How to Grow Mushrooms
When many people think of mushrooms a whole bunch of words come to mind. However, the word fungus should definitely be involved because this is essentially what mushrooms really are. But nevertheless, mushrooms are grown by all sorts of people and for a wide variety of reasons. Mushrooms love to grow in damp, moist spots, which also contribute to the fact that they are fairly easy to grow, too. If you are thinking about growing mushrooms then there are several ways to go about it. There are the log-growing mushrooms that you can grow or you can also buy a kit from a vendor that will have your mushrooms growing in no time. Both of these methods of growing mushrooms will be covered.
If you want to learn how to grow mushrooms on a log, the process is relatively simple. The first thing that you need is a large rice cake which you can purchase from a local greenhouse or other garden center that has vegetable growing supplies. The rice cake is essentially what the mushrooms will grow on so it is very essential that the cake be prepared correctly by giving it the correct amount of moisture, light, and darkness. However, some people prefer to make their own “log” or cake so there is also a process for that. All you need is some straw. Take the straw and shred it and boil it so that it is correctly fertilized. After it’s completely cooked you want to mix the most straw or “substrate” with spawn. You can actually buy the spawn at a greenhouse, which would be most effective. After you mix the spawn with the straw it should be packed tightly and wrapped with some sort of plastic.
This is what the mushrooms will grow out of and it will effectively resemble a “log,” hence log-growing mushrooms. When you slightly ventilate the plastic by cutting small holes you want to store it in a dry spot. As soon as you see a white substance growing then you want to make the mushrooms grow by watering the log and taking them to a cool place. Mushrooms should sprout in the next week so that you’ll be able to harvest and eat them.
If you are using a kit from a local vendor then all you have to do is vary the temperature and place that you store the mushroom log or cake. Taking it to a warm and dry place first and leaving it there to grow until the mushrooms start to sprout and then putting the log in a cool place and varying the temperature will ensure properly grown mushrooms. Of course, the mushroom kit will have instructions but to have a good handle on the process before you start is best.
Mushrooms are relatively easy to grow no matter which process you choose, though. When you have done it once you probably will even become addicted to growing mushrooms that are fresh that have grown from your own green thumb!