How to grow mushroom mycelium at home
The lady cultivation of mushrooms on her own is not only interesting, but also very profitable. This requires a mycelium. How to grow mushroom mycelium at home in order to get a complete product? In some cases, laboratory equipment will be required. All procedures must be performed in a state of complete sterility, following the instructions exactly.
What is called mycelium, its functions
Externally, the mycelium is represented by the finest filaments, brown, yellow or white. They form meshes, some weaves, which are called hyphae. They often resemble cotton wool or fluff, and if you look at them through a magnifying glass, you can see mycelium strings. It is an underground organ, but sometimes it protrudes beyond the substrate in which it grows. It is the mycelium that is responsible for feeding the fungus and fixing it in the soil.
Hyphae are sometimes seen in places where the mycelium was previously located (stumps or fertile soil). Sometimes mushroom pickers collect them to plant mycelium for the subsequent cultivation of mushrooms at home.
Types of planting mycelium
There are several types of this material:
- sowing material - ready-to-use material that is collected from previously bearing myceliums;
- uterine - it is grown in sterile conditions, close to laboratory conditions, using test tubes;
- mycelium of the body of the fungus - in this case, the seeds are particles of fresh caps, harvested under certain conditions.
The seed can be purchased in specialized stores and laid in a special substrate for further germination. The last two options need to be grown first. How to grow mushroom mycelium at home using equipment - further in the article.
How to grow mushroom mycelium at home
Growing requires the following tools and materials:
- burner, alcohol;
- tweezers;
- glass test tubes with stoppers;
- wort and agar-agar;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- gloves are sterile.
All items that will be involved in the process must undergo additional sterilization, including the working area.
Preparation of uterine mycelium
Before making mycelium at home, you need to prepare a nutrient medium. You need to start by mixing the wort with agar-agar. The mixture is boiled over low heat until thick. Mushroom particles should already be prepared by this time - treated with hydrogen peroxide and placed in a special container.
Pour the thickened mixture into clean test tubes. Leave them to cool for a while at a slight slope. As the mass cools down, it becomes jelly-like, at which time you can start laying the mushroom particles. This should be done with sterile forceps.
Before caping the tube with a stopper, it must be held in front of the burner for disinfection. After that, the tubes must be removed to a warm, dark place. Under these conditions, the mycelium of the fungus is grown for two weeks. This period is sufficient to obtain the finished material for sowing.
The main reason why some mushroom pickers fail to grow mycelium is non-sterility. When microorganisms enter the tubes, the result is mold.
Preparation of seed mycelium from the body of the mushroom
This method is considered the easiest. More often this mycelium is produced for growing oyster mushrooms and honey agarics at home.
The cooking process is as follows:
- Choose the ripe hats. It is important to choose large specimens without damage.
- Soak them in warm boiled water for a day.
- After a day, drain the water, grind the caps into a gruel with a sterile object.
- The resulting mixture must be immediately laid in the substrate prepared in advance.
The gruel cannot be stored for a long time - it must be used immediately. When growing mushrooms, a certain indoor temperature and humidity should be maintained.
There are a number of other ways to grow mycelium.
Growing uterine mycelium on grain
This method is considered common among mushroom pickers who grow oyster mushrooms. To make grain mycelium at home, you will need oats, millet, or corn seeds. The most effective method of growing mycelium on rye grains is recognized. They need to be prepared before use.
The first step is to boil the grains. To do this, prepare 30 kg of grains, pour in 30 liters of water. Cook for half an hour over low heat. Then drain the rest of the water and dry the grains. Next, they must be mixed with chalk (100 g) and gypsum (350 g). This will allow air to enter and make the grain crumbly.
The next step is to fill glass containers (it is better to take 2 or 3 liter jars) to 4/5 parts with grains. Cover the neck of each jar with clean gauze. They must be placed in a large pot or medical autoclave, if available. It is necessary to sterilize containers twice for 2-3 hours, taking into account the interval - about a day. During boiling, it is important to ensure that no water gets inside the jars. Then all containers must be moved to a clean room and infused for about 15 hours.
After that, the resulting grain can be considered ready for spore settlement. For this, pieces of the mushroom are placed in containers with grain. Parts of the mushroom are taken from the cap. Before placing them in a container, the fragments should be treated with hydrogen peroxide.
Then the cans are moved to a warm, shaded place. There should be no drafts in the room. Also, avoid direct sunlight.
Subject to the exact execution of the technological process, a white fluff will begin to appear after 12-15 days. This is the mycelium for growing mushrooms.
Benefits of growing mycelium on cardboard
The method, which is recognized by many mushroom pickers growing champignons, is carried out using cardboard. Pieces of thick cardboard should be soaked in boiled water for 30-60 minutes. Then squeeze it out and divide it into layers. Disassemble the stem of the fruit into small fibers and put them on paper, covering it with a layer of cardboard on top. Place material in a plastic container with holes and wrap in cellophane. For the proper development of the mycelium, a temperature of at least 20 ° C, daily ventilation and no sunlight are required. The first shoots will form in 20 days.
The advantages of the method:
- cardboard is made from wood that is already familiar to the mycelium from sawdust and chips;
- it is quite accessible;
- it does not need to be sterilized;
- retains moisture well;
- corrugated cardboard, due to its shape, allows the mycelium to breathe.
Before starting to work with cardboard, it is important to cut out all lettering and remove any traces of glue and tape.
Mycelium storage
At temperatures up to 4-5 ° C, the oyster mushroom mycelium can remain viable for about a year. It is better to store the mycelium in vacuum bags. However, first they need to be heat treated with boiling water for 20 minutes. Only then can the grain mycelium be packaged in bags.
How to choose a ready-made mycelium
Mycelium can be purchased if there are no conditions for growing it. You need to choose it carefully. When buying, it is important to pay attention to the production date, storage duration. As a rule, the shelf life of mycelium is 3-4 months under certain conditions.
Advice! Experienced mushroom pickers do not recommend purchasing dry mycelium. Many have noticed that it grows much slower and does not adapt well to the environment.
Before starting work, it is worth taking a small batch from a specialized store, while there is no confidence in the quality of the product. Pay attention to the packaging. It must be clean, free of damage, mold and odor.
Before sowing, the recommended storage temperature is no higher than 4 ° C. In no case should the mycelium be frozen, otherwise the crop will die. Packages with mycelium should be placed at some distance from each other for ventilation.
You need to start work by chopping the product, without opening the package. Use sterile gloves before opening the package. In this case, the temperature should be room temperature.
What types of mushrooms can be grown using mycelium
Now that you know how you can grow mushroom mycelium at home, you should know which fruits are grown independently. Those varieties of mushrooms that can be grown at home do not require special material costs or hard work. Most of the time and money will be spent on obtaining mycelium.
You can independently grow mushrooms that belong to woody (shiitake, winter mushrooms, oyster mushrooms) and soil (ringlets and champignons). Many have mastered this business, especially since this occupation does not require large areas. If desired, mushrooms can be obtained even on the balcony.
Choosing a substrate for planting mycelium
The substrate must be chosen based on which mushrooms are planned to be grown. For example, mushrooms grow well on compost, oyster mushrooms on straw, and shiitake on sawdust. Before sowing, it is recommended to sterilize the mycelium to prevent the ingress of microorganisms.
Further, the mycelium is evenly distributed in the substrate. First, the mycelium is heated to a temperature of 20-21 ° C and left for 20 days. The temperature should then be lowered to 13 ° C and remain so until the crop appears.
The mushrooms will start to appear gradually after 3 weeks. During their growth and development, it is necessary to maintain not only temperature, but also humidity, to provide them with darkening.
The fruit can be considered fully ripe when the caps are easily detached from the stem. When harvesting, it is important not to damage the spores, so it is best to use a fairly sharp knife.
The positive result of cooking mycelium mainly depends on the conditions in which it is made. The room in which the process takes place must be completely sterile. Cleanliness must be maintained at all stages, and procedures must be performed with sterile gloves.