Water addition is critical since too much will exclude oxygen by occupying the pore space, and too little can limit the growth of bacteria and fungi. As a general rule, water is added up to the point of leaching when the pile is formed and at the time of first turning, and thereafter either none or only a little is added for the duration of composting. On the last turning before Phase II composting, water can be applied generously so that when the compost is tightly squeezed, water drips from it.
There is a link between water, nutritive value, microbial activity, and temperature, and because it is a chain, when one condition is limiting for one factor, the whole chain will cease to function. Biologists see this phenomenon repeatedly and have termed it the Law of Limiting Factors. Phase I composting lasts from 7 to 14 days, depending on the nature of the material at the start and its characteristics at each turn. There is a strong ammonia odor associated with composting, which is usually complemented by a sweet, moldy smell.
As a by-product of the chemical changes, heat is released and the compost temperatures increase. At the end of Phase I the compost should: a have a chocolate brown color; b have soft, pliable straws, c have a moisture content of from 68 to 74 percent; and d have a strong smell of ammonia. When the moisture, temperature, color, and odor described have been reached, Phase I composting is completed.
There are two major purposes to Phase II composting. Pasteurization is necessary to kill any insects, nematodes, pest fungi, or other pests that may be present in the compost. And second, it is necessary to remove the ammonia which formed during Phase I composting.
Ammonia at the end of Phase II in a concentration higher than 0. Phase II takes place in one of three places, depending on the type of production system used. For the zoned system of growing, compost is packed into wooden trays, the trays are stacked six to eight high, and are moved into an environmentally controlled Phase II room. Thereafter, the trays are moved to special rooms, each designed to provide the optimum environment for each step of the mushroom growing process.
With a bed or shelf system, the compost is placed directly in the beds, which are in the room used for all steps of the crop culture. The most recently introduced system, the bulk system, is one in which the compost is placed in a cement-block bin with a perforated floor and no cover on top of the compost; this is a room specifically designed for Phase II composting. The compost, whether placed in beds, trays, or bulk, should be filled uniformly in depth and density or compression. Compost density should allow for gas exchange, since ammonia and carbon dioxide will be replaced by outside air.
Phase II composting can be viewed as a controlled, temperature-dependent, ecological process using air to maintain the compost in a temperature range best suited for the de-ammonifying organisms to grow and reproduce.
The growth of these thermophilic heat-loving organisms depends on the availability of usable carbohydrates and nitrogen, some of the nitrogen in the form of ammonia. Optimum management for Phase II is difficult to define and most commercial growers tend toward one of the two systems in general use today: high temperature or low temperature. This can be accomplished by heat generated during the growth of naturally occurring microorganisms or by injecting steam into the room where the compost has been placed, or both.
This Phase II system requires approximately 10 to 14 days to complete. It is important to remember the purposes of Phase II when trying to determine the proper procedure and sequence to follow. One purpose is to remove unwanted ammonia. A second purpose of Phase II is to remove any pests present in the compost by use of a pasteurization sequence. The nitrogen content of the compost should be 2. Also, at the end of Phase II it is desirable to have 5 to 7 lbs.
It is important to have both the compost and the compost temperatures uniform during the Phase II process since it is desirable to have as homogenous a material as possible.
The mushroom itself is the fruit of a plant as tomatoes are of tomato plants. Microscopic spores form within a mushroom cap, but their small size precludes handling them like seeds. As the tomato comes from a plant with roots, stems, and leaves, the mushroom arises from thin, thread-like cells called mycelium. Fungus mycelium is the white, thread-like plant often seen on rotting wood or moldy bread. Mycelium can be propagated vegetatively, like separating daffodil bulbs and getting more daffodil plants.
Specialized facilities are required to propagate mycelium, so the mushroom mycelium does not get mixed with the mycelium of other fungi. Mycelium propagated vegetatively is known as spawn, and commercial mushroom farmers purchase spawn from any of about a dozen spawn companies. Spawn makers start the spawn-making process by sterilizing a mixture of rye grain plus water and chalk; wheat, millet, and other small grain may be substituted for rye. Sterilized horse manure formed into blocks was used as the growth medium for spawn up to about , and this was called block or brick spawn, or manure spawn; such spawn is uncommon now.
Once sterilized grain has a bit of mycelium added to it, the grain and mycelium is shaken 3 times at 4-day intervals over a day period of active mycelial growth. Once the grain is colonized by the mycelium, the product is called spawn. Once you know the basics, growing your own edible mushrooms is just like growing any other fruit or vegetable.
If at any point during this article you find yourself confused about the terminology being used, please refer to the glossary at the end. If you prefer to learn from videos, then check out our YouTube video which shows you the easiest way to grow your own mushrooms at home:. Mushrooms can be a great way to diversify the types of crops that you grow at home or on your small scale farm.
Mushrooms are very versatile and can be grown in all kinds of different environments and small areas. You can grow them indoors in a spare room or used basement, or even plant them alongside your vegetable garden outside. Take a look inside our low tech mushroom farm to see what a small scale Oyster mushroom farm looks like:. When most people think of mushrooms, they are only aware of the stem and cap that appear.
Not many realize everything that goes into creating the mushrooms. This includes a complex network of mycelium that is often much larger than the mushrooms you see on the surface. Mycelium is a network of cells that are appear similar to a plant root system. Except mycelium is actually more like the plant and mushrooms are just its fruit. Mycelium has just one goal, to keep its species going.
It does this by growing mushrooms to produce spores and reproduce. In nature, the life cycle of a mushroom both ends in one way and begins in another at the same time. This all starts when a mature mushroom drops its spores. Spores are basically the fungi equivalent of seeds for a plant. Spores fall to the ground and mix with other compatible spores. This starts the growth of mycelium. Inoculated bolts can start fruiting after 8 months, but the process can be sped up by soaking them for a day or two.
Forced fruiting is called shocking, and it works particularly well for shiitakes. Passing down the aisles, Jeremy and Aimee point out any growths with eyes laser-focused on the task. Their dutiful farm cat, Spore, patrols the tent alongside us, making the rounds into the deep cubbies and crevices out of human reach. Her role is to keep out all the critters that like to nibble on the crops. They even walk us through the tent where they grow fresh nameko mushrooms. Instead of on logs, these are grown in traditional beds filled with sterilized sawdust and compost.
All of the varieties Northwood grows are available through their wonderful farm share CSA. You can buy Northwood shiitakes and Porcini Pate at your local Lakewinds. Throw them in stir fries and soups. Saute them in butter or oil and serve atop fresh toasted bread. Check out our favorite recipe for wild mushroom risotto a perfect dish to showcase whatever you get in your Northwood CSA box. Within moments the dense, humid air heats up.
It was a wonderful tour, hosted by two kind, passionate growers. Our farewell conversation involved favorite uses for mushrooms in the kitchen, and we spend the drive back to the Twin Cities daydreaming about dinner tonight. About Us History What is a Co-op? If using a kit , skip to Step 3. The first step is to set up the substrate, or growing medium. To do this, start with a planting tray that measures approximately 14 by 16 inches with a 6-inch depth.
The tray can be made of wood, plastic, or metal. Fill the tray with a mixture of compost and manure, leaving an inch of space at the top of the tray. Then, spread the spores on top. Be sure to clean your hands thoroughly before working with the substrate, for example, and sterilize the knife and any other tools used. To keep your growing medium moist, spray or mist it once or twice each day or cover it with damp towels. For the first three weeks, the soil temperature must be incubated at 70 degrees in order to promote growth.
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