How to grow mushrooms at home: A practical guide
Craving fresh mushrooms for your next homemade pizza or stir fry? Yeah, it’s easy to pick up a bag from the store, but nothing beats the freshness and flavour of home-grown. Whether you’re a seasoned gardening pro or a total newbie, growing mushrooms at home is surprisingly easy. With the right setup and a little bit of TLC, you’ll be feasting on fungi in no time.
Top tips for growing mushrooms
- If you’re new to mushroom growing, grab a pre-made kit. All you need to grow mushrooms, in one easy box.
- Mushrooms love cosy, warm spots. Think a basement, laundry, or anywhere naturally humid.
- Mist your mushrooms with lukewarm water. Keep them moist, but never soggy.
- Mushrooms need to breath. If you’re covering them with a cloth to trap humidity, make sure to uncover them a few times a day to give them some fresh air.
- When your mushrooms are ready, twist them from the base. Don’t yank them!
How to start growing mushrooms
When it comes to mushroom-growing, you’ve got two options:
- DIY your growing medium. For pro growers, prepare your own substrate using a mix of soil, calcium carbonate (lime), and peat.
- Pick up a mushroom growing kit. Perfect for beginners. Simply grab a kit, follow the instructions, and voila, mushrooms in no time! Kits usually come with a container or grow bag, peat-based soil, and mycelium-infused substrate.
What conditions do mushrooms need to grow?
Mushrooms must-haves include:
- The right temperature: Between 17°C and 20°C (depending on the type). Too hot (above 24°C) can stunt growth.
- Humidity: Mushrooms like a moist environment Think basements, attics, or other naturally humid areas, like under the kitchen sink. They don’t need sun, so can be tucked away in a dark spot.
How to care for your mushroom crop
Mushrooms aren’t too fussy. Just make sure you keep them happy by keeping the right conditions:
- Watch for wet caps: Put the watering can away. A light spritz with a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water is all your mushrooms need. Too much water on the substrate or the mushroom caps can stunt them.
- Use a cover: If the air in your house is a little dry, you can put a breathable cloth or piece of perforated plastic over the top. It’ll help trap moisture, while still letting your mushrooms breathe. Just make sure to take the cover off a few times throughout the day. You don’t want your mushrooms to get too hot.
Harvesting your mushrooms
One of the best things about growing mushrooms at home is that you can usually get multiple harvests throughout the year. When the mushrooms are ready, it’s harvest time:
1. Gently twist or cut your mushrooms at the base. Easy now – you don’t want to disturb your mycelium. If they’re ready, they’ll come away from the base easily.
2. Remove any leftover mushroom stems or debris from your substrate.
3. After harvesting, let your mycelium rest for a few weeks. You’ll be back in business and ready to grow again in no time.
Why grow your own mushrooms?
Why grow your own?
- Next-level freshness and flavour: Home-grown mushrooms just taste better. It’s as simple as that.
- Year-round fungi: Treat your mycelium right, and you’ll be harvesting multiple batches a year.
- Eco-friendly: Cut food miles and packaging by growing your own.
- Beginner-friendly: Kits make mushrooms one of the easiest crops to grow at home.
Getting started with mushroom growing in Australia
Give mushroom growing a go and you’ll never look back. It’s incredibly easy with a kit, or if you’re looking for something a little more hands-on, go the DIY route.
With the right conditions and a little care, you can turn your home into a thriving mushroom farm!
FAQs about mushrooms
How fast does a mushroom grow?
It depends on the type of mushroom. Interestingly, most of the mushrooms found in Australia are the same variety – just harvested at different ages. Some types are ready in as little as two weeks, while others take months to grow.
Where does mushroom grow?
In heaps of places! You can grow them in basements, under the kitchen sink, in food-grade plastic buckets and on freshly cut logs.
Can you grow mushrooms in buckets?
Absolutely! Just use a sterilised food-grade bucket and the right substrate.
