, phosphate and other micronutrients to the soil releases. It also helps protect plants from pathogens by competing with pathogenic fungi and bacteria and encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria.

90% of plants have a mutually beneficial relationship with fungi/mycelium. Mycelium is like an underground communication system that connects plant roots to exchange nutrients and water information, boost immune function, and even sabotage unwanted plants by spreading toxic chemicals. Ren Sen Zeng of South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou conducted a study that found that when plants attach to harmful fungi, they release a chemical signal to the mycelium that alerts their neighbors.

The three main types of fungi / mycelium

Mycorrhizae Most crops grow best with this because the mycelium receives nutrients from living plants in a mutually beneficial relationship. The fungus attaches to the root of the plant, which photosynthesizes the sun’s energy, turning it into sugar and providing carbohydrates for the mycelium. Common species chanterelles boletus morel

Saprophytes This species makes up the majority of edible and medicinal mushrooms. Saprophytic fungi absorb nutrients from dead organic matter. Typically, it grows from fallen logs and piles of leaves, breaking down matter and turning it into nutrient-rich soil. Without this process, forest floors would become a pile of fallen debris over time. Common Species Shiitake Turkey Tail Oyster Reishi Lion’s Mane

Parasite These feed on a living organism. Although they are harmful to their host, they are indirectly beneficial to other species and the ecosystem by creating dead organic matter that is required for others to survive. Parasitic fungi are the leading cause of tree death, killing older trees and thus contributing to a forest’s success by making room for new growth. Common species Cordyceps aspen mount

Here’s how to help mycelium grow in your garden

Beginners in the world of magic mushroom cultivation might be discouraged from traditional growing methods. With grow kits, however, you don’t need a green thumb to produce quality shrooms. If you make the right moves, you can even reap multiple flushes from the same kit! Follow our simple guide and you’ll have an ample supply in no time.

If you’re a magic mushroom enthusiast, I’m sure you’ve thought of growing your own at some point: “That would be silly”, you might think, “I’m not a mycologist, and I don’t want to waste my money “if I fail”.

Luckily, the science behind growing mushrooms has progressed quite a bit over the years. So much so, in fact, that there are now specialized grow kits that offer you the perfect setup for growing mushrooms.

Read on to learn how to use these easy-to-use kits to enjoy multiple magic mushrooms!

GROWING MAGIC MUSHROOMS WITH A GROW KIT

So if you spend a lot of time on this site, you’ve probably heard the term “grow kit” here and there, but you might not be sure what we’re talking about. Essentially, these kits include a grow container, bag, and other items that make the process as easy as possible.

Inside the grow tank you will find a living mycelium substrate that serves as the basis for growing these mushrooms. Kits may look different depending on the brand and place of origin, but the function is the same everywhere.

There are a few benefits that come with using these kits, especially for beginners. First of all, given their straightforward nature, you’ll quickly understand what you need to do. In addition, it is significantly less labor intensive than the traditional method and you will need far less material.

To make it a sweeter deal, there are certain steps you can take to get more than the standard single flush.

WHAT IS A MAGIC MUSHROOM FLUSH? WHEN DO I HARVEST IT?

“Now there, what is a flush in this context?”. We’re bad for rushing there, but it’s a pretty simple concept.

Simply put, a flush is the term used to refer to a mushroom harvest. Like any other plant, it takes time to grow and cannot go unharvested for too long.

How do you know the time has come, you ask? Well, if you spend time taking care of her, you will find that the veil is thinning under her cap.

Instead of waiting for it to break like some suggest, you should wait for it to get to the point just before. Don’t worry, they won’t be duds if they get past this point.

However, the release of spores at this moment triggers a hormone in the mycelium that causes the fungi to transition from fruiting to colonization. This, in turn, can prevent further flushing from occurring.

WATER THE SUBSTRATE TO GROW MULTIPLE LIQUIDS

Normally, grow kits are only meant to produce a full flush. However, like passionate people do, certain breeders have found a way to make the most of what they have. The main method seems deceptively simple, but “soaking” or “dipping” really is as easy as it sounds (well, almost).

There are two ways you can go about it. The first method is true to the name and simply involves soaking the substrate in water for 12 hours. After that, you can empty the kit and start the process again.

The second method, while less true to the name, is still valid.

Instead of literally submerging or soaking the container with your substrate, consider placing it under a running faucet and letting the water overflow. Let this process last at least two hours, at most three.

While it takes less time, the constantly flowing water will evenly soak the substrate. If you’re familiar with how rivers and lakes work, you also know that running water is less conducive to bacterial growth.

The same logic applies when growing mushrooms. There are no special pH or purity requirements for this water either, so the tap is sufficient.

AMOUNT OF FLUSHES AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO GROW

So how many flushes can you get exactly? As with any other natural organism, things will not be exact for every version of the same species.

However, observant growers can usually achieve three good flushes from one grow kit.

From there, all you need is time. Since the subsequent growth cycle is similar to the first, you should allow 2–3 weeks for each flower to grow.

If you’re more used to growing cannabis than shrooms, you’ll be happy with how quickly things are progressing. You’ll have three full harvests in nine weeks at most, enough to last you and your friends for a while.

When you’re ready to start growing, be sure to check out our premium selection of grow kits! Also, be sure to check out our grow kit guides and our guide to harvesting magic mushrooms so you can proceed with confidence!

where do you even start You start with a tissue sample of a fungus or so-called “spawns”. Spawn isn’t really “spawn” – it’s the mycelium (root structure of mushrooms) placed on a medium for later inoculation.

Breeders don’t use spores – spores are not genetically the same as the parents and can create a variety of differences that can cause problems in later production.

Spawn is obtained in a variety of ways and can be crafted or purchased from the Breeder.

Learning how to grow mushrooms is like any skill. Sometimes you succeed. Sometimes you fail. The most important thing is to keep trying and learn from your mistakes.

Still, it can be really frustrating to start what you think is a successful mushroom project only to see that it doesn’t produce anything. trust me i know. It has happened to me many times!

Although many factors can affect your success, there are some common mistakes that can be easily avoided. I’ve listed eight big ones below, along with practical solutions.

If you’re just learning to grow mushrooms, check out this list to save time and heartache. Even if you’re a veteran, it never hurts to get back to basics.

For more information on growing mushrooms and troubleshooting, I recommend Paul Stamets’ books:

Cultivation of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms

Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World

So without further ado, and in no particular order, I present to you……

Reasons why your mushrooms are not growing

Let’s take a closer look at these reasons:

1. Not enough moisture

Mycelium, the underground vegetative growth of a fungus, requires a moist environment to thrive and produce mushrooms. Mushrooms themselves are mostly made up of water. So if you let the mycelium dry out or the humidity gets too low, nothing happens.

See the picture on the right? I created this outdoor mushroom project using cardboard, straw, and mycelium over one summer. Then I patted myself on the back for a job well done, went on vacation and completely forgot about it for a while.

As you can imagine, the hot July temperatures dried everything up. I had wasted hard work and guilt for baking my poor mycelium.

Solution: Pay attention to moisture and humidity! If you grow mushrooms outside, be sure to keep your bags or bed slightly damp. Be sure to mist or water if you see and feel things drying up.

When cultivating indoors under sterile conditions, you need to monitor humidity and moisture levels more carefully. A cheap hygrometer will help you.

2. Too much moisture

The opposite of the above problem and it happens. Too much moisture can lead to a damp substrate, mold, and standing water.

Standing water encourages bacterial growth and mold, two things that compete with your mycelium. Although we want to keep our growing medium moist and maybe even soak it for a day in the beginning, leaving it in standing water is just annoying.

Solution: It’s all about drainage. If you are using a mushroom grow kit, do not leave it in the water after spraying it. If using sacks or containers or any other indoor method, don’t overwater and make holes in the bottom to allow water to drain.

Keep this in mind when attempting to grow your own mushrooms outside as well. A bed should have adequate drainage and not be in an area where it will stand in water and encourage mold.

3. Not sterile enough

The microbial world is a constant struggle between good and evil. Your mycelium needs to take and maintain control of your substrate or it will lose out to mold and other micro-competitors.

If you don’t take this into account, bugs, mold spores and other unhealthy things will take over your project. Even if it produces mushrooms, you probably won’t want to eat them.

Solution: This is often easier when trying to grow mushrooms in outdoor beds. Maintain cleanliness by providing a good work environment. Follow obvious rules like washing your hands and not working next to the litter box.

Depending on the nature of the project, you may want to prepare your substrate first to discourage micro-competitors. One such method is the pasteurization of straw.

For some indoor projects like growing from spores, you should maintain strict sterility to avoid contamination. It is often necessary to obtain equipment such as a flow-through hood, an autoclave, or a pressure cooker (right). Read a lot before doing this. It’s not for beginners!

4. Not enough air exchange

Mushrooms don’t need fresh air like we do, but they still need it. Without air exchange, carbon dioxide levels will build up and your mushrooms will come out as stunted, scrawny things that are all stems and no caps. Very disappointing.

Solution: Bring a breath of fresh air to your project. Do not place objects in areas with no air exchange.

If you’re growing in a closed environment, you might want to open her up for fresh air a few times a day. Just be aware that by introducing fresh air you also introduce the possibility of contamination and lower humidity. It’s a delicate dance!

5. The wrong environment

The key to learning to grow mushrooms is creating an environment conducive to the species you are cultivating. To make you feel at home!

That said, don’t try to grow a mushroom with warm temperatures in cold weather. Don’t try to grow a wood-loving species on straw. Make sure your mushroom substrate is nutritious. Basically, give the mycelium what it needs to thrive.

Solution: research. Know what type of mushroom you want to grow and what they need before you start. You don’t have to read someone’s PhD thesis, but a little knowledge will do.

6. Bad spawn

Mushroom spawn that is old or has traveled a great distance may not be as vigorous and may not thrive and produce. It’s no big secret that you should have the healthiest brood possible to increase your chances of successful mushroom cultivation.

Solution: First, only buy Spawn from a reputable company. If you buy from a questionable place with bad business practices, you will get an inferior product. Ideally, buy somewhere close to you so your spawn doesn’t have to go very far.

After that, the best advice is use it or lose it! Don’t let Spawn sit around forever as it will weaken, generate waste, and potentially contaminate. Fridge storage extends its lifespan, but becomes less viable with each passing week.

7. Lack of research/understanding of fungal life cycle

You don’t have to be a professional mycologist to understand some basic principles of the fungal life cycle. Knowing how this organism works greatly reduces the chances of your mushrooms not growing. You’ll be better equipped when you understand what mycelium is, how it feeds, and what it needs to survive.

Solution: Research again. You don’t have to know everything, but some research at the beginning is important.

Don’t stress yourself and don’t overcomplicate things. Learning to grow mushrooms is fun! Think of it as a fun learning experience unconstrained by the often boring confines of a classroom.

8. Lack of patience

Mycelium takes time to grow into a substrate and grow mushrooms. For some mushrooms, like morels, it can even take years!

This is not an activity for the impatient, something I as a fairly impatient person struggle with myself. But fear not, careful observation and waiting will be greatly rewarded in this hobby.

Solution: Um… be patient? Easier said than done, I know!

Enjoy watching things grow and immerse yourself in the rhythm of the mushroom life cycle. If nothing seems to happen, don’t give up too soon. Wait a little longer and don’t just write the whole thing off.

I’ve often found at this stage that all a mushroom project needs is more water and a little more care.

I sincerely hope this list hasn’t intimidated you. Rather, it’s just meant to outline a few things to keep in mind to increase your chances of success.

Learning how to grow mushrooms doesn’t have to be a complicated or confusing process. By reading and just trying, I guarantee you will eventually succeed.

Every failure is a learning experience. Besides, if you’re learning and having fun, it’s not really a failure, is it? 😉

We recommend our Boomr Bag product for all manure loving species. Easy to use, already cooked and sterilized, it is a formulation perfected over many years of Agaricus experimentation. It saves you the hassle of tracking down your own ingredients and cooking horse poo at home…

If you decide to make your own manure substrate mix, the simplest formulation is 50% coir and 50% horse manure. Coir coir can be purchased in bags at most grow shops specializing in hydroponics or urban gardening. The best horse manure must be sourced from farms that offer horse boarding, horse riding lessons, etc. Manure that has been composted for at least 6 months is best.

At this point you can either pasteurize your bulk substrate by cooking it in an oven or by steaming it. You need to mix the two ingredients together and hydrate the mixture to “field capacity”. If you take a handful of the substrate and squeeze it as hard as you can, you should be able to drip out a drop or two of water. Any more than that and the mix is ​​overwatered: add more coir. If it’s low on liquid, add water little by little and keep testing.

For the oven method, simply preheat to 170 degrees and cook the loose substrate on baking trays lined with aluminum foil for at least 2.5 hours.

To use the steam method, pack the substrate in filter bags and cook in a pressure cooker or steam until it reaches about 160-180 degrees F.

Allow your bulk substrate to cool completely before use!

-Jesse Cerrato-

Interest in growing edible mushrooms at home is increasing. People with foodie appetites who are looking for a different hobby and a way to consume sparingly are joining the movement. Not everyone knows where to start, but we’re here to help!

Just as with other aspects of gardening, it’s important to understand the needs and requirements of the species you intend to grow. As an introduction, I will specifically address how to grow oyster mushrooms in a suitable (indoor) environment.

First, let’s cover some key terms:

Mycelium: vegetative structure of the fungus; Similar to the root structure of a plant.

Substrate: what mushrooms eat; Substance acted upon by fungal enzymes.

Spawning Bag: A substrate inoculated with mycelium, in this case sawdust, in a filter bag.

Inoculation: The process of adding healthy mycelium to a freshly sterilized substrate.

Incubation: Process of growing an inoculated substrate under ideal growth conditions (temperature regulation to promote fungal enzymatic activity).

Colonization: Mycelial growth on a substrate over time.

Enzyme: A protein that speeds up certain chemical reactions.

Fruiting Body: A fungal conglomerate, also known as a fungus; a dense network of fungal tissue that can reproduce by spores.

Flush: A cluster of fruiting bodies ready for harvest. Typically 3-4 harvest rounds per bag.

Field Capacity: The maximum capacity a substrate can hold water before becoming oversaturated. (A drop or two of water will fall out when a handful is squeezed)

For people looking to get started, we recommend purchasing a pre-vaccinated spawning pouch. The spawning pouches we make at Resting Point Farms are made from hardwood sawdust and locally sourced organic wheat bran (plus a pinch of gypsum for calcium and sulfur). In this case, sawdust provides the carbon, which is primarily made up of glucose polymers called cellulose and the fibrous parts of wood/bark known as lignin. Nitrogen is obtained by digesting wheat bran, which is rich in amino acids (essential building blocks for all life). Sawdust and wheat bran are combined, hydrated to field capacity, and then steam sterilized for 24 hours to kill all competitor microbes. Once the substrate has cooled, it is taken to the lab where mycelized spawn grain is added (inoculated) to the fresh sawdust and heat sealed to seal the filter bag. Oyster mushrooms take about a month to fully establish (healthy, white mycelium covering the entire substrate).

Now that you know what oyster mushrooms like to eat, let’s talk about their care:

Transforming a block of mycelium into a magnificent cluster of fruiting mushrooms requires a basic understanding of how they bear fruit and what environment your particular mushroom variety thrives in. So what are the variables here?

Temperature: Different strains prefer different temperature ranges. This depends on where the fungus originally grew. Over time, mycelial strains can be accustomed to growing in different temperature ranges, but this requires the cultivation of spores from successful fruiting bodies. It’s much easier to grow your mushrooms in their ideal range or to purchase a species that better suits your environment. Conveniently, the various spawn pouches we offer at Fifth Season can grow at room temperature (around 65-75°F). It is important to keep the temperature stable, otherwise the mycelium can overheat, which can lead to the death of the fungus.

Humidity: Mushrooms need constant, high humidity to develop properly. This requires a humidifier and a way to maintain a constant relative humidity (RH) between 80 and 90%. When a sac is first cut and placed in a fruiting chamber, the initial development of pens (tiny mushroom caps that form a fruiting body) requires a slightly higher relative humidity (up to 95% relative humidity). After a day or two, this humidity should be around 80%. Higher relative humidity will result in faster mushroom growth, while lower humidity should result in a tastier, slower growing mushroom.

Frequent Air Exchange: Or FAE, is the act of blowing clean air over the growing mushrooms to encourage the evaporation of excess moisture. I recommend using a small mounted fan on a recycle timer to allow fine tuning of the fan on and off time. I’ve had the best results setting my fan timer to 3-5 minutes ON every 25-30 minutes of OFF time. Mushrooms breathe oxygen like we do and exhale carbon dioxide. If the CO2 level gets too high, abnormal development can occur. Mushroom stalks become too long and covered with hairs like mycelium if they don’t get enough oxygen. The caps also grow small and cup-shaped, so watch the growth and take notes!

Taking notes is one of the most critical aspects of mushroom cultivation. Keep a notebook next to your fruiting chamber and record temperature, relative humidity, and FAE each time you check your mushrooms. When logging your observations, be sure to include a time and date so you can decide if your system needs adjustment.

Setting Up Your Fruit Chamber: Each fruit chamber will be slightly different, but the most important factor is that you protect your mushrooms from direct sunlight. Mushrooms grow almost every hour, so be patient when adjusting humidity or airflow and wait a day before making further changes.

DIY Fruit Chamber

Troubleshooting

A visible indicator of excessive humidity is a constant dripping or streaming of droplets inside your chamber. Ideally, the moisture inside should leave tiny droplets that evaporate before gathering into a single droplet.

Some people prefer to spray by hand (spray bottle) and fan with a piece of cardboard. You could have great success with this, but better control over your variables could give you better insight into how the system as a whole works.

Attention mold! Other organisms compete for the same substrate as the species of fungus you are trying to grow. Some infections can be overcome by oyster mycelium, but watch out for contaminants that take up too much of the bag. When this happens it’s not the end of the world, you can add used blocks to your compost heap. This fungal inoculation can speed up the time it takes for hard fibers (lignin and cellulose) to break down.

With the right equipment, you can grow strains like Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, Maitake, and Reishi harder. Automating your grow reduces the time it takes to cultivate, so you can focus on the most enjoyable part of harvesting fresh mushrooms – cooking with them!

For more information and expert advice on growing your own mushrooms at home, visit your local Fifth Season store!

Do you know about mushrooms? Find out all about it now and grab a mushroom growing kit from us so you can watch the process for yourself!

With mushroom pinning, small baby mushrooms begin to hatch from the substrate during the fruiting phase.

Below we discuss pinning mushrooms in a few different scenarios involving the use of our mushroom growing kits and our mushroom spawn.

Mushroom pinning with indoor grow kits

Once they arrive in the mail you can start your mushroom grow kits by cutting holes in the plastic and spraying the grow kit where the holes were cut (the process is different for shiitake mushroom kits). Mist the kit with a spray bottle or your kitchen sink nozzle attachment to make sure the humidity is high enough, and do this two or three times a day. It is recommended that a temperature and humidity gauge be kept at the kit location to ensure it is in ideal conditions. This will help you get maximum yields.

After about a week you will see the mushroom pinning begin. Mushroom pinning is a great sign of success! You’ll be one step closer to your first batch of fresh organic mushrooms!

Continue spraying the kit every day, but try to avoid spraying the fruiting bodies directly once they get bigger. You should be able to have your first flush within two weeks of starting the mushroom kit. Once you have harvested the first batch of mushrooms, you should let the kit sit for 2-3 weeks. The hibernation process is like charging a battery. All you have to do is leave the block alone in an area with good air circulation. You want the kit to dry out during the rest period.

Understand the pinning of shiitake mushrooms during fruiting

Now let’s take a look at how to attach shiitake mushrooms in a fruit room. The fruit room is a place of transformation on any mushroom farm. Mycelium blocks become salable mushroom fruiting bodies.

During the fruiting phase it is important to monitor these four key environmental parameters: CO2 levels, lighting, humidity and temperature. Adjust them accordingly to maintain optimal conditions for fruiting.

An interesting article about mushroom pinning is that the size and quantity of the mushrooms can be seen from the initial mushroom pinning. If there are too many pins creating small mushrooms, some pins can be knocked off to encourage fewer but larger mushrooms.

During these first four days, air exchange and high humidity are extremely helpful in creating a good mushroom needle set. If CO2 levels are above 1000-1200ppm, the pen setting may be adversely affected. If the relative humidity falls below 70%, the pinning of the mushrooms can also be adversely affected.

To maintain high humidity when growing shiitake blocks, we recommend spraying the shiitake blocks directly twice a day for the first three or four days of fruiting until the mushroom pins are the size of a thumbnail. After the initial pinning of the mushrooms, the mushrooms are a bit more durable and can handle environmental fluctuations more easily.

The best measure of the right environmental parameters are the mushrooms themselves. If the mushrooms look good, taste good and store well, then the environmental parameters are right!

In general, temperatures between 55-70 degrees Fahrenheit, CO2 levels below 1200, adequate lighting for comfortable reading, and humidity between 80-95% are ideal. However, shiitake are much more tolerant of high levels of CO2 and low light than oyster mushrooms.

Growing mushrooms with supplemented blocks of sawdust – outdoors

Growing fruit outdoors on supplemented blocks of sawdust is one of the easiest ways to start growing mushrooms. Very little infrastructure or space is required to successfully grow mushrooms outdoors. Several different species including shiitake, lion’s mane, chestnut, and pioppino can be easily grown from blocks outside.

The mushroom blocks we sell that we show below can be used for outdoor mushroom growing from April to November in northern climates. Note: It is not recommended to grow oyster mushrooms this way as they will ingest larvae if grown outdoors.

Depending on how the sawdust blocks are obtained and what shock method is used, the outdoor fruit area will look a bit different. This process can be as simple as placing blocks in the forest and letting them fruit.

A good place for this is under deciduous or evergreen trees. Remove the dead organic material on the ground. You can then use a pallet to keep the mushroom blocks off the ground. You can also do it right on the ground if you want, but they can end up getting a little dirty, especially after rain. Once you’ve removed your blocks, leave space between each square so there’s enough room for fruiting.

As mentioned above, for the first four days, start by spraying the blocks two to three times a day. Some mushroom growers construct a low tunnel of plastic or metal hoops and greenhouse plastic to cover the pallets. This helps increase humidity conditions, especially during the mushing-pinning phase.

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Content & Optimization by Chris Sturk

Elapsed time for mycelium to run, pinhead formation, and fruiting body maturity

According to the results of this study, the growth of P. ostreatus mycelia on cotton seed and paper scraps was relatively faster than on the other substrates used (wheat straw and sawdust). On average, it took about 16 days for the mycelium to walk on each substrate. This is comparable to other similar studies elsewhere. Onuoha et al. (2009) reported that spawning lasted 15 days on rice straw offal while others reported 13 to 16 days using a similar substrate (Patra and Pani 1995; Jiskani 1999). Similarly, Ahmed (1998) reported that the spawning run of P. ostreatus should be completed within 17–20 days on various substrates.

The variation in the number of days required for spawn to fully colonize a given substrate is a function of fungal strain, growth conditions and substrate type (Chang and Miles 2004). This variation could in turn be attributed to the variations in chemical composition and carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the substrates used (Bhatti et al. 1987). According to Oei (1996), fungal mycelia require specific nutrients for their growth; The addition of supplements can therefore increase mushroom yield by providing these specific nutrients.

Pinhead formation (premordium initiation) was observed after invading substrates by mycelial growth. The time it takes for pinheads to form is comparable to other similar studies elsewhere; e.g. B. Ahmed (1998) reported that the formation of pinheads in oyster mushrooms cultivated in different substrates occurs between 23 and 27 days after spawning, while Fan et al. (2000) reported 20-23 days. On the other hand, Shah et al. (2004) found that pinheads appeared in about 6 days. Such variations in mycelial growth rate, colonization, and primordial initiation have been observed when a fungal species was grown on a range of substrates, including sawdust, bagasse, and banana leaves (e.g., Vetayasuporn 2006; Islam et al. 2009; Birhanu Gizaw 2010).

In general, from this study it was observed that the total culture period for oyster mushrooms, in this case the time elapsed between sowing and harvesting (maturity of the fruit bodies), varied for each of the different substrates used; between 27 days and 40.67 days. This implies that cottonseed is the preferred substrate for early harvesting of oyster mushrooms in terms of harvesting period. In this regard, other studies came to different results of the cultivation periods. Khan and Ali (1981) reported a harvest time of between 21 and 28 days using cottonseed, while Tan (1981) reported that the harvest time was within a month using cotton offal. However, according to Khanna and Garcha (1981), it can take up to 104 days to harvest the yield of oyster mushrooms grown on rice straw. These variations in growing seasons can result from variations in the growing environment (controlled versus semi-controlled conditions) and physiological demands for mushroom cultivation, such as constant temperature, humidity, and light levels. In other words, the variations in growing season between different substrates could stem from variations in the time elapsed for pinhead formation, fruit body ripening, time between flushes, number of flushes, and yield, which in turn is influenced by the nature of the plants substrates (Tan 1981).

Yield and biological efficiency

Before determining the yield of the oyster mushroom, measurements of the various yield components (yield attributes) were carried out. It was observed that the yield components (yield attributes) of P. ostreatus were affected by the use of different substrates, albeit not significantly. Paper waste resulted in relatively better growth in terms of cap diameter and thickness and stem diameter and length. On the other hand, the number of well-developed fruiting bodies in the culture of cotton seed was significantly higher than in the other substrates. The lowest number of fruiting bodies was found in sawdust, while it was similar in wheat straw and paper waste. This could be an indication that using different substrates can affect the percentage of effective fruiting bodies formed.

The study confirmed that the use of different substrates had a significant (P<0.05) effect on the yield (biological and economic yield) of oyster mushrooms. The greatest yield was harvested from cottonseed, followed by paper waste; while the least was derived from sawdust. Similarly, the biological efficiency (BE) also varied significantly between the different substrates used. Variable BE ranges have been reported when different lignocellulosic materials were used as substrates for oyster farming (Liang et al. 2009). In this study, the highest BE percentage was obtained from cottonseed; least observed in sawdust. The performance of oyster growth and yield in sawdust substrate was minimal. This could be attributed to the fact that the lignocellulosic materials in sawdust are generally low in protein and therefore insufficient for mushroom cultivation (Obodai et al. 2002). Therefore, sawdust substrate for mushroom production should undergo a period of composting to break down the cellulose and lignin components of the wood to release the essential materials for the establishment of mushroom mycelia. It may also require supplemental nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. In addition, the mean comparisons (using the LSD test separately) showed that the biological yield of cottonseed was significantly different from the rest of the substrates, with the exception of paper waste at a 5% confidence level. In terms of economic yield, however, the mean values ​​from cottonseed were significantly higher than all other treatments (substrates). The results of this study are consistent with other studies elsewhere (e.g. Nout and Keya 1983; Choi et al. 1981) which identified cottonseed as an important substrate for significant improvement in oyster mushroom yield. A possible reason given is that cottonseed has a rapid decomposition rate and is therefore accepted as a superior substrate to other lignocellulosic wastes such as sawdust (Quinio et al. 1990). In general, the present study confirmed that the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) can grow on cotton seed, paper waste, sawdust and wheat straw with variable growth performance. Cotton seeds followed by paper waste were identified as suitable substrates for oyster mushroom cultivation. Cotton seeds achieved a significantly higher yield and biological efficiency compared to the other substrates. It has also been shown to be better in terms of mycelial density, time required for mycelial growth, pinhead formation and fruiting body development. Therefore, cottonseed can be recommended as the preferred substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation. In addition, paper waste can be used as an alternative substrate, since the growth performance and yield of oyster mushrooms in it was better next to cottonseed; this could also serve as a solution for utilizing the huge amount of paper waste available. Nevertheless, further studies on the potential of various agricultural and industrial wastes for oyster mushroom cultivation, their economic feasibility and other related issues of mushrooms (particularly oyster mushrooms) need to be conducted in order to fully appreciate the multiple socio-economic and environmental importance of the oyster mushroom mushroom industry in Ethiopia.