Not many individuals realize that it is essentially really easy to grow mushrooms yourself, instead of choosing to spend your money at your local superstore on mushroom species inexpensively imported from foreign nations where they are grown in large quantities. The store variety do not have much of a product life and the mushrooms do not truly enjoy being packed in plastic so by learning to grow mushrooms at home, not only are you going to have fresher longer-lasting mushrooms, but they may also most likely taste stronger and more mushroom-like as the store kinds have a tendency to have a more watered-down flavour. Another benefit of growing mushrooms yourself is that you aren't restricted to the variety displayed in the shops - which sometimes is composed of button mushrooms, Shiitake, Oyster and Portobello. Though Oyster mushrooms are seen to be the simplest kind of mushroom to cultivate, you may attempt to try and grow something that most shops wont ever sell. The Lions Mane mushroom is a bit harder to grow and yet has a taste which is similar to that of lobster, and it is extremely costly to get from consultant shops.

To be ready to grow your own mushrooms first you'll need to settle on a variety. There are loads of eatable mushrooms that may be grown either within your home or outside, most growers accept the oyster mushroom to start with thanks to the ease of growing it ( Oyster, or Pleutorus Ostreateus has a powerful expansion and so is highly likely to grow given the recommended conditions ). When you have selected the sort of mushroom to grow you'll need to find the express growing needs, as all fungus have their own different growing parameters. With the Oyster mushroom you may use either a wood-based substrate ( paper, card etc ) or you can grow it on straw.

These are the most typical substrates to use as they supply the best yields. The next thing you'll need is the mushroom spawn. It is most simple should you buy your spawn from a store - which is perhaps most simple done online as most garden centers only sell complete mushroom growing kits, whereas the spawn on its own is a bit more professional. There are plenty of internet sites that sell spawn and it will only cost you one or two dollars for a bag which is going to supply you with tons of mushrooms ( it is a far better financial choice to grow your own mushrooms than to get them from a store ).

With the oyster mushrooms you want to pasteurize the straw or paper-based product, which kills off lots of the bacteria present, giving the mushroom spawn a head-start when it comes to growing. You can do this by submerging the straw / paper in some hot water, keeping it about 60 degrees C for about one hour. When this has done, drain the substrate and permit it to cool before loading it into a see-through plastic carrier bag. Put a few straw / paper into the bag and then shake spawn on top, and continue this till the bag is full. Tie the bag with a metal-tie and then pierce holes over the bag which may permit air to help the mycelium grow and will permit mushrooms to grow later, Leave it in a warm room for approximately two weeks till the bag absolutely colonizes ( turns white, from the mycelium growing ).

A cupboard or boiler room is an ideal place ). When the bag is entirely colonized it is going to be prepared to fruit - mushrooms should start appearing within just a few days. To help it to fruit you want to move the bag to a cooler, damper area where humidity levels are about ninety percent or higher. Oyster mushrooms enjoy being in quite cool conditions so it is best to put them outside. They'll start to form ( pin ) from the holes that were poked in the bag formerly, due to the mushrooms liking the air provided. When this occurs, meticulously cut the bag and peel it back a bit allowing the mushrooms the air and space needed to grow to enormous sizes. When the Oyster mushrooms look a good size and just before the caps unfurl to release their spores, carefully pull and twist them at their stems to crop them.

Cut the end part of the stem with a knife and they are going to be set to eat!