TABLE OF CONTENTS. Introduction. 1 The Basics In Mushroom Growth. 2 Best Environment For Mushrooms. 3 Different Edible Mushrooms You Can Grow At Home

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2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 The Basics In Mushroom Growth 2 Best Environment For Mushrooms 3 Different Edible Mushrooms You Can Grow At Home 4 Tips For A Good Mushroom Harvest 5 Alternate Mushroom Growth Methods Conclusion 2

3 INTRODUCTION After tasting a delicious mushroom dish at a posh restaurant, are you wondering whether you can have those mushrooms more often and at a much affordable cost? While you do get the mushroom at the store, nothing can compare to growing your own mushrooms. It is cheaper, healthier and you can have them as often as you can and even turn it into a business. The tasty fungus is just right for growing at home. Mushrooms are usually grown indoors. There are ready to use mushroom growing systems that you can use. You can also set up the system on your own just as easily. While growing mushrooms is easy, the method is entirely different from the normal vegetable gardening you do. And you get to have organic and healthy mushroom by growing them at home. Mushrooms are one of the healthiest foods. They have very low calories and are fat free making them ideal for weight watchers. Further, the mushrooms pack plenty of nutrients including antioxidants, vitamins and others. A serving of 80grams mushroom equals your daily target of 5 vegetables easily. Vegetarians can satisfy their daily protein needs with mushrooms because they are rich in proteins. The important points to take care of in growing mushrooms include Setting up the right environment for mushroom growth Acquiring mushroom spawn or making it on your own for mushroom propagation While at the outset the entire process may seem complicated, when you know about the process well and follow proper instructions, it is actually a very simple process. The mushroom growing systems available at and the various tips here will provide you with all information and assistance you need to grow the mushrooms. And you will not require any specialist equipment for the process.when you grow mushrooms on your own, you can avoid the risk that comes with picking wild mushrooms. Read on to know the entire process on mushroom growing and once you are through reading it, you are sure to start growing mushrooms at home and have a whale of a time enjoying them. 3

4 CHAPTER 1: THE BASICS IN MUSHROOM GROWTH Mushrooms are fleshy fruits of fungi species. They thrive on mossy tree barks and on shady soil present beneath big plants. The fungi generally prefer damp and dark environment in the wild. While green plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide and water for food via photosynthesis, mushrooms get their nutrients and energy from metabolizing decaying and dead organic matter. They also absorb nutrients present in the roots of live plants. Mushroom growth begins with mycelium, which is a colony of fungus found commonly in soil as well as other substrates. The mycelium is made of fibers that resemble a spider web. The fibers are shaped in such a way that they can spread wide and deep to look for nutrients and water. When they find a proper environment, they from a pinhead sized growth that emerges above the ground. This growth increases in size resembling an egg. It is generally covered by a mycelium layer termed as universal veil. When the mushroom expands in size, it bursts out of the veil exposing a stout stalk with a round shaped cap. The underside of the cap has gill shaped structures. On maturing, the mushroom gills disperse spores in millions which are carried via wind and later germinate and form new mycelium. At present there are over 20,000 mushroom species worldwide and more than 53,000 to 110,000 varieties, which lie far and wide, waiting to be discovered. Mushroom varieties include edible, toxic, psychoactive and medicinal types. 4

5 These are wondrous, weird and fabulous organisms filled with immense potential to heal or kill, and to provide an amazing experience all over. NUTRITIONAL VALUE Mushrooms of edible variety have very low amount of calories, but are rich in nutrients including Vit B sources such as niacin, pantothenic acid and riboflavin. The mushrooms gain enormous amounts of Vitamin D, when they are exposed to direct sunlight. Other nutrients in mushrooms include Selenium Copper Potassium Ergothionine Mushrooms help in boosting immunity and are great for anti-cancer treatment and for encouraging heart health. Even if you do have to know a bit about the growing process, once you get the knack of it and harvest your first mushrooms, you will find it is highly satisfying. Not only is savoring the mushrooms a great treat for your palate the entire growing method is very interesting and keeps you entertained. Further home grown varieties are nutritious and tasty. Unlike the store bought varieties, you can eat these mushrooms without worrying about the chemicals added and even save money on the expensive gourmet mushroom types. One key advantage of mushroom growing at home is it can be done all through the year. Since it is grown indoors and does not need much of sunlight, mushroom cultivation is becoming hugely popular among people now. GROWING MUSHROOMS You have several options when it comes to growing mushrooms at home. With a good choice of basic materials needed for planting the mushrooms, you can easily become a successful mushroom cultivator. You can know more about the easy way of growing mushrooms at Mushroom growing special kits are available with a cultivating medium that has been inoculated with a proper mushroom spawn. If you are just beginning to grow the mushrooms, it is best to use a kit until you develop a deeper under- 5

6 standing of the growing process. In case you do not want to work with a kit, choose a mushroom based on the substrate you want to use for the mushrooms to grow in. Before you start choosing the substrate, ensure you know the needs of the different varieties, so you can opt for the appropriate mushroom and substrate variety. Of the various types of mushrooms present, button mushrooms remain the most simplest and popular type to grow. For button mushroom growing here are some of the things you need: To start with you need trays of 14 x15 inch in length and width and 6 inches in depth just as seed flats. Use compost material for mushroom growing to fill these trays. Inoculate the material with spawn. To increase the temperature of the soil to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you should use a good heating pad. Continue this until mycelium is visible as small threadlike roots or for three weeks. When you see the mycelium, reduce the temperature to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Use potting soil to cover the mushroom spawn for about an inch. Use water in spritzes to keep the soil moist. A damp cloth covered over the tray also keeps the moisture intact. Ensure you keep the covering cloth moist by spritzing it. You can find button mushrooms appearing around four weeks. The best time to harvest the mushrooms is when you sight the caps opening up. The mushrooms should be cut at the stalk using a sharp edged knife. Pulling the mushrooms causes damage to the adjacent fungi in their developing stage. You can get a continuous crop when you keep harvesting daily for a span of six months. CHAPTER 2: BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR MUSHROOMS Mushrooms tend to prefer an environment that is moist, cool and dark. For growing the mushrooms at home, an idea place to consider would by your basement. However you can even choose a space under your kitchen sink, a dark closet or even an unused cabinet for growing the mushroom. In short, the place should be such that you can control the humidity and temperature in the region and should have near darkness most of the time.at you can get more info on mushrooms. 6

7 THE PRECISE TEMPERATURE To make the mushrooms grow at an ideal temperature, you should begin by verifying the temperature of the location you intend to use for the growing process. The best temperature for commercial mushrooms is in the range of 55 degrees to 60 degrees in Fahrenheit. Wild mushrooms are not particular about the temperature and can produce mycelia (the fungal body threads) at temperatures that start from 40 degrees to a maximum of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Fruits and other visible mushroom parts occur when the temperature ranges from 50 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Take care the area is not exposed to direct heat, drying or drafts. For mushrooms types such as Enoki mushrooms, an even cooler temperature of 45 degrees is necessary. Even if basements are ideal, they can become too warm during summer months. So, it is better to make the mushroom growing project confined to the winter season. Remember that mushrooms although they tolerate some level of light, the location you pick should receive very low light or be relatively dark most of the day. This dependence on darkness is the reason why mushrooms grown outdoors in logs or prepared ground take longer time to grow ranging from six months minimum to a maximum of three years. A controlled indoor environment is therefore considered a better option of the two methods. Since mushrooms lack chlorophyll in them, sunlight is not a requisite for their growth. So, whether you are looking to grow them indoors or outdoors, you need to ensure they have a particular water, light, growing medium and heat requirements, which form an ideal environment for the mushrooms to grow and produce the fruit. A few of the mushroom types are completely safe for consumption, but there are a few that are toxic. Growing your own mushroom is safer as you can be guaranteed of the mushrooms being completely edible and this is also better, if you are unable to identify the edible varieties growing in wild setting. 7

8 LIGHT REQUIREMENTS Due to absence of chlorophyll, mushrooms do not need light for their growth. A dark environment is necessary for mushrooms to spawn. However, a little light exposure will not harm the growth of the mushrooms. In fact, the mushrooms need dim light setting for fruit body formation. This is for a few short hours in a day. For a light source when you grow indoors, consider using light from florescent lamp or indirect sunlight. Growing mushrooms in wooded and shady areas that have filtered sunlight is appropriate for growth of mushrooms. HUMIDITY AND WATER REQUIREMENTS Moisture is necessary for fruit production in mushrooms. Since the mushrooms do not have skin, they tend to lose moisture fast. This is why a location with high humidity level is preferred. When the mushrooms grow in such a region there is less water loss. is moist and not wet. But take care not to overdo the humid conditions. Too much wet condition can cause the mushrooms to drown as they breathe in and exchange the gases with those in the atmosphere around them. Ensure the soil If you are wondering about the wild mushrooms, they disappear during dry weather and reappear only when the humidity and moisture levels improve. APPROPRIATE MEDIUM Decomposing leaves, soil, compost, mulch, dung and trees are some of the growing mediums for mushrooms. The mushrooms feed from the decaying and dead matter. Commercial mushrooms are grown using a mixture of straw and manure. Most often it is not possible to identify the growing medium of wild mushrooms as some grow on dead vegetation present underground. Mushrooms such as Morchella can be seen near tree bases amidst dead leaves present on the floor of the forest. 8

9 CHAPTER 3: DIFFERENT EDIBLE MUSHROOMS YOU CAN GROW AT HOME Before you start growing mushrooms one of the major decisions to make is choosing the mushroom type you want to grow. Popularly grown mushrooms include Shiitake mushrooms, white button and oyster mushrooms. While buying the mushroom of your choice ensure the dealer is a reliable one. Visit com/ to know about the best types of mushrooms and other information related to mushroom growing. You need to consider the mushroom spores as plant seeds and the spawn as plant seedlings. When compared to spores, spawn is a better option as you can handle it easily. The growing medium differs with each mushroom variety. Shitake mushrooms prefer hardwood sawdust or hardwoods, while oyster varieties grow well on straw. Composted manure is ideal for white button varieties. COMMON MUSHROOM TYPES TO GROW AT HOME You can find several mushroom varieties to choose from. Remember that by growing your own mushrooms at home, you can avoid dealing with poisonous wild mushroom varieties. Some common varieties are listed here: Enoki Oyster Maitake Shiitake White button Portobello Every mushroom type has its own particular growing need and medium as seen in the earlier chapters. Let us see a few of the mushrooms in detail. 9

10 OYSTER (PLEUROTUSOSTREATUS) Oyster variety of mushroom can be identified easily by its soft and thick texture. It has a subtle flavor and is eaten raw or in cooked form. This mushroom is a frequent addition in Oriental cooking. SHIITAKE (LENTINULAEDODES) This mushroom type is native to Japan where it has been grown and nurtured for over thousand years. You can see it in several Oriental dishes as one of the main ingredients. Growing this type of mushroom will benefit you, as you will have a steady supply of mushrooms that make an ideal accompaniment to stir fries, heavy sauces and meats. LIONS MANE MUSHROOMS (HERICIUMERINACEUS) Like Shiitake mushrooms the Lions Mane is a traditionally grown mushroom in Japan and in China. Grown for more than hundred years, the mushrooms provide several medicinal benefits.in fact, the medicinal properties of this mushroom are the main reason for its cultivation. The mushroom tastes like lobster when you cook it with butter. It is can also be grilled, boiled or added to other ingredients in dishes. BROWN CAP (PORTABELLA) MUSHROOMS (AGARICUSBISPORUS) These mushrooms belong to an older variety. They are firm in texture with an improved nutty taste. These offer a good alternative to white button varieties. WHITE CAP (AGARICUSBISPORUS) These mushrooms are the most commonly used varieties in the United States. The mushrooms are scattered on pizzas and salads and other dishes. They are firm and white in color when fresh, but bruise and stain to a brownish hue later. The taste and odor is pleasant. Every home mushroom cultivation has three important stages. One is buying a cultivation kit that helps you get accustomed to the mushroom culture. The next is the purchasing spawn from online supplier or local store and inoculating the substrate such as straw, and the third phase is making the spawn and cultures on your own. This is the most challenging, as you need to have a sterile area complete with sterile grain and agar. A glove box is ideal for the sterile work space and you can use autoclave or pressure cooker for sterilization. 10

11 CHAPTER 4: TIPS FOR A GOOD MUSHROOM HARVEST Once you are geared up to begin the cultivation on your own, here are some tips to help you ace it. Beginners should progress to phase-3 and buy readymade spawn from supplier. It is best to obtain a species you like to cultivate. You can make the spawn from the culture or buy spawn from a supplier Decide on the substrate material you need for mushroom cultivation. Decide on the mushroom species you specifically want to grow. Oyster mushroom are not only the commonest species to be cultivated, they are also the easiest to cultivate. For beginners, oyster mushrooms are ideal. Buy a culture that originated from spores or by fresh mushroom cloning. It is necessary to maintain a sterile space for working. Pressure cooker is vital for sterilizing. Treat the substrate by any specific method including sterilization, pasteurization, peroxide bath, cold fermentation and lime bath. Inoculate the substrate with spawn. 11

12 Place the substrate in the appropriate environment as per colonization recommendations. For instance, for the species PleurotusOstreatus, 75 degree Fahrenheit is the recommended temperature. Let the substrate become colonized completely by mycelium. This is termed as spawn run. When you spy the primoidia or little mushrooms appear it is called pinning, you should place the primoidia with substrate in the appropriate conditions for proper fruiting. In other words, the air flow, humidity, light and temperature should be right for the chosen species. Harvest mushrooms just before they release the spores which are the ideal time. With a good harvest, you can even earn with the mushrooms. Visit to know how this is possible. DECOMPOSERS CULTIVATION Porcini, morel, chanterelle and truffle are mycorrhizal fungi that receive nutrients from living plant and tree roots. Cultivating such mushrooms at home is difficult. However you can easily grow saprotrophic mushrooms, which feed on decayed organic substances. To increase the growth opportunity, you need to know how to match a spawn perfectly with the right substrate. Wood logs Logs made of hardwood are ideal for inoculating with the spawn. You can have plentiful harvest for a long time. Some popular wood mushrooms are given below: SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS As mentioned before, these are great to grow and are meaty with smoky flavor. The best wood for such mushrooms include sugar maple, oak, American Beech, alder, ironwood and sweet gum. The temperature range these mushrooms prefer is from 50 degree Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They require a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 2 years to yield edible mushrooms. OYSTERS These are named because they resemble oysters or molluscs. Sweet and subtle in taste these mushrooms have velvety texture and grow in wood types including elm, basswood, aspen, cotton wood, balsam poplar and willows. These require a short fruiting time and are easy to grow. The temperature ranges from 50 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 12

13 LION S MANE These are named because they have spine like clusters of a short length of few millimeters. The mushrooms have beneficial effects on memory and mood enhancement. Oak, sugar maple, walnut and aspen are the trees these mushrooms find favorable for their growth. The temperature range they prefer is from 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. REISHI These are touted to benefit vitality and are used to make tea. Chinese medicine has incorporated this mushroom in its medicinal preparations for over 2000 years. Oak tree is best for growing reishi mushrooms and 70 degrees 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature the mushrooms prefer. MAITAKE Sporting the ruffled feathers appearance these mushrooms are crisp and nutty to taste and thrive well in oak trees at a temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Growing this mushroom requires plenty of patience as the fruiting takes about three years to begin. TIPS FOR SPAWN INOCULATION To inoculate spawn in the logs, here are some criteria you should follow Cut the logs fresh from sturdy and healthy trees, when they are dormant. This is the span between early spring and late autumn. Logs should be a minimum diameter of 4 inches and a length of about 4 feet. Let the logs age for about two weeks, but take care to keep the wood moist. When you inoculate the log with spawn it should be moist. Decaying log feeds on wood mushrooms for six years maximum with just one inoculation. 13

14 Begin by drilling holes that are apart by six inches lengthwise on the log. The holes should have a depth of about ¼ inch more than a peg spawn or dowel. About two inches below the initial row, start drilling holes in such a way that the holes from a zig zag pattern with the first line of holes. Once the holes are made all over the log, hammer spawn plugs in the holes. Make sure they form a smooth surface with the log. Cover all holes with melted cheese wax to avoid contamination. The wax should be melted at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and applied using foam brush. The preferred temperature range is moderate, and humidity should be of high or normal range. So, you need to store the logs indoors in winter season and outdoors in warm summer months. In shaded or wooded regions, the logs should be upright. Logs benefit from night/day cycles, so it is best to keep them in an area that receives indirect sunlight. The moistness in the logs should be maintained by watering them occasionally when indoors and in places where rainfall reaches them when they are outdoors. CHAPTER 5: ALTERNATE MUSHROOM GROWTH METHODS Here are some alternate growing methods you can try. MUSHROOM KITS: These are the best way to begin for newbies to mushroom farming. A kit helps you to become familiar with mushroom basics. The kits are mostly comprehensive including growing medium and spawn. You have to just focus on keeping the moisture intact by water misting and sit back and observe the growth of the mushrooms. 14

15 Readymade growing kits are easy and a fun way to grow mushrooms especially for beginners. The kits are usually plastic bags filled with sterilized and inoculated soil or straw. You have to just maintain the right conditions. You can have your own mushrooms in 7 to 10 days. The cost of such kits are mostly around $30 and you can use them for growing several mushroom types including shiitake, lion s mane, Portobello, oyster, crimini and white button. throughout. To grow the mushrooms, you need to just open the plastic bag, keep it in a bright area with indirect sunlight like a windowsill. Maintain room temperature but ensure the humidity is high by misting it regularly. Plastic tents are provided by some kits to ensure the humidity level is maintained In about 7 days the mushrooms sprout and during a course of three months you can easily see three growth flushes. When the three months are over, the kits can be buried under the compost pile or bark mulch in your garden. You can soon see mushrooms sprouting in the area provided the temperature is favorable for the mushroom growth. STARTER KIT: When you are quite knowledgeable about the process, it is best to purchase spawn online from reliable retailers. The spawn is sold in the form of peg, dowel, sawdust and grain form. Spawn can be any type of material cultured using a particular mycelium strain. Due to the live nature of the spawn, it should be placed in the right growing medium immediately. You need to therefore prepare the space and the medium, and keep everything ready before you buy the spawn. COFFEE GRINDS AS A GROWING MEDIUM This is a great and fun filled way to grow mushrooms. The coffee grounds that you discard can be used as a medium for growing mushrooms, especially oyster mushrooms. The coffee brewing renders the medium sterilized and it is packed with nutrients necessary for mushroom growth. For 500 grams quantity of spawn, you require 2.5 Kg of the coffee grounds that are got from coffee brewed freshly that day. Since you cannot expect to get such a huge amount at home, it is best to contact a café and request them to give the coffee grounds, which they will give readily as they are going to dispose it off anyway. 15

16 The coffee grounds should be placed in filter patch type of grow bags, which you can buy along with the spawn. Alternate options include ice cream tub, milk cartons or sealable freezer bags. Poke tiny holes in the sides and clean the container thoroughly. Mix the spawn with coffee grounds uniformly and place them in the container selected and seal the container tightly. The container or bag should be placed in an area that has temperature ranging from 64 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The area under the kitchen sink is a good space, so is your airing cupboard. Leave the container in such a place for 3 weeks or until the entire grounds turn into white color, which is due to the mycelia colonies. on the top. Water the container to avoid drying. After the bag turns white, shift the container to a shady and bright area and cut a hole of 2x3 inches In about 7 days, you can see tiny mushrooms sprouting. Mist the mushrooms and you will see the mushrooms increasing in size gradually. The best time to harvest is when the mushroom cups turn upwards slightly. CONCLUSION Now that you have learnt about the basics in mushroom growing, you can grow your own mushrooms and cook delicious and healthy gourmet mushroom dishes without worrying about the quality of mushrooms you buy from the stores or the safety of wild picked mushrooms. Further you can save money, as the mushrooms in the stores are expensive. Mushrooms have been proven to control level of blood sugar and this causes stabilization of weight which is a big advantage of growing your own daily mushroom consumption. The quantity of potassium in mushrooms is also more than in bananas. Additionally you get selenium, which helps fight against harmful free radicals. And as you have seen in this book, it is easier to grow mushrooms now than ever before. With the wealth of information about mushrooms, you can have an interesting hobby that provides bountiful benefits. Visit to have more in depth knowledge about mushrooms, and to gain the best advantage from growing these healthy fungi. 16