Does anyone grow mushrooms here...

[maddie]

Maddie, the only thing about covering the soil with plastic (usually done on the ground over a large area before you plant) is that it takes several weeks from what I remember. I think you can also "bake" soil to sterilize it in something like a smoker type barbecue grill.

Yeah I read about baking soil to sterilize it... I also checked on the availability and price of sterile soil here and it seems like that is going to be pretty expensive.. I must find a way to do this myself, If I want to start the project... I may have to wait for the weather to grow a little more warmer.. before I even try this... It gets really warm in February and then it is summer for major part of the year here..

 

[ChanellG]

I have been reading about solar ovens. I saw a link to a science experiment article where you could make one from a pizza box. It was really simple, and I bet if you did something like that you could use it to sterilize soil yourself.

I think the reason some mushroom growing articles suggest sterile soil is so that you know there are no diseases in the soil. If you have had good results with whatever soil you have been using up til now, it's probably safe for the mushrooms.

 

[iluvmario]

Thank you for this post. I purchased a "spore kit" from ebay. I expected to get the entire kit, spores, medium and bag. I only got the spores. The basket idea will work really well.

 

[sunflower]

Oh boy, now I'm going to have to go to all the links that were posted and see what I can rig up because I LOVE mushrooms and would love to have a rotating crop so I could have fresh ones whenever I wanted. That would be so wonderful. I love when I can just pick and eat my food.

 

[ChanellG]

Thank you for this post. I purchased a "spore kit" from ebay. I expected to get the entire kit, spores, medium and bag. I only got the spores. The basket idea will work really well.

Oh boy, now I'm going to have to go to all the links that were posted and see what I can rig up because I LOVE mushrooms and would love to have a rotating crop so I could have fresh ones whenever I wanted. That would be so wonderful. I love when I can just pick and eat my food.

We posted some other links in the Useful garden tips thread. In fact, that is what Maddie started it for so we could
share links that had to do with the stuff we had been discussing on the forum. You can find that thread here: https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/useful-gardening-tips.264/#post-3299

There may be some overlap with the mushroom links, but there's a lot of other stuff in there also. (Add some if you want!)

 

[Tmann]

Has anyone tried growing them in the basement?

 

[DrCase]

I had a Friend that grew shiitake mushrooms she would drill holes into logs like fire wood size and put the spores in, no dirt , they were good eating

 

[Arzosah]

Chanell, I hopped over here when you mentioned about the laundry basket - and, oh my word, those pictures of the mushrooms growing out from the laundry basket are fantastic!

The spare one I have is yellow, that wouldn't really be suitable, I think ... what I do have is an old wooden bedframe, the headboard and footboard could do much the same job as the laundry basket. Argh! I'm working on fixing my bathroom at the moment, its difficult to find the time to do the garden (and its still not advisable to walk on the grass too much, because its all so sodden).

The other thing I have, in relation to mushrooms, is a four feet long piece of silver birch tree trunk - you're supposed to drill holes into the wood to inoculate it with spawn, and just leave it to do its thing.

I love mushrooms so much

 

[maddie]

All I have is a 4x6 ft balcony which is already loaded with plants.. no place for tree trunks.. I Think if I have the time I would work with the cardboard cartons to grow the mushrooms... I'll have to wait until I get to the new place.

 

[maddie]

I just found a link to grow mushrooms in toilet paper. I am really excited because this involves no mess. Time to try this I guess.
Here is the link if you are interested.
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-grow-oyster-mushrooms-toilet-paper-6629632.html?cat=32

 

[Arzosah]

How interesting! I've bookmarked the link, thank you I still haven't inoculated that silver birch log I've got - its been so cold here recently, I can't believe it would be a good thing. But doing it inside would be excellent, I think.

 

[maddie]

How interesting! I've bookmarked the link, thank you I still haven't inoculated that silver birch log I've got - its been so cold here recently, I can't believe it would be a good thing. But doing it inside would be excellent, I think.

You are welcome.I haven't been able to get this project going for some reason or the other. I am unable get mushroom spores.. I watched a couple of youtube video and how the home collected spores never really worked. Space is another thing that keeps me off this one. I would really love to start growing mushrooms sometime soon.

 

[ChanellG]

You are welcome.I haven't been able to get this project going for some reason or the other. I am unable get mushroom spores.. I watched a couple of youtube video and how the home collected spores never really worked. Space is another thing that keeps me off this one. I would really love to start growing mushrooms sometime soon.

Maddie, I wonder if the reason those home collected spores didn't work is because they weren't collected from organic mushrooms. Most of the food in regular grocery stores has either had contact with pesticides or radiation. It's also possible that the mushrooms have been bred to not reproduce.

 

[Arzosah]

A friend of mine just told me he had some success with collecting spawn from supermarket mushrooms ... that really surprises me, I must say - though as ChanellG says, maybe even supermarket mushrooms that are organic *might* be viable.

 

[maddie]

A friend of mine just told me he had some success with collecting spawn from supermarket mushrooms ... that really surprises me, I must say - though as ChanellG says, maybe even supermarket mushrooms that are organic *might* be viable.

I have been reading online that it works either way,.. I have tried collecting spores from organic mushroom from the supermarket .. doesn't seem to work.. it is s process of trial and error for me right now..I am currently only making half hearted attempts.. as I have very little space for this experiment.

Maddie, I wonder if the reason those home collected spores didn't work is because they weren't collected from organic mushrooms. Most of the food in regular grocery stores has either had contact with pesticides or radiation. It's also possible that the mushrooms have been bred to not reproduce.

You might have a valid point there..I only hope to start a small container so I can have these mushroom wherever I want to have them. Maybe I need some luck here.