I don't think I've ever spent so much time in the house as I have since our second daughter was born!
So On Sunday I decided to have a quick sort out of my seeds and I found a couple of packets of mushroom spawn. They were both well out of their sell by date but I thought I had nothing to loose from trying it so I ventured outside in the rain to have a go.
 |
| A little out of date but never mind! |
The first packet was Shiitake mushrooms (careful how you write that one!) this called for a freshly cut log split in two. Cut to ten minutes later, a slightly lighter willow tree from the far hedge and a couple of well placed blows with the axe and I had all I needed!
All I did then was to spread the mushroom spawn out on the slit log and tie it back together before placing it in a plastic bag.
 |
| A split willow log - not much good for fire wood so maybe a better use for them! |
Apparently this bag has to stay in a warm place for two months. Now our house is far from warm but I guess it will have to do, hidden in plane sight under the radiator in the dinning room for now until I get told to move it!
 |
| Not what I'd call hiden but never mind! |
The next batch was for chestnut button mushrooms. this called for horse muck (I had cow but I doubt it's that fussy), a plastic bag, some straw and some compost.
 |
| The second batch promises mushrooms much sooner! |
I put in a few kg of muck, a load of straw and the mushroom spawn in the bag and mixed it together before pressing it tightly down.
 |
| Adding straw |
 |
| Straw and much mixed together |
I then "capped" it with compost before leaving it in the greenhouse to hopefully grow mushrooms in a few months time.
 |
| The capping of compost added for the mushrooms to grow through |
I've no idea if either of these will work but it's worth a shot.
My grandfather and uncle (on my mothers side) used to grow mushrooms in the turkey houses on their farm. This was normally after Christmas as they were empty by then, turkeys being a seasonal meat, but mum said they never made much money at it so they only did it for a few years. I must quiz my uncle on it the next time I see him.
Anyone else grow mushrooms? I'd love to know the secretes to growing them on a small scale - I'll need to be able to do it if I ever want to be self sufficient! Any links or tips would be great!
I LOVE mushrooms. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteCheers Gorges
DeleteI have grown oyster mushrooms on coffee grounds there's lots of info here:http://madbioneer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/coffee-ground-mushroom-spawn.html but i used spawn bought on ebay by 'Epogee' worked quite well but i got sidetracked and forgot to water......I grew in seed trays with a plastic propogating lid on top you can reinvigorate the substrate once its spent by adding more for the mycelium to colonise
ReplyDeleteYeah I was thinking if this worked then I could start some more off with the mycelium from this batch. As for using coffee grounds I've nver drunk a cup full in my life (nor tea for that matter) so not the best one for me. Nice link though I'll have a read.
DeleteIt's something I have never tried, I don't like mushrooms AT ALL, I am trying. They say if you try a new food six times you will learn to love it, well I must have tried at least 2 dozen times up to now and no love is smouldering in my heart for any of the fungi I have tasted.
ReplyDeleteLovely Hubby does love them so I guess I should give it a go, we bought a kit once but left it in the barn by mistake and the rats must have though it was for them and dragged it half chewed through down their hole.... oh well, maybe I buy LH a kit for Christmas and we have another go, like you say if you want to be self sufficient you have to grow what you actually eat :-)
I used to hate msuhrooms but now I love them and they go into everything! I've used the button mushroom in a poly box kits before and they worked but not amaziongly well (I could have brought more mushrooms and the cost of the kit!)
DeleteKeep trying mushrooms maybe oneday your relise how amazing they are (I really did hate them until I was 25)
Very interesting... I shall be back to see how they turned out.
ReplyDeleteCheers! Thats if they turn out!
DeleteFunghi futures make a good kit !
ReplyDeleteI might have to out some of these on my christmas list I think!
DeleteI tried to grow mushrooms last year, but didn't have any success. Hope yours grow, I look forward to seeing their progress :)
ReplyDeleteCheers Tania! With all the stuff you manage to grow I wouldn't worry abou the mushrooms not working! I always love looking at you produce from such a different climate than mine!
DeleteMy neighbor's new friend, who is wandering around the country with his dog, likes the kind of mushrooms that grow on cow patties. I didn't try them.
ReplyDeleteI work with some guys that like those kind of mushrooms. I think you can tell they like them, if you know what I mean!
DeleteWe tried it when we lived in the UK...our airing cupboard was mushroom control...but it ended up more expensive than buying them so we gave up.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Thats my worry but as I've got the kits I might as well give it a go. The airing cupboard is too full so it's going to have to be the dinning room for now!
DeleteMate of mine back in the early eighties, his Dad died and he inherited a field, no house on it. He put up a couple of black poly tunnels and started a mushroom farm. Everyone said he was mad. But he persisted. He learnt he needed controlled humidity so he dug a bore hole and installed a pump. Everyone said he was mad. He needed to guard his investment so got planning permission for a guard house. Everyone laughed. Obviously if you were there 24 hours of the day you needed conditions so the guardhouse acquired four bedrooms, all en-suite, a couple of drawing rooms and a decent farmhouse kitchen. All the posh supermarket chains and restaurants started buying his exotic mushrooms. The council gave him retrospective planning permission. I went to school with this guy. He is now a millionaire.
ReplyDeleteSounds like he knew what he was doing from the start. I know a few like that that have built "tied" houses with bussiness ventured then got the ties removed and done quite well out of it!
DeleteWill watch your progress with growing mushrooms as fancy having a go myself!
ReplyDeleteCheers Vera, I've no idea if this will work so we'll see how it goes - I'll keep you posted!
Delete