Mushroom cultivation is a fascinating and rewarding hobby, and one of the most critical factors in successful mushroom farming is the choice of substrate. The substrate, or growing medium, serves as the nourishing foundation for mushroom mycelium to colonize and produce mushrooms. Different mushroom species have varying substrate preferences, and understanding these preferences is key to a thriving mushroom harvest. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of mushroom substrates, exploring various options and their suitability for different fungi.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our post about pasteurizing/sterilizing your substrate to ensure you don’t end up with a contaminated substrate.
Choosing the Right Substrate:
Selecting the appropriate substrate is a critical decision for successful mushroom cultivation. Consider the following factors when making your choice:
Mushroom Species:
- Different mushroom species have specific substrate preferences. Research the requirements of the mushrooms you intend to grow. Oysters are a good choice if you’re a beginner as they have a fast and aggressive growth, which reduces the risk of contamination.
Availability and Cost:
- Consider the availability and cost of the substrate materials in your region. Some substrates may be more accessible and economical than others.
Skill Level:
- Some substrates require more advanced cultivation techniques like sterilizing for extended period of time for which you will need an autoclave. Beginners may want to start with easier options.
Sustainability:
- If environmental sustainability is a concern, consider substrates that recycle waste materials or use renewable resources.
Choosing the Right Container:
1. Buckets:
Buckets are a great method for beginners as they can provide multiple great harvests over an extended period of time and are low on costs.
You can stack multiple buckets, which makes them a space efficient solution compared to bags.
The big downside is the cleaning part. You will need to clean them thoroughly after each run, which can become quite time intensive job.
Buckets can be used with wood and straw pellets, as these don’t necessarily need to be sterilized.
Read our Bucket Tek – Manual for more information on how to grow in buckets.
2. Bags:
Most commonly used in mushroom production are plastic bags, mostly made from polypropylene. They can be sterilized and come in all sizes and with different kind of filters. Growing bags are less likely to cross-contaminate neighboring bags or areas, as each bag operates as an isolated unit.
Use higer grade filters for mushroom spawn as the chances of contamination are increased and low air exchange is needed. For fruiting bags use bigger filters to increase air flow.
Monitoring mushroom growth and moisture levels is straightforward through the transparent portion of the bag. This simplifies maintenance and reduces disturbance to the growing environment.
While the bags themselves are relatively inexpensive, the recurring cost of purchasing new bags for each batch of mushrooms can add up over time. Growing bags are typically designed for single-use, which can contribute to waste generation. However, some growers attempt to reuse bags with varying degrees of success. For commercial cultivators, a 1 time use is common.
In summary, mushroom growing bags offer several advantages, including contamination control, space efficiency, and consistency. However, they also come with drawbacks, such as environmental concerns, limited variety, and ongoing costs. The choice to use growing bags or other cultivation methods should be based on your specific mushroom species, scale of cultivation, and sustainability goals.
2. Bottles:
You can use wide mouth jars or special mushroom production bottles made out of polypropylene to grow mushrooms in a reusable and autoclavable container.
Mushrooms like Enoki and King Oysters grow great in bottles and yield decent harvests.
Compared to bags and buckets, the yields are lower due to the small amount of substrate.
Bottles are like buckets, a great way to start, but without automatization and special equipment the labor-intensiveness gets very high.
Preparing and Using Substrates:
Regardless of the substrate you choose, proper preparation is essential:
1. Sterilization or Pasteurization:
- Many substrates need to be sterilized or pasteurized to eliminate contaminants before inoculation. If using straw or wood pellets you can skip this step if you dont add more nutrients to your substrate. You will need to use a higer amount of mushroom spawn to introduce more nutrients in your mix and to accelerate mycelium growth. You save money and time on the sterilization part, but will have higher costs buying spawn.
- Substrates like Masters Mix (50%wood pellets & 50% soy hulls) will need to be autoclaved 90-300min (depending on bag size and space inside your autoclave).
2. Inoculation:
- Inoculate your substrate with mushroom spores or mycelium using a clean and sterile technique.
3. Colonization and Fruiting:
- Maintain the ideal environmental conditions for mycelium colonization and fruiting, including temperature, humidity, and light.
4. Harvesting:
- Harvest mushrooms when they reach the desired size and maturity. Harvesting early will result in less spores produced and your fruits will have a longer shelf life however yield will be a bit lower. find a good center between quality and quantity.