The Garden of Eaden: HOW TO GROW MUSHROOMS

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Although it sounds a lot worse that they taste, mushrooms are in fact from the family of plants known as fungi and this sets them apart form the other foods that we eat. What makes them different is this. Uunlike all other vegetables and fruit you will eat, mushrooms grow from microscopic spores and not seeds. Where a single fruit could could produce as many as a dozen seeds or so, a mature mushroom will drop as many as 16 billion spores.

Because mushrooms have no chlorophyll, they must get all their nutrients from organic matter in their growing medium. This medium, is scientifically formulated of various materials such as straw, corn cobs, cotton seed and cocoa seed hulls, gypsum and nitrogen supplements. Preparing the compost takes one to two weeks. Then it’s pasteurized - heat treated and placed in large trays or beds. Next the spawn is worked into the compost and the growing takes place in specially constructed environment where the growers can regulate the crucial aspects of heat and humidity.

In two to three weeks, the compost becomes filled with the root structure of the mushroom, a network of lacy white filaments called mycelium. At that point, a layer of pasteurized moss peat is spread over the compost. Again, the temperature of the compost and the humidity of the room must be carefully controlled in order for the mycelium to develop fully. Eventually, tiny white protrusions form on the mycelium and push up through the peat moss, part of the process known as pinning. The pins continue to grow, becoming the mushroom caps, which are actually the fruit of the plant, just as a tomato is the fruit of a tomato plant. It takes 17 to 25 days to produce mature mushrooms after the peat moss is applied. Size is no indication of maturity in mushrooms. Perfectly ripe ones vary from small buttons to large caps.

Each crop is harvested over a period of several weeks and then the whole area is emptied of mushrooms and medium/compost is steam-sterilized before the process begins again. The remaining compost is recycled for potting soil. The harvested mushrooms are set in carts, refrigerated and then packaged and shipped quickly to supermarkets, food processors and restaurants. The entire process from the time the grower starts preparing the compost until the mushrooms are harvested and shipped to market takes about four months.

How to grow mushrooms at home

Button mushrooms are one of the most commonly consumed mushrooms in the world and probably the best variety to try and grow at home. While they are the easy to find in your local supermarket, home grown mushrooms always taste better.

In order to start growing mushrooms at home you will need:

1. A 2ft x 3ft growing tray which is aproximately 6-8 inches deep.

2. Compost - Mushroom Compost is made from a mix of well rotted materials such as hay, straw, straw horse bedding, poultry litter, cottonseed meal, cocoa shells and gypsum. Sphagnum moss peat is then added to this so as to provide a consistent product. Be in mind that it may well be easier to buy some pre-made!

3. Mushroom spawn - this can be bought on-line or from good plant retailors.

4. Peat moss

5. A piece of wood or flat object

6. A water mister

7. Some old newspapers

The Garden of Eaden

HOW TO GROW MUSHROOMS

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