Mushroom compost

[Jed]

Jed and Maddie, I am wondering if it is possible to make your own spent mushroom compost by simply placing a mushroom cap on top of some other compost material?

I'm really not sure what the benefit is of using spent compost, mushroom or not. .

The benefit is it's a fantastic mulch/soil conditioner on top of the soil. With some luck it can grow further mushrooms if it finds more nutrients.

Zigs could probably answer this better than me but to get mushrooms from compost you need to introduce mycelium, that is to innoculate it. You can buy the inoculated material which as far as I know is on wheat?
This is introduced to a compost you make. Again Zigs probably can give the ideal ingredients. Manure, straw, lime and water.

You can buy mushroom kits from hardware and gardening stores or online.
Perhaps you could buy one of those and then do some experimenting.

 

[ChanellG]

Zigs could probably answer this better than me but to get mushrooms from compost you need to introduce mycelium, that is to innoculate it. You can buy the inoculated material which as far as I know is on wheat?
This is introduced to a compost you make. Again Zigs probably can give the ideal ingredients. Manure, straw, lime and water.

The next time I am at the farmer's market I will have to ask where their mushrooms come from and see about the spent compost.

I was all set to try growing mushrooms until I read your comment about mycelium. I guess I have some more reading to do.

 

[zigs]

Jed is spot on, mycellium is the main part of a fungus, the mushrooms are just the fruiting bodies.

You might have sucess with letting a cap drop its spores, but its more reliable to buy a kit. Trouble is doing it a home its not easy to get the warmth and the humidity right.

Next to the hot water tank would be warm enough but its also one of the driest places in the house.

I wouldn't advise growing Oyster mushrooms indoors, a neighbouring farm grew a crop & all the workers came down with breathing problems, sore eyes, noses.

Never had that problem with the Agarics we grew.

You can buy pellets of Oyster mushroom spawn that you put into holes drilled into logs that you stack up outside, think it takes a few years to get a crop.

 

[ChanellG]

Jed is spot on, mycellium is the main part of a fungus, the mushrooms are just the fruiting bodies.

Zigs, I think those kits they sell at Whole Foods are for growing oyster mushrooms. I am interested in criminis (baby bellas). They are the ones I use most often, though I might give the buttons (agaricus?) a try.

If I understand correctly, mycellium will grow from the spores, spread in the soil, and eventually produce mushrooms. I'm also guessing "spent" compost means the mycellium has stopped producing mushrooms.

My hot water heater is outdoors, though I live in a very humid climate, so if I can find a good spot indoors where I won't have to keep moving them around, I may be able to use a light bulb to help maintain the temperature.

This is the info I was going to use for growing them:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7179707_build-own-mushroom-growing-kit.html

 

[zigs]

Hi Chanell,

You're right there, the spores will germinate if the conditions are right. To get mushrooms though, 2 mycellium of the oposite mating types have to meet. Not sure if the spores from one mushroom will produce oposites, they may or may not.

Be much more reliable to get a kit. Nothing wrong with giving it a go though, try it with your favorite ones, nothing to loose.

I've left the remains of a Giant Puffball in the meadow at my Sisters place, hoping some might come up there eventually.

Here's one I found last year, they are delicious

 

[Jed]

This is the info I was going to use for growing them:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7179707_build-own-mushroom-growing-kit.html

Great link and easy to follow. I think if I was to grow at home I certainly would give this a go.

I googled up this site for kits in the USA http://www.gardeners.com/Crimini-Baby-Bella-Mushroom-Kit/40-483,default,pd.html?start=5&cgid=20728

I've left the remains of a Giant Puffball in the meadow at my Sisters place, hoping some might come up there eventually.

Here's one I found last year, they are delicious

How do you know when it's best to pick puff balls?

 

[zigs]

How do you know when it's best to pick puff balls?

Give them a tap, they have a good resonance feel when they are ripe, as long as the flesh is still white then they're ok. The flesh goes yellow when they've gone over.

Check out your local varieties though, there is one poisonous one over here, but it doesn't get anywhere as big as the giant one.

I like slices fried in butter with some herbs and salt. Occasionally we get years when a lot come up at once, I then slice them thinly & dry them out, that concentrates the flavour, great in winter stews.

 

[ChanellG]

Here's one I found last year, they are delicious

Wow Zigs, that looks massive! It's so large I think I would be afraid to eat it, lol. I suppose I will just have to look around for a kit that contains the kind of mushrooms I am interested in growing.

Great link and easy to follow. I think if I was to grow at home I certainly would give this a go.

I googled up this site for kits in the USA http://www.gardeners.com/Crimini-Baby-Bella-Mushroom-Kit/40-483,default,pd.html?start=5&cgid=20728

Thanks Jed, I'll check it out!

 

[zigs]

Thats the good thing Chanell, if its that big it can't be mistaken for anything bad. We look for them around here by going to the top of a hill with binoculars. Once you've found a site where they grow, its worth going back every year as the mycellium lives for years.

 

[ChanellG]

Zigs I just saw online that Sears sells mushroom compost, as does Home Depot, even though none of the stores in my area seem to have it, and you have to choose a location to even get the price.

The one from Sears is less than $4 though, so that's a good option.
Scotts Organics Mushroom Compost

 

[zigs]

When I clicked on that page it translated it into GB£ & then told me I couldn't have it.

We used to sell it direct to the public for 50p a bag, so I suppose thats not too bad considering that was 20 years ago, couldn't see if it was sterilised or not though. If it is, you won't get more mushrooms coming up.

 

[zigs]

These guys are advertising classes in mushroom growing, are they anywhere near you?

http://stores.laughingbuddhanursery.com/-strse-Classes/Categories.bok

 

[ChanellG]

When I clicked on that page it translated it into GB£ & then told me I couldn't have it.

We used to sell it direct to the public for 50p a bag, so I suppose thats not too bad considering that was 20 years ago, couldn't see if it was sterilised or not though. If it is, you won't get more mushrooms coming up.

Well, that's odd; I guess they can't ship to certain places. I have a source for locally produced organic compost; I'll have to ask him about the mushroom stuff. A lot of people here are connected to various growing networks.

These guys are advertising classes in mushroom growing, are they anywhere near you?

http://stores.laughingbuddhanursery.com/-strse-Classes/Categories.bok

It's actually not that far (just a few miles), but I can get an oyster mushroom kit for the same price as the class at Whole Foods. One of the nearby farmer's markets regularly has shitakes and criminis; I'll ask where they get them from and see if I can't get some from the same place.

 

[iluvmario]

I have been wanting to learn how to grow mushrooms. My brother bought some spores so I am looking for compost and bags. I am going to check out Home Depot.

 

[Jed]

I have been wanting to learn how to grow mushrooms. My brother bought some spores so I am looking for compost and bags. I am going to check out Home Depot.

Growing your own mushrooms is relatively easy. If you have the ability to grow other things then mushrooms are just another vegetable to grow. Kits are also available which help the beginner on their way.