Tips for growing and cultivating mushrooms at home for beginners (+18 photos)

Mushrooms

For those who enjoy the "quiet hunt," a good option would be to turn their hobby into a profitable business and start growing different types of mushrooms, not in the forest, but at home. This activity doesn't require much effort or investment, but it can bring in a good income in the long run or provide a steady source of organic food for the table.

What mushrooms can be grown at home and choosing a location

First, you need to decide which species you'd like to cultivate and how feasible it is. You can grow both wood-dwelling and soil-dwelling mushrooms at home:

shiitake;
oyster mushrooms;
honey mushrooms;
champignons;
ring-shaped;
white;
chanterelles.

Basic mushroom growing tips for beginners

At the initial stage of planting a crop, you should determine your goals and the necessary costs to achieve them, as well as be patient and study at least a minimum of literature on the specifics of this enterprise.

Conditions for cultivation

To create an artificial mushroom habitat, special conditions are needed for the fruiting bodies to ripen. For a successful mushroom farm, a room with high humidity (at least 85%) and an average temperature of 15-25⁰C is required. Heaters, humidifiers, or specialized equipment can be used to maintain these parameters.

Mycelium can be grown on wooden stumps (logs) or in a grain substrate, depending on the chosen cultivar. Depending on the expected harvest size, the size of the space for growing the mycelium should be chosen: up to five special blocks can be installed per square meter.

The most popular option for obtaining such a block is a regular bag filled with the required composition, which can be purchased from farmers, specialty stores, or made yourself.

Methods for obtaining mycelium

The quantity and quality of homegrown mushrooms will directly depend on the composition of the growing medium. There are two ways to obtain mycelium for mushroom propagation: growing it yourself or purchasing it from mushroom producers.

Growing mycelium at home can be quite challenging for beginners, as it requires monitoring the process from spore sowing to germination. This process takes time and requires knowledge of the growth habits of different species. Straw and seed husks are suitable for cultivating mycelium.

To grow your own mushrooms, you can bring mycelium dug up in the forest and plant it in the substrate. Alternatively, finely chop the caps of collected or purchased mushrooms, cover with water, let them sit, then crush the mixture with your hands, squeeze it out, and discard. Pour the remaining water over the substrate. The liquid contains spores that should germinate.

The second method is simpler, and many newcomers to this field prefer to buy a ready-made product. It's important to check that the company offering their substrate has all the necessary documentation. Inspect the purchased product for mold, foreign objects, or an unpleasant odor. If you notice any of these, return it to the seller immediately.

A step-by-step guide to growing mushrooms at home for beginners

For beginning hobbyists, it is important to follow the following steps in order to grow your first crop and establish the process:

Select and prepare a breeding site in advance, taking into account the requirements of humidity and temperature.
Prepare the mycelium (grow it yourself or buy ready-made).
Sterilize the nutrient medium in which the mycelium will be placed.
Plant the prepared mycelium into the substrate.
Maintain the required temperature and humidity until germination.
The appearance of mycelium
Once the sprouts appear, the temperature should be reduced and the fruits allowed to ripen.
The first small fruits will appear in three weeks; you can harvest them or wait until they are fully ripe.

The future success of mushroom cultivation will directly depend on maintaining conditions for their reproduction and maturation.

Rules for harvesting and storing crops

The first harvest should be based on the maturity of the cap. It's important not to use improvised means or pick off mature fruiting bodies by hand, as this can damage the roots, which will prevent future harvests. Mushrooms should be cut with a sharp knife to preserve their integrity and avoid damaging the mycelium. This rule does not apply to button mushrooms, which should be twisted off with the stem, but carefully.

To ensure proper preservation of the fruiting bodies, they must be refrigerated no later than 6 hours after harvesting. Storage temperatures should be kept at 0-2 degrees Celsius, so a regular refrigerator is not suitable for this purpose if you plan to sell the harvest.

It's best to sell the produce within six days to preserve its marketable appearance and freshness. Mushrooms can be stored in paper bags or small boxes; either method will work, depending on the quantity.

Reviews of mushroom cultivation at home

Since the idea of growing mushrooms at home for sale has become quite popular in recent years, below are reviews from people who have tried it:

Larisa: "I decided to use online tutorials and grow my own oyster mushrooms, which I love. I bought mycelium and prepared a spot on the windowsill. The process took a month and resulted in only a few mushrooms. I gave up on it."

Oleg: "For three years, I've been growing porcini mushrooms for myself and for sale in my basement. It requires regular maintenance and sterilization of the room itself due to mold, but the results are worth it. Not only can I prepare my favorite dishes year-round, but I also have a steady source of income. My customers are my friends, the product is in demand, and I plan to expand the business."

Masha: "My husband and I have a small oyster mushroom farm. They grow in special bags with seed husks, suspended from the ceiling of our old house. There are no problems with them, really; the main thing is to maintain the right microclimate in the room and harvest the mushrooms on time. During my first harvest, I had an allergy to the spore powder, but it went away and we continued growing oyster mushrooms. The taste of home-grown oyster mushrooms is much better than store-bought ones."

If you're looking to earn extra income or start your own business, you can explore the idea of mushroom cultivation, which is inexpensive and yields its first fruits within a month. Keep in mind that not all varieties can be easily grown at home, so choose those with proven cultivation techniques.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Is growing mushrooms at home dangerous to your health?

Growing different varieties directly in the home is unacceptable for people prone to allergies or those with respiratory illnesses due to the spores released during maturation, which can be harmful to the body. It is completely safe to grow any mushroom species in separate rooms.

Can a poisonous mushroom grow among edible mushrooms?

Provided the mycelium was high-quality, this won't happen, as the toxic species requires its spores to develop. However, if the mycelium was homemade and harvested from wild mushrooms, this is possible if the mushroom accidentally contained the wrong fruit.

How long can mushrooms grown in such conditions be stored?

After harvesting, the mushrooms should be refrigerated immediately and can be stored this way for up to a week. They can also be frozen, which will extend their shelf life up to a year.