Mushrooms sprouting from the ground is a sure sign of healthy soil. The mycelial network from which the fruiting bodies originate enriches its' surroundings, allowing life within the vicinity to thrive. This makes mushrooms the perfect addition to your garden. As a bonus, the varieties in Vesper grow kits are also delicious! Below are instructions on how to properly introduce garden friendly mushrooms.
Materials:
- Fully colonized grain spawn jar
- Untreated straw and/or fine woodchips
- Cardboard Sheets
- Hose/spray bottle
Instructions:
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Choose a suitable location in your garden for mushroom cultivation. It should be an area that is well shaded and protected from the wind.
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Create a perimeter for the mushroom bed. This can be done by either digging a shallow (2-4") indentation in the soil or building a raised bed. One square foot per quart of spawn is recommended.
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Place a layer of cardboard in the bed. On top of the cardboard, spread the straw/woodchips.
- Take the colonized mushroom grain spawn jars and remove the lids. Using a clean spoon, break up the spawn and mix it evenly with the contents of the bed.
- Place another thin layer of straw over the spawn.
- Cover the bed with more cardboard to maintain moisture and humidity.
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Moisten the contents of the bed with a garden hose or spray bottle. The bed should be damp, but no puddles should be present.
- The bed may take several months to mature. Maintain a light level of moisture while the mycelium spreads. Make sure you know how to identify the species of mushroom you introduced, as others may pop up in the ideal environment you have created!
If your sterilized spawn jar has not been previously inoculated with spores or liquid culture, you should follow these next steps before completing the prior section:
Materials:
- Syringe of liquid culture or mushroom spores + needle
- Sterilized spawn jar
- Lighter or candle
Instructions
- Attach the needle to the syringe. Using a lighter or candle, heat up the needle until red. Draw a small amount of air into the syringe. Allow it to cool down for a moment before proceeding to avoid melting the injection port.
- Stick the needle through the self-healing injection port on the top of your sterilized grain spawn jar.
- Inject 2 to 4 ml onto the grain spawn.
- Place jar(s) in a dark space for several days. You should soon start to see white mycelium growing throughout the grain. If growth stalls, shake the jar to spread the mycelium.
- Once the entire contents of the jar are covered in white mycelium, you can proceed with steps 1-8 from the previous section.
We hope this guide helps to simplify the process of growing your own mushrooms. If it seems daunting at first, you will see how simple and rewarding it really is after your first flush of mushrooms appears, ready to be harvested.