Many of the gardeners are interested in growing mushrooms at their place. But it is a very tricky idea to grow mushrooms indoors. Mushrooms have a lot of benefits to one’s diet, which is the main reason people love to include them in their diet.
Therefore, being so helpful to our diet, mushrooms also need to be taken good care of while growing. It has also been concluded by scientists that mushroom is best grown indoors compared to outdoors. Let us now look at some of the growing methods by which one can grow mushrooms indoors.
Basic Mushroom Growing Method
This is the most commonly used method while growing mushrooms. The steps which are included in this are-
There are many mushrooms, but only three are easy to grow at home. So, decide what type of mushroom you want to grow at your home. The mushrooms that are easy to grow at home are Shiitake, Oyster, and White Snake. All of them follow the same method of growing, but there are just a few minor changes.
The next thing which you need to do is to purchase Mushroom spawn. There are many online retailers to purchase the Mushroom spawn easily and at affordable rates. The spawn contains permeated Mycelia, which gives root to the Mushroom and also helps in facilitating its growth. Spawn is not to be confused with spores.
If you are using sawdust or straw, it would be important for you to use a sterilizing material. The sterilizing material would be used on the straw or sawdust, which would, in turn, make it eligible to grow mushrooms. It kills the harmful microorganisms and thus leaves the Mycelia for the mushroom.
The next task is to spread the Mycelia to produce the Mushrooms perfectly and in the right quantity. Mycelia can be easily spread than what you think of. To spread the Mycelia, you just need to heat the substrate so that the warm temperature helps it in the growth process. You can use the baking pan to heat the substrate in this process.
Once the substrate has been heated, it needs to be placed in the proper environment. It will take around 2-3 weeks for the substrate to be fully colonized. When it is colonized, it looks like a white buzz. Once colonized, place it in a dark and cool place having a temperature between 55 to 13 degrees Fahrenheit. Basements or cabinets are the best places to store them once colonized. If you see dark brown or green spots, make sure you remove them on time. It is also recommended to keep a cooler environment for growing mushrooms.
Now you just have to wait for the Mushrooms to grow. It takes approximately three weeks for the mushrooms to attain a small size in their growth. But the environmental conditions should also be kept favorable to their growth. These conditions include moist, cool, and dark environments. The mushrooms would be ready to harvest when their caps have been separated from their stems. Therefore, the mushrooms are now ready to eat.
Grow Mushrooms Using Coffee Grounds
The next method that can be used to grow mushrooms is using coffee grounds to start growing them. Let us have a look at the steps which are required for the same-
First of all, it is important to obtain coffee grounds. Growing mushrooms on coffee grounds are probably one of the best ways to grow mushrooms. The main reason behind the same is that coffee grounds have the best medium, which helps grow mushrooms. Around 2.5 kgs of coffee grounds are needed in case you have 500 grams of Mushroom spawn available with you.
Selecting the Right Container
The next important step is to find a container to store these mushrooms. Many people are confused about the type of containers they should use during this process. However, it is recommended to use filter bags as they are the best for this purpose. These bags can be easily purchased and available at the same place from where you purchased the Mushroom spawn. A sealable freezer bag and four holes can also be used as a substitute.
Once you have selected the container in which you will store the Mushroom spawn, you just have to place the spawn into the container. But before that, you should ensure that you wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap before transferring the spawns to the container. After that, put the spawns into the container and break them evenly with your hands to spread them all over the coffee grounds equally. Later, store the coffee grinds into a seal-tight container.
Now, all the mushrooms need is a right and suitable environment which would help them to grow. For the mushrooms to grow in this case, you need to store them in a warm and dark place having temperature ranges between 64 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it is done, leave the container for approximately two to four weeks but keep on checking whether it is alright or not. You will get to know that it is done when it goes purely white due to Mycelia colonizing the coffee grinds. Also, make sure that you cut the dark green and brown spots.
After the mushrooms have spent 2-4 weeks in the container, it is now time to relocate their location. So, if you see that it has turned completely white, just place it in a bright area. But make sure that you don’t place it into direct sunlight as it can harm its further growth. Along with that, make sure to cut a 2:2 hole in the container and mist the water on it at least two times a day.
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This process takes approximately 5-7 days. But once it has been completed, the mushrooms are fully ready for the harvest, and also you can eat it the same day you harvest it. During the misting process, the mushrooms would be growing in size every day. The cups of the mushroom will turn a bit upwards and that says the mushrooms are now ready to harvest.
Thanks For Reading.