How to grow your own champignons. Modern approaches to growing champignons at home. Caring for a champignon plantation

As expected, let's start with the cheapest, simplest method that will satisfy the requirements of many farmers. An ordinary bed is a layer of soil with fertilizers, which is located in the basement or greenhouse. An old vegetable storehouse, a shallow mine, a closed poultry house, etc. are ideal for growing. The main thing is that there is high humidity in the room, and the temperature is a secondary indicator; it can be adjusted with the help of heaters. Let's look at step-by-step instructions for growing champignons on a ridge.

>Step 1: Laying compost.

First, the floor is leveled, then a plastic film is laid on it, which will retain moisture. Compost up to 30-40 centimeters thick is applied to it.

>Step 2: Inoculation with mycelium.

The purchased seed can be immediately sown in furrows previously made in the compost, scattered on top, and then covered with another 4-5 centimeter layer of compost.

>Step 3: Watering and maintaining temperature.

It is necessary to water the crops abundantly so that they are constantly saturated with moisture, only then the mycelium will grow well, and new fruiting bodies will appear within 10-12 weeks after sowing.

Today, more than 80% of all farmers use this method, because it is really profitable. This method has many advantages, let's look at them in more detail.

1. There is no need to purchase expensive trays, so you can save 600-700 rubles per one.
2. Quick garden bed equipment. You can make it in almost 1 day; you just need to add ready-made compost. There is a lot more red tape with trays and bags.
3. Rational use of usable space.

There are, of course, more disadvantages. First of all, we pay attention to infections. If they occur, they spread throughout the entire bed, and this can be a very serious loss. You also need to take into account that it is impossible to clean the room, therefore, sooner or later, infections will appear, brought from shoes from the street or simply on a person’s clothes. Another disadvantage is the inability to raise the bed to a convenient height, so manual labor will be much more difficult than with the Dutch technology.

Growing champignons at home on shelves

This is a more modern method, which provides for convenient placement in drawers. This is the so-called Dutch growing method, which involves rational use of indoor space, as well as the highest quality care. The shelf system involves the use of special mechanized equipment, and therefore is considered more expensive. Many farmers abandoned this method precisely because of its relative high cost. The minimum starting capital for a premises of 50 square meters is $8,000.

Profitability of production starts only from 6 kg/1 m2, so it will be profitable to grow only good hybrids that will produce a lot and often. But, with good yield, the method is very practical, since labor costs are reduced by 2-3 times compared to horizontal ridges. Plastic molds are used as a container for the substrate, from which rows are made, they go on top of each other. Drip irrigation is necessary because with conventional sprays, infections that enter the top row will quickly spread to the lower containers.

How to grow champignons in the basement in ordinary bags

This is the most popular method for oyster mushrooms, but in recent years, champignons have also gradually begun to move into polyethylene, since this is one of the most practical methods for obtaining a good harvest with little labor and low material investments. Let's take a closer look at how to make a mushroom grow out of a bag.

>Step 1: We prepare the substrate.

For this we need 15 kg of horse manure, 3 kg of straw, 2 kg of sunflower husks, 5-6 kg of black soil, 2 kg of mullein. Mix all the above ingredients and get an excellent mixture for planting mycelium.

>Step 2: We are waiting for it to burn out.

Fill it with plenty of water and wait until the temperature is +80 degrees. After 20 days, spread the soil mixture into a thin layer and dry it.

>Step 3: We throw everything into a bag.

Everything is simple here. We fill the bag to the top, make it very tight, pour water into it so that the moisture content of our mixture is as high as possible.

>Step 4: We sow the mycelium and place the bags.

Holes are made in the bag, approximately 10 centimeters in diameter, in a checkerboard pattern so that the bag does not rupture. You get a surface made of polyethylene in a mesh, where mycelium will need to be placed in each cell.

The technology allows you to save on the purchase of containers, but, at the same time, provides all the advantages of shelf growing. If an infection gets into one bag, you simply throw it away or disinfect it; the bacteria do not spread to neighboring blocks. Among the disadvantages, the most significant is manual labor at the first stage, which will be required a lot when stuffing each bag, mixing, moistening, and planting mycelium.

Container method

Americans know better than anyone how to grow champignons at home. It was they who came up with aerated (with the possibility of ventilation) containers for growing. This method allows you to obtain fresh fruiting bodies even on the balcony of an apartment, not to mention basements. To do this, you will need a special container with a lid and a tray into which all the moisture will drain. The compost is prepared as for growing in bags, after which it is placed in wooden containers, previously disinfected at a temperature of +200 degrees in an oven.

Then the mycelium is sown to a depth of 4-5 centimeters, the soil is moistened, and placed in a warm place (a temperature of up to +28 degrees is needed). The method is very effective and convenient, especially when infection gets into the soil. You can easily localize the epidemic, since it will not go further than one container. The biggest disadvantage of this method is the high cost for industrial scale, so farmers very rarely use it in Russia. If you haven’t yet figured out how to grow champignons at home without unnecessary “dust and noise,” then this one is right for you. Compact containers will fit in any basement or room.

How to grow champignon mushrooms in blocks and what they are

Blocks (or, as they are also called, briquettes) are specially prepared presses made from manure, seed husks, sawdust, and peat. The ideal ratio of all components, as well as high-quality mixing on production equipment will benefit the future harvest.

There are many advantages to this method of growing. You don’t waste time, effort, or money on building beds; you get ready-made material. Typically, compost is sold in cylindrical or rectangular polyethylene blocks. You can hang it on a rope, or simply place it in a prepared metal container. It is very easy to change, so growing champignons at home does not require much effort: we collect 3-4 waves of mushrooms and throw away the “filling” of the metal box. We buy a new briquette, put it in, and fill it with mycelium. The main disadvantage of this method is the same as the previous one - cost. However, since the first 3 waves produce about 80% of the harvest, such frequent changes of substrate will be to some extent beneficial if you want to get stable and large yields of champignons.

How to grow champignons at home: choosing a room for a mycelium + how to prepare a substrate + where to put compost + how many days does it take for a mushroom to bear fruit + how to grow champignons step by step at home + is it possible to grow mushrooms in bags + investing in a champignon growing business.

There are many culinary recipes in which the presence of mushrooms is simply necessary. Champignons are eaten pickled, fried, boiled, in salads, main courses and hot lunches.

With such demand, selling this product can be a good business idea, so today we will share with you the secret of how to grow champignons at home, while spending a minimum of personal savings.

How to grow champignons at home and what room is suitable for mycelium?

In nature, the champignon mushroom grows everywhere - field, meadow, forest, garden, vegetable garden, etc. If you want, you will need to prepare a special room for this.

A basement is most suitable, especially if the floor is earthen. You can try growing produce in a garage, shed or greenhouse, but this will be risky.

The main requirement for the room is ventilation, as well as disinfection. The mushroom quickly absorbs all microbes, fungal infections, etc. As a result, you risk poisoning both yourself and your consumers.

How to properly disinfect a room for growing mushrooms:

1. If you have chosen a basement, barn or garage for your mushroom growing, it is advisable to whitewash the walls and ceiling. Add copper sulfate to the whitewash.

   Whitewash must be prepared for use with the addition of the following components:

   • 2-3 kg of slaked lime;
   • 1 bucket of water (10 liters);
   • 100 grams of copper sulfate.

Do not forget to wear a respiratory mask while disinfecting the room.

2. Another option for disinfecting a room is to dilute 350 grams of bleach in 1 bucket of water (10 liters). The walls are treated by irrigation.
3. If possible, treat the basement with a sulfur bomb. After such a strong disinfection, you will have to thoroughly ventilate the room.

Now let's talk about ventilation of the room where the champignons will grow. Fresh air should always flow into the basement, but at the same time prevent the formation of drafts. Ventilation pipes must have a filter that will prevent insects from entering the basement.

If you are planning an entire production in order to be able to grow large quantities of champignons, then install production fans that will stand above each rack. Try to install an air purifier with a replaceable filter.

The mushroom picker must constantly monitor the humidity in the room and the air temperature. Equipment such as a thermometer and hygrometer will help with this. If champignons grow even in winter, you will also have to purchase a fireplace to heat the basement.

The room humidity should be between 70-85%, and the temperature Celsius should be from +12 to +20 maximum, depending on the ripening period of the champignons.

The only thing mushrooms definitely don’t need is light. They will reproduce even in the dark.

An approximate cost item for preparing the premises:

Expense item	Quantity	Amount (rub.)
TOTAL:		10,560 rubles
1. Fan for production premises	1	5 000
2. Thermo-hygrometer	1	1 000
4. Bleach	1 pack	60
5. Air purifier	1	4 500

1) Prepare the correct substrate for growing champignons at home.

Now we will tell you how to properly prepare the substrate at home.

The ideal ratio at which champignons will produce is “one to three” - most of the horse manure and a third of straw.

Instead of horse humus, chicken droppings or cow manure are sometimes used. Replacing such an important component can lead to a deterioration in yield; it is better not to risk it.

The main rule is that the substrate should be prepared only outside or in a place that has good ventilation. During the ripening process, which lasts 3 weeks, toxic gases (ammonia and carbon dioxide) will be released. They are harmful to health, so this process is best done outdoors.

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to prepare the substrate at home:

Note that the smoldering temperature of the substrate rises to 70-80 degrees above Celsius. As a result, we will receive 300 kilograms of compost, which is approximately 3 square meters of area for planting and growing champignons at home.

How to recognize quality compost? It should not stick to your hands, but at the same time it is wet and does not leave any traces of dirt.

If, while preparing the soil for champignons, you added more water than expected, then spread out the substrate and dry it a little. Make sure that the moisture does not drop below the required level. The optimal indicator is 60%.

You can buy a ready-made soil briquette with sown mycelium in order to grow champignons at home. Its price starts from 250 rubles per 10 kg. That is, for 300 kg you will have to pay 45,000 rubles.

It will be much cheaper to personally look for everything you need; this will not be difficult if you live in a rural area. In addition, such important components as straw and manure can be given to you free of charge or for a small fee.

2) Prepare the base for laying compost.

Depending on the conditions in which you will grow champignons, soil laying will have its own characteristics.

Option for preparing and disposing of compost:

1. If you are going to plant champignons directly on the floor of the cellar, then spread the compost in a layer of 70 centimeters. Be sure to form beds.
2. The second option is to prepare shelves with sides. Cover the soil in a 45 cm layer.
3. You can grow mushrooms directly in wooden or metal boxes. Make a layer of soil 25 cm, and stack the boxes (the capacity of the box is 4 buckets).
4. How to grow champignon mushrooms at home outdoors? You can also do this outdoors or in a greenhouse. In this case, the compost is laid directly on the ground, a layer of 30 cm. Planting in the soil is early spring. Be sure to make a canopy to protect the champignon from precipitation.

In any case, the compost must be laid well and tightly, its surface must be flat.

Detailed instructions on how to grow champignons at home

Now let's get to the point of how to grow champignons at home. Before this, let’s look at how the mycelium planting itself occurs, the so-called. fungal embryos.

Step-by-step description of planting mycelium at home:

How to grow champignons at home in bags?

A polymer bag will help increase the yield of champignons at home. It is used instead of adapted racks and drawers. This technique is today recognized and in demand in many countries around the world.

1. Buy plastic film and make the bag yourself. It should hold from 25 to 35 kilograms of compost.
2. In the cellar, the bags should be placed parallel to each other or in a checkerboard pattern, i.e. there should be space between them.
3. The height of the bags and their width may vary. The main thing is that you feel comfortable working with them, and that the basement is not crowded.

The film is not expensive - 50 m2 will cost about 100 rubles.

If problems arise and one of the bags becomes infected, it should be thrown away. If you use racks, then in order to disinfect the mycelium, you will have to throw away the entire shelf and re-make the substrate.

Technology of growing champignon mushrooms.

How to grow mushrooms yourself?
Business at home.

Business idea - growing mushrooms at home?

Do not forget that electricity consumption will increase due to constantly switched on ventilation. Along with this, so do the numbers in utility bills.

What about revenue? From one square meter you can collect up to 10 kilograms of champignons, from 3, respectively, 30 kg.

Even if we take into account that the champignons will produce only 5 waves, we will collect approximately 150 kilograms of product in the end. The price of raw mushroom on the market is approximately 120 rubles per kilogram. If you preserve them and sell them, you can set a price of 200 rubles for 1 liter of champignons.

Even a small harvest can bring a stable profit of 30 thousand rubles. If you grow champignons at home all year round, your income will increase, while the costs of such a business are minimal. This allows us to conclude that the mushroom business has great potential.

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The latter is the most popular and in turn is divided into groups (races):

• white;
• cream;
• brown.

White champignons are the leaders on the market, but they are also the most demanding. To cultivate them you need special equipment. The brown and cream races are less productive, but also less sensitive to microclimatic conditions.

Substrate (compost) is a mixture of:

• wheat straw – 60%;
• horse manure – 30%;
• urea – 1.5%;
• superphosphate – 1.5%;
• gypsum – 4%
• chalk – 3%.

Reference! For one square meter you need about 6 kg of compost and 0.5 kg of mycelium.

It is convenient to buy the substrate ready-made, but you can make a compost heap yourself. The main thing is that it is located outside or in a ventilated room, since the formation of compost is accompanied by the release of ammonia vapor.

The straw is pre-soaked in water for a day, then laid in layers, alternating with manure and urea. You need to lay it at a height of 1-2 meters. All layers are watered.

Compost matures faster in the sun. It must be protected from rain, covering it with film on top, but leaving access for air from the side. After a week, the pile is shaken with a pitchfork. Then gypsum is added. A few days later, they shake it out again, adding superphosphate and chalk. It is important to keep the compost moist at all times.

After three or four days, the third shaking is carried out, followed by the fourth. After three weeks, the compost will lose its pungent odor, will not stick to your hands or get dirty, will become moderately moist and elastic - this means that it is ready for use.

But before this, the substrate is pasteurized for several hours in a special chamber at a temperature of +65°C. Instead of pasteurization, it is possible to cover the compost heap with film and leave for 4-5 days.

Premises and equipment

Here's what room you need to successfully grow mushrooms:

1. Disinfected (fumigated with smoke bombs, treated with a solution of lime and copper sulfate).
2. Divided into zones for making and pasteurizing compost; sowing and growing mycelium; growing mushrooms. The temperature in the mycelium incubation zone should be ≈ 24°C, in the mushroom growing zone – 12-18°C. To comply with these conditions, it is better to organize two separate rooms.

1. With constant humidity ≈ 60-80%. On small farms this indicator can be achieved by conventional spraying. In industrial production - using electronic air conditioners and humidifiers.
2. Minimum size ≈ 15 m2.
3. With connected communications: water supply, electricity, sewerage (to drain excess water), heating and ventilation.
4. With concrete floor (prevents rats and moles from entering).

Equipment purchased for the farm:

• air conditioner;
• refrigerators for cooling products;
• water heating boiler and steam generator;
• lighting;
• quartz lamp;
• thermogyrometer;
• scales;
• supply and exhaust ventilation with a filtration system with a capacity of 5 full chamber volumes per hour;
• transport.

Mushroom care and harvesting

The thickness of the substrate layer should be 25-30 cm. The mycelium is divided into small pieces and placed in holes in a checkerboard pattern, lightly sprinkled with compost.

After this, the mycelium is left to germinate for a week and a half in warmth and without light, making sure that the substrate does not dry out.

After the mycelium has grown and filled the substrate, it is transferred to a cooler room (or the temperature is reduced), where the formation of fruiting bodies begins. To do this, the substrate is sprinkled with a 3-4 centimeter layer of poor soil - peat, loam (the soil is pre-moistened).

Then it remains to maintain temperature and humidity, provide drip irrigation or spraying and regularly ventilate the room. You can say with accuracy how long the champignons grow and when they need to be collected - 30-40 days should pass after planting.

In a mature mushroom, a film connects the stem to the cap. If it is damaged and the mushroom has dark plates, it is overripe and not suitable for food.

The mushrooms will bear fruit in several stages over two months. Each crop ripens in 3-4 days. About a week passes between fruiting phases. The most abundant is the first harvest. After three or four collections, the substrate is disposed of.

The champignons are not cut, but twisted out of the ground. The remaining holes are sprinkled with substrate and moistened.

Mushrooms are placed in containers of 3-4 kg. Storage temperature – from 0 to 4°C. Duration – no more than 12 days.

A sample production plan looks like this:

1. Preparing the premises.
2. Buying or making compost.
3. Planting mycelium.
4. Survival check.
5. Backfilling of soil.
6. Lowering the air temperature or changing the room.
7. Harvesting.

The whole process takes about 4 months. When expanding a business, it makes sense to register officially (according to OKVED 01.13.6). The following documents will be needed:

• individual entrepreneur registration certificate;
• application for opening;
• certificate of payment of state duty;
• certificate of conformity to GOST;
• instructions for storage and transportation of products;
• certificate of passing radiological control.

Business plan for growing champignons

How much you can earn from selling mushrooms depends on the size of production and the initial investment. The growing cycle is 2.5 months.

One-time expenses will be:

1. Substrate and mycelium (for a year) – 200 thousand rubles.
2. Renovation of the premises - 50 thousand rubles.
3. Racks, boxes – 200 thousand rubles.
4. Ventilation and air conditioning – 250 thousand rubles.
5. Refrigeration chambers – 100 thousand rubles.

6. Lighting – 30 thousand rubles.

7. Installation of equipment – ​​10 thousand rubles.

8. Preparation of documents (registration, protocol of radiological examination of the workshop) – 10 thousand rubles.

9. Other – 50 thousand rubles.

Total: 900 thousand rubles.

Monthly:

1. Utility costs – 12 thousand rubles.
2. Insurance deductions, certificates of conformity – 40 thousand rubles.
3. Salary for workers (3 people) – 60 thousand rubles.
4. Other – 25 thousand rubles.

Total: 137 thousand rubles/month.

Total for the year (including initial expenses): 2,544,000 rubles.

On average, 10-15 kg of champignons are harvested per square meter. Let’s say the property has a room that can accommodate 200 m2 of substrate. In one cycle, approximately 3 tons of products will grow there. This is 14 tons of champignons per year.

Wholesale price per kilogram – 145 rubles. This means that the income from the sale will be 2,030,000 rubles.

Obviously, the business has a good payback period - a little over a year. Monthly income (excluding expenses and taxes) – 435 thousand rubles. But this is under ideal conditions and established sales channels.

Thus, the business idea of ​​growing mushrooms for sale is promising. It allows you to get big profits in a short time and with minimal labor costs. However, this is a risky business that may result in losses. It is best to try on a small scale, purchasing several ready-made blocks to begin with. It is also necessary to agree in advance with consumers (retail chains, restaurants, individuals) about deliveries so that batches of perishable goods do not sit in warehouses.

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For most summer residents, the features of growing vegetables, berries and fruits have become commonplace and uninteresting. Now, modern gardeners are interested in more valuable fruits that replace meat and fish dishes in the diet. Growing mushrooms is considered by some people as an interesting hobby that allows them to obtain a natural product through cultivation. Others even turn their summer cottage into a small mushroom farm that can feed the whole family.

Beginners usually start by cultivating simple species - oyster mushrooms and honey mushrooms. But for those who are not afraid of difficulties and are ready to devote maximum time to a complex and labor-intensive process, the best option would be to grow champignons at home for beginners. By following simple rules and recommendations, you can achieve excellent results step by step in a short time. You can start germination in the basement with the help of mycelium, equipping the basement with a climate favorable for cultivation.

Home mushroom growing, advantages of the hobby

Despite the fact that you can buy mushrooms in bulk in the store, growing champignons at home for beginners has its advantages. Firstly, the hobby captivates you with its process, allowing you to observe the germination of a mushroom culture from scratch. Secondly, by following all the recommendations and advice, you can provide yourself with an affordable harvest, which will always be at hand if necessary. Thirdly, knowing the entire history of champignon cultivation, the owner of a garden plot will have reliable information about the absence of harmful additives and chemicals in the fruits, which often end up in purchased mushrooms during transportation and improper storage.

In addition to the advantages listed above, the most important thing is the rich content of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Each champignon contains a huge amount of vitamins B1, B2 and C, protein, nicotinic and pantothenic acid, phosphorus, calcium and iron. The rest is pure water, which the body needs for the full functioning and functioning of internal organs.

Another integral advantage is the refined aroma and pleasant, memorable taste, which allows you to prepare many dishes of Russian cuisine. First and second courses, appetizers and pates, preservation in any form, turn out tasty and, most importantly, low in calories.

Selection and preparation of premises

To start growing champignons, you first need to think about the room. It should be closed, cool, but heated during the winter months. In summer, you can grow mushrooms in open ground, when the ground warms up and the air temperature reaches 20 degrees.

Most often, gardeners settle on 5 room options. This could be a basement, barn and garage, cellar and even a greenhouse.

If a mushroom picker is going to grow mushrooms at home for sale, he should know that year-round care involves observing the temperature regime. The temperature should not fall below 15 degrees. The best option is between 17 and 20 degrees Celsius.

In the summer, you can transfer soil contaminated with mycelium to the garden. This approach will make care easier by replacing artificial conditions with natural ones. Open air will become an analogue of systematic ventilation, and a little summer rain will maintain humidity.

Helpful information! When preparing the room, do not fill the floor with concrete. It is much better if there is an earthen surface in the room that can retain heat.

Champignons can also be grown outdoors, as many experienced mushroom pickers do. True, in this case the risk of failure increases. Unexpected frosts can affect the number of champignons and even the beginning of their growth.

It is better to place the mycelium along the fence, behind the trees. Recommended parameters:

• trench bottom - from 35 to 45 cm;
• width - from 1 to 1.5 meters;
• total area - 1.5-2 meters.
• along the perimeter there is a small trench, the depth of which ranges from 20 to 30 cm.

Growing champignons at home for beginners involves rules that must be followed. Among them:

• good ventilation;
• air humidification;
• absence of drafts in a closed space;
• a ventilation hole that does not allow cold air to pass through and is closed from the penetration of midges, mosquitoes and other pests;
• heating in the cold season;
• lamps are necessary for the convenience of the mushroom picker; they have nothing to do with germination. Mushrooms do not depend on photosynthesis; they are able to bear fruit even in pitch darkness.

How to disinfect a room?

Champignons do not get along with other mushrooms in the same area. Therefore, before you start growing at home, you should treat the room from scratch. Before cultivation, it is necessary to thoroughly disinfect all surfaces with a disinfecting solution. The surface is treated from floor to ceiling with formaldehyde, and the remaining surfaces are treated with copper sulfate solution. A sulfur bomb is made with the help of sulfur, and the entire area is covered with bleach using a spray gun or garden sprayer.

One or two days after disinfection, the room is ventilated and the cultivation process itself begins.

Dividing space into zones

The zoning of the selected room is divided into two equal parts. One half is intended for planting the mycelium and starting its germination. The second part is reserved for growing and harvesting. It does not matter whether the room is divided horizontally or vertically. The most important thing is that it is convenient for a novice mushroom grower to care for the mycelium and then collect its gifts.

Mycelium: purchased or self-grown?

The simplest method is to purchase a ready-made substrate contaminated with oyster mushroom spores. Many professional mushroom pickers and factories that grow champignons from scratch sell ready-made grain mycelium. It is not so expensive compared to other breeds and the time that needs to be spent on sowing and additional processing.

If a novice mushroom picker decides to buy mycelium for further germination at home, it is worth paying close attention to its appearance. Its color should be a yellow-orange hue, and the grains should not include green and black colors. The smell should not be negative, one might even say intimidating.

Important! If you want to start growing champignons professionally, you shouldn’t buy a large batch of mycelium at once. It is worth carefully familiarizing yourself with the supplier, weighing positive and negative reviews. After the decision has been made, it is worth taking a minimum amount of mycelium for testing. This approach will help avoid wasting time and money.

If you decide to grow mycelium yourself, you should familiarize yourself with a step-by-step diagram that can make the process easier.

Instructions for creating grain mycelium of champignons:

1) pour 15 kg of grains into any convenient container and fill with 20 liters of water;
2) place the poured substrate on the stove over low heat;
3) bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 40-50 minutes;
4) make sure that the grains do not boil;
5) drain the water and let the grain dry for several hours;
6) fill the jars with the finished material;
7) take plastic lids, make holes in them and put them on the jars;
8) close the holes on the lid with cotton wool and place in the autoclave for 25-40 minutes;
9) use the holes to place the mycelium in the jar;
10) place the jars in a thermostat with a temperature of 22-25 degrees;
11) wait until the mycelium germinates and fills the substrate.

Classic recipe for champignon mycelium

Growing champignons at home for beginners includes 6 main ingredients:

1) horse or bird manure;
2) dry gypsum;
3) fertilizer (you can consult with a sales consultant when purchasing);
4) chalk;
5) dry straw;
6) alabaster flour.

For 10 kg of manure you need to take 400 g of fertilizer, 20 kg of straw, 1.5 kg of dry gypsum and 1 kg of chalk.

Substrate in beds, placement rules

To start growing at home, in a country house, basement or any indoor space, you should follow all the step-by-step instructions listed below.

1) First, you should make a rack with a bottom and sides that exceed the depth of the boxes by 20-50 cm.
2) Boxes (one or more) must be filled with substrate and placed on shelves.
3) If the floor of the room is not poured with concrete, but covered with earth, the growing beds can be placed directly on the ground.

Growing champignons, varieties

Like any other mushrooms, champignons can be grown at home, in a summer cottage, in a basement, in a garage, or even in a greenhouse. Some gardeners even manage to engage in mushroom farming outdoors, risking being left without a fertile harvest. You can find out about each of the popular methods below.

From scratch in the basement in bags

Many mushroom growers, even those with extensive experience in germinating champignons, use the option of growing mushrooms in basements. A closed room is in most cases heated and does not need additional modification. All that remains is to install the humidifier and build a rack.

It is best to grow champignons in plastic bags. This method is the most practical for moving from one place to another.

The peculiarity of this method and its disadvantage is that during the process of mushroom appearance, the bags are transferred to a well-ventilated place. The change of location is extended for several weeks until the mushrooms are collected. Afterwards, the bag with the substrate is returned to its original place to begin the sequential process from scratch again.

In the garden

To start growing in beds, it is worth preparing the soil in the autumn. To do this, you should collect the top part of the soil from 15 to 35 cm, cover the bare area with a small layer of expanded clay, and cover it with sawdust or mowed grass.

At the end of spring, the soil should be cultivated, small holes made and infected with mycelium. If the mycelium is grain, it is scattered and compacted to retain more moisture.

Fruiting begins when the temperature reaches 23-27 degrees. Mushrooms have time to grow in 10-14 days.

On the balcony

Growing on a balcony is no different from the basement method. The only difference is the additional insulation of the room. The balcony should be glazed by insulating the brick walls using glass wool or ursa material.

In addition, there must be ventilation and convenient shelving.

Other growing methods include block and container methods. They allow you to grow champignons in a greenhouse and even a barn.

List of diseases and pests:

• mummies;
• mushroom mite;
• rotting;
• mushroom midge;
• mold (any type).

1. When a mummy appears, the mycelium is removed along with the substrate.
2. At the first sign of a mushroom mite, the mushrooms are sprayed with a metaphos solution.
3. You can always get rid of fungus midges using chlorophos.
4. Formalin will help against rot and mold.

Champignons today have become the type of mushroom that is available for growing at home. The period between planting the mycelium in the substrate and receiving the first fruits is minimal. Growing champignons does not require special conditions. It is enough just to provide a cool room with high air humidity. A basement or cellar is quite suitable.

Champignons can be grown both for personal use and for sale. But it is important to know that the substrate for their growth, when wet, emits a rather strong odor. It is not advisable to keep it in a residential area.

Where and on what do mushrooms grow?

The very first and most important step in successfully growing mushrooms is proper preparation of the substrate. It must be prepared with high quality in compliance with all stages.

The substrate for champignons consists of:

• 25% compost (wheat and rye straw)
• 75% horse manure

There is experience in growing champignons based on chicken manure or cow manure, but you should not expect high yields in this case.

The substrate is prepared in an open space on the street or in a well-ventilated room, since during its fermentation ammonia, carbon dioxide and moisture will be released. Additional additives per 100 kg of substrate are:

• 2 kg urea
• 2 kg superphosphate
• 5 kg chalk
• 8 kg gypsum

As a result, we get almost 300 kg of finished substrate. This mass can fill a mycelium with an area of ​​3 square meters. m.

If you decide to prepare compost based on chicken manure, then the proportions will be as follows:

• 100 kg straw
• 100 kg litter
• 300 l water
• Alabaster

The procedure for preparing the substrate is as follows.

1. The straw is soaked in a large spacious container.
2. Straw is laid alternating layers with manure. There should be 3 layers of straw and 3 layers of manure.
3. The straw is wetted with water during the laying process. Three layers of straw (100 kg) will take about 300 liters.
4. While laying the layers, urea (2 kg) and superphosphate (0.5 kg) are gradually added in small portions.
5. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add chalk and the remainder of superphosphate, gypsum.

The resulting substrate is left to undergo the smoldering process. In this case, the temperature in the mixture will rise to 70 degrees. After 21 days, the compost will be completely ready for further use.

Planting material

There is no need to save when purchasing planting material. Therefore, they purchase mycelium (mycelium) only of the highest quality. It must be grown under special laboratory conditions. Manufacturers of myceliums today present two types of planting material:

• Compost mycelium
• Grain mycelium

Grain mycelium is produced in plastic bags. It is stored for about 6 months at a temperature of 0 to 4 degrees. Grain mycelium is used at the rate of 0.4 kg per 100 kg of substrate (mycelium area 1 sq.m).

Compost mycelium is sold in glass containers. Its shelf life depends on temperature. At zero degrees it can last for about a year, but if the temperature is at 20 degrees, then the mycelium must be used within 3 weeks. Compost mycelium is used at the rate of 0.5 kg per 1 sq.m of substrate. Its yield is much lower than that of grain.

A properly prepared substrate will certainly spring back when pressed. Before placing mycelium in it, it must undergo a pasteurization (heat treatment) process. After heating, the substrate cools down to 25 degrees. About 100 kg of substrate is placed in 1 sq.m of mycelium in a layer of approximately 30 cm.

Take a piece of mycelium the size of a chicken egg and bury it about 5 cm into the substrate. Each portion of the mycelium is placed at a distance of 20 cm from each other. A staggered arrangement is used for planting.

Another method involves uniform distribution (sprinkling) of mycelium over the entire surface of the substrate. It also needs to be buried no more than 5 cm.

Further actions are to provide the necessary conditions for the establishment and germination of the mycelium. Air humidity should be maintained at around 90%. The substrate must also be kept constantly moist. To prevent it from drying out, the mycelium can be covered with sheets of paper. Watering the substrate is carried out through paper. An important condition for the establishment of mycelium is a constantly maintained substrate temperature of 22 to 27 degrees. Any temperature deviations from the norm must be adjusted immediately.

The mycelium germination time is approximately 7 to 14 days. After this period, the substrate needs to be covered with a covering layer of soil of about 3 cm. It is prepared independently from one part sand and nine parts peat. Approximately 50 kg of cover soil will be needed per square meter of mycelium.

The covering layer is kept on the substrate for three days, then the air temperature in the basement or cellar is reduced to 15-17 degrees. The cover soil is moistened with a spray bottle, and the room is constantly ventilated. Drafts are not allowed.

Harvesting

The process of growing champignons yourself in a cellar or basement is not too complicated or time-consuming. The period from planting to harvesting the first harvest is 120 days. Only those mushrooms in which the plates under the cap are not yet visible are suitable for consumption. Those mushrooms that are large in size, overripe, and the plastic ones are dark brown in color are prohibited from being used as food. They can cause poisoning.

The mushroom should not be cut, but carefully plucked with a twisting motion. The resulting depression is sprinkled with a covering substrate and moistened.

The mycelium will bear fruit for about 2 weeks. The number of harvests collected during this period is 7. Up to 14 kg of crop is harvested from one square of area.

To grow champignons in large quantities for sale through retail chains, I use polymer bags. This method has gained recognition in many countries. With its help, a large harvest is obtained.

1. A polymer film is used to make the bag. The capacity of each bag ranges from 25 to 35 kg.
2. The bags should be of just the right volume to make them convenient to work with. In addition, the correct location of the bags affects the number of grown champignons. They are usually arranged in a staggered or parallel pattern.
3. So, when installing bags with a diameter of about 0.4 m in a staggered arrangement, only 10% of the usable area will be lost, while their random installation results in losses of up to 20%.
4. The height and width of the bags may vary. You need to take into account their conditions and ease of work, as well as the physical capabilities of the basement (cellar).

The method of growing mushrooms in bags is less expensive, as specially mounted shelves or containers are not required for their placement. If there is a need to use the space of the room as efficiently as possible, then a multi-tiered system can be created to arrange the bags. The advantage of this method also lies in the speed of combating emerging diseases or pests. An infected bag can be easily removed from healthy neighbors and destroyed, whereas if the mycelium becomes infected, its entire area will have to be removed.

It is important to remember that growing mushrooms is a rather labor-intensive process. If champignons are grown for sale, then it is impossible to do without the use of agricultural machinery to make the work easier for workers.

Experienced mushroom pickers can list a large number of methods they have tested for independently growing champignons in a basement (cellar). Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is compliance with growing technology, strict adherence to all instructions and requirements. The result is achieving the desired result and obtaining a rich harvest of mushrooms.