Last years Mushroom pickers often begin industrial cultivation of mushrooms. This type of crop is in high demand due to its weight the most useful properties for the human body, and the process of growing it does not take much time. However, in order to expand production and gain financial independence thanks to the harvest, you need to know several rules for caring for mushrooms that the gardener must adhere to.

Distinctive features of growing mushrooms at home
Before starting to directly grow seedlings, a beginner in the field of gardening must first of all decide on the type of future harvest.

Experts recommend starting cultivation with simple and not too demanding varieties, such as champignons, honey mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. The advantage of growing just such varieties at home is not only the undemanding conditions, but also the low cost of mycelium and special garden equipment.

In addition, the gardener must consider where to place the seedlings and how to limit this area. The restriction is necessary because fungal spores are easily spread by wind and other mechanical irritants, and this leads to infection of the entire garden area.

Let us list the features of growing mushrooms in various ways.

Caring for the harvest at home

Growing porcini mushrooms at home is not easy, since they mainly grow under trees

Gardening is an activity that requires constant attention and care. Thus, porcini mushrooms require normal development conditions; boletus mushrooms germinate well under birch or oak, since during the growth process they are intertwined with the rhizome of the tree. Thus, it is very important to find the most suitable place for the crop to develop.

To start planting mushrooms, just find an edible mushroom in the forest, break its cap, and then place it in cold water for 24 hours. If you want to grow boletus, carefully remove the layer of turf without damaging the wood, and then drain the water containing the high spore content.

Optimal time for cultivation:

• In the South, planting should occur at the end of the last month of spring and before the beginning of summer.
• For the middle zone, planting should last from the last month of summer to the beginning of autumn.

If the crops are regularly watered, mushrooms will begin to form within a year. The process of growing porcini mushrooms can be accelerated, but they need a pit filled with substrate, the depth of which reaches twenty to thirty centimeters. It can be filled with tree bark or fallen leaves, and then the pit should be covered with a layer of humus, on top of which the mycelium crumbles. The topmost layer should consist of garden soil.

Care for porcini mushrooms

Porcini mushrooms are a godsend for every gardener because they are very nutritious, but they are not easy to care for. Boxes with seeds should be planted in garden racks located in semi-darkness or under diffused rays of light. Light can fall on the boxes for three to four hours a day. To create optimal humidity conditions, it is enough to place containers with water near the shelves. Don't forget to constantly ventilate the room.

Secrets of growing mushrooms at home

Each gardener has his own tricks that help him in caring for seedlings. Such tricks come to a person with experience, just like in any other craft. We've put together some tips from gardening experts for beginners.

Svinushki are mushrooms that some time ago were considered conditionally edible. However, pigs contain the strongest poison - muscarine, which poses a serious danger to human health and even life. Therefore, pigs should never be placed on their own property!

The development of mycelium depends on the temperature conditions in the room. Thus, the lower the temperature, the slower the mycelium develops. The same applies to honey mushrooms developing in banks or stumps.

The ideal substrate for growing champignons should consist of manure, dry wheat or rye and mineral compounds (chalk, urea, saltpeter).

How to prepare the ideal nutrient medium for growing mushrooms? To do this, prepare a heat-resistant bowl, fill it with sawdust, and pour water on top. Place the bowl in the microwave and turn on maximum temperature ovens. The bowl should remain in the microwave until the liquid evaporates: this usually takes no more than two minutes.

Overgrown mushroom caps produce a lot of spores. Inhaling them can trigger asthma, and overripe mushrooms are not at all suitable for eating.

Coffee grounds can provide the mycelium with a lot of useful microelements, such as potassium, magnesium, nitrogen and manganese. The grounds do not require special treatment, but are suitable for sowing only fresh (coffee must be brewed within 24 hours). Place the mycelium on top of the grounds and gently beat it into the cake, after pre-treating your hands with antibacterial soap. Seal the coffee container and place it under the sink at temperatures up to twenty-five degrees Celsius.

Choosing a variety of mushrooms for planting

Champignons are the most popular mushrooms among gardeners.

Most often, beginners give preference to oyster mushrooms and champignons for cultivation, since they are in demand and are not picky in their care. Ring mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms are also often found in mushroom pickers’ gardens, but such exotic species require a certain amount of knowledge in care. Farmers who want to grow mushrooms for sale prefer porcini mushrooms and chanterelles.

Choosing an area for growing mushrooms

Large gardeners prefer to cultivate mushrooms in specialized chambers in which the necessary humidity and temperature parameters are maintained.

If you do not have enough funds, grow mushrooms in abandoned agricultural buildings. Mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms can be grown in specialized bags, but they require increased control, since rotten and moldy bags are no longer suitable as containers for seedlings.

The temperature in such rooms should range from twelve to twenty-five degrees, and humidity should reach 85%. Such humidity can be provided by a basement or cellar, but for heating it is necessary to install specialized communications. Equip the room with a drain so that excess water does not accumulate in it. Irrigate crops to add more humidity to the air; you can also purchase a specialized air humidification system.

An easy way to grow crops

The most in a simple way Growing mushrooms is cultivating seedlings in jars. Most often, honey mushrooms are grown this way, but if desired, other crops can be grown.

Place the prepared substrate in a glass jar and boil the contents of the jar for 2 hours. Leave the jars to cool, fill the cooled substrate with mycelium and cover the neck with a piece of gauze.

Place the jar in a room temperature room for three weeks. After the mycelium has germinated, place the container on the windowsill and slightly darken it. In such conditions, honey mushrooms will very soon germinate and begin to rise above the neck of the jar. To avoid breaking the seedlings, wrap the neck of the jar with cardboard. Then cut off the finished crop and wait two weeks for a new one to emerge.

Growing seedlings in a garden plot

Growing such seedlings in a garden plot and its characteristics are based on the specifics of the variety being grown. So, honey mushrooms are best suited for the garden. Growing them is very simple: place a few stumps in the garden and make holes in them for the mycelium. All you need to do next is monitor the harvest and condition of the wood.

Champignons and shiitakes must be grown in a dark, damp room, and the temperature in the room must be regulated, since during different periods of mushroom ripening the temperature conditions of the room are also different.

The conditions in which seedlings should be grown are based on their variety:

• Oyster mushrooms in the garden should be grown in a dark place. You can also grow oyster mushrooms in the basement using massive plastic bags filled with substrate with mycelium.
• Champignons are grown in the garden from the last month of spring to the first month of autumn. Most often they are grown in metal racks.
• Honey mushrooms are grown in a limited area of ​​the garden using stumps or logs, distant from other garden trees. A year after adding spores to the stump, it will be possible to harvest, and honey mushrooms will delight the gardener for up to six years.

Rules for growing mushrooms

Every beginner in the field of gardening can cope with growing mushroom seedlings, but to do this you need to know a few basic rules:

• Purchase ready-made mycelium to be sure that it is not contaminated with harmful microorganisms and insects.
• The room in which cultivation will take place must be equipped with a temperature editing sensor and ventilation.
• Before planting the mycelium, steam it to disinfect it.
• Don’t forget to purchase special equipment for disinfection and preparation of the substrate, collection of grown fungi and disposal of unnecessary elements.

Growing in summer cottages

Stumps are the most suitable place for growing mushrooms in the garden.

In order to grow mushrooms at your dacha, you can use an existing mycelium and simply bring it to your dacha. This method is only suitable for gardeners who are well versed in mushroom varieties. By the way, you can take a small part of the mycelium: to do this, cut off the mycelium and transfer it to your own area, trying not to shake it too much. Next, place it in the chosen location and try to adhere to all the necessary conditions, which we will discuss later in the article.

The necessary conditions:

Of course, mushrooms can be grown in any summer cottage, but it is better to give preference to areas with close proximity to trees.

The mycelium should not be placed in the ground. Cover the soil with sawdust or straw.

The ideal growing condition would be to place the mycelium in a tree of a species that grew in the forest.

Growing technique

One way to cultivate mushrooms is to transfer spores, which are located in the mushroom caps. Crumble the caps and sprinkle them on the required areas of the ground. Moisten the soil regularly, and within a month the crop will be quite well formed.

It is important to take into account that the spores that you spread throughout your own area must belong exclusively to the edible variety of mushrooms. When growing honey mushrooms, you need to pay attention to the fact that mushrooms growing in stumps can infect other garden trees, and this will lead to the death of the trees.

Growing with plastic bags

Growing mushrooms in plastic bags. This method is most often used for growing shiitake and mushrooms. It is enough to simply fill massive polyethylene bags with the substrate. Next, the bag needs to be equipped with cuts in which the mycelium will be placed. Next, the bag must be taken into a special room, tied to the ceiling or special racks. After this, the gardener will only need to adhere to the necessary conditions for the development of seedlings.

Ready mushrooms can be cut directly with a knife from the holes prepared in the bags. Fruiting will last several weeks, so the harvesting process is carried out repeatedly.

Growing in the basement

Growing mushrooms in the basement has its own peculiarity, which consists in dividing the growing zones into two parts: one part is needed for the germination of the mycelium, and the second is allocated for fruiting. These parts must be limited from each other as they require different temperature conditions. First of all, you need to pour boiling water over the soil to eliminate harmful insects and bacteria, and do not pack the substrate into the container too tightly: for normal development, fresh air must flow to the mycelium.

A little about oyster mushrooms

The basement is also ideal for cultivating oyster mushrooms. At the same time, the humidity in the basement should be within 60%. The final temperature for growing the crop should reach thirty degrees Celsius.

This variety develops very quickly. The substrate should be illuminated for six to seven hours a day with one hundred W fluorescent lamps. The room with oyster mushrooms must be ventilated for at least two to three hours a day. After the first sprouts appear, fill the container with mushrooms with water. You can cut the crop when it reaches ten centimeters in length (most often this process takes three to five days).

To grow oyster mushrooms for sale, you will have to spend money on some equipment, such as:

• A special room with temperature conditions of about thirty degrees. Before growing crops, clear the soil of mold.
• To grow such a crop, you need to purchase mycelium, but you can grow it yourself. The second option requires a lot of time.
• It is necessary to fork out for raw materials to fill the bags (if the oyster mushrooms will grow in the bags).
• If there is insufficient control over the crop, the bags may become moldy, which means that they are not suitable for further cultivation.

Such mushrooms can provide impressive benefits for the human body, which makes them relevant for the modern consumer.

Basic rules for growing in the basement

Blocks with mushrooms should be placed on the sides in the basement. This will help to properly fill the basement, and the harvest will remain quite high.

During the development of mycelium at home, it is necessary to observe relatively high temperature rooms: from 22 to 25 degrees. After the first sprouts appear, reduce the temperature to 18 degrees.

Further rules of care should be based on the type of mushroom: champignons do not need as much moisture as cherries or shiitakes, and honey mushrooms should be grown in logs.

Mushrooms are suppliers of an impressive list of useful vitamins and microelements for the human body. This determines the relevance of such a crop for modern consumers who have a liking for natural products grown by a caring farmer. Pay attention to the recommendations given in our article and improve your gardening skills.

You can prepare a variety of mushrooms based delicious dishes In addition, they are very healthy and can diversify your diet. Many people do not have the opportunity to go into the forest to pick mushrooms, and those available for sale are not always of high quality. If conditions permit, then you can organize the process of growing this crop at home. How to grow mushrooms and what is required for this? At the initial stage, the following is needed: a suitable room, a growing substrate and mushroom mycelium.

Step-by-step process for growing mushrooms at home

Growing crops in large quantities is only possible for those who have suitable premises at their disposal. The main requirements: high air humidity (from 70%), the ability to regulate the temperature, lighting (100 W per 20 sq.m.) and natural air circulation; if necessary, you can install a fan. A small batch of mushrooms can be obtained even in city apartments.

Types of mushrooms suitable for growing at home

To grow mushrooms at home, the following types are suitable: champignons, oyster mushrooms, shiitakes. They are the most unpretentious and grow quickly. Selecting a substrate for them will not be difficult; they will all grow equally well in sawdust or straw, however, champignons prefer compost manure. Less commonly grown are species such as ringweed and winter honey fungus.

Buying mycelium

The mycelium is a substrate consisting of sawdust, which contains mycelium - the root structure of the fungus. Sometimes, an inexperienced mushroom grower buys spores instead of mycelium; they require more skills, so they are not suitable for a beginner. The mycelium should be purchased in specialized stores or ordered online on a site that inspires confidence.

Preparation of the nutrient medium

How to grow mushrooms largely depends on the choice of substrate. For a beginner, it is recommended to start with sawdust or straw. For example, for oyster mushrooms it is best to use straw from cereal crops: barley, rye, wheat, oats, sunflower husks. Wheat straw is considered the most productive. To grow shiitake, it is advisable to use hardwood sawdust. It is important to know that only dry material, without mold and foreign odors, is suitable as a substrate.

The next stage is sterilization of the substrate. Before sowing the mycelium, all microorganisms in the substrate must be destroyed. The easiest way is sterilization using a microwave. Pour the mixture into a heat-resistant container and add a little water, while the sawdust or straw should be completely wet. Place the bowl in the microwave, select the heating mode at the highest power and turn on the timer for 2 minutes. If everything was done correctly, the water will have time to boil away during this time. This procedure completely destroys living microorganisms and prepares a nutrient medium for the introduction of mycelium. After this, the mixture must be cooled to room temperature and dried.

Sowing mushroom mycelium

Next, to grow mushrooms at home you will need a baking tray, tray or shallow box, as well as bottom heating. The substrate must be heated to 22 °C; if the temperature in the room is appropriate, then this is not necessary. Then, the mixture must be placed in a container; it is important that it is wide but shallow. The purchased mycelium must be carefully poured into the substrate and moved with the nutrient medium. The approximate ratio of mycelium and growing mixture is 1:9.

For successful germination of the root structure of the fungus, certain conditions must be created. If the room where the container will be located is quite cool, then it would be wise to use bottom heating, setting the temperature at +20 °C to +24 °C (depending on the type of mushroom). The box with the culture should be placed in a shaded place, in an apartment it can be a closet, a cabinet, in a country house - a heated room without windows (closet). In such conditions, the mushroom mycelium should remain for 20–22 days.

Growing mushrooms

After the mycelium has spread into the nutrient substrate, how to grow mushrooms further? The container with the culture should be moved to a cool but dark place, away from bright light. A cellar or box for storing vegetables on a heated loggia is suitable. The air temperature should be from +10 °C to +15 °C. The substrate should be sprinkled with a layer of garden soil and slightly moistened with a watering can. Mushrooms will require a moist environment to grow successfully. To prevent rapid evaporation of moisture, the container can be covered with a damp cloth. Every day you need to monitor the humidity level and, if necessary, spray the substrate.

Depending on the type of mushroom, you can install the backlight. For example, champignons bear fruit well in the dark, but oyster mushrooms and shiitakes need light. The room should be free of dampness and mold, so when growing crops in large volumes, it is better to install a fan. To successfully grow mushrooms at home, you will have to control the level of air humidity. For example, champignons are less demanding; it is enough for them to organize a microclimate with a relative humidity level of 65–75%. Oyster mushrooms will require 80-85%, shiitake - 80-95%.

Harvesting

In 20–30 days the first mushrooms will appear, you need to wait until they grow a little. You can harvest the first harvest of oyster mushrooms in about 30–40 days; champignons will take a little longer to grow - 35–45 days. In order not to damage the mycelium, it is not recommended to pick mushrooms with your hands; it is better to cut them with a sharp knife. If it is not possible to use mushrooms for food immediately, then they can be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for about a week. On the old substrate, the crop will be able to bear fruit for 3 months.

Even the lazy can grow mushrooms

For some, the traditional process of cultivating mushrooms may seem too complicated. How to grow mushrooms in an easier way? A beginner can start with a fully equipped set. Most often, the kit is a plastic bag containing a prepared nutrient medium (substrate) and mushroom mycelium. From such sets, mushrooms grow faster and there is no need to regulate the air temperature in the room. The only drawback is the high price, so this set can be used as entertainment or as a start for a novice mushroom grower.

The package must be carefully opened and placed on the windowsill; there is no need to pour the substrate. It is important that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. The mycelium will develop well at room temperature, but the mixture must be constantly moistened. Some sets contain special “caps” that cover the bag and create a humid microclimate. After 8–10 days you can see that the mushrooms have begun to grow. As soon as they reach the desired size, they are cut off.

As you can see, even a beginner can grow mushrooms at home. This process can become so exciting that in addition to growing for their own food consumption, many will be able to organize a small family business, supplying relatives, neighbors and acquaintances with mushrooms.

Video on how to grow mushrooms at home

Growing mushrooms in the country, especially forest mushrooms, may seem very exotic and therefore difficult. In fact, this is not so - you just need to follow the basic rules, and delicious delicacies collected from your own garden will soon be on your table. Let's find out how to grow mushrooms in the garden.

Selecting a location

To plant mushrooms on your site, you need to choose a place that closely resembles a forest: those trees (deciduous or coniferous) that your chosen species prefers to be near should grow there. Often, the most favorable neighborhood is indicated by the name of the species itself: boletus, boletus, etc. If you plan to grow milk mushrooms, choose a place near a poplar, willow or birch.

For porcini mushroom suitable neighbors would be oak, beech, hornbeam, and coniferous trees. There should not be any agricultural crops nearby - such proximity will have a bad effect on the mushrooms being grown. If forest trees not on the site, you can use a place on the shady side of a wooden building. With long-cultivated species, for example, oyster mushrooms and champignons, there is less of such hassle. The main thing is that the place is shaded and moist.

Growing method

Let's look at several ways to grow wild mushrooms in the country.

Disputes

To grow mushrooms using spores, you don’t need to buy anything special; planting material can be prepared at home. You need to find in the forest representatives of the desired species with overripe caps, even wormy ones: spores, that is, mushroom seeds, develop in them. You will need a container of water, preferably river or rain. To start the fermentation process, you need to dilute a few tablespoons of sugar or kvass starter in water. After kneading the caps with your hands, add them to the water. You should get a homogeneous mass.

It should be infused for about a day, stirring regularly. It can be longer (some sources indicate up to several weeks). Caps for fermentation should be used no later than 10 hours after collection. You cannot store them for a long time, much less freeze them - the spores will die and will no longer be able to reproduce.

Before planting, the starter should be filtered and the resulting liquid should be poured into clean water (1:10). Water the selected area of ​​land with the diluted spore concentrate. If you plant mushrooms in this way, it is recommended to additionally mulch the area with fallen leaves: once after the mushrooms have been planted, then before the onset of cold weather, so that the layer is thicker.

Mushroom picker

Growing wild mushrooms in the garden is possible by transplanting mycelium. Butterflies take root especially well. With this method of growing mushrooms in a summer cottage, the presence of forest trees is especially important, and the same ones under which the mycelium grew in the forest. The garden space needs to be prepared in advance.

To breed butterflies using this method, you need to select soil with a high lime content and proximity to pine trees. True, you will have to wait 3-4 years after transplanting for the first oiler, but the harvest can be harvested from mid-May every three weeks. Boletus grown in the country can be very large, with caps up to 10 cm.

Mycelium

You can plant mushrooms on the site using mycelium. This is the most traditional method, usually used by those who deal with cultivated oyster mushrooms and champignons, including on a commercial scale. Mycelium of mushrooms, including forest mushrooms, is commercially available. You can choose porcini mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, milk mushrooms, chanterelles, all kinds of oyster mushrooms, including pink ones, and many others.

Mycelium is of compost type (sold already with soil) and grain. In the vast majority of cases, the second type is used (a bag of seeds is still much more transportable than a bag of soil), so we will consider it. The required area required for growing milk mushrooms or other mushrooms is usually indicated on the packaging, as well as special conditions growing. The first mushrooms will appear the next year after planting, and full fruiting will begin after 2 years.

Depending on the type of mushroom and maintenance conditions, the harvest from one mycelium can be harvested from 2 to 5 years.

Landing

The best period for sowing mushrooms is from May to September. To use one of these methods to propagate mushrooms in a garden bed, select a place approximately 50 cm from the tree and remove the top layer from the soil. Cover the area with a mixture of fallen leaves, sawdust and dust. Then combine the same mixture with soil and pour it over the first layer. The thickness of each layer should be about 10 cm. Then, depending on the method, apply a mixture of mycelium with a growth accelerator on top and carefully compact it or place the mycelium brought from the forest. Cover the area with soil, water it well and cover it with fallen leaves (from the current year or last year, depending on the season).

If you wish, you can sow spores or mycelium in a ready-made substrate, which is sold in some garden centers. Some varieties (oyster mushrooms, for example) need to be grown vertically, so they will require boxes with holes in the sides or hanging bags. It is advisable to sow in cool weather.

Care

Growing mushrooms require minimal care - you just need to make sure that the area does not dry out. Vertically growing varieties must also be sprayed. In the spring, for some species, it is advisable to add a growth activator to the soil (if you are using industrial mycelium, this may be indicated on the package). Mushrooms do not need any other kind of feeding. Moreover, you should not loosen the soil, which can damage the mycelium.

Harvesting

So, we looked at how to grow mushrooms in your own country house. In conclusion, let’s learn a few important rules that will come in handy when it’s time to pick mushrooms. Mushrooms should not be picked - this can damage the mycelium to such an extent that it will stop bearing fruit. You need to carefully cut them off with a sharp knife near the very base of the leg.

Even if the recipe only requires the cap, cut everything off at the root: the remaining stem will rot and this process will quickly cover the entire mycelium. It is not recommended to use overripe mushrooms - they accumulate harmful substances and this can happen even if your dacha is located far from enterprises or a highway. It is advisable to cook or preserve the harvested crop as soon as possible.

Video “Growing mushrooms in the country”

In this video you will hear useful tips on growing mushrooms in the country.

Mushrooms have firmly entered the life of modern man. Tasty, nutritious and valuable medicinal properties– they are present in the menus of fine dining restaurants, the culinary delights of the average housewife, and dietary nutrition for certain diseases.
Unfavorable ecology does not allow you to fully enjoy mushrooms grown in natural conditions. The fear of poisoning has long since transformed the traditional gathering in the forest into a pleasant memory. Fortunately, there is worthy alternative– growing mushrooms at home. Growing mushrooms in small quantities is possible in an ordinary apartment or on a balcony. But conditions with high (90-95%) humidity and periodic temperature drops to 10-15C can hardly be called comfortable for humans.
But owners of a private house with a basement, barn or garage can easily grow mushrooms not only for their table, but also for sale.
To start, you will need three components - a suitable room, mushroom mycelium and substrate (or soil).

Before you start growing mushrooms, you can familiarize yourself with the mushroom business on our website.
The room can be above ground or underground. The main thing is that it is possible to create optimal humidity, ventilation, lighting and temperature conditions. All these conditions are feasible and require a minimum of investment. To create a humidity of 90-95%, a household spray bottle is suitable. And with the help of a fan it is easy to produce artificial ventilation. For above-ground rooms, lighting from windows is sufficient; for underground rooms, 100-watt light bulbs are used at the rate of 1 per 20 sq.m. Although champignons do not need light; they bear fruit well without it.

How to grow mushrooms at home all year round.

Room temperature should vary depending on the stage of cultivation. For the incubation period it is 20-24C, and during fruiting – 10-15C. Therefore, in cold weather, controlled heating, for example, a stove or floor water heating, is desirable.
The straw of cereal crops (wheat, barley, rye) or sunflower husk is used as a substrate for oyster mushrooms. When choosing it, it is important to consider:
— The main quality criterion are cleanliness, dryness, absence of mold, foreign odors and impurities.
— According to the degree of productivity Wheat straw is in first place, followed by rye and barley straw, and oat straw in last place.
—Fresh husks are used, since it becomes infected during storage.

-For growing champignons It is better to use horse manure as soil. But cow milk may also be suitable if you add straw, leaves, and potato tops to it.
Mushroom mycelium is nothing more than a mycelium, which is planted in the substrate, due to which mushrooms are formed.
Experienced entrepreneurs and mushroom growers advise starting to grow mushrooms with oyster mushrooms.

They are considered the most unpretentious, early ripening and least expensive to grow artificially.
The first harvest can be harvested within thirty days (45 in winter). Oyster mushrooms grow well at moderate humidity (80-85%) and wide temperature ranges (from +10 to + 30C). They grow wildly not only on straw and husks, but also on sawdust from various trees, corn stalks and dry sugar cane fibers. The process of growing oyster mushrooms requires special mushroom blocks. In fact, this is - plastic bag, into which the substrate, mushroom mycelium and bio-additives are poured. 2.5-3 kg is removed from one such block at a time. mushrooms Serving 100 blocks on an area of ​​30 sq. m. can easily be handled by one person.
Mushrooms bear fruit for quite a long time, up to 5 years.
As for champignons, they are able to grow in the absence of light, in a cool (12-18C) and humid room (65-85%), by laying mycelium in the soil.
The first harvest can be harvested after 45-50 days, and subsequent ones - within 3 months.
Growing mushrooms at home is an affordable and economical activity that can bring pleasure and a stable income.

Oyster mushrooms on tree stumps video.

Grow edible mushrooms You can do it in an apartment - it’s much more practical than going into the forest to look for them. At home they grow constantly, regardless of the weather, and are of the same type and universal use. Today, growing mushrooms at home on a windowsill or balcony is not as difficult as it seems.

Basic methods of growing mushrooms in an apartment

They have learned to successfully grow mushrooms not only in summer cottages, in basements, but also in apartments. You can grow mushrooms at home even in winter:

• on the windowsill;
• on the balcony (loggia).

Balconies on the lower floors, located in the shade of trees or on the north and west sides of the house, are well suited. Mushrooms grow in boxes, buckets, plastic bags (bags), on logs (these are short logs), in ready-made sets. It is more difficult to get a harvest on the windowsill, but some craftsmen grow mushrooms on windows instead of flowers.

On the windowsill

Up to 25 species grow under artificial conditions, including exotic truffles, but in an apartment it is easy to grow only two types of mushrooms - oyster mushrooms and honey mushrooms.

If you start growing champignons, or porcini mushrooms, then it will no longer be an apartment, but a utility room, adapted exclusively for the production of mushrooms, and not for living.

The windows should face the street, preferably on the western or northern side, since direct sunlight is not needed for growing, and the window sill should not heat up in the sun. Windows on a glazed balcony or loggia are not suitable - they are difficult to ventilate and reduce the temperature.
The main ways to grow mushrooms on a windowsill:

• growing in glass jars;
• in pots: everything is the same, but you can grow honey mushrooms and oyster mushrooms;
• in mycelium boxes.

The easiest, but not the cheapest way is to purchase a kit for self-growing in the form of a mycelium box. Sets available: honey mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, champignons, porcini mushrooms, chanterelles.

The box contains a substrate with already grown mushroom mycelium. Buy kits online. The purchased box is opened, placed in a dark place or on the windowsill in an ordinary cardboard box for something, which is protected from light.

Care comes down to regular spraying. The manufacturer promises the appearance of the first mushrooms within 2-3 weeks after opening the box.

On the insulated balcony

On the insulated balcony, the assortment is wider - oyster mushrooms, honey mushrooms, shiitakes, champignons, chanterelles and white mushrooms in kits for self-growing.
Shiitake and oyster mushrooms are not varieties of honey mushrooms, but they grow in the same way: in jars, in pots, in plastic bags (bags), on wooden logs.

Champignons are grown on the balcony in boxes. Advantages of a balcony - containers are placed in several tiers, on racks, there is no smell from the champignon substrate, it is easier to maintain the temperature regime.

Growing mushrooms using mushroom kits on the balcony is more convenient than on the windowsill. And it’s more pleasant to see flowers on the window than to look at bags of mushrooms. It is advisable that the balcony be located on the north or west side of the house - mushrooms do not like a lot of sun.

Features of growing mushrooms on the windowsill

The method of growing honey mushrooms in glass jars on a windowsill or on a balcony is the same.

Preparation of the substrate (soil for mushroom growth)

1. Any plant residues and their mixtures are used as soil: sawdust, straw, wood chips, bran. There should be no rot or mold on the components of the mixture. The most common substrate is a mixture of sawdust from deciduous trees and straw. It’s good if you can add bran, cake from used ground coffee, grain feed, and other plant residues.
2. The mixture is sterilized in glass jars, on the stove in a pan of water, boiled in a metal bucket, or a large saucepan.
3. After boiling, the substrate is scattered in a thin layer and dried a little (or squeezed out), placed wet in jars until it begins to narrow (to the shoulders).

Planting mushrooms

Only honey mushrooms are grown in jars, since they have thin enough legs that will allow them to squeeze into the neck. You can buy mycelium in a store or online, from which mushrooms will grow. Mycelium ready for planting can be grain-like, on sawdust, or in the form of sticks.
Planting material put in jars, pour a 2 cm layer of substrate on top, tie with gauze. Before work, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly.

Further care

The jars are placed on the windowsill, wrapped in dark cloth or placed in cardboard boxes. The mycelium must develop without access to light. The gauze on the necks is sprayed with water daily.

After about two weeks, the substrate in the jars is covered with white threads - mycelium. The optimal temperature during this period is +25 °C. After the entire substrate has become overgrown with mycelium and mushroom rudiments appear in the neck of the jar, the temperature on the windowsill is reduced to +15 °C.
The gauze is removed and the neck is wrapped in a strip of cardboard 10-15 cm wide, which will serve as a support for the legs of the mushrooms. Every day, growing mushrooms and cardboard are sprayed with water.

Avoid direct sunlight on the windowsill.

When the mushroom caps appear from the jars, the temperature on the windowsill can be raised to +20 °C. They collect mushrooms without waiting for them to fully ripen - there is no need for spores in the apartment, and young mushrooms are tastier. It is better to unscrew the nest from the substrate - there should be no legs left in the jar.
After collection, the necks are again tied with gauze, and the temperature is raised to +25 °C. The growing cycle repeats. After 3-4 cycles, the substrate is replaced.

The process of growing in pots is the same, but in addition to honey mushrooms, you can also grow oyster mushrooms. The pots are not placed in cardboard boxes - just cover them with a damp cloth.

In order for mushrooms to grow on the windowsill, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of shading - hang blinds. To change the temperature, you can install a thermostat on the radiator.

Subtleties of breeding on a balcony or loggia

To grow mushrooms on the balcony, make racks or buy ready-made metal ones. The height of the shelves depends on the height of the bags, pots and jars, taking into account the height of the mushrooms.

The back and side walls must be solid to protect from sunlight, the front side must be covered with a curtain made of dense fabric such as a tarpaulin, which does not allow light to pass through, but allows air to pass through. On the racks, mushrooms can be placed in several tiers; it is easier to shade them from the sun with a curtain.

Growing in plastic bags

The entire growing process can be divided into 3 stages.

Preparation for landing:

1. The bags are dense, preferably dark in color, to protect the mycelium from light. Strong garbage bags are also used.
2. The substrate is prepared in the same way as for growing on a windowsill (a mixture of sawdust from deciduous trees, straw, plant residues).
3. It must be thoroughly disinfected by boiling. There are other methods, but boiling is the simplest. With this method of disinfection, the soil is saturated with moisture. Bags, if they are used, are wiped from the inside with alcohol.

1. A layer of substrate 5-10 cm thick is poured into the bags, a layer of grain mycelium or in sawdust 2-3 cm thick is placed on top. It is better to purchase mycelium of honey mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms in a store or online. A layer of substrate is again applied to the mycelium - and so on in layers to the top.
2. Before tying the bag, insert the cut-off plastic bottle neck with shoulders for watering and ventilation.
3. Tie a bag around the neck and cover the hole with a piece of cotton wool.
4. Cuts 5 cm long are made in the sides of the bag on three sides for the germination of mushrooms. One cut at the bottom for drainage.
5. The bags are placed on racks, not forgetting to leave a gap of 30–50 cm between them for the growth of the crop.

• If the bags are transparent, after planting the racks are covered with a thick curtain to block out light.
• Water once a day.
• The temperature is maintained at 20 - 25°C. Temperatures should not be allowed to rise above 30 °C.
• After two weeks (depending on the size of the bag and the amount of soil), the mycelium will fill the entire volume of the bag, white threads and mushroom rudiments will appear in the places of cuts.
• The temperature is reduced to 15°C, the cuts and growing buds are sprayed with water.
• The curtain is partially removed, leaving light shading.

The mushrooms are not cut off, but the entire nest is twisted out of the bag. They harvest without waiting for the caps of all the mushrooms in the nest to fully open - they are tasty only when they are young.

After collection, the process is repeated - the bags are watered, the temperature is raised to 25°C. The first two or three waves of mushrooms are the most productive; after 3-4 waves, the substrate is thrown away (you can compost it), and the growing process begins again (if you liked it).

Growing on chocks (short logs)

Step by step process:

• Several short logs with a diameter of 10 to 20 cm and a length of 40 to 100 cm are prepared. The logs are taken only from deciduous trees, with bark, without branches, without rot. At least a month must pass from the moment the tree is cut down.
• Before planting, the harvested material is soaked in water (this can be done in the bathroom), pressed down with something on top.
• Raw lumps are dried for 1-2 days, then holes are drilled into them in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 10 cm from each other with a diameter of 8 mm and a depth of 40 mm, the size of mushroom sticks (mycelium of honey mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms for growing on logs).
• Sticks are inserted into the holes with clean hands, wrapped with thick cloth to prevent drying out, and placed in a warm place (+25 °C) for several months.
• After the mycelium grows in the log (white threads will appear in the holes for mushroom sticks), the logs are dug vertically into buckets or tubs with 1/3 of the soil, the winding is removed, the temperature is reduced to + 15-20 ° C. The soil is watered.

Logs with grown mushrooms look much more attractive and decorative than bags. Chocks “bear fruit” from 3 to 7 years.

Growing champignons in boxes

The most important part is preparing the nutrient substrate (it’s easier to buy it). It is prepared within a month at the dacha or in the garden.

1. Horse or cow manure is mixed with straw in a 1:1 ratio (proportions can be changed), chalk and alabaster are added - about 3% of the total weight, superphosphate and urea. Important: the straw must be fresh, free from mold and rot.
2. Mixing takes place on a concrete or film-covered area to prevent spores of other fungi, mold, and pests from entering the compost.
3. Place the mixture in a pile at least 1 meter high. Cover the top of the mixture from rain with plastic wrap and stir, adding water, every few days. After about 2-3 weeks, normal, homogeneous compost is obtained, suitable for growing champignons. You can determine readiness by the absence of a pungent odor and by its density - good compost is elastic and does not stick to your hands.
4. Lay out the compost in thick boxes, possibly plastic, but with obligatory holes for drainage. The layer height is 25 cm. It is better to use small boxes - the entire planting process can be carried out at the dacha, then brought and installed on the balcony. The grain mycelium is laid out on the substrate in boxes, and a 3-5 cm layer of compost is poured on top. The consumption of grain mycelium is about 500 g per 1 sq.m.
5. The boxes are covered with thick fabric (burlap, tarpaulin). Watering is done from a sprayer. The temperature is maintained at a level from +24 to + 26 °C. This is a very important condition for the germination of mycelium in the substrate.
6. Two weeks after sowing, the temperature is reduced to +18 °C. The balcony is regularly ventilated.
7. The first harvest is harvested after 2-3 months. Cut off the mushrooms with the film connecting the cap and stem. If you missed picking mushrooms, and dark plates are visible under the cap, then such mushrooms should be collected and thrown away. The champignons are not cut, but twisted out of the substrate. After the mushrooms begin to grow, the fabric is removed, but it is better to keep the boxes in the shade. Up to 10 kg of mushrooms are collected from one square meter.

If you want to be guaranteed to get some mushrooms at home, regardless of the season, without having to take care of them, buy mycelium boxes. If you want a lot of mushrooms, are ready to grow them and are not ready to spend a lot of money on them, use the above methods.