You Can Grow Your Own Mushrooms

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After spawning, the mycelia run or grow through the compost for two to three weeks. The trays are ready to be cased when a network of the cottonlike mycelia. covers the compost surface. Throughout this period the compost will require watering with a fine spray to maintain the correct moisture content. If the compost becomes dry, the mycelia will die, but if it is remoistened, the remaining viable strands will continue to grow.

CASING

Mushrooms will not emerge from the compost but will form only if another layer of material, called the casing, is placed over the compost. The casing provides the growing mycelia with a layer in which to aggregate and send up mushrooms. The casing material should be placed on the surface of the compost to a depth of I to 1-1/2 inches.

A variety of substances can be used for casing the trays. Soil is good but it should be neither too heavy and claylike nor too sandy. Prepare the soil by first passing it through a fine-mesh screen (3/16-inch mesh works fine to remove the clumped soil and pebbles). I think it's wise to spray the soil with 2 percent formalin solution to reduce contamination, although many growers eliminate this step.

Just prior to applying the casing, mix in about one-third peat by volume. This will prevent compaction and also provide nutrients for the mushroom mycelia. Without the peat, the casing becomes crusty after frequent watering and the tiny pinheads have difficulty breaking through the surface crust.

When adding peat to the casing soil, use horticultural rather than bedding peat because it is less acidic. For good measure, I throw in about a cup of lime for each bucketful of peat used since an alkaline casing is necessary for a successful crop.

WATCH THE MOISTURE CONTENT

The moisture content of the casing is rather important to control because fructification cannot take place unless the casing is moist. To apply water directly to the casing after it is added to the compost would injure the developing pinheads, so place several sheets of newspaper directly on the surface of the casing and then twice a day add just enough water to keep the paper moist. The mycelia will grow into the casing layer and become established immediately after it is applied. This will not occur if the casing material is disturbed in any way or if it becomes too dry.

After 10 days, carefully remove the newspaper covering the trays. At this point the proper watering of the beds requires great care and sensitivity. The goal is to maintain a moist casing, but overwatering can be disastrous. If too much water is applied it will percolate through the casing into the compost and kill the mycelia. If too little water is supplied, the layer of casing next to the compost becomes dry and the mushrooms will not grow abundantly.

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