Engaged in growing champignons at home is a simple task, if you know which room is needed for this, as well as which components to use to ensure stable and high-quality fruiting. Today, several popular methods of growing mushrooms are used on the territory of their home.
Selection and preparation of premises
To grow mushrooms, you do not need to have special knowledge and skills. The best place for such a business is the basement or cellar of a private house. Mushrooms are not thermophilic, and do not need constant lighting. If there is no basement, it is permissible to carry out the procedure in a greenhouse in the country house or shed.
The room must have concrete walls, cemented floors and good ventilation. To prevent harmful attacks will help mesh material, which cover the ventilation holes. Walls and ceiling must be made.
What mycelium is needed?
Mycelium is also called mycelium. It is a vegetative body of mushrooms - a system of the finest branching threads or hyphae.
Mycelium performs important functions, because without it the process of growing mushrooms will not take place:
- participates in sporulation and is responsible for the preservation of the resulting disputes;
- Helps organisms attach to nutrient substrates
- adapts well to the environment;
- with the help of enzymes, it processes cellulose, obtaining substances that are available for growth and development from it.
Mycelium is an important organ responsible for the vegetative propagation of organisms.
Buying a finished product
For growing champignons at home, the use of cereal mycelium, since it is not only convenient to sow, but it does not need additional processing. When buying a mycelium pay attention to its appearance: the grains should be yellow in color with a slight orange tint.
It is not recommended to buy mycelium with the presence of dark spots - this is evidence that mold is present. The quality of planting material is also determined by smell: there should be a distinct aroma of fresh mushrooms. If an ammonia odor is felt, the product has not been properly stored and spoiled.
Be sure to pay attention to the manufacturer's company. It is advisable to choose mycelium from a well-known and large supplier. Do not immediately buy a lot of mycelium, at first it is better to take a sample. If there are no problems with germination, the formation of mycelium will be good, then purchase a large batch.
Self-cultivation of mycelium
Before planting mushrooms, many gardeners and gardeners grow mycelium on their own, citing the fact that it will be possible to get a quality product. Mycelium, divorced at home, is compost and grain.
Cooking cereal mycelium occurs as follows:
- Pour 10 kg of grains into a container, pour 15 liters of water.
- Put on a slow fire, bring to a boil and simmer for half an hour or an hour. Grains should not boil, but should be soft.
- Drain the water, dry the grain, and then pour the finished material into liter jars. Make holes in the lids and grains.
- Close the openings on the covers with cotton swabs. Place cans in an autoclave with a pressure of 1.5 atm. 30 minutes.
- In the chilled grain, more precisely in its holes, place the mycelium.
- Put the cans in a thermostat with a temperature of 24 degrees, do not reach until the mycelium completely occupies the entire nutrient medium.
To receive compost mycelium do the following procedures:
- Take 3-liter jars and fill them with 2/3 of the champignon substrate. Good seal.
- Roll up the cans with lids, making 3-cm holes in them, covering them with cotton swabs.
- Heat the compost to 24 degrees, put the mushroom in it.
- To prevent infection of the mycelium will help tight clogging of holes in the lids.
Preparation of the substrate (compost): DIY cooking
Mushrooms require conditions that are close to natural, therefore, specially prepared compost is required, the composition of which should be loose and nutritious.
To grow the maximum yield, prepare the substrate, following the instructions. Since strains or varieties of mushrooms are different, the preparation technology and the composition of the substrate may vary slightly. But there are general principles for preparing compost for growing mushrooms.
To prepare compost, the ingredients are combined in the following proportions:
First option | Second option |
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It is acceptable to replace horse manure with bird or cow droppings, but in this case the yield will be lower.
The following follows this pattern:
- Straw is soaked for 24 hours in warm water in a convenient container. After they are stacked, mixing with layers of manure (they should turn out 6-8). Moisten each layer with warm water.
- After 3-4 days, mix the compost well and add urea and superphosphate.
- After another 3-4 days, mix the compost again, gradually introducing the remaining minerals. With the last stirring, add gypsum.
On average, composting takes 24-28 days. The fact that the substrate is ready is evidenced by the disappearance of the smell of ammonia and the acquisition of a light brown shade of manure. The finished substrate is moved to the basement and laid out in containers where it is planned to grow mushrooms.
Experienced mushroom growers recommend the use of less picky and more resistant to breach of growing conditions compost for the first planting. Yields with compost mycelium are not so rich, but it is much easier to get the first experience with it. Before planting the mycelium, the substrate is carefully examined: it should be a little springy, not hard and loose.
Step-by-step instruction for beginners
There are several basic step-by-step rules that you need to know when planting and growing mushrooms at home. If done correctly, it will be possible to regularly receive large harvests of mushrooms.
Landing
After preparation of the substrate and laying in boxes or bags, it is planted with mycelium, which is buried by 5 cm. A distance of 20 cm between the recesses is maintained. It is recommended to land in a checkerboard pattern. After planting, sprinkle the mycelium with soil.
If fungi spores are planted, they are sown on the surface of the soil. After sowing, you do not need to sprinkle them with soil and moisten. The soil is covered with cloth and moistened regularly. The mycelium grows within five days. At this time, the room adhere to humidity at the level of 80-95% and a temperature of 22-27 degrees. After 12 days, the surface is covered with 1 part of limestone, 4 parts of soil and 5 parts of peat. The layer thickness should be at least 3 cm. After this, another 5 days should pass, the soil is periodically moistened. After another 5 days, the temperature is lowered to 13-16 degrees.
Cultivation and care
Although there is no need for constant care of mushrooms, you need to pre-prepare the room and create special conditions in it:
- Equipment for growing. Depends on the method of growing champignons. The best way is to grow in bags. For this, special supports with hangers are useful, on which bags with a substrate are suspended. The use of plastic equipment is recommended - it does not deform, does not lend itself to corrosion, and is much cheaper.
- The optimum temperature. Champignons do not require high temperatures, so they do not create greenhouse conditions. You will only have to warm the room, conduct thermal insulation, which helps to retain moisture. Heating appliances are also required to be installed - the temperature should not fall below 13 degrees. Elevated temperature is set only at the initial stage. For additional heating, the use of infrared lamps is allowed.
- Humidity level. Champignons love moisture, because the air in the room must be constantly moistened. It is simple: use atomizers or special electronic humidifiers. Humidity level - not lower than 70-90%.
- Ventilation and lighting. Be sure to regularly ventilate the room. It is better to use hoods that deliver fresh air. But if it is not planned to grow in large volumes, it is permissible to manually ventilate the room. For lighting, several garden lamps are installed.
It is equally important to take care of fertilizer. As it grows, the mycelium gradually appears on the surface, and in a couple of weeks it will be completely above the soil. To avoid drying out and destruction of the still fruitful mycelium, a fertile substrate sprinkled on top will help. A fertilizer consisting of 9 parts of peat and 1 part of chalk is also added to the soil. For 1 square. m sprinkle 40-50 g of the mixture evenly.
Harvest Rules
3-4 months pass from the moment of sowing until the first harvest. Young medium-sized mushrooms are collected, those with a whole membrane that connects the leg and hat. As a seed, it is recommended to collect mushrooms with highly opened hats - they lose their useful properties.
It is forbidden to pick mushrooms with a darkened light brown hat - they can cause intoxication of the body and lead to severe poisoning.
Mushrooms are not cut like wild mushrooms, and twisted. The remaining hole after collection is sprinkled with compost. At this point, a mushroom will grow again. Active fruiting of champignons lasts 8-14 weeks. During this time, the harvest is collected up to 7 times. Further, the yield decreases, therefore, the mycelium is removed, and the substrate is disposed of.
After the fruiting ceases, the mycelium is removed and used as feed for the next generation. The remaining substrate is not reused, because it loses its fertile properties. With 1 sq. m collect up to 60 kg of mushrooms.
Types of mushroom cultivation
Champignons are grown in several ways: indoors or outdoors. Each method has its own specific requirements, compliance with which will allow to obtain a large and high-quality crop.
In the basement (in bags)
Experienced mushroom growers recommend using large plastic bags for growing mushrooms. This method is initially attractive because it is possible to move the bags to any place.
How is the growing procedure:
- A nutrient substrate is prepared, which consists of horse manure and 25% compost mixture for 70%.
- Disinfect the substrate by heating to 25 degrees.
- The mixture is laid out in bags with a thickness of 25-30 cm and the mycelium is planted.
- Leave on the rack for three days, after which 5-6 slots are made in the bag and left in the dark at a temperature of 18-20 degrees.
- After 2-3 weeks, mushrooms will begin to appear in the slots. Bags are transferred to a well-ventilated and constantly lit room.
- Mushrooms gain marketable weight after about 3-4 weeks.
- After harvesting, the bags are transferred back, after which the mushroom begins to grow again.
When fruiting, you need to monitor the level of humidity - it should be about 70-95%. Also monitor the temperature of the substrate - 20-27 degrees.
In the garden
For planting mushrooms, the plot is prepared in the fall: the topsoil is removed - about 30 cm. The width of the beds should not be less than 1 meter. A distance of 55 cm is maintained between the rows. A layer of expanded clay is poured onto the bottom, which serves as a drainage layer. Its thickness should be 9 cm. Weed grass is spread over it, watered with mullein solution, and sprinkled with soil.
Before laying the substrate on the beds, the soil is disinfected using a solution of carbation. Holes with a depth of at least 5 cm are made in the substrate. Mushrooms are deepened into the hole by a few centimeters, sprinkled with a substrate. When using grain mycelium, it is scattered on the surface of the soil and rammed. Bends are made along the border of the bed to drain excess moisture.
At a soil temperature of 25 degrees, the growth of mycelium occurs within 14 days. At a temperature of 30 degrees, the death of the mycelium is possible. For convenience, it is planted staggered at a distance of 25 cm between the holes. After planting, the beds are mulched with straw, which contributes to the evaporation of moisture. After rooting the mycelium, the straw is removed and covered with a cover layer using peat and chalk in a ratio of 9: 1.
On the balcony (shelves at home)
Growing on the balcony is one of the most convenient ways, suitable for those who live in an apartment. No special physical and monetary costs are required. This procedure is quite simple:
- Glaze and heat the balcony.
- Build a small cabinet with racks, as well as drawers with a height of 20 cm.
- Install a ventilation pipe with a valve in the cabinet, put a humidifier at the bottom to maintain the required humidity level.
- To prepare the substrate, straw 10 kg, bird droppings 15 kg, alabaster 8 kg are mixed. The increase in yield will allow the addition of superphosphate and urea - 200 g each. They mix everything in warm water. The boxes are insulated with moss.
- The substrate matures 3 weeks. After that, mycelium is introduced, preferably cereal. It is evenly scattered on the surface of the substrate and pour on top of the same layer with a thickness of 4-5 cm. 350 g of mycelium are introduced into the substrate.
- 10 days after the germination of the mycelium, it is covered with a mixture of chalk and peat in a ratio of 1:10. The layer thickness should not exceed 4-5 cm.
- 5 days after filling the cover soil, the air temperature is lowered to 17 degrees. Soil is regularly superficially moistened with water.
Fruiting occurs after 50-60 days, and harvest continues year-round.
Container way
A simple way to grow mushrooms in the apartment and in the house. Containers with a substrate can be placed in any convenient place. How to carry out the procedure:
- Prepare the container, be sure to take not only the container, but also the lid with the pallet.
- Disinfect the container and load the substrate.
- Mycelium is sown, buried by 4-5 cm.
- Moisturize the soil with mycelium.
Particular attention is paid to watering. Temperature is a secondary factor, but care must be taken to ensure that the rate does not exceed 30 degrees. This method is good because 3-4 containers will be enough for your own consumption, while minimal investment will be required.
Watch a video about growing champignons in a container at home:
Block method
Many mushroom growers today prefer to buy ready-made blocks for growing mushrooms from a pressed substrate. Large-scale enterprises compact manure, peat, sawdust and husk of seeds into briquettes. For the production of mushrooms, it is not necessary to choose premises with large areas. Due to the complete preparation of the blocks, they will not have to plant champignon mycelium, because it is already in them. One block weighs from 2.5 to 20 kg.
Blocks are laid horizontally on shelves and pallets, and holes are made on their surface. To prevent the drying of the block will allow burlap, film or paper with which it is covered. After covering the block with mycelium, it is covered with a cover soil, and airing is stopped. Blocks are preferably wetted by spraying. The first crop of mushrooms is harvested after 60-75 days.
What diseases and pests do you expect harm from?
The main disinfection of the room with the help of smoke bombs, spraying and liming will help fight pests and diseases.But occasionally there are situations when fungi are exposed to various diseases and pests. The most common include:
Name | The reasons | Methods of struggle |
Mushroom tick | Small yellow parasite eating mushroom legs. | Eliminate the problem by spraying mushrooms and compost with a 0.1% metaphos solution. |
Mummies | Disease resulting from a lack of light. Mushroom caps become dark gray in color, and the flesh is brown. | Remove the infected mycelium along with the substrate. |
Mushroom midge | Larvae of flies falling into compost along with manure. Over time, the mycelium is affected, which is fraught with the cessation of fruiting and death | Chlorophosome compost is treated with 0.5%. |
Mushroom rotting | The development of the disease takes place with the direct penetration of moisture into an already formed mycelium. This leads to instant infection of other fungi. | Spoiled mushrooms are removed, those that remain are treated with a formalin solution with a concentration of 0.2%. |
Mold | Wet brown spots appear on the surface of the mushrooms, increasing in size. | Sick mushrooms are removed, the substrate is sprinkled with superphosphate and sodium chloride. |
Home Business Profitability
To determine the profitability of the mushroom growing business at home, you need to clearly determine what is needed for full development:
- rental of premises or construction of a new one;
- the acquisition of mycelium and the necessary equipment (racks, containers, etc.);
- purchase of funds for processing the premises;
- purchase of equipment for ventilation and air purification;
- Sanitary examination of finished products.
Calculating costs is easy. Buying 5 tons of compost will cost 5 thousand rubles, mycelium - 2.5 thousand rubles. Heating a room - about 25.5 thousand. Mandatory waste for employees - up to 30 thousand can go for a salary for two people. In total, the costly part will be about 63 thousand rubles.
Calculating profits is just as easy. From 5 tons of compost receive up to 1 ton of finished products. The average cost of mushrooms is 200 rubles. From the sale of 1 ton it will be possible to get 200 thousand. Net profit will amount to 137 thousand rubles.
But such calculations do not include investments in equipment, premises and expenses that may arise during the growing process. Therefore, the recoupment of costs and the first profit, the mushroom picker can receive no earlier than a year, observing all the requirements.
The following video tells about the nuances of growing champignons for business purposes:
Engaging in the cultivation of mushrooms on the territory of your house or apartment is not difficult, if you know all the subtleties. Compliance with all requirements and conditions will help to obtain a high-quality crop in large volumes. Using some methods allows you to get a crop not only for personal consumption, but also for sale.
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