Here is a brief tutorial for growing
Oyster Mushrooms
at home.
0yster mushrooms are a gourmet mushroom that is easy
to grow in your own home. The
most commonly cultivated oyster mushroom is Pleurotus ostreatus.
For cultivation at home, wheat
straw makes an excellent
substrate.
Definitions:
Substrate is the medium on which
the cultivated mycelium grows.
Mycelium is the mushroom “plant.” The part you
eat is the fruit.
Spawn is grain on which the mycelium is growing.
Inoculation is the act of adding spawn to the substrate.
Incubation is the period during which the spawn colonizes
the substrate.
Fruiting is the appearing of
the mushrooms.
Preparing the Substrate
Straw is a great substrate for growing
Oyster Mushrooms.
The straw has to be shredded in order to allow for faster mycelium
colonization.
You can shred the straw using power
tools or you can buy already shredded
straw and save yourself
a lot of headache.
Pasteurization of the Substrate
The shredded straw must be pasteurized in
hot water at 160°F for 40 minutes. Simply place the straw in
a container and add hot water. Then wait for 40 minutes, drain
and let the straw cool to room temperature.
Larger quantities can be pasteurized in
large steel drums.
Inoculate the Substrate
Once the straw cools down to room temperature, you can
start inoculating the straw with the grain spawn. You
should add grain spawn in the amount of 10% of the dry weight
of the straw.
You have to mix the spawn into the substrate until evenly distributed.
Then, pack the inoculated straw tightly into clear plastic
bags. Once the bag is full, tie the top with a wire.
Do not forget to punch holes in the bag using a clean nail.
You should space the holes every 3-4 inches apart.
Incubation
Incubation is done in
a dark room at the temperature between 70°F and 75°F until
the straw is fully colonized. The mycelium will be clearly
visible as a white substance running throughout the bag. It
should take about 20 to 30 days to fully colonize the bag.
After the bag is fully colonized, you have to cold-shock
the mycelium to start the fruiting cycle. To do this, simply
place the bags in a refrigerator for 1 day. If the bag does
not fit your refrigerator, you have to use a portable air
conditioner in a closed room.
After the cold shock, place
the bag in an area with an temperature of about 70°F
to 73°F.
Taking Care of the Fruiting Bag
The fruiting
bag has to be exposed to a relatively high humidity during
the whole fruiting cycle. It would be a good idea to use a
clear plastic bag and create a tent over the fruiting bag.
In about 10 days you will notice small mushroom pins
on the surface of the substrate, under the plastic bag. You
must keep the humidity high, close to 70%-85%. Keep misting
with clean water several times a day.
The mushrooms will grow through the holes you made with the
nail. When the mushrooms get to approximately 1.5" - 2" in
diameter, they can be harvested.
The first flush will generate the most mushrooms. After
you pick all the mushrooms,
leave the bag under the tent and continue to mist. After
about 10-14 days there will be another flush. The bag
may fruit three to four times.
After the last flush, you can recycle the contents of
the bag, because spent substrate makes a great compost for
plants.
Check out our selection of substrates, additives and
mushroom cultures and start growing
your own mushrooms today! We can even create a custom mushroom
kit for you that produces 3-4 pounds of delicious mushrooms.
Ask us now.
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