I have barely met anyone who does not like mushrooms. Once, I had a conversation with a friend who disliked mushrooms topped on pizzas, but even then, we shared an appreciation for the sight of mushrooms, their umbrella-like physique, and complex gill structures underneath. Few people know, however, that mushrooms are not difficult to grow. We, advocates at UC sustainability could not help but try our hands at it as well. Below I share our experience with mushroom growing.
We started out by buying packaged woodchips, and 2 bags of the mushroom spawn, oyster, and shitake. One can usually make woodchips from a log or make spawn from the mushroom's spores if one is meticulous enough, but we preferred buying them to ensure higher quality ingredients. There are plenty of videos on the internet on making mushroom spawn at home (or for that matter the whole process of growing mushrooms but then who would read my article?). Then, we took two large plastic buckets and sanitized them with boiled water. We drilled holes approximately 1/8th of an inch wide, and 1.5 inches apart all around the bucket. Next, we took the woodchips and put them in a big container, and drenched them in boiling water, and left them overnight to soak. This way, we would be sure the woodchips are completely sanitized and moisturized. The next day, we took the woodchips and started filling them in the buckets we had readied, with mushroom spawn layered with woodchips. To do this properly, we first put 2 inches of woodchip layer on the bottom of the bucket, and then covered it with mushroom spawn layer. We did this alternating around a 1-inch woodchip layer with a spawn layer just enough to cover the chips. We made the topmost layer as woodchips and then covered the bucket with the lid. Next, we let the bucket sit in the dark and shaded area and waited for the results.
After around 4 weeks, we saw some oyster mushrooms pop out of one of the holes in the bucket. But we did not have much success beyond that. Perhaps, it was because of the fluctuations in temperatures, and humidity levels. While we were waiting for the mushrooms to pop up, the spring season brought sometimes quite hot and arid days, and on other days rather chilly nights. That explains why expert farmers prefer growing mushrooms in controlled rooms with suitable temperature and humidity conditions. Nevertheless, it was a great learning opportunity for us, and it gave us a deeper appreciation of the art of mushroom growing. We hope you try it for yourselves and let us know about your experience with mushroom growing.
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