Home mushroom cultivation

Mushrooms are not self-sown in indoor environments, but they certainly grow easily and quickly. Not only are they usually a welcome ingredient in our kitchens, but consuming some species also brings a considerable number of health benefits. Today you will learn how and which mushrooms to grow at home.

Czechs clearly rank among Europe's mycophilic nations. Mushrooming has deep roots here and has remained popular since time immemorial.

We don't always have time to run to the nearest forest for our favorite treat, and sometimes someone else gets there first. By cultivating mushrooms indoors in a growbox, but also for example in a cellar or a small heated greenhouse, you can secure a steady supply of your favorite mushrooms and won't be limited to the mushroom season!

How to do it?

Remember that one absolutely essential thing for mushrooms is substrate sterilization. An optimal microclimate inside a grow tent is especially high humidity above 90%, which will ensure your mushrooms thrive at home. As for temperature, it depends more on the specific variety, but you can't go wrong by starting at higher temperatures in the range of 24–29 °C and later moving the mushrooms to a cooler environment at 5–14 °C. Try to get closer to the lower end. This procedure best activates the mycelium and you will soon enjoy your first mushroom harvest. You can also manage without full growing systems — forget about pests, humidification or exhausting hot air from the growing space. Some species do not need light at all; such button mushrooms will grow practically anywhere. They will do fine on living or even dead organic matter.

Oyster mushroom, button mushrooms and more

From the experience of growers and gardeners, this pair can be singled out as the most popular for home mushroom cultivation.

Button mushrooms have long been a typical, undemanding fungus cultivated in artificial environments. Perhaps the most proven substrate for growing button mushrooms is perlite.

The oyster mushroom, which received its species name because its cap color strikingly resembles that of an oyster, is becoming increasingly popular mainly due to its beneficial effects on the human body. It contains a lot of vitamins, minerals, proteins, sterols and fiber. It supports the liver and helps the body regulate cholesterol. You can inoculate it on a log or into a stump. Clusters of oyster mushrooms usually appear within about three months.

If you decide to start with these species, you will likely easily find someone who already has experience with them. However, if you are a mushroom enthusiast, once your first button mushrooms and oysters appear at home, you will probably want more. Again, no problem. With minimal effort and minimal cost you can grow wood ear (Auricularia auricula-judae), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), enoki (Flammulina velutipes), field mushrooms, collared mushrooms or even lion's mane in the comfort of your home.

Mushrooms in the garden

You can also cultivate forest species yourself, and it's possible in the garden. Boletes, chanterelles, boletus, parasol mushrooms — practically anything you like. This is, of course, a higher level and doesn't always succeed. If you have a plot with mature trees located near a forest, you're halfway there, because mushrooms can spread to your land via spores from nearby woodlands. Spores are also often found on firewood.

Home mushroom cultivation, whether in a growbox, on a cupboard, in the cellar or in the garden, has one more advantage. Mushrooms can be harvested exactly when they reach the ideal size for culinary use, so unlike needlessly young or overmature specimens, you can enjoy them to the fullest.

Proper storage for maximum benefit

Finally, we have a practical tip about storing mushrooms in hermetically sealed containers. When harvest time comes, there is nothing better than storing mushrooms in TightVac vacuum containers. You can get several sizes, depending on the variety and how abundant the yield will be. Mushrooms will retain one hundred percent of their flavor for a year or more without problems, and you'll have them on hand whenever you want to make mushroom soup or a hearty scrambled mushroom dish. You may know that drying is a gentle preservation method that allows most of the active or even medicinal compounds in foods to be retained (which is especially useful for medicinal mushrooms). For storing dried mushrooms use the smart bags Integra Boost, which will maintain optimal humidity in any container.

Feel free to ask us anything you are curious about. Indoor mushroom cultivation is no exception. We are happy to advise you on choosing the right products and look forward to your questions at the usual address info@higarden.cz.

• Growboxes
• Perlite
• TightVac containers