Mushroom cultivationrelies on a supply of mushroom spawn. In similar fashion to seedproduction by seedsmen, specialist producers grow specificmushroom mycelia using aseptic microbiological techniques.
A new strain may start out on a single agar culture plate and then be enlarged by further growth on agar. For final use on the farm the most popular preparation is to grow the mycelium on autoclaved cereal grains. This eventually produces the "spawn" of easily distributed granules that the farmer will use to start his crop.
The first step in mushroom farming is compost production. We illustrate this and the later stages in the picture gallery below. Click on any of the thumbnail images to see a larger picture.
Compost Production
This is an important part of mushroom cultivation, as spawnsrequire a rich substrate that is moist and full of nutrients. Italso has to be free of harmful microorganisms. Composting is amulti-stage process, taking about 14 days, although before 1964,this process would take many weeks of hard labour: |
|
|
|
The main ingredients of compost are straw and horse manure, but the straw has to be pretreated before the two are mixed. | This involves mixing with
chicken manure and
sprinkling with liquid
manure, followed by heating. |
|
|
|
The horse manure and bedding straw is then mixed in and fermented. | More chicken manure may be added to provide extra nitrogen and nutrients, and gypsum is included to obtain the correct structure and acidity. |
|
|
|
The compost is then split into long narrow piles and periodically turned. During this period its internal temperature can reach 80ºC. At the end of the process the compost is ready to be shipped to a mushroom farm. |
|
| The Cultivationprocess |
|
|
|
Most farms now grow their mushrooms on trays in stacks of two or three. The compost shown here is being machine-loaded on sliding sheets. |
|
|
|
This is then inoculated with the spawn (grain colonised by mycelium). | Mycelium soon covers the
compost. |
|
|
|
After two weeks the compost is covered with amixture of peat and chalkcalled casing, this shows amachine carrying out this process. | This pictureshows the control panel for the climate control system. This isan importantpart of theprocess, as the environment has to be changed to induce fruiting. | The mycelium near the surface is then broken up by a machine called a ruffler. This induces fruit body formation. This picture show theblades of a ruffler...
|
|
|
|
...and this is a ruffling machine in action. | The fuiting bodies start to appear. | They grow tightly packed together ... |
|
|
|
and are soon ready for harvesting... | either by hand (for top quality) ... |
|
|
|
or by machine (for canning etc). | The mushrooms are then
graded by quality, size
and colour, and packaged for sale fresh ...
| or sent for canning or bottling.. |
Photography by Prof.S. W. Chiu, Department of Biological Sciences, The ChineseUniversity of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. |
FAQs
The answer is no. The window of inoculating hardwood logs is anywhere from 1 week to 6 weeks after cutting. In cooler climates, some growers cut logs in the fall, stack, and cover them with a tarp to overwinter, then inoculate in the spring.
Why won't my mycelium grow? ›
The most common reasons for slow mycelium growth are substrates with incorrect moisture content or those that don't have enough air exchange. But even if your substrate is perfect, other factors can affect the growth rate of mycelium.
Is it hard to be a mushroom farmer? ›
Mushroom Farming is Difficult
Despite how easy it is to start growing oyster mushrooms or lion's mane from ready to fruit blocks, other mushrooms can be very difficult to grow successfully. Mushroom farming can be very labor-intensive as well.
What time of year do you inoculate mushroom logs? ›
The best time to inoculate logs is in spring, within one to two weeks after the logs have been cut. This allows the cells in the tree to die but is not long enough for the log to dry out or for other competitor fungi to become established. Logs can be inoculated with either the drilling method or the totem method.
Should you seal the ends of mushroom logs? ›
After plugging your logs, sealing the holes and ends of the logs with food-grade wax is recommended to ensure a higher success rate.
How many shiitake plugs per log? ›
Number of logs:
Depends on log size (ideal is 4-6˝ diameter x 36-40˝ long). Plug spawn: approximately 50 plugs per log.
Should I water my mushroom logs? ›
Step 2, Water: Thoroughly water your log once a week during periods of no rainfall. Continue this routine for 3-4 months, then you may reduce watering to every other week. After 6 months, place your log directly on the ground so that it can wick moisture from the soil.
What is the best wood for mushroom logs? ›
Oaks and hard maples are the preferred wood-types for most mushroom species because they're very dense and offer plenty of nutrition for a longer, sustained fruiting period. Poplars and other soft hardwoods will colonize faster and produce mushrooms sooner but generally don't yield as much or produce for as many years.
What is a mushroom farmer called? ›
Most mycologists work in academia; government research labs; or industries such as biotechnology, biofuels, and medicine. However, there are also opportunities in areas such as mushroom farming; mushroom bioproducts, such as packaging materials and leather alternatives; and foraging.
What is the most profitable mushroom cultivation? ›
The most profitable mushroom to grow can vary depending on market demand, local preferences, and cultivation costs. Growing oyster mushrooms like Shiitake are usually the most profitable.
There is a long research pedigree demonstrating that fungi can be inoculated successfully into living trees. However, uptake has been limited, and variability in successful reisolation of the inoculated fungus emphasises the need for prudent and considered inoculation design.
Can I inoculate logs in winter? ›
Research at Cornell's Arnot Forest has shown that winter and spring inoculations are ideal; however, summer and fall inoculations also produce sizable harvests. Logs can be inoculated immediately after they are felled; there is no need to “cure” the log for a few weeks.
How long will mushroom logs last? ›
Oyster mushroom logs will produce a significant yield of mushrooms as early as 12 months from inoculation, whereas Shiitake can take closer to 18 months. A medium sized log could fruit for 5+ years if properly cared for.
How do you store inoculated logs? ›
Logs bundled together and stacked close to the ground get minimum wind exposure. This stack is especially good for logs you've just inoculated this fall or if you have particularly harsh winters.
