Home mushroom cultivation
Mushrooms are not grown indoors on their own, but they are certainly easy and quick to cultivate. Not only are they usually a welcome ingredient in our cuisine, but consuming some species also brings us a considerable number of health benefits. Today you will learn how and which mushrooms to grow at home.
Czechs are undoubtedly among Europe’s mycophilic nations. Mushroom picking has deep roots here and has maintained its popularity since time immemorial.
However, we do not always have time to go to the nearest forest for our favourite delicacy, and sometimes someone else gets there first. When cultivating mushrooms indoors in a grow box, but also perhaps in a cellar or a small heated greenhouse, you will secure a steady supply of your favourite mushrooms and will not be limited to the mushroom season only!
How to do it?
Remember that with mushrooms, one thing is absolutely essential: sterilising the substrate. The optimal microclimate inside a growing tent is mainly high humidity above 90%, which will ensure that your mushrooms grow beautifully at home. As for temperature, it depends more on the specific variety, but you cannot go wrong if you start at higher temperatures in the range of 24–29 °C and then move the mushrooms to a cooler environment with a temperature of 5-14 °C a little later. Try to stay closer to the lower limit. This procedure best activates the mycelium, and you will soon see the first mushroom harvest. You can also do without growing systems, forget about pests, humidification and extracting hot air from the growing area. Some species do not need light at all for their growth; such button mushrooms will grow practically anywhere. They can make do with living, but also dead, organic matter.
Oyster mushrooms, button mushrooms and more
From the experience of growers and gardeners, this pair can be singled out as the most popular in home mushroom cultivation.
Button mushrooms are a typical undemanding mushroom that has been grown in artificial conditions for many years. Perhaps the most proven substrate for growing button mushrooms is perlite.
Oyster mushrooms, which got their species name from the colour of the cap strikingly resembling oysters, are becoming increasingly popular, especially thanks to their beneficial effects on the human body. They contain plenty of vitamins, minerals, proteins, sterols and fibre. They support the liver and help the body regulate cholesterol. You can inoculate them onto a log or into a stump. Oyster mushroom clusters usually grow within a quarter of a year.
If you decide to start with these mushroom species, you will probably easily find someone who already has some experience with them. However, if you are among mushroom lovers, once the first button mushrooms and oyster mushrooms appear at home, you will most likely want more. Again, no problem. With minimal effort and minimal costs, you can grow Judas’s ear (elder bracket), shiitake mushrooms (edible lentinula), penny bun, field blewit, shaggy ink cap or even coral fungus in the comfort of your home.
Mushrooms in the garden
You can also grow forest mushroom species yourself, and it can be done in the garden too. Boletes, chanterelles, birch boletes, parasol mushrooms, practically anything you like. In any case, this is a higher level and it does not always work out. If you have a plot with mature trees situated near a forest, you are halfway there, because mushrooms can spread to you via spores from the forest stands. You will often also find spores on firewood.
Home mushroom cultivation, whether in a grow box, on a cupboard, in a cellar or in the garden, has one more advantage. Mushrooms can be harvested exactly when they reach the ideal size for kitchen processing, so unlike unnecessarily young or overripe mushrooms, we can then enjoy them to the fullest.
Proper storage for maximum benefit
Finally, we have one more practical tip for you regarding storing mushrooms in hermetically sealed containers. When harvest time comes, there is nothing better than placing the mushrooms in a TightVac vacuum container. You can also get several sizes, depending on the variety and how abundant the harvest will be. In this way, mushrooms and small mushrooms will retain 100% of their flavour for a year or longer without any problem, and you will have them at hand at any time, whether mushroom soup or a proper mushroom sauté is on the menu. You may know that drying is a gentle preservation method that allows the vast majority of active or even medicinal substances in food to be retained (which is especially useful in the case of medicinal mushrooms). For storing dried mushrooms, use the smart Integra Boost packs, which will maintain optimal humidity in any container.
Do not hesitate to ask us anything you are interested in. Indoor mushroom cultivation is no exception. We will be happy to advise you on choosing suitable products and look forward to your questions at the well-known address info@higarden.cz.