Spores fall to the ground and mix with other compatible spores. Spores are basically the fungi equivalent of seeds for a plant. This all starts when a mature mushroom drops its spores. In nature, the life cycle of a mushroom both ends in one way and begins in another at the same time. It does this by growing mushrooms to produce spores and reproduce. Mycelium has just one goal, to keep its species going. Except mycelium is actually more like the plant and mushrooms are just its fruit Mycelium is a network of cells that appear similar to a plant root system. This includes a complex network of mycelium that is often much larger than the mushrooms you see on the surface. Not many realize everything that goes into creating the mushrooms. When most people think of mushrooms, they are only aware of the stem and cap that appear. You’ll need this knowledge to have the insight necessary to cultivate your own mushrooms. It’s important to understand the growing cycle of a mushroom. Once your mycelium starts to get weak, you’ll need to get new spawn to start with or grow from new spores. The mycelium loses its strength and ability to grow and divide. It’s basically like old age for mushrooms. This is a process of deterioration that all living things go through with age. Once your substrate is exhausted of all its energy it stops producing mushrooms.Īs you continue to reuse your initial mycelium to inoculate more and more batches of substrates, it will eventually undergo something called senescence. Each wave of new mushrooms is referred to as a flush. Some species of mushroom can be harvested and will grow back several times. Usually is simply involves gently pulling or twisting the mature mushroom caps away from the substrate that they’re growing on. The timing of your harvest will depend on the species that you’re growing. These will eventually grow into full-sized mushrooms. The substrate is misted with water throughout the day during this stage to keep it moist.Īfter a few days you’ll start to see pinheads (primordia) forming on your substrate. This usually involves cutting open the bag that your substrate was stored in to expose them to fresh air. You then place your substrate into fruiting conditions after the incubation period is complete. This typically involves putting your substrate in a warm dark place for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.ĭuring this time, your mycelium completely colonizes your substrate and you’ll often end up with a solid white mat of mycelium on the outside of your substrate at the end of the process. Once your substrate is inoculated, the next step is to incubate it. This is when you introduce your mushroom spores or spawn to your substrate (also known as a growing medium).Īlthough not necessary, this is generally done under sterile conditions to minimize the chances of mold or other fungi species from competing with the mushrooms you’re trying to grow. Stage 2: Inoculation of Mushroom Substrate Read our beginner’s guide to How to grow your own DIY mushroom spawn at home.Some aggressive species like oyster mushrooms will grow on coffee grounds, while others require wood to digest for energy. If you prefer to learn from videos, then check out our YouTube video which shows you the easiest way to grow your own mushrooms at home:ĭifferent species of mushrooms grow on different substrates. If at any point during this article you find yourself confused about the terminology being used, please refer to the glossary at the end. In this article you’ll learn all about the life cycle of mushrooms, what types of mushrooms to grow, and how to grow them. Once you know the basics, growing your own edible mushrooms is just like growing any other fruit or vegetable. The idea of growing your own mushrooms can seem mysterious and complicated if you don’t have any previous experience with it.ĭon’t be intimidated by the idea though. Some of us grow up watching our parents in the garden picking tomatoes and carrots, but it’s still quite rare to see people growing their own mushrooms at home. Much of the same information applies whether you want to grow a small amount of mushrooms at home as a hobby, or want to start growing mushrooms on a commercial scale as a business. Learning how to grow mushrooms is more straightforward than you might think.
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