Shiitake mushrooms grown on a log - Jo Zimny under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
A crash course on fungi
Though you’ll find them near the green beans at your local supermarket, mushrooms are not actually vegetables, but fungi. Unlike vegetables, mushrooms don’t have seeds or leaves, and they don’t need light to grow.
Mushrooms grow from spores, which in turn form mycelium: a network of fine white root-like threads. The edible mushroom is the fruiting body of the mycelium. In the forest, the underground mycelium network aids in decomposition and supports the growth of new plants. There are even some claims that trees communicate through the mycelium network!
Those well versed in growing vegetables will find that while their backyard gardening skill set is still useful, fungi are quite different. The good news is that mushrooms are a great food to grow if you don’t have a lot of sunny space. Mushrooms need just the opposite: cool, damp, and dark - or at least shady.
Mushroom growing kit- Seattle.roamer under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Growing mushrooms indoors
While some mushrooms, like morels and truffles, are best off foraged, many mushrooms can be grown indoors, including cremini, maitake, portobello, oyster, and white button. A basem*nt in the wintertime is perfect, but if you don’t have a basem*nt space, you can get creative. Even the cabinet under your kitchen sink could do - just make sure you keep the mushrooms away from any toxic cleaning chemicals.
Every mushroom requires different temperatures and grows on different substrates, like compost, manure, or logs. Button mushrooms are generally considered one of the easiest and can be a good place to start.
While you can gather the materials yourself, purchasing spores or mycelium, substrate, and a place to keep them, kits are the easiest way to get started. Back to the Roots, Mushroom Adventures, and North Spore make a variety of mushroom kits that contain everything you need. Depending on the type of mushroom, and the kit, you can grow mushrooms directly in a box, on a tray filled with substrate, or on a log. The mushrooms will need to be kept nice and damp. Avoid using water with chlorine in it, like most municipal tap water, as it can kill the mushroom spores. Instead, try purchasing spring water.
Homegrown shiitake mushrooms in a bowl- Jo Zimny under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Outdoor mushrooms
If you’d prefer to grow mushrooms outside, shiitake, oyster, and wine caps are all good options. Wine cap mushrooms can be grown in a mushroom bed, and even amongst your other plants in a shady part of your yard. Simply spread their spawn evenly across a layer of wood chips. They will take 2 to 11 months to mature, but can continue producing for years to come. Shiitake and oyster mushrooms can be grown on logs left in a shady part of your lawn. You can create your shiitake or oyster log using a drill and plug spawn, or purchase one pre-made.
Dried and fresh champignon mushrooms- Marco Verch under CC BY 2.0
What to do with all these mushrooms
Storing mushrooms properly is key - preferably in a paper bag in your refrigerator. If you have more mushrooms than you can possibly use in a week or so, mushrooms can also be dried. If you have a dehydrator, great, otherwise, you can easily dry them in the oven. Dried mushrooms can be used for just about any recipe - but they will need to be soaked before cooking so that they can rehydrate.
In Italy, dried mushrooms are a key ingredient to Pasta coi Funghi. There’s no cream needed in this recipe, just white wine for cooking, some good olive oil, and some nice fresh pasta. A quiche is always a great place to toss in some mushrooms, and maybe some gruyere cheese. Mushroom stroganoff is a vegetarian take on the meaty classic. No matter how you cook them, your mushrooms will be all the more tasty for being home grown.
FAQs
Spray-and-grow kits, a block of colonized substrate inside a small box, make for the easiest way for beginners to get started. “They're inexpensive. You get a lot of mushrooms out of them. And they're super easy,” says Lynch.
What is the easiest way to grow mushrooms for beginners? ›
Spray-and-grow kits, a block of colonized substrate inside a small box, make for the easiest way for beginners to get started. “They're inexpensive. You get a lot of mushrooms out of them. And they're super easy,” says Lynch.
How to grow mushrooms indoors step by step? ›
- STEP 1: “PASTEURIZE” AND HYDRATE THE PELLETS. Add boiling water to the pellets in order to pasteurize and hydrate the substrate at the same time. ...
- STEP 2: ADD SPAWN. Once the sawdust has completely cooled, add spawn. ...
- STEP 3: COVER AND COLONIZE. ...
- STEP 4: FRUIT! ...
- STEP 5: HARVEST AND SECOND FLUSH.
Lion's Mane Growing Kit
They are also one of the easiest, and one of the most delicious… a perfect candidate for a beginner growing at home! For Lion's Mane, as long as the humidity is above 60% RH, you can simply cut “x's” in the side of the bag and wait.
What are the 5 steps to growing mushrooms? ›
The six steps are Phase I composting, Phase II composting, spawning, casing, pinning, and cropping. These steps are described in their naturally occurring sequence, emphasizing the salient features within each step. Compost provides nutrients needed for mushrooms to grow.
What is the cheapest way to grow mushrooms? ›
Another easy, inexpensive option for growing mushrooms at home is inoculated sawdust in a plastic bag. These come in kit versions, but you can also make them yourself. Store them in a bathroom where it is dark and moist and you'll start to see flushing pretty quickly.
Where is the best place to grow mushrooms at home? ›
Where to Grow Mushrooms. Mushrooms like dark, cool, and humid growing environments. When you're growing mushrooms at home, a place like your basem*nt is ideal, but a spot under the sink could also work. Before you start growing, test out your spot by checking the temperature.
How to grow mushrooms at home without spores? ›
To generate mushrooms without spores, one must first grow the mushroom tissue culture known as mycelium. An agar plate, a sterile petri dish with agar as a growth medium, is required for this. In the right environment and temperature, the agar will support fungal culture.
What is the best room to grow mushrooms in? ›
Look for a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area in your home. A basem*nt, spare room, or even a large closet can be transformed into an ideal environment for mushroom cultivation. Cleanliness is essential to prevent contamination and ensure the success of your mushroom crop.
Can I grow mushrooms from store-bought mushrooms? ›
The best variety for home growing is oyster mushrooms, though you can use any type. Store bought mushroom propagation is quite easy, but you should choose fungi from organic sources. Propagating store bought mushrooms from the ends just requires a good fruiting medium, moisture, and the proper growing environment.
In the United States, the leading producer of mushrooms, organic as well as conventional, is Pennsylvania, followed by California.
What speeds up mushroom growth? ›
Gypsum is a mineral that helps speed up the mushroom growing process in small amounts.
What is the most valuable mushroom to grow at home? ›
Some easier to cultivate and sell but high value mushrooms are maitake, lion's mane, and depending where you are shiitakes. The mushrooms that are the most profitable tend to be mushrooms going for the supplement or health field rather than culinary.
How long do all in one mushroom bags take to grow? ›
it usually takes about 2 weeks (10-16 days). Once the kit starts to fruit you will see tiny mushrooms or “pins” forming on the substrate. As the pins develop and grow upward you may need to open the bag to make more room for the growing mushrooms.
What is the best setup for growing mushrooms? ›
A smaller tent, such as a 2x2 or 3x3, can work well for smaller-scale mushroom production. Ensure the tent is lightproof, as mushrooms require darkness to develop properly. Set up the tent in a clean, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature fluctuations.
Where is the best place to grow mushrooms? ›
Mushrooms like dark, cool, and humid growing environments. When you're growing mushrooms at home, a place like your basem*nt is ideal, but a spot under the sink could also work. Before you start growing, test out your spot by checking the temperature.
