Posts

How to Grow Oyster Mushroom Spawn

Image
These methods are all low tech (requiring only basic equipment), covering the pleurotus ostreatus (winter) and pleurotus pulmonarius (summer) varieties. Materials needed: Wide Mouthed Jars (1 litre) Pressure Cooker with pressure gauge installed (22 litre – to fit approximately 8 Jars) Seed or Grain (birdseed or millet seemed to work well) Cotton Wool (to filter out contaminants) Bowls (to soak grain) Sieve and Ladle (to rinse and drain grain) Spoon, Knife and Fork (for working with spawn) Aluminium Foil (for wrapping jar lids etc in pressure cooker) Drill (to provide air hole in jar lids) To perform the grain inoculations, you require a sterile environment. Air is full of impurities and so it is important to reduce the level of containments where possible. This can be achieved by constructing a simple clean room. Using thin lengths of wood, nail these together to make four wall panels. Cover these panels with plastic sheeting (use staples to attach). Screw the four panels...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms

Image
Oyster mushrooms are highly tolerant of variations in temperature, humidity, light levels and carbon dioxide levels, making it a great choice for first time growers. They are known to help lower cholesterol levels and are a great source of potassium, iron and protein. Materials needed: Straw (the medium for growing the mushrooms in) Containers (for soaking straw) Plastic bags (or reusable containers for holding straw) Elastic bands or string (to constrict bag opening) Cotton wool (to filter out contaminants) Barrel or drum (for pasteurising the straw) Material liner (for holding bags within barrel) Gas burner (for heating barrel) Bleach spray (to clean growing room) Spoon, gloves, clean clothes, face mask (to look the part when inoculating straw) A growing area that can retain moisture in the air, shaded with some light Possibly plastic sheeting (to help retain humidity & to reduce other unwanted moulds) Mushroom spawn (see How to Grow Mushroom Spawn) A water or weed spray...
Post a Comment
Read more