You can grow mushrooms at home throughout the year, which gives stable income 12 months a year. It is not so difficult to create conditions for a home mushroom farm, you just need to have the right information.

Selection and preparation of premises for planting mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are grown in 2 ways:

• extensive - this is the cultivation of mushrooms in natural conditions. This method does not require additional investments, but due to the natural process, the harvest will be only once a year;
• intensive - mushrooms are grown in an artificially created environment and bear fruit all year round, but at the same time, large investments are required at the initial stage.

Since the business requires year-round fruiting of mushrooms, we will consider an intensive method of growing them. It is worth mentioning that the room for oyster mushrooms can be very different: a garage, a barn, a basement.

The most common place is the basement, because it is quite damp in it, and this mushroom loves dampness.

To use a room for mushroom equipment, it must meet certain requirements:

• temperature from 10 to 20 ° C meringue sudden changes;
• the air must have a humidity of up to 90%;
• an excellent ventilation system;
• cleanliness and complete absence of mold and pests.

Any problem found during the preparation phase must be resolved before the main stages of mushroom cultivation begin, otherwise the entire crop may be lost. Preparation of premises takes place in several stages:

1. Sealing the room and installing a heating system. Usually, the floor and walls are insulated in the basement, 1 heater is installed. This is quite enough for heating a small room, and the heater is turned on once a day;
2. Thinking through the humidification system, since the humidity may increase due to the rise of groundwater, it is worth considering the issue of humidification in advance;
3. Complete destruction of mold by heating, cleaning and coating the walls with antifungal agents;
4. Pest control;
5. Final cleaning and disinfection of the premises with bleach.

A week should elapse between the preparation and placement of the first substrate. In addition, in addition to the basement, one more separate warm room will be needed, which will be used for the incubation of oyster mushrooms.

How to grow oyster mushroom mycelium

To grow oyster mushrooms at home, you only need two things: a substrate or soil for the mycelium and mycelium - the oyster mushroom mycelium. Both of these items can be bought, but this will take time and trust in the supplier, because they do not always guarantee quality.

Another way is to grow grain mycelium in a separate room, having sterilized all equipment in advance. The whole process can be divided into stages:

Instructions for growing mushrooms step by step

Now we will tell you how to grow oyster mushrooms at home. First of all, you should carefully choose suppliers, because the quality of the source material determines whether there will be a crop and in what quantity.

For the first time, it will be enough to buy 1 kg of mycelium (in the end it is 3-4 kg of the crop), recognizing the variety and strain of the fungus, as well as the growing period and resistance to mold.

Mycelium should not have green spots inside, its color is bright orange. The shelf life of the purchased mycelium is 2-3 months.

The process of growing oyster mushrooms at home consists of several stages:

1. Material processing for the substrate: the raw material is placed in a tank, filled with water and boiled for 1.5 hours. Then it is filtered and placed under pressure, where the substrate cools down to 25 ° C, while the container must be with holes so that excess liquid drains;
2. After all the water has drained, the substrate bags are placed in a sterile room and the mycelium is placed in the nutrient medium;
3. During the laying of the mycelium, it is necessary to turn off the ventilation so that mold spores do not get into the bags;
4. Before the laying process, the room and work surface should be disinfected;
5. The bookmarking process is simple: working surface mix the mycelium and nutrient medium so that the mycelium is 3-5% of the total amount of the medium in the case of domestic production and up to 2.5% of imported mycelium production. The mixture is tightly packed into bags of 5 - 15 kg;
6. The bags should be slightly flattened from one side and cut from the other for the germination of mushrooms;
7. Cut the bag with a clean knife at an angle of 45 degrees. Each incision should be no more than 5 cm;
8. The blocks are placed around the room so that the sides with cuts face the inside of the room and they have access to air.

Thanks to the correct design of the premises and the observance of the rules when planting mycelium in a nutrient medium, after a couple of weeks it will be possible to harvest oyster mushrooms.

How to form mushroom blocks

The process of placing mycelium in the soil is an extremely capacious process that requires compliance with certain rules and conditions. Mycelium is stored in the refrigerator and 4 hours before transplanting it into the soil, spore bags should be taken out and allowed to warm to room temperature. The formation of mushroom blocks occurs in the following way:

1. The temperature of the substrate should be in the region of 20-24 degrees, and the mycelium should be at room temperature;
2. Hands should be well disinfected and sterile gloves should be worn;
3. All utensils with tools are also disinfected so that bacteria and fungi do not get into the mycelium;
4. In an enamel or plastic bowl, knead the mycelium to individual grains;
5. Pour the substrate into a plastic bag and add mycelium to it: 300 g of spores per 1 block;
6. The spores are well distributed throughout the block and the layer is well compacted;
7. Pour the substrate to the very top of the bag;
8. You can either place the mycelium in layers on the bag, or mix it in advance on the working table with the medium and then pour it into bags;
9. Tie all the bags sweaty with twine and place them in their places;
10. On each bag, on one side facing the room, make 5 cuts 5 cm long;
11. Cut off the corners of the block so that moisture can escape unhindered.

This completes the process of forming the mushroom block. It is worth remembering only about the thorough disinfection of the room, hands and appliances, as well as the fact that the components must have room temperature.

Incubation of oyster mushrooms takes from 18 to 25 days. All this time, the mycelium should not be in the basement, but in a separate dry and warm room. The incubation period is very tremulous, therefore, careful observance of all conditions is required:

• the temperature in the room should be constant, without drops and not more than 30 degrees;
• the room should have subdued light and sufficient humidity;
• during incubation, there should be no drafts in the room;
• if the temperature rises and is more than 30 degrees, then all myceliums will die;
• should be cleaned daily with bleach to prevent mold.

As soon as oyster mushrooms begin to bear fruit, they are moved to a cultivation room.

Fruiting and nuances of harvesting

The most fascinating process is the fruiting process of mushrooms. As soon as the first mushrooms begin to appear, you can calm down - it means that the process of incubation and cultivation went well. Once the bags are moved into the cultivation room, you should:

• reduce the temperature to 10°C;
• turn on the lighting for 8-10 hours daily;
• increase humidity to 90-95%;
• turn on the ventilation system up to 4 times daily.

Ventilation and humidity issues should be resolved at the stage of preparing the premises so that there are no problems with these points during the mushroom growing process. The fruiting time of oyster mushrooms is 10-15 days.

During this time, the beginnings of mushrooms begin to appear, and at the end of this period, full-fledged oyster mushrooms are already on the bags. As soon as the caps are large enough, they can be collected, and it is better not to cut the mushrooms, but to twist them.

As soon as the crop is harvested, the room should be well ventilated and a second crop should be expected after 14 days. The conditions must remain the same.

Oyster mushrooms bear fruit up to 4 times, but the first two waves of the harvest are the most abundant - up to 75% of the total harvest.

As soon as the bags have ceased to bear fruit, they should be replaced with new ones. The used substrate is perfect for farmers to fertilize the soil.

Possible problems

Like any farming, mushroom farming has its own common problems. Usually mushroom pickers are found with:

Any of these problems can be solved by returning and following the correct technology for growing oyster mushrooms.

How to grow oyster mushrooms on stumps

Oyster mushrooms can be grown at home not only in bags, but also on tree stumps of cedar, larch, aspen or linden. The main condition for the fruiting of the mycelium is clean, not diseased wood. Oyster mushrooms have been grown on stumps since the beginning of March in the basement.

This method does not require special costs, but you should carefully follow the technology:

Oyster mushrooms on stumps can also bear fruit in the cold season in specially equipped rooms.

And a bit more additional information You can learn about growing oyster mushrooms at home from the following video.

After inoculation, the substrate blocks are placed in one large incubation chamber. Typically, the calculation of the loading of such a chamber is based on the tonnage of the substrate, which ensures the loading of a certain area in the growing room in accordance with the loading schedule (1110; 1/8; 1/6; 1/4, etc. of the total tonnage of the hall).

The chamber is equipped with a supply and recirculation unit with air heating and cooling.

The ventilation system provides a constant distribution of the air mixture at the rate of 250 m 3 /ton of substrate. If there are blocks of different ages in the chamber (a gap of 4 or more days), then an average temperature regime is set, which depends on the ability of the substrate to warm up at the peak of the incubation temperature regime (the temperature delta inside the block and in the room should not exceed 10 0 С). Thus, if the substrate blocks are able to warm up to 31-32 0 С, then the temperature in the incubation room is set 21 0 С.

Maintains moderate humidity (65-75%) . CO 2 level - increased, can reach 4500-5000ppm.

If the humidity level is maintained by supplying a certain volume of fresh air, then oxygen contributes to good gas exchange and has a positive effect on the growth of mycelium in the thickness of the substrate. On some strains under such incubation conditions, the appearance of signal primordia is possible.

The growing system is multi-chamber single-zone.

After inoculation or transport, substrate blocks are placed in a pre-washed and disinfected chamber. Particular attention should be paid to the prevention of the air distribution system (clean from dirt, spores, mold, treat with disinfectants).

Blocks must be brought into a warm room. room temperature should contribute to the creation of an optimal temperature regime in the block for the development of mycelium (24-28 0 С). Under such conditions, the mycelium covers the substrate in 5 days, which will provide it with superiority with competing microorganisms and molds. The air temperature in the room must be stable throughout the entire incubation period. (for example, 21 0 С).

Requirements for the parameters of substrate blocks:

1. Nitrogen: 0.7-0.8;
2. Humidity: 69-73%;
3. Stuffing density: 0.4-0.6 kg/liter;
4. CIN ratio: 55-60;
5. The delta of temperatures (the center of the block - the room) at the peak of heating of the blocks will be 8-10 0 С;
6. Relative humidity within 65-75%;
7. The level of CO 2 is elevated (can reach from 2500-5000ppm).

Fruiting of the first wave.

The cultivation system is single-chamber, two-zone.

After incubation, the blocks are transferred to the fruiting chamber, where the average climatic parameters for blocks of different ages are maintained: CO 2 level, humidity and air temperature.

The transfer of blocks, the decrease in CO 2 level and temperature initiates the appearance of primordia. Rest between waves takes place under the same conditions, so there is no way to control the timing of fruiting. A mandatory requirement is to maintain stable microclimate parameters without fluctuations.

Approximate schedule for oyster mushroom cultivation.

Growing system multi-chamber single-zone.

Substrate blocks are installed in place immediately after inoculation or delivery (if purchased substrate).

Mycelium in the first day after application only begins to wake up and is resistant to shaking during transportation. The substrate does not have time to warm up yet, there is no danger of damage to the mycelium by high temperature. Oxygen consumption during this period is reduced to a minimum. Blocks, even if they are wrinkled during transportation, are easy to correct giving them the desired shape.

Under such conditions, it is possible to qualitative overgrowth of the substrate and the simultaneity of the appearance of primordia, which contributes to a friendly wave of fruiting.

Fruit formation is initiated by lowering the air temperature and lowering the CO 2 concentration.

The smooth cooling process usually lasts 2-3 days.

Decrease in substrate temperature up to 16-18 0 C is produced by supplying fresh air according to the cooling options, according to the table.

Rapid cooling implies a large volume of fresh air, a decrease in CO 2 levels, fluctuations in air humidity, which leads to inhibition of the formation of primorie for 34 days.

Moderate and mild cooling is easy to carry out in the cold season, using mainly recirculation air. With an increased level of CO 2 and high humidity, primordia are formed quickly and in large numbers.

Variants of the "Cooling" phase

When choosing a cooling option, consider the following factors:

1. CO 2 level during incubation: from 10 to 14 days, the level of CO 2 decreases to 2500-200 ppm;
2. strain characteristics.

In the cultivation of today's strains, there are significant differences in the cooling phase.

For Chinese- moderate or mild cooling is used, with time a lot of mushrooms are formed, which from the very beginning look fleshy. Elevated levels of CO 2 promote the formation a large number mushrooms in the joint, but will not affect the size and density of the mushroom body.

NK-35- apply moderate or rapid cooling. A high level of CO 2 (especially if the incubation was carried out without fresh air) promotes the emergence of intergrowths with large quantity mushrooms, which later develop small and thin-walled with thin legs. The lower the CO 2 level, the fewer mushrooms in the drusen and the larger the mushrooms will be.

The first wave of fruiting.

The mushroom grows due to evaporation, the conditions for which are provided by the climatic parameters in the hall. When creating stable microclimate conditions in the room (there are no sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity), a temperature balance is always established in the mushroom blocks, which ensures evaporation even at high ambient humidity.

The temperature in the center of the block is always higher than the temperature on the surface of the block, which is always higher than the temperature in the room (T 3 > T 2 > T 1). This energy reserve makes it possible to grow mushrooms at an air humidity of 90-95%, which ensures a high yield of the crop and leaves a potential reserve of substrate moisture content for subsequent fruiting waves.

After the formation of primordia, the CO2 level decreases to 800-900ppm. The optimum air temperature is 13-15 0 С.

At a higher temperature, fruiting will be faster, but the quality of the fungus is worse.

The first wave requires a lot of fresh air to keep CO2 levels below 1000ppm. If the capacity of the equipment does not allow preparing the required volume of air, the mushroom loses its quality, the wave of fruiting is noticeably delayed and part of the crop dies.

Rest between waves.

After the end of the first wave of fruiting:

1. the temperature in the chamber is raised to 18-20 0 С;
2. humidity up to 90-95%;
3. CO 2 level is moderate 1500-2000 ppm.

Fruiting of the second wave.

After the formation of the first primordia:

1. Air temperature up to 15-16 0 С;
2. humidity up to 90-93%;
3. CO 2 level up to 900-1000 ppm.

If during the fruiting of the first wave the microclimate conditions were unstable, then a smooth transition to the second wave without a rest phase is possible. In such cases, the fruiting of the second wave will be less friendly and longer.

The second wave of fruiting.

Since the activity of the substrate on the second wave is weaker, it is easier to maintain the parameters more stable. If it was not possible to realize the potential of the harvest in the first wave, then the second wave can produce a harvest at the level of the first.

The duration of the fruiting cycle is regulated by the mushroom grower himself based on economic aspects.

" Mushrooms

The technology for growing and breeding oyster mushrooms at home with your own hands is quite simple, even an amateur can handle it. However, before you get down to business and grow mushrooms, you should familiarize yourself with existing ways and requirements for the environment in which fungi will develop normally. Where to start and how to make the process from scratch, we will tell you step by step, and even a beginner will easily breed and plant mushrooms.

You can organize a place for the cultivation of mushrooms in basements, cellars or specially designed rooms in a summer cottage. For the cultivation of oyster mushrooms, you need to create the following conditions:

• the ability to set and maintain the temperature regime within 10-20 degrees;
• equip the room ventilation system for the removal of carbon dioxide and lamps with fluorescent lamps;
• set humidity mode 70-90% .

Mushrooms, due to their properties, absorb elements environment, including toxins. Therefore, it is important that all surfaces in the basement are disinfected. free of mold and pests. Cleanliness must be maintained until the very end of the harvest.

The temperature regime in which oyster mushroom grows well is limited to marks from 20 to 28 degrees.

Ways to grow mushrooms at home

There are several ways to grow oyster mushrooms at home. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, so it is recommended to read with all the subtleties of technology to choose the most suitable option for you.

How to breed in bags with your own hands

The substrate can be purchased ready-made or prepared with your own hands. The best raw material for oyster mushrooms is considered barley or wheat straw. Will also fit:

• shavings hardwood tree;
• buckwheat husk;
• sunflower husk;
• corn cobs and stalks.

Components to be used grind to 5-10 cm.

Those who are just starting to master the technology of growing mushrooms at home are advised to refrain from using sawdust. This method is complex and has special requirements.

Before using the substrate, disinfection material. To do this, it is subjected to heat treatment.

Step-by-step procedure for disinfecting the substrate:

• the selected crushed raw materials are poured into a metal tank or a capacious pan;
• fill the container with water (proportions 1: 2);
• bring the contents of the pan to a boil and cook for about 2-2.5 hours.

The finished base should be wet and soft, but you should not overdo it with water. The correct composition during the spin cycle releases a minimum amount of moisture.

In addition to the substrate, seed (mycelium) is placed in the bag. It is not worth buying much at once, it quickly deteriorates. If proper care is taken, then from 1 kg of raw materials you can get up to 3 kg of oyster mushrooms.

The base is laid in bags in layers, alternating a ball of substrate with seed. The bags are filled tightly, but without tamping. After a strong tie of the edges of the container, cruciform holes are cut with a blade on the surface of the polyethylene. You need to arrange them with an interval of 10 cm in a checkerboard pattern.

For 2 weeks, the bag is lowered into the basement for an incubation period at a temperature 19-23 degrees. Lighting on this stage not required.

The main advantage of the method lies in the simplicity of the technology. However, poor fruiting or its complete absence is often observed. In such cases, you need to sort out the substrate, and check for the presence of mold in it.

Mushroom picking begins 1.5 months after planting. Two crops are taken from one bag.

Step-by-step breeding technology on stumps

There are two main ways to grow oyster mushrooms: intensive and extensive. In the first case, special premises with favorable conditions. The second method introduces mushroom cultivation technology open air. The timing of the harvest is completely dependent on weather conditions.

If there is no fall or cellar in the country, you should not be upset. You can grow oyster mushrooms directly on stumps or cuttings of hardwood (chestnut, ash, poplar, beech, etc.).

Sowing time starts spring when establishing positive temperatures. Cuttings are soaked for 1-2 days before use. With a fresh tree, this procedure is not performed.

On the stumps, holes are first made with a diameter 10 mm with recess for 5-6 cm. Seed material is placed in the holes and covered with moss or adhesive tape. Stick-shaped mycelium is enough to insert into the hole and close it with plasticine.

A place for growing mushrooms is selected in the shadow under dense canopy of trees. This is necessary to prevent the oyster mushrooms from drying out in the warm season.

When using logs, digging holes and laying wet sawdust on the bottom is provided. Next, soaked tree trimmings are inserted into the prepared recesses and buried with soil a third of the length (at least 15 cm). The interval between the stumps should be 35-50 cm.

Further care for mushroom beds is to water the soil around the blanks. The timing of the collection of oyster mushrooms often falls on Aug. Sept. Such a plantation will bring good growth up to 5 years with the most generous fruiting 2-3 years after planting.

On substrate briquettes

Substrate briquettes are polyethylene sleeve, tightly stuffed with filler. pre-applied on the surface of the film perforation round or other shape. Holes can be spaced evenly throughout the block or cover only two sides.

In the first case, when fixing the briquettes, they should not be allowed to touch, in contrast to double-sided perforation, where the joint has no holes.

The most popular containers are:

• weight - 15 kg;
• length - 70 cm;
• diameter - 25 cm.

The density of the substrate in the sleeve, the level of humidity and the environment depends on the raw materials used and the method of its heat treatment.

There are many options for placing substrate briquettes. They can be hung 2-3 pieces per rope or hang each individually on the armature. The weight of the bags is quite heavy, which ensures stability when storing blocks. Each other. The result is a solid wall.

It is also allowed to place briquettes on the shelves in vertical or horizontal position. A rope stretched from the back of the shelves acts as insurance against falling or falling of the substrate. When growing mushrooms at home, the decision to place the bags is made based on the characteristics of the room.

Advantages of the method:

• convenient application;
• simple care;
• getting a quick harvest (after 1.5-2 months).

The disadvantage is the additional costs for the purchase of substrate briquettes.

On the shelves

Briquettes or bags of substrate and seed in the basement or cellar can be placed on racks if space permits. The shelves themselves should be wooden or rolled steel. Blocks are placed vertically or horizontally.

Racks are manufactured in various designs. Craftsmen independently develop drawings, providing safety elements that prevent the bags from falling. One of the options is equipped with special pins on the shelves, on top of which blocks are placed. This increases their stability.

Mushroom sleeves can be installed in several tiers, but no more than three. In this case, the distance between the racks should be 70 cm, and between the mushroom bags - 15-40 cm.

When installing mushroom containers in 2 or 3 tiers, it is necessary to leave free space under the lower blocks of at least 30 cm to ensure normal air circulation.

This method of growing oyster mushrooms is characterized by convenient care and harvesting. However, not all summer cottages and cellars have enough space for shelving installations.

How to make mycelium for oyster mushrooms

It is not difficult to buy ready-made mycelium, but you can evaluate the quality of the purchase only after a few weeks. If a low-quality product is identified, it will no longer be possible to compensate for the costs of raw materials and energy resources, so many mushroom growers master the technology for the production of mycelium on their own.

Mycelium is planting material, which is introduced into the substrate to obtain a crop of mushrooms.

At home, mycelium is grown mainly on wood or grain. The method with wood is appropriate to use for the subsequent replanting of mycelium on stumps. Such seed has a long shelf life and disease resistance. The grain type is obtained by applying a mother culture to a substrate of cereal grains.

mushroom picker High Quality receive in laboratory conditions. At home, this process can be repeated by preparing special equipment in advance:

• agar;
• thermometer;
• tweezers;
• test tubes;
• pipettes.

Also, the work will require water, electricity, gas.

Devices and the surface on which it is planned to perform work must first be treated with an alcohol solution for disinfection.

The test tubes are tightly closed and stored in a room with an average level of humidity and a temperature of about 20 degrees. After 2 weeks, a white edge will appear in properly prepared test tubes. This is the uterine mycelium.

Mushroom care during growth

After replanting the mycelium into the polyethylene holes, the bags are sent to incubation which takes up to 3 weeks. The temperature regime should not reach 30 degrees, otherwise the planting material will undergo thermal shock.

At this stage no ventilation. The accumulation of carbon dioxide creates favorable conditions for the development of mycelium. Only daily cleaning of surfaces with the use of chlorine-containing products will be required. This will help prevent mold growth.

Next, the bags are placed in a specially equipped room with a temperature 10-20 degrees. The cooler the air, the less saturated the color of the hat. Lighting should be 12 hours with an intensity of 5 kW per 1 m2. Mushrooms are watered with a special sprinkler 1-2 times daily.

In the room where mushrooms are cultivated, there is a high level of spores in the air, so work should be done in a mask and glasses. This will help prevent an allergy attack.

Profitability of growing at home

You can grow mushrooms in several briquettes, satisfying the needs of your family. But this type of activity, with a reasonable approach, sometimes becomes a means of additional income. Moreover, caring for mushroom beds is not considered difficult.

If you create optimal conditions for keeping mushroom briquettes (bags) and adhere to the established temperature regime, then you can actually remove 3-3.5 kg of mushrooms from one block. Respectively 350 kg of oyster mushrooms are obtained from 100 bags.

Considering market value(about 130 rubles per kg), the income will be 45,500 rubles. Approximately half of the funds are spent on related costs associated with the creation of conditions for the cultivation of mushrooms. Net profit will amount to 20,485 rubles. Profitability in this case is equal to 75% , payback - 5.2 cycles, which in terms of months means 13-15 months.

If the dimensions of the room allow you to place 200 bags, then the profitability increases to 82%, and the net income will be in the range of 40,000-41,000 rubles. Investments will pay off in just 3.4 cycles or 9 months.

The process of growing oyster mushrooms at home is quite fascinating and informative. By accumulating experience, you can gradually increase the volume, which will allow you to turn a hobby into a small business.

Growing mushrooms at home due to various factors is gaining unprecedented popularity. The leader among mushrooms grown at home is oyster mushrooms. This is not surprising, since it is the simplicity of technology, productivity and picky oyster mushrooms that makes them accessible to everyone. Following the recommendations and instructions, everyone can easily, using only improvised means and materials, harvest up to 3 kg of crop from each kilogram of the original mycelium. The symbiosis of the right room, the quality of the mycelium and the substrate is the key to the successful cultivation of oyster mushrooms at home.

Where to grow oyster mushrooms, the choice of premises

Growing oyster mushrooms at home, of course, should begin with a banal, but very important issue– choosing the location of the mushrooms. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that in their natural habitat, almost all mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms in particular, grow most actively in places with good air exchange. Moreover, the humidity of places of growth, as a rule, exceeds the boundary of 50%.

Thus, the cultivation of mushrooms at home should be organized in rooms that are able to recreate natural environment. Such a room can be a greenhouse, a barn or a basement - this type of placement is the most popular, but in real conditions the choice will be individual and will depend only on the compliance of the room with the following requirements:

• The humidity level of the room should be in the range from 70 to 90%;
• During the first three weeks, the bags of mycelium should be hidden from sunlight;
• After the appearance of the first fruit buds, bags with oyster mushrooms should receive artificial or daylight for at least 8 hours daily;
• The air temperature in the room should not be lower than 20 degrees, but not higher than 30;
• Throughout the entire period, the technology for growing oyster mushrooms at home implies the presence of good ventilation.

Important! The chosen premises are the basis and guarantee of productivity. Solution Approach this issue should be extremely serious, since non-compliance with any of the presented requirements can not only reduce the growth rate of the mushroom crop, but even eliminate it altogether.

How to grow oyster mushrooms, preparation and processing of the substrate

Before you start growing mushrooms, you should understand how to grow oyster mushrooms and what it depends on. final result. One of the fundamental points is the preparation and processing of the substrate, which is essentially a nutrient soil for growing oyster mushrooms. As with the other steps, any mistake in the preparation steps can affect the yield, so it is recommended to follow simple rules and advice.

Mycelium is sold by many specialized stores and even individual companies that are directly involved in the cultivation of oyster mushrooms. It is the purchase from such manufacturers that is most desirable for a novice mushroom picker. In accordance with the requirements and technological features on a massive scale, mycelium, as a rule, is not used for more than a year, but during this period it has not been fully developed, that is, it gives a significant harvest. Such a mycelium has already been developed and is bearing fruit, and its cost is significantly lower than a new mycelium.

The volume of purchased mycelium should be determined depending on the desired yield - with good care at home, it is possible to get up to 3 kg of oyster mushrooms from each kilogram of mycelium. Keep in mind that oyster mushroom growing bags can produce up to three crops in a short period. It is rather difficult to base the choice of mycelium when purchasing on any indicators due to the lack of many obvious evaluation factors, which is why it is important not only to pay attention to the size of the mycelium, its vastness, but also to make a choice in favor of a trusted supplier-seller.

How to make your own substrate

Modern market replete with a variety of substrates for growing certain plants, mushrooms. However, some mushroom pickers invariably opt for a substrate made with their own hands. Such a framework certainly takes better account of individual characteristics climate, care and conditions of detention, but it should be understood that the effectiveness of its use depends on the correct component composition, which, in turn, requires skills and knowledge.

Like vegetable soil, substrates for growing oyster mushrooms must contain a quality base and mineral composition. It is imperative that the base chosen - sawdust, husks, straw, etc. - be clean and pre-treated. It is highly recommended to avoid the use of chemically treated bases - it is worth remembering that oyster mushrooms are grown for consumption, so environmental friendliness and safety should come first.

Self-creation substrate is a fairly simple process, consisting of only three stages:

1. Disinfection of the selected base by thermal and/or chemical treatment;
2. Grinding the substrate to fractions no larger than 4-5 cm and repeated heat treatment for two hours;
3. Spin.

Did you know?In addition to being eaten, oyster mushrooms have been used in traditional and folk medicine. Yes, in folk recipes Eastern countries oyster mushroom is almost an integral part and is positioned as a panacea for many diseases.

Substrate preparation

Substrate preparation for growing oyster mushrooms begins with a banal, but extremely important choice of raw material base. The best germination and yield results are achieved in a substrate of wheat or barley straw, sunflower husks, crushed corn cobs and corn stalks, and buckwheat husks.

Important! In practice, there is often a substrate based on sawdust or shavings of various types of wood, however, growing oyster mushrooms at home on a similar basisfor newbies– rather complex process, requiring, moreover, a more painstaking approach.

Already at the first stages of substrate preparation, it is highly recommended to fully check the selected raw materials for cleanliness and the absence of mold. The next stage is the grinding of the raw material base into small fractions with a total size of no more than 5 cm.

To completely exclude contamination of the substrate with all kinds of harmful organisms, which is certainly unacceptable in the context of further consumption of grown oyster mushrooms for food, it is strongly recommended to subject it to heat treatment. Moreover, this procedure will also increase the moisture content of the raw material to the required level.

The processing process consists of several steps:

1. Placement of cleaned and crushed raw materials in large volumes of metal utensils;
2. Filling the substrate with a large amount of water (in a ratio of at least 1: 2);
3. Boiling the substrate for 2-2.5 hours until the feedstock is completely softened;
4. Draining the remaining water and cooling the substrate to a temperature of 30 ° C and its complete extraction.

Important! Waterlogging the original base, despite the dependence of oyster mushrooms on moisture, will certainly make the resulting substrate unsuitable for growing mushrooms at home. So, when compressing raw materials in the hand, only a small amount of drops is acceptable.

The process of forming mushroom blocks

Mushroom blocks are a kind of beds in which oyster mushrooms are grown. As a rule, a plastic bag is chosen as the "capacity" for the block. It should be noted that the bag without fail should be disinfected or heat treated. An effective treatment method is washing with a bleach solution. The optimal volume of the bag should be at least 5 kg.

After the disinfection of the substrate used and the container for it, the formation of mushroom blocks begins - layer-by-layer filling of the bag with the substrate and mycelium. Based on the recommendations of experienced mushroom pickers, there should be about 0.5 cm of mycelium for each 5-6 cm layer of substrate. It should be noted that the first and last layer in the bag must necessarily be a substrate.

At the end of filling the mushroom block, the bag is tightly tied at the neck. The final stage - perforation of blocks - consists in cutting small holes at a distance of 10 cm from each other. And it is best to do them in a checkerboard pattern.

How to properly care for oyster mushrooms

As a rule, it is not difficult to grow oyster mushroom mycelium at home - it is enough to create the proper climatic conditions and properly care for the mycelium during the ripening period, following the recommendations.

Maintaining climatic conditions, the incubation period of oyster mushroom ripening

Starting from the first days of growing mushrooms, you need to decide at what temperature mushrooms grow in the created conditions - the temperature should be constant (within 20 - 30 ° C) and not change by more than 1-2 degrees. Exceeding the upper temperature limit will certainly cause heat shock in the oyster mushroom mycelium and kill future mushroom shoots. Lowering the temperature is also detrimental.

Along with temperature regime, growing mushrooms at home should be accompanied by a constant level of humidity. Fortunately, even novice mushroom pickers without experience in growing oyster mushrooms are available automatic systems maintaining moisture through irrigation. The incubation period of maturation under optimal conditions, as a rule, takes about 20-25 days.

Did you know? The color of the oyster mushroom cap depends on the growing conditions created. So, the selected and constantly maintained temperature is about 20°C will allow you to get a light hat, and 28-30°C - dark. However, this does not affect the taste in any way.

How to care for mushrooms during the growth period

Caring for mushrooms, despite the seeming complexity, is quite simple and does not require special skills and means. The main requirement is to maintain the conditions of detention. During the incubation period, the room should not be ventilated, since the emitted carbon dioxide autonomously creates the most favorable conditions and slightly increases the level of moisture.